Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins
Identifications
Joseph McCarthy or “McCarthyism”
Joseph McCarthy is a famous politician who made claims that there were many USSR spies and traitors within the US federal government. McCarthyism is a term used to describe the act of accusing and denouncing without proof.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy and alleged espionage during the Cold War. They were brought to trial, convicted, and executed of selling nuclear secrets to the Russians.
Adlai Stevenson
Adlai Stevenson is known for his excellent oration and liberality of the Democratic Party during the Cold War. He was defeated by Eisenhower as the Democratic presidential nomination.
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon the 37th President of the US. He is most known for his involvement with the Vietnam War and dealings during the Cold War.
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference involved heads from the US, UK, and USSR. FDR, Churchill, and Stalin, respectively, discussed the reorganization of the Europe during post-war times.
United Nations
The United Nations was a new League of Nations, a new international organization that sought to enforce international law, security, and economics. The organization lso advocates world peace.
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain is the imaginary division of Europe towards the end of the Cold War. It was erected by the USSR to block off allies.
Berlin airlift
The Berlin airlift is the famous American delivery of goods over the Berlin Wall to West Berlin. They literally flew the supplies over the wall to get them to the people.
Containment
Containment was the policy of stopping communism across the entire world. This policy was the most prevalent during the cold war against the USSR and other nations in Europe.
Truman Doctrine
Created by Harry S Truman, the Truman Doctrine stated that the US would show their support to Greece and Turkey by sending them $400 million.
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was an American program, created by John Marshall, to help Europe by sending various nations monetary supports to aid in the facilitation of rebuilding during post-war conditions.
National Security Act
Signed off by Truman, the National Security Act reorganized the US armed forces, foreign policy, and intelligence after WWII.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO was an organization based off of the North Atlantic Treaty. It states that its members will mutually protect other members of the organization.
Taft-Hartley Act
The Taft-Hartley Act is also known as the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947. It hindered the scope of the labor unions and their power.
Fair Deal
The Fair Deal was the policy of Harry S. Truman. It was very similar to FDR's New Deal, except in a miniature form.
Thirty-eighth parallel
The Thirty-eight parallel is the imaginary line that physically divides North Korea and South Korea.
NSC-68
The NSC-68 is a statement of the state of affairs of America during the Cold War. It influenced the US's foreign policy for the next 2 decades.
Guided Reading Questions
Postwar Economic Anxieties
Know: Gross National Product, Taft-Hartley Act, Closed Shop, Council of Economic Advisors, GI Bill
1. Describe the downs and ups of the economy in the years following WWII.
The Taft Hartley Act banned shops that were not joining the union. It was similar to an anti Wagner Act of the sort. Unions attempted to migrate to the South and the West in the CIO's Operation Dixie. The Employment Act of 1946 maximized employment, production, and purchase power.
The Long Economic Boom, 1950-1970
2. How did women benefit from the economic boom?
Women benefited from the economic boom because the economy skyrocketed. The national income was nearly 200% of that of the previous year and had 2 cars per family with a pool in the backyard. Women in particular found jobs in offices and stores. Though the ideal family had the mother work in the home, modern day women at the time worked outside the home.
The Roots of Postwar Prosperity
Know: R and D, Productivity
3. What evidence can you cite that shows the years 1950-1970 were good years economically?
The 50's to 70's was a good time because the war's production output, that was very large, brought the country out of the deep Depression. Many open positions in military fields gave people jobs, especially in the research and development of military operations and equipment.
The Smiling Sunbelt
Know: Benjamin Spock, Sunbelt, Frostbelt, Rustbelt
4. How did the population shift in the years after the war?
The Baby Boom was the result of the ending of WWII. The 1950's saw a near 100% increase in children born during this time. The Sunbelt was the region from California to Florida. The baby boomers of that age are one of the leading problems in today's economy because most of them are receiving social security in their old age.
The Rush to the Suburbs
Know: Federal Housing Authority, Veterans Administration, Levittown, White Flight
5. Was the shift to the suburbs good for America? Explain.
The shift to the suburbs occurred when the white majority migrated to outside of the cities into the quite neighbors that we now call the suburbs. The first suburb was called Levittown on Long Island. The reason why suburbs were built so quickly was because the houses were made in a nearly identical fashion, allowing very quick construction.
