Chapters 35 and 36

Question 1

Harry Truman

Answer 1

33rd Pres (1945 to 1953)
An accidental president, Truman was called the “average man’s average man”
He was stubbornly loyal to his “Missouri gang” on occasion, he would send critics hot-tempered and profane “s.o.b” letters and he was confident to the point of cockiness
A sign on his desk read “the buck stops here” meaning that the Pres had to make the final division. One of his fav sayings “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Question 2

The Cold War

Answer 2

The Cold War is when there is rising tension of communism (Soviet Union) vs democracy (US) but no actual war

Question 3

Bretton Woods Conference (IMF, World Bank)

Answer 3

At Bretton Woods, NH, the Western Allies formed:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) to encourage world trade by regulating currency exchange rates
The International bank for Reconstruction and Development (IDRD- later called the World Bank) changed with providing economic assistance to struggling nations

Question 4

United Nations (Security Council, General Assembly)

Answer 4

The first UN Conference opened on April 25, 1945. IN Jan 1942, 26 nations at war with the Axis powers signed the Dec of the United Nations and endorsed the Atlantic Charter. This replaced the League of Nations

The Security Council is made up of 5 permanent nations (The US, The UK, the USSR (now Russian Fed.), France, and China– remember these are this were the most powerful nations and are still on it today), plus ten members are rotated in from the General Assembly for two-year terms (so 15 in total)

Question 5

Berlin Airlift

Answer 5

(June 1948-May 1949): The Western Allies organized a massive airlift to drop supplies on West Berlin.
The US called this “Operation Vittles.” A plane landed every 45 seconds. Over 200,000 aircraft were involved
The Soviets lift the blockade after a year and Germany was divided two weeks later into two separate states (West Germany and East Germany.)
Note: the Berlin Wall was not erected until 1961. Associate that with the Kennedy era.

Question 6

containment

Answer 6

Containment doctrine involved using economic measures and psychological warfare to defend the world from Soviet expansion.

Question 7

Truman Doctrine

Answer 7

The Truman Doctrine: it must be the policy of the US to suport free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures
Money was sent to Greece and Turkey to help them resist Soviet Influence

Question 8

the Marshall Plan

Answer 8

Western European countries were still suffering hunger and economic chaos spawned by the war
Sec of State George C. Marshall invited the European to get together and work out a joint economic recovery plan financed by the US
The European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan) called for spending billions (about 44 billion in the end) yet it proved to be very successful. The Soviet Union and its satellite nations didnt particpite
The European Economic Community (EEC), a free-trade area, later evolved into the Euopean Union (EU)

Question 9

the National Security Act

Answer 9

The National Security Act of 1947 established the National Security Council to advice the president and the CIA to oversee foreign fact-finding (spying lol)

Question 10

NATO vs. Warsaw Pact

Answer 10

The US joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949- an alliance of (now 30) former allied nations
NATO remains the largest peacetime military alliance in the world. Most of the former Warsaw Pact nations (except Russia) have since joined NATO
The Soviets formed the Warsaw Pact in 1955 in opposition. (This was dissolved in 1991)

Question 11

Korean War (cause & effect)

Answer 11

Cause: Korea split up and the North Korean army crossed the boundary, pushing the South Korean army south to around Pusan. The US stepped in to support South Korea.

Effect: The NSC-68, Excutive Order 19981,
There still is no formal peace treaty with North Korea. The US and South Korea signed a mutual defense treaty, and the DMZ was established between the two Koreas

Question 12

Douglas MacArthur

Answer 12

He was a war hero that served in WW1, WW2, and the Korean War.

MacArthur proposed a blockade of the Chinese coast and a massive bombardment of Chinese bases with 50-100 atomic bombs (wtf dude)
Truman didnt support this plan (no kidding) he didnt want a large land war
MacArthur began to publicly complain about Truman’s policies. Truman and the Joint Chiefs removed him from command in April 1951. General Matt Ridgwar took over
MacArthur returned home a hero, saying “old soldiers dont die, they just fade away”

Question 13

NSC-68

Answer 13

A proposed massive US military expansion as stated in National Security Council Memorandum 68 NSC-68) was brought to fruition in Korea.
3.5 mil soldiers, 50 billion dollars a year (quadrupling the military budget)
Major step in the militarization of American foreign policy.
Odd for the US bc the US was typically isolationist, but post WW2, the US is looking outward, getting more involved in the world

Question 14

38th parallel

Answer 14

After Japan surrendered, Korea was divided at the 38th paralell. The US oversaw southern korea, while the USSR oversaw northern Korea

Question 15

Executive Order 9981

Answer 15

Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the armed forces

Question 16

Loyalty Review Board

Answer 16

The Loyalty Review Board was tasked with investigating more than 3 million federal employees as there was a fear that communist spies undermining the gov.
Over 3k either resigned or were dismissed.

