Download America at War

America at War
Adolf Hitler- totalitarian dictator of Germany who led an aggressive invasion of European countries that
led to World War II; responsible for the mass murder of millions of Jews and others in the Holocaust
Allied Powers- alliance between Britain, France, and Russia in World War II
Anti-Semitism- hostility or prejudice against Jews
Appeasement- the granting of concessions to a hostile power in order to keep the peace
Arms race- competition between two or more parties for the best armed forces
Atomic bomb- bomb that uses energy released by splitting atoms to create and enormous explosion
Axis Powers- the group of nations-including Germany, Italy, and Japan- that opposed the Allies in World
War II
Baby boom- the sharp increase in the U.S. birthrate following World War II
Bataan Death March- forced march of American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese
in the Philippines in World War II
Battle of Midway- a key naval and air battle between Japanese and U.S. forces during World War II
Bay of Pigs Invasion- an attempt by Cuban exiles in southern Cuba to overthrow the Cuban socialist
government of Fidel Castro; the effort was funded by the U.S. and was a failure
Benito Mussolini- Italian Fascist leader who ruled as Italy’s dictator for more than 20 years beginning in
1920; aligned with Adolf Hitler which led to Italy’s entry into World War II
Berlin Airlift- operation in which U.S. and British planes flew food and supplies into West Berlin after the
Soviets blockaded the city in 1948; lasted 327 days
Blitzkrieg- German word meaning “lightening war”; a sudden, massive attack with combined air and
ground forces, intended to achieve a quick victory
Brinkmanship- the practice of threatening an enemy with massive military retaliation for any aggression.
Cash-and-carry- changed the Neutrality Act that allowed countries at war to purchase American goods
as long as they paid cash and picked up the goods at American ports
CIA- Central Intelligence Agency; U.S. agency that gathers intelligence information from nations around
the world and takes parts in secret actions against foreign targets
Cold War- era of high tension and hostility that developed between the United States and the Soviet
Union after World War II; no direct military conflict between the two nations (1945-1991)
Communism-In theory, an economic and political system based on one-party government, state
ownership of property, and no economic classes.
Concentration camps- a detention center created for military or political purposes to confine, terrorize,
and in some cases, kill civilians
Containment- policy adopted by the United States in the late 1940s to stop the spread of communism; it
involved providing economic aid in order to strengthen countries against the Soviets
Cuban Missile Crisis- term used to describe the days during which the United States teetered on the
brink of nuclear war with the Soviet Union
D-Day- June 6, 1944 is the day in which the Allies launched an invasion of the European mainland during
World War II
Dictatorship- government by a leader or group that holds unchallenged power and authority
Domino Theory- idea that if a nation falls under communist control, nearby nations will also fall under
communist control
Dwight D. Eisenhower- 34th President of the United States; led the Allied invasion of North Africa, the DDay invasion of France, and commanded the Allied forces in Europe during World War II
Détente- flexible policy, involving a willingness to negotiate and an easing of tensions, that was adopted
by President Nixon in dealing with communist nations
Embargo- refusal by a country to ship a product or products from its ports
European Theatre- huge area of fighting across Europe from Germany’s invasion into Poland in 1939 to
Germany’s surrender in 1945
Executive Order 9066- order prepared by President Roosevelt during World War II giving the armed
forces the power to establish military zones and remove groups of people from these zones. Specifically,
it was used to relocate those with Japanese heritage from the western United States into internment
camps.
