New York literary and artistic movement of the '50's that consisted of harsh critiques of the sterility and conformity of American life, the meaninglessness of American politics, and the banality of popular culture. Famous Beat writers include Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.
"brinksmanship"
Diplomatic strategy promoted by John Foster Dulles in which the US would push the Soviet Union to the brink of war in order to exact concessions.
cosmonaut
Russian astronaut.
sulfa drugs
Drugs derived from an antibacterial agent known as sulfanilamide which could be used effectively to treat streptococcal blood infections.
summit conference
A diplomatic meeting of the heads of government of major nations; that is, a conference held at the summit of power.
Third World
A convenient way to refer to all the nations of the world besides the United States, Canada, the Soviet Union, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, China, and the countries of Europe. Basically, the Third World is made up of the less industrially developed regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The term sometimes also excludes Mexico, South Africa, and much of the oil-rich Middle East.
Zionists
Members of a militant worldwide movement dedicated to the goal of establishing a Jewish nation in Palestine. The Zionist movement took its name from a hill in Jerusalem on which Solomon's Temple had been built.