Individual states became security-conscious, demanding loyalty oaths of their employees, especially teachers

Question 17

Smith Act

Answer 17

The Smith Act (1940) was the first peacetime anti-sedition law since 1798, time of John Adams.

Question 18

HUAC

Answer 18

The House Committee on Un-American Activites was established in 1938. This is a committee that looks for people who are acting un-american, which is technically anything they didnt like

Question 19

Alger Hiss

Answer 19

In 1948, Congressman Richard Nixon led the chase after Alger Hiss, a high-level clerk in the State Department who was accused of being a communist spy. He was convicted of perjury and sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Hiss was marked as a communist by “reformed communist” and journalist Whittaker Chambers. The evidence was flawed at best.

Question 20

The McCarran Internal Security Bill

Answer 20

The McCarran Internal Security Bill (1950) allowed the president to arrest and detain sus people during an internal security emergency (it passed over Trumans veto). This act ended in the mid 1970s.

Question 21

Klaus Fuchs and the Rosenbergs

Answer 21

Klaus Fuchs and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tried for espionage (selling secrets about the atomic bomb to the Soviets.)
Fuchs was sentenced to 14 years in jail, and the Rosenburgs were electrocuted in 1953.

Question 22

McCarthyism

Answer 22

Sentator Joseph McCarthy gained attention for his reelection campaign by claiming that known communists worked for the State Dept. (the actual number varied depended on the day)
High profile figures were named (like George Marshall and Sec of State Deam Acheson)
Eisenhower hated McCarthy but chose to do nothing
Senator Maragret Chase Smith (Republican from Maine) gave her now famous “Declaration of Conscience” speech against McCarthyism in June 1950
McCathy went too far when he attacked the US army. In the Army-McCarthy hearings, in which he defended himself, he was censured by the Senate for unbecoming behavior
The whole thing is that he didnt have any names, he just wanted to get attention smh

Question 23

Taft-Hartley Act

Answer 23

This act outlawed the closed shop and required union leaders to take an oath that they werent communists.
The act passed over Trumans’s veto, but he used it many times while in office.
It as called a “slave-labor law” by labor leaders.
The anti-communist oath was found unconditional in 1965.
“Right to work” laws in many states make it illegal to force someone to join a union.
The Taft-Hartley Act is still in effect today.

Question 24

Dixiecrats

Answer 24

This is the 1948 name for Southern Democrats bc they split from the Democratic Party bc of Trumans nomination. They felt alienated by Trumans strong stand on civil rights and thus nominated SC Gov. Strom Thurmond.

Question 25

Truman’s Fair Deal

Answer 25

The Fair Deal (1949) was similar to the New Deal: it called for improved housing, full employment, a higher minimum wage, better farm price supports, new TVA-like projects, and an extension of Social Security. Major successes: raising the minimum wage, providing for public housing and extending old-age insurance. Truman established the President’s Committee on Civil Rights to investigate civil rights abuses Truman’s “Point Four” program called for the US to lend money and technical aid to underdeveloped countries

Question 26

Truman’s Committee on Civil Rights

Answer 26

Truman established the President’s Committee on Civil Rights to investigate civil rights abuses

Question 27

GI Bill

Answer 27

The GI Bill made provisions for sending veterans to school and paid them 20 dollars a week for a year

Question 28

Era of Affluence

Answer 28

THE LONG ECONOMIC BOOM, 1950-1970 GNP began to climb again in 1948, by 1950 the economy was booming. National income doubled in the 50s and again in the 60s. This ushered in the Era of Affluence By the mid 50s, about 60% of american are in the middle class (3500-10k a year) (in 2020, median income is 48,500 to 145,500) Women started to access employment at unprecedented rates (The feminist revolt to the 60s has its roots here, in the clash between employment and the demands of housewifery

Question 29

Sunbelt

Answer 29

The Sunbelt (a 15 state area stretching from VA through FL and TX to AZ and CA) was a new frontier for America Jobs, better climate, lower taxes, led to higher population Federal dollars were pumped into the region (444 billion dollars more annually than the Northeast and Midwest receives) Fun fact: all presidents from 1964 to 2008 hailed from this region

