The Superpower 1945-1975 Flashcards
1
Q
FP - 1945-51 - Post war relations
A
- Truman:
+ Worried about forcing of communism on Eastern European countries
+ USSR was seeking to no just protect its borders from any future invasions
+ 1946 Churchill spoke of an Iron Curtain to stop the spread
2
Q
FP - 1945-51 - Truman Doctrine
A
- Truman Doctrine:
+ 1947 - imply the USA would stem the spread of Communism
3
Q
FP - 1945-51 - Marshall Aid
A
- Marshall Aid
+ offering a $13b package to help European countries to recover from the effects of ww2
4
Q
FP - 1945-51- Berlin Airlift
A
- Berlin Airlift
+ 1948-49
+ Germany had been divided into 4 zones with Berlin was divided but physically lay within the Soviet Union
+ 1948 Stalin cut all western links to the USA&GB part of Berlin - in retaliation USA&GB organised an airlift of essential supplies 1949 8,000 tons supplies per day
+ 9th May 1949 Stalin called off the blockade
5
Q
FP - 1945-51 - NATO
A
- Berlin Crisis had confirmed Trumans commitment to containment in Europe
- April 1949, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- Warsaw pact
6
Q
FP 1945-51 Korean War
A
- Korean War 1950-53
+ US gov had supported the South as North war Hostile and communist
+ March 1950 N Korea invaded S
+ UN sent forces to stop the invasion - succeeded in liberating S Korea
+ China went onto N Korea side
+ 1953 peace of sorts agreed
7
Q
FP 1945-51 Results of the Korean War
A
- Eisenhower spoke about the Domino Theory and Communism
- helped sustain McCarthyism
8
Q
FP under Eisenhower - Khruschev
A
- 1955 Khrushchev succeeded Stalin as leader in the Soviet Union
9
Q
FP under Eisenhower - Hungary
A
- 1956 Khrushchev began a policy of relaxing the control Stalin had imposed
- Moderate Cons did not like this and started attacking parts of E Europe - USA couldn’t help as they were preoccupised with the Suez crisis
10
Q
FP under Eisenhower - Berlin
A
- Khrushchev faced problems over Germany
+ E & K met in 1959 but made no progress on Berlin
11
Q
FP under Eisenhower - Suez
A
- 1956 Egypt took control of Suez control
+ GBR, FRA, Israeli attacked but pulled out - E not impressed and angry and USA wanted to keep relations with Arab Nations
12
Q
FP under Eisenhower - results of the Suez crisis
A
- Crisis illustrated that Britain and France were no longer world powers
- increased US involvement in the Middle East
- Eisenhower Doctrine - extension of containment to the Middle east
13
Q
FP under Eisenhower - China 1949-60
A
- USA was involved in the Chinese Civil War 1945-49 (US helped nationalists against MAO)
- Relations deteriorate after Korean war
14
Q
FP - Arms race - Atomic weapons
A
- Stalin was shocked that in 1945 the USA had tested its first atomic bomb
- Soviet atomic research programme - 1949 USSR exploded their first nuclear weapon
15
Q
FP - Arms race - military spending
A
- Prospect of ither countries developing nuclear weapons meant the USA could be attacked - Military-industrial complex increased spending $40to$50B year 1950
16
Q
Economy - post war prosperity?
A
- per Capita income at $1,450 (2x GB)
- fed gov spending $36.5B 1948 (1945 $50B)
- greater employment opportunities e.g. aircraft production, electrical goods
- avg. earnings $3,000)
- 1947 - 33% US homes lacked running water
17
Q
Economy - growth of the var industry?
A
- 1945 69,000 cars sold to 6.7M 1950
- growth of cars helped other industries e.g. roadside hotels, motels
18
Q
Social - growth of Suburbs
A
- 1944 114,000 new family homes built - rising to 1.7M 1950
- growth of the Middle Class - left working class in cities
19
Q
Social - Consumer society
A
- Consumer boom
+ rapid expansion in consumerism by 1960 50M TVs
+ 1964 40% population born before 1946
20
Q
Social - Women
A
- 4 US states made equal pay of women compulsory
- 1950 women made up 38% of workforce
- unions did not favour women in he workforce
- 1960 1.3M women in Uni’s
21
Q
Social - Cultural change - cinema
A
- fell from 90M a week 1946 to 47M 1956
22
Q
Social - Cultural change - TV
A
- sets of TV 1947 - 60,000 to 37M 1955
- popular programmes
+ regular audience of 50M to watch “I love Lucy”
23
Q
Social - Cultural change - Youth culture
A
- 1950 41.6% population under 24
- more $ - avg spending from $10B 1950 - $25B 1959
- rock and roll music & increasing popular TV
- teenage rebellion?