The Postwar Baby Boom
Know: Baby Boom
6. How did the bulge in population caused by the Baby Boom change American life over the decades?
The Baby Boom was the result of the ending of WWII. The 1950's saw a near 100% increase in children born during this time. The baby boomers of that age are one of the leading problems in today's economy because most of them are receiving social security in their old age. Many other commercial enterprises also arose during this time such as levi's jeans and hamburger joints.
Makers of America: The Suburbanites
Know: Federal Housing Administration, Levittowns, White Flight
7. How did suburbs revolutionize life in America?
When suburbs sprung up in America, life was revolutionized. Before suburbs, many people lived in cramped cities where conditions were poor due to overpopulations. With suburbs, the average quality of life increased. People could live in suburbs in homes that were separated from their neighbors, and they could easily travel to work in cities. This separated home and work life.
Truman: the "Gutty" Man from Missouri
Know: "The buck stops here."
8. What kind of a man was Harry S Truman?
Harry S. Truman was Trim and owlishly bespectacled. He had graying hair and a friendly, toothy grin. He was called the “average man’s average man.” He was of average height: five feet eight inches. He was the first president in many years without a college education. He had farmed, served as an artillery officer in France during World War I, and failed as a haberdasher. He then went into politics in Missouri and rose from a judgeship to the U.S. Senate. As president, he was confident and somewhat cocky. He kept his favorite associates around him; they made up the “Missouri gang.” He also took on his responsibilities.
Yalta: Bargain or Betrayal?
Know: Yalta, United Nations
9. Why was the Yalta conference controversial in the decade following it?
The yalta Conference involved the Big Three, FDR, churchill, and Stalin. The Yalta Conference was the meeting that set the tone for the Cold War. There was great distrust amongst the three countries, which was amplified by the Yalta Conference.
The United States and the Soviet Union
Know: Communism, Capitalism, Sphere of Influence
10. How did similarities and differences both cause the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to have difficulties dealing with each other?
The US and USSR were both world powers at the time; they both hated each other very much. The USSR was upset that the US recognized the USSR in 1933, which took quite a bit of time on the US's part. America also rejected the USSR's request for $6 billion for a loan. Things were heated in the US/USSR relationship.
Shaping the Postwar World
Know: International Monetary Fund; World Bank; Security Council; General Assembly; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; Food and Agricultural Organization; World Health Organization
11. For what problems were international organizations established after WWII?
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established to encourage world trade by regulating the currency exchange rates. A Bank for Reconstruction and Redevelopment, or a World Bank, was also created to promote growth in war-ravaged and underdeveloped places. A new United Nations also opened after World War II. A Security Council in the United Nations was headed by five permanent powers (China, USSR, Britain, France, and USA). The Security Council had total veto powers.
The Problem of Germany
Know: Nuremberg, Hermann Goering, Big Four, Iron Curtain, Berlin Airlift
12. What problems did Germany cause between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.?
The Nuremberg Trials involved putting the German Nazi scientists up for trials for crimes against humanity. The Berlin Airlift involved the US flying supplies over to west Berlin because the Berlin Wall was in the way.
A Cold War Congeals
Know: George Kennan, Containment, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan
13. Describe the policies followed by Truman in relation to the Soviets.
George Kennan is the man that came up with the containment Doctrine. He pretty much stated that the USSR will be contained by the US. The Truman Doctrine of 1947 stated that congress lend $400million to Greece and Turkey who were under the communist influence.
America Begins to Rearm
Know: National Security Act, Defense Department, Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Voice of America, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
14. List and define the organizations set up to deal with the Soviet Union.
The National Security Act of 1947 reorganized the military. The Department of Defense and the Secretary of Defense replaced the outdated War Department and Secretary of War, respectively. The National Security Council was a part of the NSA, and they pretty much gave the president advice about security.
Reconstruction and Revolution in Asia
Know: Douglas MacArthur, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong, H-bomb
15. Our WWII ally China gave us more trouble in the post war years than our enemy Japan. Explain.
Mao Zedong was a communist that was fighting against Chiang Kai Shek in China. In 1949, Mao Zedong and his communists won against Chiang. When the Russians claimed they had a successful atom bomb, the nuclear arms race began in 1949. It essentially ended the American's monopolization of the nuclear bomb power.