Question 30

Levittown

Answer 30

Levittown was the first planned suburb (long island, NY, post ww2) and its imitators (also planned suburbs) sprouted around the country

Question 31

white flight

Answer 31

Even before the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed redlining, “white flight” out of urban areas was taking place. White flight is when white people start to move out of a neighborhood when more and more POC start living there. In the 1950s and 60s, business fled the urban areas with their affluent customers, which provided the origin of suburban shopping malls

Question 32

Baby Boom

Answer 32

More than 50 million babies were added to the population by the end of the 1950s. (bc ppl got frisky after ww2) They have sent shockwaves through the decades; today, they are placing enormous strain on our nations resources

Question 33

Pink-collar ghetto

Answer 33

More than 30 mil women worked in clerical-service work (dubbed the “pink-collar ghetto”)

Question 34

Betty Friedan’s "The Feminine Mystique"

Answer 34

In The Feminine Mystique (1963), Betty Fridean (need to know) wrote about how women were unhappy with their lives as suburban housewives. The book started a wave of feminism in the US

Question 35

Consumerism in the 50s

Answer 35

A new lifestyle of leisure and affluence- Diner’s Club produced the first plastic credit card in 1950 The first Mcdonald's opened in CA (1954) Disneyland opened in CA (1955) By 1960, virtually every American owned a TV. Advertisers saw TV as the best way to hawk their wares Elvis Presley transformed popular music with rock and roll, which “crossed-over” the color line Marilyn Monroe popularized new standards of sexuality, as did Playboy magazine (1953)

Question 36

Dwight Eisenhower

Answer 36

Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) vs Adlai Stevenson (D) Eisenhower has severed as commander of the Allied forces in Europe, army chief of state, the first supreme commander of NATO, and as pres of Columbia University. He also went by Ike as his bro couldn't pronounce Dwight when he was younger. Thus the slogan, “I like Ike” Stevenson was Gov of Illinois Eisenhower ran with Richard Nixon, who did a lot of the campaigning Nixon called Stevenson an “intellectual egghead” and accused Democrats of “coddling” communists” Eisenhower easily won the election

Question 37

Nixon’s Checkers speech

Answer 37

Nixon was nearly dropped from the ticket over a scandal involving a “secret” (but not illegal) slush fund he had sued while serving in the Semate Nixon was open about this fund. He used TV to apoloigize in the heart-tugging “Checkers speech.” He said that the little dog (Checkers) was the only gift he had ever kept, and his girls loved him. Nixon also brought on his wife, who said that she didnt wear a fur coat, but rather a “respectable Republican cloth coat.”

Question 38

Eisenhower’s “Dynamic Conservatism”

Answer 38

Eisenhower believed in humanitarianism but was conservative in his approach to the economy and gov. He wanted to balance the budget (succeeding 3 times out of 8 years), keep government small, and guard against “creeping socialism” He wanted to sell the TVA, but also backed programs like the Federal HIghway Act of 1956 that were “New Deal-ish” He put the brakes on military spending (focusing on the air force and nucelar weapons) but incurred the biggest peacetime deficit to that point “Operation Wetback” (1954)- massive roundup of illegal immigrants from Mexico

Question 39

“New Look” foreign policy

Answer 39

1. Maintain the vitality of the economy 2. Rely on nuclear weapons to deter Communist aggression 3. Use the CIA to carry out covert actions against those directly/indirectly under Soviet control. 4. Strengthen relationships with our allies

Question 40

massive retaliation

Answer 40

“Massive retaliation”- using nuclear weapons on enemies (the Soviets or Chinese) if threatened Sadly, the US wasnt able to respond to Hungary’s pleas for help against Soviet aggression. Massive retaliation was an all-or-nothing option

Question 41

brinkmanship

Answer 41

Brinkmanship-”the ability to go to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art.” (Dulles)

Question 42

Ho Chi Minh

Answer 42

Now communist, Ho Chi Minh led the Viet Minh (Vietnamese Nationalists) against the French. He had the support of the Soviets and the Chinese. He controlled the North of Vietnam after it was split.

Question 43

Dien Bien Phu

Answer 43

A key French fort, Dien Bien Phu, fell in 1954. The French gave up fighting in Vietnam shortly after

Question 44

17th parallel

Answer 44

At the Geneva Conference (1955), Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel.

Question 45

Domino Theory

Answer 45

Eisenhower promised aid to the South due to his belief in Domino Theory, the idea that if one country falls into communism, the neighboring countries will fall with it (this idea is important as it ties to containment)

Question 46

“Open Skies” program using U-2 spy planes

Answer 46

Talks with the Soviets went nowhere; Ike proposed an “Open Skies” program to allow both countries to use aerial surveillance for intelligent gathering. Khrushchev, the leader of the USSR in this time, refused.