+ 1956, murders by teenagers in NY rose 26%
24
Q
Political Truman -
A
- April 1945 - Truman become president
- convinced that the US will was the worlds best hope for peace and prosperity
25
Political - Truman - Full employment bill 1945
- declared employment to be a right and required the government to ensure that jobs were available
- also increased minimum wage
BUT Congress watered policies a lot
26
Political - Truman - Labour relations
- Nov 1945 Truman called labour-management conference as an attempt to prevent further strike action - ended without an agreement
- Taft - Hartley Bill - made labour union liable of contracts (Truman vetoed but Congress overturned veto)
27
Political - Truman - 1948 presidential elections
- Promised New Deal
- WON& Dems regained control of Congress
28
Political - Truman - Fair Deal
- 1949, Truman introduced a whole range of welfare measures - raised min wage, extended the Social Security act
29
Political - Eisenhower - domestic achievements
- dynamic conservatism (Conserative with $ but liberal with humans)
- fed gov should have some responsibility for the welfare of its citizens and promote economic growth
- continued social security programme
30
Red scare - development
- external:
+ Developments outside the USA increased the fear of Communism
+ USA involvement in Korean war and Cold war development
- Internal:
+ Series of Spy scandals in the US
31
McCarthyism?
- Feb 1950 McCarthy gave a speech saying the State departments was infested with spies
- by 1957 140 leaders of the Communist party were accused
32
Native Americans 1945-1960
- 1944 Indian Claims commissions were set up to offer financial compensation to NA for claims for lost lands
- 1953 House concurrent resolution - reservations should be broken up to encourage NA into urban areas
1960 - 13,000 / 400,000 NA had moved permanently
33
African American - legacy of ww2
- NAACP rose 50,000 1940 to 450,000 1945
34
African Americans - Trumans presidency
- Sept 1946 - set up Civil Rights Committee to investigate racial abuse
35
African Americans - Eisenhower's presidency
- Passed Executive Orders desegregating gov run shipyards and encouraged integration of schools e.g. Brown v Topeka
- Brown V Board 1954
+ 1956-57 723 school districts were desegrated (involving 300,000 AA) BUT 240,000 schools remained entirely segregated schools
36
African Americans - progress in education in later 1950s
- By 1956 US supreme court upheld the ruling in 19 cases
- little rock high school 1957
+Eisenhower sent federal troops - shows that states could be overruled by the fed gov
- Montgomery bus boycott
+Dec 1955 - Rosa parks was arrested - next weekend bus boycott 50,000 supporters
+ Browder v Gale 1956
- Martin Luther King
+ Started the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
37
1960 Election
- 1960 Kennedy (Dem) vs. Nixon (Rep)
38
The New Frontier - Civil Rights
- Before 1963 JFK was hesitant as he didn't want to upset S conservatives
- Threatened legal action against school that were still segregated
- Feb 1963 introduced a civil rights bills (passed in early 1964)
39
The New Frontier - Economy
- public works costing $900M (roads, public buildings etc)
- increased defence spending and space technology
BUT still unemployment in traditional industries and unemployment 2x as high in African Americans
40
The New Frontier - Social reform
- increased min wage ($1-$1.25)
- Manpower and Training Act - retraining for long term unemployed
- Area Redevelopment act - fed gov to give out loans to states with long term unemployment
- Social Security Act - greater financial help to the elderly and unemployed
BUT - Slum clearance created housing shortages, min wage only helped employed
41
Opposition to the New Frontier
- Greater opposition from S congressmen
- many still belived in rugged individualism
42
Johnson
- 1963-1968
43
The Greater society - civil rights
- Civil Rights Act 1964 - banned discrimination in public places
- Voting Rights Act 1965
- 1967 Supreme Court declared all laws banning mixed race marriages
44
The Greater Society - Economic reform
- Tax cuts to give consumers more money to spend - in turn help business grow and create more jobs
- Office of Economic Opportunity set up schemes to help poor people in inner cities
45
The Greater society - social reform
- Medical care Act - attempt to try to ensure that all Americans had equal access to health care
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act - provided fed support for state
- Model Cities Act - Kennedy's policy of urban renewal
- Increased min wage ($1.25 to $1.40)
46
Opposition to the Greater Society
