Key Terms:
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Taft-Hartley Act
- Anti-union legislation that was passed despite Truman's veto, that banned the closed shop and other things that might help unions organize.
Operation Dixie
- Effort by CIO to unionize southern workers after WWII, but failed.
Employment Act of 1946
- Legislation that said that the government's economic policy should promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. Passed under Truman's administration.
GI Bill
- Helped soldiers returning from WWII in getting back into civilian life by providing loans to buy homes and farms and set up buisnesses. It also made tuition available for them to attend college. Passed under the Truman Administration.
Sunbelt
- A 15 state crescent that stretched across the south and southwest that had seen a great expansion in population and productivity during WWII.
Levittown
- Suburban communities that had mass-produced tract houses build by William Levitt and Sons. Made easier by the Federal Housing Administration created as part of the New Deal.
baby boom
- A massive increase in births due to the returning soldiers; the large generation helped with the expansion of schools and universities. Occurred during the time Truman was in office.
Yalta conference
- Meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin near the Black Sea, where they laid the foundations for the postwar division of Europe, which included Germany being divided up.
Cold War
- Beginning under Truman's presidency and lasting 45 long years due to conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that divided the world into either communists or capitalists.
Bretton Woods Conference
- Meeting of Western allies that established international economic order for the postwar era. Created the world bank in order to promote economic growth under the Truman administration.
United Nations (U.N.)
- International body formed in hopes of bringing nations into dialogue to prevent furthering world wars. Had similar qualities as the League of Nations, but recognized the authority of the Big Five Powers.
Nuremberg war crimes trial
- Very publicized trials against former Nazi leaders for war crimes and their crimes against humanity, like concentration camps; part of the Allies effort in the denazification program in Germany.
Berlin airlift
- The mission of flying food and supplies to West Berlin which had been cut off from access because of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
containment doctrine
- America's strategy against the Soviet Union with George Kennan ideas. It said that the Soviet Union and communism were expansionists and had to be stopped.
Truman Doctrine
- Truman's pledge to support to any of those fighting any communist or communist-inspired threat.
Marshall Plan
- A huge transfer of aid money to help postwar Western Europe rebuild; was an effort to promote capitalist governments and prevent from communist groups trying to take over. Was first presented by George Marshall.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- Military alliance of Western European powers, the U.S., and Canada. Was created to defend against threats from the Soviet Union. Truman's administration decided to join the organization.
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
- Investigatory body that was seeking to expose communist influence in American government and society. Most notably the trial of Alger Hiss who was accused of being a communist by Nixon.
Fair Deal
- Truman's social program that increased minimum wage, provided for more public housing, and extending the insurance for those who benefited from the Social Security Act.
National Security Council Memorandum Number 68 (NSC-68)
- Suggestion to quadruple defense spending and widely expand peace-time armed forces to help with Cold War tensions.
Korean War
- First major war of the Cold War; began in 1950 when North Koreans, backed by Soviets, invaded South Korea before meeting U.N. forces, mainly U.S. troops. Ended in 1953 by stalemate, but never actually had a peace treaty.