Armistice
A formal agreement between warring parties to stop fighting, often to create a temporary truce while a peace treaty is negotiated.
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the consolidation of power in a single leader or small group, limited political pluralism, repression of dissent, and little to no accountability to the public.
Brinkmanship
A foreign policy strategy in which the United States and the Soviet Union would escalate dangerous disputes to the edge of all-out war in order to force the other side to back down
Centrally planned economy
A centrally planned economy is an economic system in which the government controls production, prices, and distribution of goods, rather than supply and demand in a free market.
Containment
The strategy of stopping communist expansion through alliances, aid, and limited military action.
Détente
The easing of strained relations between nations through negotiation and diplomacy.
Deterrence
Using the threat of strong retaliation to discourage an enemy from taking aggressive actions.
Hegemony
Leadership or dominance of one country over others, often seen in U.S.–Latin American relations.
Massive Retaliation
The promise to respond to any act of aggression with overwhelming nuclear force.
McCarthyism
The practice of accusing individuals of disloyalty or subversion without solid evidence, creating an atmosphere of fear.
Modernization Theory
The belief that economic development and education would naturally lead to democracy and social stability.
Nationalization
When a government takes control of private industries or property, usually to strengthen national sovereignty.
Non-alignment
A foreign policy approach that avoids formal alliance with major power blocs.
Planned Economy
An economic system controlled by the government, which determines production and distribution of goods.
Propaganda
Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view. States use propaganda through media, education, and public events to shape public opinion.
Proxy War
Aconflict in which major powers support opposing sides indirectly, often through local forces.
Red Scare
The Red Scare refers to two distinct periods in U.S. history marked by widespread fear and anxiety over the perceived threat of communism and radical leftist ideologies.
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the supreme authority within a state, granting it the power to govern itself without interference from external forces.
The 1954 Geneva Accords
A series of agreements that ended the First Indochina War and established a framework for peace in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Vietnamization
Nixon's policy of transferring combat responsibilities to South Vietnamese forces while withdrawing U.S. troops.
Whistleblower
A person who exposes secret information about wrongdoing within an organization or government.