Fascism- political philosophy that advocates a strong, centralized, nationalistic government headed by a
powerful dictator
G.I Bill- name given to the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act; a law that provided financial and educational
benefits for World War II veterans (1944)
Geneva Conference- international meeting in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss ways to unify Korea and
restore peace in Indochina (1954)
Genocide- the deliberate and systematic extermination of a particular racial, national, or religious group
Harry Truman- 33rd President of the United States after the death of President Roosevelt; led the United
States through the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War
Holocaust- the systematic murder of Jews and other groups in Europe by the Nazis before and during
World War II
House Un-American Activities Committee- a congressional committee that investigated Communist
influence inside and outside the U.S. government in the years following World War II
Inflation- an increase in prices or decline in purchasing power caused by an increase in the supply of
money
Internment-name coined for the forced relocation and confinement of Japanese-Americans to
concentration camps
Interstate Highway System- system designed to be a network of high speed roads built to make travel
faster and easier; spanning 40,000 miles across the country
Interventionism- the policy of intervening; the policy of intervening in the affairs of another sovereign
state
Iron Curtain- phrased coined by Winston Churchill in 1946 to describe an imaginary line dividing
Communist countries in the Soviet bloc from countries in Western Europe during the Cold War
Island Hopping- strategy used by the US in the Pacific theatre during World War II that involved
capturing one island at a time and using it as a base to launch its next attack, with the goal of reaching
the Japanese mainland
Isolationism- opposition to political and economic entanglements with other countries
John F. Kennedy- 35th President of the United States; youngest person and first Roman Catholic elected
President. Assassinated in Dallas, Texas in 1963; President during the Bay of Pigs invasion and Cuban
Missile Crisis
Joseph Stalin- Totalitarian dictator that led the Soviet Union through World War II and created a
powerful Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe after the war; known for his violent crackdowns
on political enemies
Kamikaze- Pilot in World War II who agreed to load his aircraft with bombs and crash it on an enemy
ship
Korean War- war between North Korea (supported by China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea
(supported by the US) between 1950- 1953; tension between the north and south was created due to a
temporary division of Korea into northern (controlled by the Soviet Union) and southern (controlled by
the United States) parts of the country along the 38th parallel
Lend-Lease act- passed in 1941, this law allowed the United States to ship arms and other supplies,
without immediate payment, to nations fighting the Axis powers
Levittown- New York town containing more than 17,000 mass-produced homes, which became a symbol
for the many of the suburban towns built during the years following World War II
Manhattan Project- U.S. program to develop an atomic bomb for use in World War II
Marshall Plan- program to supply economic aid to European nations to help them rebuild after World
War II; proposed by US Secretary of State George C. Marshall
Massive Retaliation- The United States’ willingness to use nuclear force to settle disputes; term used
during the Cold War
McCarthyism- term used to describe Senator Joseph McCarthy and others attacks on people suspected
of being Communist or being involved in Communist activities in the early 1950s; many of the attacks
were unsubstantiated and baseless
NASA- National Aeronautics and Space Administration; agency in charge of the United States’ programs
for exploring outer space
NATO- North Atlantic Treaty Organization; defensive military alliance formed in 1949 by ten Western
European countries, the United States, and Canada- each pledging military support to one another if a
member was attacked
Neutrality Acts- United States act aimed at helping prevent the nation from being drawn into a war
New frontier- President John F. Kennedy’s legislative plans which included expanding space program;
provide medical care for the elderly; rebuild poverty-stricken urban areas; build defense system; and
improve education
Nikita Khrushchev- leader of the Soviet Union during construction of Berlin Wall and Cuban Missile
Crisis; eased Cold War tensions by signing Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with President Kennedy in
1963
Nuremberg Trials- war crimes trial for Nazi leaders held in Nuremberg, Germany after World War II
Pacific Theatre- large area of fighting during World War II that included much of the Pacific Ocean and
its’ islands; pitted Japan versus the U.S. and their allies
Pasteurization- to expose food to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to destroy
certain microorganisms, as those that can produce disease or cause spoilage or undesirable
fermentation of food, without radically altering taste or quality.
Pearl Harbor- American naval base in Hawaii that was attacked by the Empire of Japan on December 7,
1941; event led to the United State’s entry into World War II
Potsdam Conference- post World War II conference with the Big Three- The United States, Great Britain,
and the Soviet Union; The U.S. hoped to ease post war tensions with the Soviet Union at this conference
Rationing- limiting the amount of a certain product each individual can obtain, often during wartime to
ensure enough supplies for military personnel
Red Scare- widespread fear of communism; U.S. experienced two waves of strong anti-communist
sentiment- (approximately) 1918-1920 and 1947-1957
Rosie the Riveter- a popular symbol for the working woman during World War II
Space race- competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for space exploration in the
mid to late 20th century
Sputnik- the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviets (1957)
Tet Offensive- a massive surprise attack by the Vietcong on South Vietnamese towns and cities early in
1968
Tonkin Gulf Resolution- resolution approved by Congress in 1964, authorizing military action to wage
war in Vietnam
Transistor- small electrical devices that can be found in computers and other machines
Truman Doctrine- President Truman’s pledge to provide economic and military aid to countries
threatened by communism
Tuskegee Airmen- unit of African American pilots that fought in World War II; the first African Americans
to receive training as pilots in the United States
United Nations- an international peacekeeping organization founded in 1945 to promote world peace,
security and economic development
Urban sprawl- the unplanned and uncontrolled spreading of cities into surrounding regions
Vaccine- medicine that uses a killed or weakened form of a germ to help the body build its own defenses
against that germ
Victory Gardens- term used to describe efforts made by Americans during World War I and World War II
to grow their own food so that troops were guaranteed enough food and supplies overseas
Vietcong- South Vietnamese Communists who fought against the government of South Vietnam in the
Vietnam war; received support from North Vietnamese
Vietnam War- war fought to try to prevent Communist forces from taking over all of Vietnam; U.S.
supported non-Communist South Vietnam against Communist North Vietnam and Vietcong (1954-1973)
War Powers Act- law enacted in 1973, limiting a president’s right to send troops into battle without
consulting Congress
Yalta Conference- meeting between Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin to reach an
agreement on what to do with Germany after World War II