Fifth Party System [1933–1972] IV Flashcards
Review - Timeline: Post-War Prosperity and Cold War Fears, 1945-1960
1946: George Kennan sends Long Telegram from Moscow. 1947: Truman Doctrine announced; first Levittown house sold. 1948: Berlin Airlift begins. 1950: North Korean troops cross 38th parallel. 1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower elected president. 1953: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg executed for espionage. 1954: Supreme Court rules on Brown v. Board of Education; Bill Haley and ‘His Comets’ record “Rock Around the Clock”. 1955: Montgomery bus boycott begins. 1957: Little Rock’s Central High School integrates; USSR launches Sputnik.
The Cold War
Joy at the ending of World War II was quickly replaced by fears of conflict with the Soviet Union. The Cold War heated up as both the United States and Soviet Union struggled for world dominance. Fearing Soviet expansion, the United States committed itself to assisting countries whose governments faced overthrow by Communist forces and gave billions of dollars to war-torn Europe to help it rebuild. While the United States achieved victory in its thwarting of Soviet attempts to cut Berlin off from the West, the nation was less successful in its attempts to prevent Communist expansion in Korea. The development of atomic weapons by the Soviet Union and the arrest of Soviet spies in the United States and Britain roused fears in the United States that Communist agents were seeking to destroy the nation from within. Loyalty board investigations and hearings before House and Senate committees attempted to root out Soviet sympathizers in the federal government and in other sectors of American society, including Hollywood and the military.
Define Winston Churchill’s use of the term ‘Iron Curtain’.
The term ‘Iron Curtain’ refers to the coalition of communist governments that emerged in post-war Europe. The term is often used synonymously with Eastern Bloc, Communist Bloc, and the Warsaw Pact. While the term had been used occasionally throughout the early twentieth century in a variety of contexts, it was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who popularized the term, and gave it its current meaning. He did so in 1946 in his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech. The countries behind the ‘Iron Curtain’ were the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria, and others.
Start of the Cold War - The Soviet Perspective
Under pressure from Western democracies, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin at first pledged to refrain from Sovietization and insisted he would allow free elections in occupied countries. However, because of a history of European aggression towards Russia and communist ideology, Stalin and other Russian leaders felt they needed buffer states between them and Europe. They failed to keep his promise, and through falsified elections and other secretive means, the Soviet Union helped install communist governments. Unwilling to risk outright war, there was little the Western democracies could do except stand by and watch as Eastern Europe fell to communism.
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact, formally known as the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland between the Soviet Union and seven Eastern Bloc satellite states of Central and Eastern Europe in May 1955, during the Cold War. The Warsaw Pact was the military complement to the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CoMEcon), the regional economic organization for the socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe. The Warsaw Pact was created in reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO in 1955 per the London and Paris Conferences of 1954, but it is also considered to have been motivated by Soviet desires to maintain control over military forces in Central and Eastern Europe.
List the countries that made up the Warsaw Pact.
Albania (withheld support in 1961 because of the Soviet-Albanian split, formally withdrew in 1968); Bulgaria; Czechoslovakia; East Germany (withdrew on 2 October 1990 prior to German reunification); Hungary (temporarily withdrew from 1–4 November 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution); Poland; Romania; and the Soviet Union.
Describe what the ‘Berlin Wall’ did in Germany.
In Germany, the ‘Iron Curtain’ took a physical form in the ‘Berlin Wall’. The wall divided East and West Germany, preventing East German citizens from escaping to freedom in democratic West Germany. Construction began on the Berlin Wall in August of 1961. The East German government claimed that the wall was built to keep its citizens safe from fascism. In fact, it was officially called the ‘Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart’, although it was obvious its real purpose was to keep East German citizens from defecting to West Germany. In November of 1989 the Berlin Wall came down
Explain how the ‘Revolutions of 1989’ sparked the Soviet Union’s eventual collapse.
The Revolutions of 1989 began in Poland, and eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. One by one, the people of these states rose up to dispose of their communist governments. In November of 1989 the ‘Berlin Wall’ came down, and in December of 1991 the Soviet Union dissolved, thus officially signifying the fall of the ‘Iron Curtain.’
Identify the containment policies against the spread of communism.
In the post-war era, containment was the over-arching foreign policy. Developed primarily by Secretary of State George F. Kennan, containment policy sought to contain the spread of communism, but not actively combat it. Containment was enacted on the international stage through proclamations, plans, and ideas like the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine and the domino theory. NATO was also formed during this time, as well as its Soviet counterpart, the Warsaw Pact.
Identify the containment policies against the spread of communism - Truman Doctrine.
The Truman Doctrine marked the official implementation of containment policy. The Truman Doctrine essentially stated that the United States would provide support to countries resisting communism. In this way, the United States sought to stop the spread of communism, but maintain the promise of simple containment.
Identify the containment policies against the spread of communism - Domino Theory.
The domino theory was the view held by successive administrations that if one country in a region fell to communism, other nearby countries would also fall, much like dominoes. The domino theory is particularly associated with the Vietnam War, since it was justified under the theory. The belief was that if Vietnam fell to communism, many other countries in Southeast Asia would do the same.
Identify the containment policies against the spread of communism - NATO.
NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The organization consisted of major Western democracies like the United States, Canada, Britain, France, and others. Its purpose was to establish a collective defense against the threat of communism. Member states pledged that an attack against any one state constituted an attack against the whole. To counter NATO, the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc states developed their own mutual defense league under the Warsaw Pact.
Remember the good which came from the Highway Act.
The interstate highway system we know and love today (or maybe not love, depending on your daily commute) was established during this time under the ‘Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956’. One of the major motivations for establishing a national highway system was to allow military forces to move quickly from point to point should a war with the Soviet Union break out. Of course, the interstate highway system was open to private use as well. The largest public works endeavor up to that time, the interstate highway system helped revolutionize travel culture.
