Changing Political Environment - Topic 1.3

Question 1

What were the impacts of WWI and WWII on domestic policy?

1918-45

Answer 1

WWI:

• USS Lusitania - Germans sank the ship because of supplying fears
• The sinking of the Lusitania led to fears of further war and so American Isolationism and the policy of “Return to Normalcy” was hard to get rid of in Congress.

WWII:

• Lend Lease Program to Britain, more jobs for Americans
• War economy lead to economic prosperity afterwards
• In a new world order, getting involved in foreign policy more affects domestic policy greater.

Question 2

What were the impacts of Cold War on domestic policy?

1945-64

Answer 2

Berlin Airlift:

• Success - Kept Germany in two and West Berlin in Western hands

Korean War:

• Stalemate - Second UN Conflict (Coalition of 16 countries)

Cuban Missile Crisis:

• Stalemate/Failure - Cuban Revolution & Bay of Pigs; MAD reassured

Question 3

What were the impacts of Cold War on domestic policy?

1964-1974

Answer 3

Failure - Viet’Nam War - Gulf of Tonkin resolution (1964); couldn’t focus as much domestically because of the foreign war

• Media war - Visceral connection to the troops - TV, Radio and Newspapers
• Distrust in what the American government is saying
• Drafting men (Conscription) - A difference between one section of America’s sons and other sons (Well-off white sons v Poor, usually black sons)
• Tet Offensive & My Lai Massacre (1968)
• Operation Rolling Thunder - Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Kent State Massacre (1970)