Ferreting Out Alleged Communists
Know: Smith Act, Committee on Un-American Activities, Richard M. Nixon, Alger Hiss, Joseph R. McCarthy, McCarran Internal Security Bill, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
16. Did the U.S. government go too far trying to prevent communist infiltration?
The Loyalty Review Board was meant to fish out the rats within the federal employees. The government did go a bit overboard with this policy. Many teachers and other government workers were sworn to loyalty to the US Government, with loyalty one of its top priorities when clearly, there were more important things to attend to.
Democratic Divisions in 1948
Know: Dixiecrats, Strom Thurmond, Henry Wallace, Do-nothing Congress, "Dewey Defeats Truman," Point Four, Fair Deal
17. How successful was Truman in passing his domestic program?
Dixiecrats were democrats of the southern region who nominated Governor Strom Thurmond. He was part of the States' Rights Party. Henry Wallace was the Progressive Party's nomination. Truman's Fair Deal was a sort of miniature version of FDR's New Deal program.
The Korean Volcano Erupts (1950)
Know: 38th Parallel, Dean Acheson, NSC-68, Police Action
18. What was the impact of the Korean War on the Cold War?
The 38th Parallel is the imaginary line that follows the Earth's longitude that divides the two Koreas into the North Korea and South Korea. The NSC-68 is the document that allowed America's spending on defense to quadruple in size. General MacArthur sent troops to South Korea in a police action.
The Military Seesaw in Korea
Know: Pusan Perimeter, Inchon, Chinese Volunteers, Douglas MacArthur
19. Why did Truman fire MacArthur?
The Northern invasion of the south occurred in 1950. MacArthur was set up at Pusan that hit the enemy from behind. MacArthur was fired by Truman because he was overzealous of the war and did things under the government that were not authorized, such as going public with the issues.
Varying Viewpoints: Who Was to Blame for the Cold War?
20. What is the current opinion of most historians on the above question?
Most historians believe that the Soviet Union is to blame for the Cold War. For the two decades after World War II, American historians generally agreed that the aggressive Soviets were solely responsible. However, after a rigorous revisionist interpretation flowered in the 1960s, more historians began to accept that America may be partly responsible for the Cold War, since the Soviet Union acted defensively in some cases. Most post revisionists, however, still blame the Soviet Union for the Cold War.
Joseph McCarthy or “McCarthyism”
Joseph McCarthy is a famous politician who made claims that there were many USSR spies and traitors within the US federal government. McCarthyism is a term used to describe the act of accusing and denouncing without proof.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy and alleged espionage during the Cold War. They were brought to trial, convicted, and executed of selling nuclear secrets to the Russians.
Adlai Stevenson
Adlai Stevenson is known for his excellent oration and liberality of the Democratic Party during the Cold War. He was defeated by Eisenhower as the Democratic presidential nomination.
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon the 37th President of the US. He is most known for his involvement with the Vietnam War and dealings during the Cold War.
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference involved heads from the US, UK, and USSR. FDR, Churchill, and Stalin, respectively, discussed the reorganization of the Europe during post-war times.
United Nations
The United Nations was a new League of Nations, a new international organization that sought to enforce international law, security, and economics. The organization lso advocates world peace.
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain is the imaginary division of Europe towards the end of the Cold War. It was erected by the USSR to block off allies.
Berlin airlift
The Berlin airlift is the famous American delivery of goods over the Berlin Wall to West Berlin. They literally flew the supplies over the wall to get them to the people.
Containment
Containment was the policy of stopping communism across the entire world. This policy was the most prevalent during the cold war against the USSR and other nations in Europe.
Truman Doctrine
Created by Harry S Truman, the Truman Doctrine stated that the US would show their support to Greece and Turkey by sending them $400 million.
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was an American program, created by John Marshall, to help Europe by sending various nations monetary supports to aid in the facilitation of rebuilding during post-war conditions.
National Security Act
Signed off by Truman, the National Security Act reorganized the US armed forces, foreign policy, and intelligence after WWII.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO was an organization based off of the North Atlantic Treaty. It states that its members will mutually protect other members of the organization.
Taft-Hartley Act
The Taft-Hartley Act is also known as the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947. It hindered the scope of the labor unions and their power.
Fair Deal
The Fair Deal was the policy of Harry S. Truman. It was very similar to FDR's New Deal, except in a miniature form.
Thirty-eighth parallel
The Thirty-eight parallel is the imaginary line that physically divides North Korea and South Korea.