The Challenges of Peacetime
At the end of World War II, U.S. servicemen and women returned to civilian life, and all hoped the prosperity of the war years would continue. The GI Bill eased many veterans’ return by providing them with unemployment compensation, low-interest loans, and money to further their education; however, African American, Mexican American, and gay veterans were often unable to take advantage of these benefits fully or at all. Meanwhile, Japanese Americans faced an uphill struggle in their attempts to return to normalcy, and many women who had made significant professional gains in wartime found themselves dismissed from their positions. President Harry Truman attempted to extend Roosevelt’s New Deal with his own Fair Deal, which had the goal of improving wages, housing, and healthcare, and protecting the rights of African Americans. Confronted by a Congress dominated by Republicans and southern Democrats, however, Truman was able to achieve only some of his goals.
The American Dream
In 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower became president of the United States. Fiscally conservative but ideologically moderate, he sought to balance the budget while building a strong system of national defense. This defense policy led to a greater emphasis on the possible use of nuclear weapons in any confrontation with the Soviet Union. Committed to maintaining peace, however, Eisenhower avoided engaging the United States in foreign conflicts; during his presidency, the economy boomed. Young Americans married in record numbers, moved to the growing suburbs, and gave birth to the largest generation to date in U.S. history. As middle-class adults, they conformed to the requirements of corporate jobs and suburban life, while their privileged children enjoyed a consumer culture tailored to their desires.
Identify the events at the end of World War II which led to a baby-boom generation in the 40s and 50s.
With World War II behind them, many couples decided to have children. The baby-boom was a trend lasting roughly between 1946-1964 in which high numbers of babies were born. During this time, suburbs became an attractive place to live for many young families. One of the most famous suburbs was Levittown, New York. Gender roles were typically traditional during this time. Many women stayed at home, tending to their children and engaging in other domestic tasks, while men were understood to be ‘the breadwinner.’
Recognize the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism for the political destructive ploy it was.
The Second Red Scare, a period of heightened fear of communism, lasted roughly between 1947-1953. Republican senator Joseph McCarthy became famous for making unfounded allegations of communist activity. The Hollywood motion picture industry, in particular, came under suspicion, resulting in many actors and actresses having their careers destroyed. The House Committee on Un-American Activities was set up to investigate alleged communist activity within the United States. While there is still debate among historians, it is now generally believed that the Red Scare was mostly an unfounded paranoia.
Recognize the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism for the political destructive ploy it was - Affect on American Life
What is important to remember is that a deep-seated fear of communism ran rampant throughout America during the immediate postwar era. It affected numerous areas of cultural life. Patriotism and religious sentiment ran high as Americans sought to shield themselves from ‘godless’ communism. Fearful over the possibility of a nuclear attack, some Americans went as far as constructing their own underground bunkers. In schools, children were taught the ‘duck and cover’ drill, in which they would crawl under their desks in an attempt to protect themselves in the event of a nuclear explosion.
Popular Culture and Mass Media
Young Americans in the postwar period had more disposable income and enjoyed greater material comfort than their forbearers. These factors allowed them to devote more time and money to leisure activities and the consumption of popular culture. Rock and roll, which drew from African American roots in the blues, embraced themes popular among teenagers, such as young love and rebellion against authority. At the same time, traditional forms of entertainment, such as motion pictures, came under increasing competition from a relatively new technology, television.
Describe the cultural change starting with the music, rock and roll and the King.
Rock and roll music was born during this time. One of the leaders of this bold, rebellious new genre was none other than Elvis Presley. A distinct youth culture developed also, with many teenagers engaging in hobbies like hot-rodding. Comic-book reading, hula-hooping, wearing blue jeans, and eating fast food were other activities commonly associated with the postwar era.
The African American Struggle for Civil Rights
After World War II, African American efforts to secure greater civil rights increased across the United States. African American lawyers such as Thurgood Marshall championed cases intended to destroy the Jim Crow system of segregation that had dominated the American South since Reconstruction. The landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education prohibited segregation in public schools, but not all school districts integrated willingly, and President Eisenhower had to use the military to desegregate Little Rock’s Central High School. The courts and the federal government did not assist African Americans in asserting their rights in other cases. In Montgomery, Alabama, it was the grassroots efforts of African American citizens who boycotted the city’s bus system that brought about change. Throughout the region, many white southerners made their opposition to these efforts known. Too often, this opposition manifested itself in violence and tragedy, as in the murder of Emmett Till.
Outline the US’s interference in Latin America during the Cold War and its effects - Brazil 🇧🇷
In Brazil, it’s believed that the U.S. backed military rebels to overthrow Joao Goulart, Brazil’s president with ties to communism. When this rebellion succeeded in 1964, it threw Brazil into the hands of a brutal military dictator, who ravaged the country for decades.
Outline the US’s interference in Latin America during the Cold War and its effects - Guatemala 🇬🇹
The same story played out in Guatemala in 1954, as U.S.-backed rebels ousted Jacobo Arbenz, the communist Guatemalan president. Sadly, the military dictators that replaced him abused their power and their people. This led to a bloody civil war that lasted well into the 1990s.
Outline the US’s interference in Latin America during the Cold War and its effects - Nicaragua 🇳🇮
The same scene can be studied in Nicaragua, where the U.S. supported Anastasio Somoza, who held absolute power in Nicaragua from 1967 to 1972 and from 1974 to 1979. Although his reign was one of violence, Uncle Sam favored him over the Sandinistas, rebels with communist-leaning ideologies. Although the Sandinistas won in the late 1970s, their victory came at the cost of many innocent lives.