Question 47

SEATO

Answer 47

The US also supported the creation of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) in 1954, a defensive that only contained two Asian counties (The Philippines and Thailand). This was disbanded in 1977

Question 48

Taiwan Straits Crisis

Answer 48

Ike threatened the Chinese during the Taiwan Straits Crisis (1954-55 and 1958) when the PRC bombed islands off the coast of Taiwan. This was part of the ongoing difficulties between the RPC (mainland) and the ROC (Taiwan) A series of ambassadorial talks continued between 1955 and 1972, when Nixon visited China and formally acknowledged the PRC

Question 49

CIA overthrow of Mossadegh in Iran

Answer 49

PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST: IRAN The Iranian gov (in collusion with the Soviets) nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company ( a brit corporation) The CIA engineered a coup (Op. Ajax) in 1953 that overthrew pro-Communist Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and replaced him with Shan Mohammed Reza Pahlevi Cost- 200k dollars for a rented mob that would profess loyalty to the Shah, code named “Boy Scout.” Mossadegh was code named “the Old Bugger” The Brits and Americans then divided up the Iranian oil industry Mossadeph was put on trial and sentenced to house arrest In 1979, Iranians took out their revenge on the Western-allied Shah and his allies, deposing the Shah and declaring a republic during the Iranian Revolution. (more on this later)

Question 50

the Suez Crisis

Answer 50

PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST: THE SUEZ CRISIS The US, France, and Brit, withdrew aid to Egypt for the Aswan Dam project bc Pres Nasser had nationalized the Suex Cancal Co. (formerly owned jointly by the French and Brits) Nassaar has also brought weapons from Czech communists and diplomatically acknowledged the People’s Republic of China With Western Europe’s oil supply in danger, France and Brits (Colluding with Israel) attacked Egypt in 1956. The US voted for a UN resolution publicly condemning the actions of France and Britain and refused to provide the attackers with oil The attackers withdrew their troops and a UN police force was sent into the region to maintain order.

Question 51

OPEC

Answer 51

In 1960, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran joined with Venezuela to form the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a cartel.

Question 52

the Eisenhower Doctrine

Answer 52

The Eisenhower Doctrine (1956) pledged US military and economic aid to Middle Eastern nations threatened by communist aggression

Question 53

the DEW line

Answer 53

The Distant Early Warning (DEW) line was in place by 1957. In cooperation with Canada, the aim was to detect Soviet bombers

Question 54

ICBMs

Answer 54

Fear that the Soviets would reach the US with Inter-continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMS) swept the nation

Question 55

The National Defense Education Act

Answer 55

The National Defense Education Act was passed to ensure that students had access to science and math courses

Question 56

Military-Industrial Complex

Answer 56

In his farewell address, Eisenhower warned the public about the dangerous cycle of miliary build-up aided by the large arms industry, which was vulnerable to abuse of power. (connection to Nye Committee findings post ww1) Ike advised Americans to be vigilant in monitoring the military-industrial complex

Question 57

Kennedy-Nixon debate

Answer 57

Richard Nixon (R) vs John F. Kennedy (D) TV debates demonstrated the importance of image- people who *watched* it thought that Kennedy did better, but people who only *listened* thought Nixon did better. Kennedy’s Catholicism was an issue for some. Nixon scored points in 1959 with his “kitchen debate” with Khrushchev, in which Nixon extolled the virtues of American consumerism over Soviet economic planning Kennedy won with a comfortable electoral margin. Democrats took both houses

Question 58

abstract expressionism

Answer 58

Jackson Pollock pioneered abstract expressionism in the 1940s and 50s

Question 59

“pop” art

Answer 59

“Pop” artists arose like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein (who parodied old-fashioned comic strips

Question 60

International style

Answer 60

A new modernist or “International Style” resulted in massive corporate high-rises

Question 61

Liberalism

Answer 61

Liberalism in the 1960s was characterized by the belief that increased federal power can achieve social goals Examples: the civil rights movement, fight for gender and sexual equality, social and economic equality for minorities, the “war on poverty (Pres. L.B. Johnson’s Great Society) Liberalism was ultimately attacked by conservatives for doing too much (a major backlash starting with Reagan's presidency) and from the far left (SDS, Black Panthers) for not doing enough

Question 62

JFK’s “New Frontier” program

Answer 62

American need to make sacrifices to achieve their potential greatness both domestically and in foreign affairs. His famous quote was: “Ask not what your country can do you you- ask want you can do for your country” The New Frontier program (medical assistance for the elderly, federal aid to education) was stalled in Congress Equal Pay Act (1963) aimed to provide equal pay for women. It has been weakened over time through loopholes and court rulings JFK cut taxes and promoted economic stimulus by proposing a multibullion-dollar project to land on the moon. Final cost to get a man on the moon (1969) was 25 million dollars.

