COLD WAR The state of hostility without direct military conflict, that developed between the U.S. & Soviet Union after WWII. This was due to the desire for both nations to spread their forms of government.

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Organization created to provide for the mutual defense of western nations in case of a Soviet attack.

POTSDAM CONFERENCE July 1945 meeting between the Allies to finalize their postwar plans for the defeated Germany. Germany was to be divided into four zones.

CONTAINMENT Economic and military strategy used by the U.S. to prevent the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan U.S. policy that provided $13 Billion in economic and military aid to Western Europe in order to prevent communism.

TRUMAN DOCTRINE U.S. policy that provided $400 Million in economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey in order to prevent communism.

IRON CURTAIN Phrase by Winston Churchill describing an imaginary line separating Communist from free nations in Europe.

BERLIN AIRLIFT Allied response to the Soviet blockade of Berlin from 1948 to 1949. The U.S. and its allies airlifted food and supplies into Berlin.

BERLIN WALL Concrete barrier that separated East and West Berlin; built to prevent East Berliners from escaping to the West.

McCarthyism Unsubstantiated attacks by the senator from Wisconsin on people suspected of being Communists in the 1950’s.

HUAC: (House Un-American Activities Committee) Congressional committee that investigated communist influence inside & outside the U.S. government.

HOLLYWOOD TEN The group of witnesses from the film industry who refused to cooperate with the HUAC’s investigations.

BLACKLIST Not allowing people to work because of their alleged communist connections.

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg Convicted spies who were executed by the U.S. government for giving nuclear secrets to the Soviets.