Unit 11 Vocabulary Space Race Space race began

Unit 11 Vocabulary

Space Race • Space race began when Soviets launched Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite, in 1957 • USSR and U. S. compete in “New Frontier” (space); Soviets put first man in space. U. S. puts first man on the moon. • Many Americans panicked, but President Eisenhower remained publicly calm • NASA was created

Cold War • Competition and conflict that developed between the U. S. and the Soviet Union after World War II • Domestic Impact: Fear of communism, rise of Joseph Mc. Carthy, Anti-War Movement • International Impact: Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War

Marshall Plan • The U. S. provided economic aid to European countries to help them rebuild after World War II

Truman Doctrine • U. S. will provide economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism • Examples: Greece and Turkey

Containment Policy • Stopping the spread of communism to other countries • As a result, U. S. tries to stop communist revolution in China and gets involved in Korean War

Communism in China • U. S. gives support to the Nationalists to fight communism in China • 1949 Mao Zedong leads communist takeover, people support him because of corruption in Nationalist government

Korean War • After WWII, Korea was divided and Soviets backed North Korea and U. S. backed South Korea. • North Korea crosses 38 th parallel and invades South Korea. UN forces push them back to 38 th parallel. • Impact: war is stalemate, but increased fear of communist gains in U. S.

Joseph Mc. Carthy • A senator who made the claim that Communists were taking over the government. • These unsupported attacks on suspected Communists became known as Mc. Carthyism.

Cuban Revolution • A revolution led by Fidel Castro overthrows the government on Cuba • Castro sets up a communist government in Cuba with the help of the Soviet Union

Bay of Pigs • An invasion of Cuba authorized by president Kennedy to overthrow Fidel Castro • The invasion force was made up of Cuban exiles and was defeated by Castro • Embarrassing for the U. S.

Cuban Missile Crisis • A confrontation between the U. S. and the Soviet Union over the building of Soviet missile launchers in Cuba. • The U. S. Navy blockaded Cuba • Eventually the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles, and President Kennedy agreed not to invade.

Vietnam War • U. S. enters the war to push a communist group supported by North Vietnam, called the Vietcong, out of South Vietnam • U. S. troops fought in Vietnam from 1965 to 1975 • The war became very controversial and divided public opinion

Tet Offensive • Vietcong attack on cities in South Vietnam • The U. S. eventually stop the attack, and the Vietcong are not successful • However, parts of the attack were televised and showed that the war would not be easily won • This turned many Americans against the war in Vietnam

Anti-War Movement • The growing opposition to the war began with young people on college campuses and was led by groups like the SDS • New Left: growing liberal youth movement that wanted to change American society (Hippies) • They opposed the war because they were morally opposed to the war and because they thought the U. S. shouldn’t be there