Question 63

The Berlin Wall

Answer 63

At the Vienna Conference (June 1961), Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev threatened to cut off Western access to Berlin. The Soviets began to construct the Berlin Wall in August 1961. This was to keep defectors from leaving East Germany The wall was 69.5 miles long and almost 11 feet tall

Question 64

“flexible response” in Vietnam

Answer 64

Kennedy adopted the policy of “flexible response” developing an array of military options that would be matched to the gravity of the situation. More than 15k men were serving in Vietnam by this point as “military advisors”. Kennedy was particularly fond of the Green Berets

Question 65

The Alliance for Progress

Answer 65

THE ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS: THE PLAN JFK’s plan was supposed to be similar to the “Marshall Plan” for Latin America” The main idea was to give 20 billion dollars to Latin American counties to establish democratic govs and work toward equitable income distribution and land reform. It was about 10 dollars a person. THE ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS: FAILURE Latin America’s social problems proved too deep to be solved w handouts. Countries were unwilling to implement reforms, especially land reform Many Latin Am. countries w constitutional govs became dictatorships Pres Nixon was particularly averse to the plan, so funding dried up

Question 66

Fidel Castro

Answer 66

Fulgencio Batista was Pres of Cuba from (1940-44) and dictator from (1952-59) with his power taken away bc of a coup. The US still supported bc at least he wasn't communist When Fidel Castro ousted Batista and took over Cuba in the Revolution of 1959, he started confiscating US-owned property in Cuba and allied himself with the USSR. The US retaliated by cutting off sugar imports from Cuba and stopped supporting Cuba. Ike called him a “madman” Nearly 1 million Cubans fled to the US Khrushchev proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine dead and stated that the Soviets would step in to protect Castro

Question 67

Bay of Pigs fiasco

Answer 67

Kennedy inherited an Eisenhower-era CIA scheme to invade Cuba w anticommunist Cuban exiles, trigger a popular uprising, and overthrow Fidel Castro On April 17, 1961, about 1,200 exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs, where they were quickly surrounded by the Cuban forces. The invaders were ransomed after 2 years from 62 million dollars in pharmaceutical drugs and other supplies Castro survived many attempts on his life (part of “Operation Mongoose” the general plan of covert action against Cuba, which had the effect of driving him closer to the Soviets. Estimates vary on the number, but some failed plots included exploding cigars and poisoned milkshakes

Question 68

Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 68

In Oct 1962, photos of Cuba taken by U-2 spy planes revelaed that the Soviets were secretly installing nuclear-tipped missiles in Cuba A U-2 spy plane was shot down, the Joint Chiefs called for immediate reaction: War! (air force general Curtis LeMay) The SAC was ready to bomb the USSR at a moments notice Kennedy was the only man in the room who wanted to end things peacefully- he gambled that Khrushchev wouldnt want nuclear war Kennedy ordered a naval quarantine of Cuba and demanded immediate removal of the missiles In 1991, it was revealed the the nuclear weapons were operational at the time of the crisis. There were both longer range and shorter-range racial missiles that could take out Gauantanamo Bay and/or an invasion (this was a stressful 13 days of trying to figure out what to do) Khrushchev finally agreed to pull the missiles out of Cuba if the US would never invade Cuba and remove missiles from Turkey that are aimed at the USSR This Crisis turned JFK’s presidency around FALLOUT FROM THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS A Moscow-Washington DC “hot line; was established in Aug 1963. This dedicated teletype machine (later landline phone) was used for instant communication Khrushchev was disgraced and forced out of power. Military explansion by Soviet “hardliners” (Brezhnev) commenced The origin of the détente policy stemps from Kennedy’s idea of peaceful coexistenece w the Soviets

Question 69

JFK assassination

Answer 69

According to the official Warren Commission report, Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dalles on Nov 22, 1963 Oswald was assassinated in front of TV camera by Jack Ruby Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President on a waiting airplane, with Jackie Kennedy at his side LBJ kept most of Kennedy’s team in place