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Containment
Containment was the US policy of trying to stop communism from spreading throughout the world. Containment was inbetween appeasement and rollback. It was put into place by Harry S Truman. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was established as a way to protect countries from communism. It protected Greece and Turkey from Soviet forces. The doctrine was put into effect by President Harry S Truman. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was established by the US to provide aid to Europe after WWII. It was to rebuild and modernize Europe. The plan was named after Secreatary of State George Marshall. -
Apartheid
Apartheid happened in South Africa when many of the rights of black citizens were taken away. Because of a new legislation, people had to group themselves based off of four groups. The Apartheid ended in 1994. -
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was the Soviet Union's attempt to keep the people of the Soviet Union on one side, and everyone else on the other. The first time the term "Iron Curtain" was used was in 1918. Winston Churchill was the first person to call what was happening in the Soviet Union an Iron Curtain. -
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was when the Western Allies dropped supplies to the people of Berlin. They managed to haul 1,534 tons of food every day to keep people alive. They also dropped 3,475 tons of coal and gasoline to keep the city fueled. -
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was when the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies from getting in to Berlin. The airlift embarrassed the Soviets since they had thought it would not work. The blockade was lifted in May 1949. -
The "Draft"
The Draft is when young men between the ages of 18 and 26 must register so in case of not enough people are in the military during war, there will be a supply of men to fight. During the Cold War, there was a special program called "Doctor Draft", and it was aimed at getting physicians into the military. -
Popular Theater
Broadway shows became even more popular during the 1950s. Standard shows were Oklahoma!, The King and I, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, The Diary of Anne Frank, and My Fair Lady. -
Music Trends
Popular music artists from the 1950s were Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, and Nat King Cole. Rock and roll became very popular during this time period. Rock and roll was criticized as being a communist sceme to corrupt American youth. -
Book Publishing
Many standard reading books were published in the 1950s like Lord of the the Rings, The Catcher in the Rye, The Lord of the Rings, The Crucible, Go Tell It on the Mountian, Fahrenheit 451, A Separate Peace, and I Am Legand. Many books written at this time were considered contriversial. -
Korean War
A war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union. A border was placed on the 38th parallel between North and South Korea. The war ended on July 27, 1953. -
Vietnam War
A war fought between North Vietnam, supported by communist countries, and South Vietman, supported by anticommunist countries. North Vietnam won, and North and South were united. It ended on April 30, 1975. -
Attempted Assassination of Harry S Truman
A couple of Puerto Rican nationalists tried to assassinate Harry S Truman. The gang attempted to assassinate the President at the Blair House. He watched the gunfight from the house unitl a passerby shouted at him to take cover. The assassination attempt was unsuccessful. -
Domino Theory
The Domino Theory was what the US predicted what would happen if one counrty fell to communism. President Dwight D. Eisenhower first brought the theory to light. He believed that if China fell, Korea, Vietnam. Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malasyia, Indonesia, Burna and India would all fall to communism. -
Interstate Highway Act
The Interstate Highway Act was the largest public works project in US history. The act put 25 billion dollars into 41,000 miles of roads. Dwight D. Eisenhower put the act into effect. -
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis was a military dispute between Israel, the US, and France against Egypt. The Egyptions and Soviets won. It ended on November 7, 1956. -
The Pill
The Pill was first approved by the FDA in 1957. The Pill wasn't sold as a controceptive when it came out. It wasn't sold to married women until 1965. -
Great Leap Forward
The rapid transformation of China's government into a communist one. The Great Leap Forward was put into effect by Mao Zedong. Rural Chinese life was greatly affected because of agricaltrual collectivization. -
Movies
Hit movies from the 1960s were Planet of the Apes, Night of the Living Dead, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. Hundreds of movies were produced throughout the 1960s. Popular genres were historical dramas, psycological horror and comedy. -
OPEC
OPEC stands for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. It is an oil cartel. Members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, united Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs invasion was the unsuccessful invasion of Cuba by the US. It took place in the Gulf of Cazones. It was re-organized into 14 provinces of Cuba in 1976. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was a political march that was held in protest of the unfair treatment of minorities. The march focused on civil and economic rights for African Americans. Approximately 200,000+ people participated. The march was led and organized by James Farmer, John Lewis, Martin Luther King, Jr, Roy Wilkins, and Whitney Young. -
"I Have a Dream" speech
The "I Have a Dream" speech was given by Martin Luther King, Jr. It was delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The theme of the speech was racial equality. It was said that this speech helped to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. -
Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
The President was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas Texas. After Oswald was captured, Jack Ruby fatally shot him. The swearing in of the next president, Lyndon B. Johnson, happened on Air Force One, which happened to also be carrying the body of JFK. -
The Beatles
The Beatles first arrived in the US on February 7, 1964. The Beatles had more number one albums and singles on British musics charts than any other act in history. The Beatles consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed major forms of discrimintaion. It most importantly ended the segregation of schools. The Act was signed into a Law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm X was shot in a ballroom in Manhattan before giving a speech. He was shot 21 times. One of the gunman was captured by the crowd and beaten before the police got to him. -
Death of Walt Disney
Walt Disney died from lung cancer in Burbank, California. After his death. Walt Disney World opened. He is known for changing the world of animation, and donating and helping people when he could. -
Tet Offensive
Tet Offensive was a military campaign by North Vietnam against South Vietnam and the US. It was divided into three phases, each lasting no longer than three months. The US and South Vietnam won a tactical victory. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was shot by James Earl Ray, though there have been many conspiracy theories . President Lyndon B. Johnson called for April 7th to be a national day of mourning for MLK. -
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was the first space mission to successfully land humans on the Moon. The first people on the Moon were Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Americans were the first people on the Moon, ending the Space Race. The famous words "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" were spoken by Armstrong while on the Moon. -
Woodstock
Woodstock was a popular music festival that was held near Bethel, New York. During the three days, 32 acts performed. Some of the most noticable acts were Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix. -
Watergate
The Watergate scandal was when President Nixon attempted to cover up the fact that he had recorded many private converstations. It resulted in the resignation of President Nixon. When President Gerald Ford succedded him, he offered him a pardon. -
1972 Olympics- Munich Massacre
A group of eight Palestinians took nine Israeli representatives hostage. They then proceeded to kill two hostages within the first few moments. The massacre led the German federal government to re-examine its anti-terrorism policies. -
Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were the result of diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Israel, and the US. The leaders of the three countries were Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter, and Anwar El Sadat. The second framework of the project directly led to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
The IRan Hostage Crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the US. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days. The crisis ended on January 20, 1981. -
Ayatollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini was the first Surpreme Leader of Iran. He was named Man of the Year 1979 by TIME magazine. He became the Supreme Leader after the revolution in Iran. -
The Challenger
The Challenger was a space shuttle that exploded in the air after 73 seconds of flight. The explosion killed all seven crew members. The crew of the Challenger were Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, and Judith Resnik. -
Perestroika and Glasnost
Perestroika is often thought of as the thing that caused the Soviet Union to fall apart. It was a movement for political reformation. Glasnost was a policy that called for more openness in the SOviet Union's government. Both policies were implicated by Mikhail Gorbachev. -
Tiananmen Square
The Tiananmen Square Massacre was when student led protestors were shot down by the Chinese government. It was a pro-democracy movement. The Chinese government condemned the protests as a "counterrevolutionary riot", and has prohibited all forms of discussion or remembrance of the events within China. -
NAFTA
NAFTA stands for the North American Free Trade Agreement. The agreement is between Canada, the US, and Mexico. The goal was to eliminate barriers to trade and investment between the North American countries.