- Opposition to the Great Society was distorted due to the attitudes of Vietnam
47
1968 election
Nixon (Rep) vs. Humphrey (Dem)
- Nixon appealed to middle America
- Humphrey campaigned to continue the Vietnam war
48
Nixon's domestic achievements
- limited due to his involvement in Forgein Policy
- By 1971, 13 black congressmen
- Introduction Family Assistance Plan - granted $1,600 to poorer families (rejected by congress
49
Nixon's Economic achievements
- difficult economic problems, especially rise in price and tried to reduce this by strict control of borrowing
- Tempoary boomed caused by limited price increases to 2.5%, kept wage increases down to 5.5%
50
1972 election
Nixon won
51
Events of the Watergate scandal
- 1972 Nixon - concerned that me might not be re-elected set up CREEP - set aside $350,000 for dirty tricks
- Nixon denied involvement and acknowledgement
52
Effects of the Watergate scandal
- July 1974 Congress impeached Nixon - Nixon resigned August 1974
- Executive powers reduced:
+ Election Campagin Act 1974 - limits on election contributions
+ Wars powers Act 1973 - president consult with Congress before sending US troops
53
Berlin Wall Crisis
- 1961
- Khrushchev built a wall to separate E&W Berlin - increased tensions between the USA and USSR
54
Why was the Berlin Wall Crisis significant?
- Increased Cold war tensions - USSR continued to nuclear test
55
What are the causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis 1962?
- Castro ejected all US business - in retaliation, USA refused to buy Cuban sugar - Soviet Union offered to buy it.
- 1961 Kennedy sanctioned an invasion of Cuba by exiles who left in 1959
- Bay of Pigs - failure and humiliating to US
- end of 1961 Castro announced turn to Communism
- Sept 1962 Soviet installed Ballistics missiles
56
Cuban Missile timeline
57
What were the result of the Cuban Missile Criris?
- Americans felt they had won as Khrushchev had backed down
- Soviets determined never to backdown again
- Hotline created - White house - Moscow
- Partial Test Ban Treaty was signed Aug 1963 - US and USSR agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons in the atomshpere
58
What were the reasons for improved relations between the US and China?
- April 1971 USA lifted its 21 year trade embargo with China
- Relations between China and USSR had detreated after 1960s
- Nixon hoped that closer relations with China might help to end Vietnam war
59
What is Ping Pong Diplomacy?
- 1971 China v US in a game of ping pong
- 14th April 1971 US gov lifted trade embargo
- Sino-US relations
- restoration of China's legitimate rights in the UN - establishment of diplomatic relations between China and other countries
60
What were the reasons for détente?
- Threat of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis had a sobering effect on all concerned
- Hotline improved speed of communications and the Test Ban Treaty
- USA and USSR were keen on arms limitation talks as means of reducing their ever-increasing defence spending
61
What is SALT 1?
- SALT - Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
- 1972
- limits on nuclear capability of USSR and US
- Successfully limited nuclear weapons
62
What are the Helsinki Agreements?
- 1975
- US, USSR and 33 other nations made declarations about 3 distinct international issues:
1. West recognised the current national boundaries in E Europe and Soviet Union - W Germany claimed Germany as a whole state
2. Each signatory agreed to respect human rights and basic freedoms
3. There was a call for closer economic, scientific and cultural links
63
Why was the US involved in Vietnam?
- 1950s USA became far more involved in Vietnam as part of trying to stop the spread of Communism (domino theory)
- Nov 1963 Diem was over thrown and Vietcong became more popular - Kennedy tried to reduce communism through Strategic Hamlet Policy - failed
- 1964 Johnson wanted more direct military involvement - Nov US ship destroyed by Vietcong and alleged 2nd attack - Congress passed Gulf Tonkin Resolution that gave Johnson power to use any military intervention
64
Why did the strengths of the Communism lead to US defeat in Vietnam?
- Vietcong were fighting for a cause (reunification of Vietnam)
- guerrilla tactics - avoided battles and reduced the effectiveness of high tech US
65
Why did the weakness of the USA lead to US defeat in Vietnam?
- inexperienced troops and unable to cope with guerrilla warfare
- fall in moral lead to brutal behaviour e.g. Ly Lai massacre 1968
- opposition at home grew
- ineffective tactics
66
What were the US tactics of warfare in Vietnam?
