Century Video Pt. 1:

Question 1

Churchill Speech:

Answer 1

• Churchill brought out to Fulton Missouri
• He gave a speech to sound an alarm
• He told them of the daggers of Stalin and the Communist party
• They had been allies in WW2, but now Russia and the US were sworn enemies by party

Question 2

End of the war and returning Vets:

Answer 2

• Returning Vets were overjoyed to see family
• Factories were booming during the war, but had no use to not manufacture weapons, so they stopped
• Because of this, there were no jobs for the veterans coming home
• Bc of above, Vets get higher education and lowered mortgage, all through the 61’st Bill of Rights
• The economy began to boom because of consumers, and America became a consumerist country
• Soon, there were good jobs for returning Vets, and peoples standard of living went up

Question 3

The Suburbs and the Baby Boom:

Answer 3

• Bill Levitt —-> Levittown = assembly line houses
• Americans were all moving to the Middle Class
• People were happy, and they felt like they had limitless optimism
• Bc of this, people started having kids at an insane rate
• The Baby Boom hit America, and while it was great, it had some major drawbacks

Question 4

Women and African Americans:

Answer 4

WOMEN:
It was a good time for white males, but women were turned into breeders
- They quit their jobs to stay home and work for their husbands and children nonstop
AFRICAN AMERICANS:
- They were still discriminated against, even though they fought in the war
- It was an ironic reunion when lives were risked
- Truman sends an anti-segregation message to Congress for the de-segregation of the military and politics

Question 5

Conditions in Europe:

Answer 5

• The Europeans had committed suicidal war
• The Soviets had soooo many losses
• In every victor country, struggle existed
• Americans historic isolationism was over, though
• Germans were struggling; had no food, no shelter, nothing
• Europe faced a very cold winter that year

Question 6

Communism vs. Capitalism:

Answer 6

• When there is misery people turn to Communism, so people turned to Communism
• Remember, Capitalism did not look too good in the 30’s
• there was momentum throughout Western Europe to turn to the “Red Menace”

Question 7

American Response:
———-> Marshall Plan

Answer 7

• America 13 billion dollars I aid to Communist controlled Europe in “The Marshall Plan”
• They wanted to show that they were generous and prosperous, and so was capitalism, and not to turn to Communism
• Marshall plan was a merger of US ideals and good politics

Question 8

The Soviets take over Easten Europe and Berlin:

Answer 8

• People were trying to escape, those who didn’t would be subject to horror
• Many got stuck behind the Berlin Wall, trapped under Soviet rule, with nothing

Question 9

Berlin Airlift:

Answer 9

• Berlin was in horrible shape
• Women were being raped
• It was decided into sectors
• Russia depicted the US horribly to its citizens, and capitalism along with that
• Truman chose to supply the city by air
• They flew in food, fuel, and medicine, and were the lifeline of the city