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Chapter 23. The Cold War Era: The United States After World War II (1946-1960). Post-War Economy. Baby boom throughout the 1950s Rapid process of reconverting factories back to producing consumer goods Result: Americans begin to spend more freely and the economy recovers. Post-War Economy. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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THE COLD WAR ERA: THE UNITED STATES
AFTER WORLD WAR II (1946-1960)
Chapter 23
Post-War Economy Baby boom throughout the 1950s Rapid process of reconverting factories
back to producing consumer goods Result: Americans begin to spend more
freely and the economy recovers
Post-War Economy GI Bill: Servicemen’s Readjustment Act
Provided low interest home loans and money for college education
Still in use today, extremely important and provides opportunity for many to get a college education
Part of the movement of readjustment back to peace in America
Resulted in a housing shortage that mass produced remedied
Helped reinforce the typical “middle class values” that were revered throughout the 1950s
The Cold War: Soviet Containment Post-war period ushers in years of
tension between the US and the Soviet Union known as the Cold War
As Stalin tried to expand to Eastern Europe, Soviet expert George Keenan outlined a policy of “Soviet Containment”Blocking the expansion of communism at all
costs
The Cold War: Soviet Containment Post-War Strategy
Russians occupy Eastern Europe – greatly concerned about national security○ The invasion of Poland by Germany was the
primary reason for occupation○ Wanted to establish regimes that were friendly
and/or subservient to Russia○ Russia is frightened of the U.S. utilizing an
atomic bomb and retaining themBegins to build their own, starts the arms race
The Cold War: Soviet Containment Post-War Strategy
US troops occupy Western Europe○ Did not like Russia’s national security emphasis
through occupationThey wanted to keep free elections throughout Europe
and promote democracy○ U.S. already utilized an atomic bomb
They were stockpiling and beginning to build the hydrogen bomb to keep up in the arms race
Civil war in Greece and Turkey provide an opportunity for the U.S. to try out their policy of containment
Truman Doctrine First application of the containment doctrine –
written in 1947 as a result of the civil war in Greece and Turkey
Truman asks Congress to supply funds to keep Greece and Turkey within the western sphere of influenceUsed the defense of freedom as reasoning
Also an informal declaration of Cold War against the Soviets
Truman’s rhetoric suggested that the U.S had assumed a permanent global responsibility
The Marshall Plan U.S. attempted to prevent the spread of
Soviet/Communist influence in western Europe by economic means
1947 – Secretary of State George Marshall proposed an economic aid package to help Europe rebuild their industries
Soviets decline this aid because of the political agenda attached to it (democracy for all)
Fosters prosperity in Western Europe that in turn helped stimulate the American economy in the post-war period
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and
most of Western EuropeSoviets and Communists were left out
Pledged mutual defense against any future Soviet attack
Third and final step in the first large-scale phase of containment
U.S. troops began to be stationed in western Europe in 1949Greatly enhanced the Russian fear of Western expansion
Cold War Expansion Russians’ response is to cut off
access to Berlin Truman refuses to withdraw American
troops and orders an airlift to supply the city
Truman is reelected in 1948, Russia retreats and ends their blockade in 1949
This sets the stage for the West/East Berlin animosity that lasts until the 1980s
Cold War Expansion US improves its security after WWII
National Security Act of 1947 – unified armed forces, CIA, National Security Council (advisors to the President)
U.S. puts their defense budget into the Air Force
U.S. seems determined to win the Cold War at all costs
Cold War Expansion Problems in Asia
Both the U.S. and Soviets have large stakes in Asia after WWII
U.S. moves to consolidate its influence over Japan and the Pacific Islands
China (between the U.S. and Soviet spheres of influence) is torn between pro-Western Chiang Kai-shek and pro-Soviet Mao Tse Tung (future Chairman of China and genocidal maniac throughout the 1960s)
Chairman Mao
Chiang Kai-shek
Cold War Expansion Problems in Asia
Mao wins over in China, Chiang Kai-shek is exiled from China for the rest of his life
China is clearly within the influence of the Soviets and Communism○ Truman is attacked for losing China○ As a result, he begins to build up U.S.
influence in post-war Japan
The Korean War America becomes involved with South
Korea in 1950 as Communist forces in North Korea begin to invade the southThe 38th parallel becomes the dividing
line between the two groups
The Korean War General Douglas MacArthur pushed to take
the war into China after the U.S. gets involvedWanted to achieve a total victory and to
demonstrate American military superiority (much like Patton in WWII)
Wanted to make future wars less likelyTruman disagrees, feared Russia and nuclear
holocaustMacArthur pushes Truman too far and is relieved
of command in Korea
The Korean War U.S. involvement in South Korea
becomes a United Nations effort The majority of troops, supplies, and
strategy is supplied by the U.S. though The Korean War becomes a
stalemate due largely to guerilla warfare on both sides
The Korean War The war continues into Dwight D.
Eisenhower’s presidency Most significant result of the war was
the massive American rearmamentAmericans felt they were now ready to
stop Soviet expansion anywhere in the world
The Communist Threat The Cold War encouraged a culture of
secrecy and dishonesty Freedom of speech and dissent comes
under attack again in a new “Red Scare” after America wins the war for freedom
Those who could be linked to communism (no matter how absurd the link) were considered enemies of freedom
The Communist Threat Essentially turned into another witch hunt
that had the potential to tear the country apart
The entire country became gripped in this phenomenaAs much of a local threat as it was nationalLocal anticommunist groups would readily storm
public libraries and destroy “un-American” booksThe courts did nothing to stop this type of
behavior
The Communist Threat Why do we favor fascism over
communism?Traces its roots back to the Civil WarAmericans prefer order over anarchyWe eerily respect the staunch militarism
(conservatism) of the Germans over the idea of absolute social and economic revolution
The Communist Threat Joseph McCarthy
Announced in 1950 that he had a list of 205 communists working for the State Dept.
Really working for his own fame and glory; didn’t care who he stepped on to make sure he was #1
The Communist Threat Joseph McCarthy
Gained a ton of support from Midwestern Republicans, Irish, Poles, and Italians as he lambasted privileged bureaucrats
His demise (and embarrassment) finally came as he tried to take on the US Army, claiming that a great percentage of them were communists in disguise
The new “Red Scare” takes place during the election of 1952