- Operation Rolling Thunder - 1965-68
+ Chemical welfare - agent orange
- Search and Destroy - destroyed land
67
What was the impact of the mass media on the war in Veitnam?
- 1st war on TV
- newsreel film was taken by official military cameramen
- Americans could see bombing and shelling Vietnamese homes after Ted Offensive
68
Impact of the media and Tet offensive?
- Americans shocked by the war crimes particularly My Lai massacre
69
What was the significance of TV coverage?
- dramatically changed the opinions of Americans - started creation of the PEACE movement
70
What are the reasons for US withdrawal?
- USA could not win Vietnam
- Nixon was elected president on the grounds of US withdrawal
- end of 1960s war was v. unpopular and expensive by 1968 $26.5B
71
What are the effects of the Vietnam war?
- USA spent around $30M each year on the war
- 50,000 Americans dead 300,000 wounded
72
What progress in the early 1960s have civil rights made?
- 1960 - sit in to protest against all white café
- August 1961 sit-ins attracted over 70,000 participants
- Freedom rides - created integrated buses 1961 over 300 riders were arrested
73
Peace marches?
- Student Non-Violent Co-ordinating Committee protested against segregation
- 250,000 people taking part
- King discussed civil rights legislation with Kennedy - Johnson pushed Kennedys Civil Rights through Congress 1964
74
Civil Rights achievements?
- Civil rights marches 1963 helped to bring out important Civil Rights legislation
- Voting rights campagin and Selma marches helped Voting Rights Act 1964
75
Who was Malcom X?
- Leader of Nation of Islam
- 1952-64 100,000 members
- Critical of King
- realistic role model for ghetto African Americans
76
Black riots
- 1964-66 black ghettos witnessed around 300 riots
- 1965-67 riots caused $145M damage
77
Black power
1966 SNCC had moved away from King and began to support Black power
- Waned African Americans to develop a feeling of black pride
78
The Black Panthers
- 10 point programme - included an end to police brutality as well as decent housing and education
- Set up practical community action programmes
1968 5,000 members
79
Reasons for student protest?
1. many students wanted a greater in their own education
2. MLK's peace marches were an inspiration
3. USA became more divided and divided society
80
Civil Rights and students
- Students were heavily involved in civil rights movement e.g. SNCC and CORE
81
What are the SDS?
- Students for a Democratic Society
- 1959
- denounced the Cold War and adopted a position of anti anti-communism
82
Students and opposition to the war in Vietnam?
- opposition grew
- Anti-war protest reached their peak 1968-70
- 1969 - Washington D.C. 700,000 Marched
83
What is the hippie movement?
- 'drop out' of society and become hippies
- make love, not war
84
Students and their achievements?
- student movement did bring about social, political and cultral change
- provided greater publicity for the racism still prevalent in US society - support from white students towards black students
85
Eleanor Roosevelt
- 1960 set up a commission to investigate the status of women at work
86
Betty Friedan
- 1963 wrote The Feminine Mystique
- 1966 set up National Organisation of Women (NOW)
+ 1966-71 secured $30M in back pay owed to women who had not been paid wages equal to men
87
Women's Liberation Movement
- more radical aims than NOW
- all signs of male supremacy would be removed
- BUT burning their bras in public bought ridicule to the movement and made it increasingly difficult for people to take them seriously
88
Campaign to legalise abortion
- Abortion was illegal
- Roe vs. Wade 1970
89
Women's movement achievements
- 1963 Equal Pay Act - required employers to pay women the same for the same job
- 1972 Education Amendment Act - outlawed sex discrimination
- Equal Rights Amendment Act was passed by congress BUT not ratified by states
90
What was the impact of Watergate?
- left the position of the presidency much weakened by 1975
- No longer had confidence or respect for their own politicians and government
91
USA by 1975 - Economy
- After WW2, the USA had experienced a prolonged economic boom
- Ford inherited high inflation (9%)
92
USA by 1975 - position in world affairs
- USA was called champion of democracy against the spread of Communism
- USA was also increasingly involved in events in the Middle East
93
USA by 1975 - African Americans
- Civil Rights and Voting Rights Act
- increased representation politically
- Congressmen - 1970 11 to 1980 18
94
USA by 1975 - Native American Indians
- Many lived on reservations
- unemployment 10x higher
95
USA by 1975 - Women
- 2/3 female college students reject the idea that a women's place was at home
- women only received 73% of salaries paid to men