NSC-68
The NSC-68 is a statement of the state of affairs of America during the Cold War. It influenced the US's foreign policy for the next 2 decades.
Guided Reading Questions
Postwar Economic Anxieties
Know: Gross National Product, Taft-Hartley Act, Closed Shop, Council of Economic Advisors, GI Bill
1. Describe the downs and ups of the economy in the years following WWII.
The Taft Hartley Act banned shops that were not joining the union. It was similar to an anti Wagner Act of the sort. Unions attempted to migrate to the South and the West in the CIO's Operation Dixie. The Employment Act of 1946 maximized employment, production, and purchase power.
The Long Economic Boom, 1950-1970
2. How did women benefit from the economic boom?
Women benefited from the economic boom because the economy skyrocketed. The national income was nearly 200% of that of the previous year and had 2 cars per family with a pool in the backyard. Women in particular found jobs in offices and stores. Though the ideal family had the mother work in the home, modern day women at the time worked outside the home.
The Roots of Postwar Prosperity
Know: R and D, Productivity
3. What evidence can you cite that shows the years 1950-1970 were good years economically?
The 50's to 70's was a good time because the war's production output, that was very large, brought the country out of the deep Depression. Many open positions in military fields gave people jobs, especially in the research and development of military operations and equipment.
The Smiling Sunbelt
Know: Benjamin Spock, Sunbelt, Frostbelt, Rustbelt
4. How did the population shift in the years after the war?
The Baby Boom was the result of the ending of WWII. The 1950's saw a near 100% increase in children born during this time. The Sunbelt was the region from California to Florida. The baby boomers of that age are one of the leading problems in today's economy because most of them are receiving social security in their old age.
The Rush to the Suburbs
Know: Federal Housing Authority, Veterans Administration, Levittown, White Flight
5. Was the shift to the suburbs good for America? Explain.
The shift to the suburbs occurred when the white majority migrated to outside of the cities into the quite neighbors that we now call the suburbs. The first suburb was called Levittown on Long Island. The reason why suburbs were built so quickly was because the houses were made in a nearly identical fashion, allowing very quick construction.
The Postwar Baby Boom
Know: Baby Boom
6. How did the bulge in population caused by the Baby Boom change American life over the decades?
The Baby Boom was the result of the ending of WWII. The 1950's saw a near 100% increase in children born during this time. The baby boomers of that age are one of the leading problems in today's economy because most of them are receiving social security in their old age. Many other commercial enterprises also arose during this time such as levi's jeans and hamburger joints.
Makers of America: The Suburbanites
Know: Federal Housing Administration, Levittowns, White Flight
7. How did suburbs revolutionize life in America?
When suburbs sprung up in America, life was revolutionized. Before suburbs, many people lived in cramped cities where conditions were poor due to overpopulations. With suburbs, the average quality of life increased. People could live in suburbs in homes that were separated from their neighbors, and they could easily travel to work in cities. This separated home and work life.
Truman: the "Gutty" Man from Missouri
Know: "The buck stops here."
8. What kind of a man was Harry S Truman?
Harry S. Truman was Trim and owlishly bespectacled. He had graying hair and a friendly, toothy grin. He was called the “average man’s average man.” He was of average height: five feet eight inches. He was the first president in many years without a college education. He had farmed, served as an artillery officer in France during World War I, and failed as a haberdasher. He then went into politics in Missouri and rose from a judgeship to the U.S. Senate. As president, he was confident and somewhat cocky. He kept his favorite associates around him; they made up the “Missouri gang.” He also took on his responsibilities.
Yalta: Bargain or Betrayal?
Know: Yalta, United Nations
9. Why was the Yalta conference controversial in the decade following it?
The yalta Conference involved the Big Three, FDR, churchill, and Stalin. The Yalta Conference was the meeting that set the tone for the Cold War. There was great distrust amongst the three countries, which was amplified by the Yalta Conference.
The United States and the Soviet Union
Know: Communism, Capitalism, Sphere of Influence
10. How did similarities and differences both cause the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to have difficulties dealing with each other?
The US and USSR were both world powers at the time; they both hated each other very much. The USSR was upset that the US recognized the USSR in 1933, which took quite a bit of time on the US's part. America also rejected the USSR's request for $6 billion for a loan. Things were heated in the US/USSR relationship.
