Chapter 27

HUAC

The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) was an investigating committee which investigated what it considered un-American propaganda,

Election of 1948

The U.S. presidential election of 1948 is considered by most historians as the greatest election upset in American history. Virtually every prediction (with or without public opinion polls) indicated that incumbent President Harry S. Truman would be defeated by Republican Thomas Dewey. Truman won, overcoming a three-way split in his own party. Truman's surprise victory was the fifth consecutive win for the Democratic Party in a presidential election. Truman's election confirmed the Democratic Party's status as the nation's majority party, a status they would retain until the 1980's.

Jackie Robinson

The first African American player in the major league of baseball. His actions helped to bring about other opportunities for African Americans. He was the first African-American baseball player to play professionally in 1947. He was able to break the color barrier and seemed to successfully overcome the racism so prevalent in his sport. He was also was able to contribute to the winning of the pennant and Rookie of the Year in his first year of playing

Joe McCarthy

Winsconsin Senator that created a national witch hunt for socialist and communists inside the United States after WWII

IMF

a United Nations agency to promote trade by increasing the exchange stability of the major currencies

Red China

a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia

AEC

a former executive agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States

Council of Economic Advisors

a three-member body appointed by the president to advise the president on economic policy

George Kennan

an American advisor, diplomat, political scientist, and historian, best known as "the father of containment" and as a key figure in the emergence of the Cold War. He later wrote standard histories of the relations between Russia and the Western powers.

Security Council of UN

body charged primarily with maintaining international peace and security; could apply economic sanctions or send a peace-keeping military force to resolve disputes.

Berlin Blockade Airlift

stalin set up a blockade (to cut off west germany from east germany) so the americans sent huge planes every minute containing food clothing water and ect

NSC-68

"A National Security Council report in April 1950. It made the case for a U.S. military buildup to confront what it called an enemy ""unlike previous aspirants to hegemony... animated by a new fanatic faith. antithetical to our own."" The Soviet Union and the United States existed in a polarized world. in which the Soviets wished to ""impose its absolute authority over the rest of the world."" This would be a war of ideas in which ""the idea of freedom under a government of laws. and the idea of slavery under the grim oligarchy of the ""Kremlin"" were pitted against each other. Therefore. the U.S. as ""the center of power in the free world."" should build an international community in which American society would ""survive and flourish"" and pursue a policy of containment. The document drew from the writings of George F. Kennan. specifically the 1946 ""Long Telegram"" and the subsequent X Article."

Jiang Jieshi

(1887-1975) Leader of the Guomindang, or Nationalist Party in China. Fought to keep China from becoming communist, and to resist the Japanese during World War II. He lost control of China in 1949, and fled to Taiwan where he setup a rival government. Also known as Chang Kai Shek.

Korean War

(1950-3) A conflict between UN forces (primarily US and S Korea) against North Korea, and later China; Gen. Douglas Macarthur led UN forces and was later replaced by Gen. Ridgeway; Resulted in Korea remaining divided at the 38th parallel. (1950-53) Soviet aided North Korea attack on South Korea. McArthur named general on behalf of the UN (excluding Russia). US suppiled majority of troops, recapture of south korea and supression of North forces to the northern border, introduction to chinese, Mcarthur fired for suggestion to use nuclear arms on China, Nuclear incentives for peace negotiations.

Warsaw Pact

(26.4) When in 1955, West Germany was allowed to rearm and join NATO, the Soviet Union grew fearful and formed its own military alliance. This alliance linked the Soviet Union with seven Eastern European countries: Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany.

Truman Doctrine

(HT) , 1947, President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology, mainly helped Greece and Turkey

Cold War

(HT) 1946-1988, Churchill said it was a "iron curtain" between eastern and western Europe, A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted eachother on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years, US against Communism (containment)

Taft - Hartley Act

(HT) 1947, , The Act was passed over the veto of Harry S. Truman on the 23rd June, 1947. When it was passed by Congress, Truman denounced it as a "slave-labor bill". The act declared the closed shop illegal and permitted the union shop only after a vote of a majority of the employees. It also forbade jurisdictional strikes and secondary boycotts. Other aspects of the legislation included the right of employers to be exempted from bargaining with unions unless they wished to. The act forbade unions from contributing to political campaigns and required union leaders to affirm they were not supporters of the Communist Party. This aspect of the act was upheld by the Supreme Court on 8th May, 1950.

Alger Hiss

A U.S. State Department official involved in the establishment of the United Nations. He was accused of being a Soviet spy in 1948 by Whittaker Chambers and prosecuted by Richard Nixon; convicted of perjury in connection with this charge in 1950

Marshall Plan

A United States program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe (1948-1952)

Baby Boom

A cohort of individuals born in the United States between 1946 and 1964, which was just after World War II in a time of relative peace and prosperity. These conditions allowed for better education and job opportunities, encouraging high rates of both marriage and fertility.

Redlining

A discriminatory real estate practice in North America in which members of minority groups are prevented from obtaining money to purchase homes or property in predominantly white neighborhoods. The practice derived its name from the red lines depicted on cadastral maps used by real estate agents and developers. Today, redlining is officially illegal.

World Bank

A specialized agency of the United Nations that makes loans to countries for economic development, trade promotion, and debt consolidation. Its formal name is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Iron Curtain

A term popularized by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to describe the Soviet Union's policy of isolation during the Cold War. The barrier isolated Eastern Europe from the rest of the world.

Employment Act of 1946

Act which set up a three-member Council of Economic Advisers to make appraisals of the economy with regard to employment levels and advise the president in an annual economic report, while a new congressional Joint Committee on the Economic Report would propose legislation.

GI Bill of Rights

Also known as Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 gave money to veternas to study in colleges, universities, gave medical treatment, loans to buy a house or farm or start a new business

Fair Deal

An economic extension of the New Deal proposed by Harry Truman that called for higher minimum wage, housing and full employment. It led only to the Housing Act of 1949 and the Social Security Act of 1950 due to opposition in congress.

CIA

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. Its primary function is obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and persons in order to advise public policymakers

Mao Tse Tung

Chinese communist leader, Mao, came to power in 1949 and proclaimed the People's Republic ofChina. While in power, he initiated the Great leap Forward and the founding of communes. He also Led the Cultural Revolution and established ties withThe West.

Rosenbergs

Couple executed for passing military secrets to the Soviets, Husband and wife tried and excuted for treason under suspicion of Communist influence and trading atomic bomb secrets with the Soviet Union.

Levittown

In 1947, William Levitt used mass production techniques to build inexpensive homes in surburban New York to help relieve the postwar housing shortage. Levittown became a symbol of the movement to the suburbs in the years after WWII.

MacArthur Incident in Korean War

MacArthur was fired by president Truman, because MacArthur leaked news to a congressman that he planned to use Chinese Nationalist forces from Formosa in the Korean War. Such an act, of course, would only serve to further enflame the PRC, and it again went against Truman's diplomatic policies. Many americans were upset and some wanted to impeach Truman. Parades were held for the hero MacArthur. MacArthur's Dismissal.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made to defend one another if they were attacked by any other country; US, England, France, Canada, Western European countries

Hydrogen Bomb

One thousand more times more powerful than the atomic bomb. Truman ordered the development of it to outpace the Soviets.

National Security Act

Passed in 1947 in response to perceived threats from the Soviet Union after WWII. It established the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and National Security Council.