Shaping the Postwar World
Know: International Monetary Fund; World Bank; Security Council; General Assembly; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; Food and Agricultural Organization; World Health Organization
11. For what problems were international organizations established after WWII?
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established to encourage world trade by regulating the currency exchange rates. A Bank for Reconstruction and Redevelopment, or a World Bank, was also created to promote growth in war-ravaged and underdeveloped places. A new United Nations also opened after World War II. A Security Council in the United Nations was headed by five permanent powers (China, USSR, Britain, France, and USA). The Security Council had total veto powers.
The Problem of Germany
Know: Nuremberg, Hermann Goering, Big Four, Iron Curtain, Berlin Airlift
12. What problems did Germany cause between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.?
The Nuremberg Trials involved putting the German Nazi scientists up for trials for crimes against humanity. The Berlin Airlift involved the US flying supplies over to west Berlin because the Berlin Wall was in the way.
A Cold War Congeals
Know: George Kennan, Containment, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan
13. Describe the policies followed by Truman in relation to the Soviets.
George Kennan is the man that came up with the containment Doctrine. He pretty much stated that the USSR will be contained by the US. The Truman Doctrine of 1947 stated that congress lend $400million to Greece and Turkey who were under the communist influence.
America Begins to Rearm
Know: National Security Act, Defense Department, Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Voice of America, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
14. List and define the organizations set up to deal with the Soviet Union.
The National Security Act of 1947 reorganized the military. The Department of Defense and the Secretary of Defense replaced the outdated War Department and Secretary of War, respectively. The National Security Council was a part of the NSA, and they pretty much gave the president advice about security.
Reconstruction and Revolution in Asia
Know: Douglas MacArthur, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong, H-bomb
15. Our WWII ally China gave us more trouble in the post war years than our enemy Japan. Explain.
Mao Zedong was a communist that was fighting against Chiang Kai Shek in China. In 1949, Mao Zedong and his communists won against Chiang. When the Russians claimed they had a successful atom bomb, the nuclear arms race began in 1949. It essentially ended the American's monopolization of the nuclear bomb power.
Ferreting Out Alleged Communists
Know: Smith Act, Committee on Un-American Activities, Richard M. Nixon, Alger Hiss, Joseph R. McCarthy, McCarran Internal Security Bill, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
16. Did the U.S. government go too far trying to prevent communist infiltration?
The Loyalty Review Board was meant to fish out the rats within the federal employees. The government did go a bit overboard with this policy. Many teachers and other government workers were sworn to loyalty to the US Government, with loyalty one of its top priorities when clearly, there were more important things to attend to.
Democratic Divisions in 1948
Know: Dixiecrats, Strom Thurmond, Henry Wallace, Do-nothing Congress, "Dewey Defeats Truman," Point Four, Fair Deal
17. How successful was Truman in passing his domestic program?
Dixiecrats were democrats of the southern region who nominated Governor Strom Thurmond. He was part of the States' Rights Party. Henry Wallace was the Progressive Party's nomination. Truman's Fair Deal was a sort of miniature version of FDR's New Deal program.
The Korean Volcano Erupts (1950)
Know: 38th Parallel, Dean Acheson, NSC-68, Police Action
18. What was the impact of the Korean War on the Cold War?
The 38th Parallel is the imaginary line that follows the Earth's longitude that divides the two Koreas into the North Korea and South Korea. The NSC-68 is the document that allowed America's spending on defense to quadruple in size. General MacArthur sent troops to South Korea in a police action.
The Military Seesaw in Korea
Know: Pusan Perimeter, Inchon, Chinese Volunteers, Douglas MacArthur
19. Why did Truman fire MacArthur?
The Northern invasion of the south occurred in 1950. MacArthur was set up at Pusan that hit the enemy from behind. MacArthur was fired by Truman because he was overzealous of the war and did things under the government that were not authorized, such as going public with the issues.
Varying Viewpoints: Who Was to Blame for the Cold War?
20. What is the current opinion of most historians on the above question?
Most historians believe that the Soviet Union is to blame for the Cold War. For the two decades after World War II, American historians generally agreed that the aggressive Soviets were solely responsible. However, after a rigorous revisionist interpretation flowered in the 1960s, more historians began to accept that America may be partly responsible for the Cold War, since the Soviet Union acted defensively in some cases. Most post revisionists, however, still blame the Soviet Union for the Cold War.