topic one 1945 - 80 Flashcards
2nd red scare (1947-57)
following WW2 USSR joined Allies having first fought in war against Allies
Eastern Europe countries occupied by Soviet Union during war emerged with Soviet governments
increasing fears of communist takeovers in other countries (context of cold war and Korean war)
2nd red scare (1947-57) - climate of fear
USSR found to be spying on USA - especially keen on getting atomic weapon secrets
2nd Red scare - The Rosenbergs (1953)
Convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage by passing atomic information onto the soviets and executed via electric chair
found although guilty - wasnt guilty of spreading atomic information like he was founded
2nd Red scare - HUAC and Hollywood 10 (1947)
House of un-American activities commission set up in 1938 focusing on uncovering communism within government
Hollywood 10 - HUAC began investigation into Hollywood towards threats of communism
10 Hollywood employees thought to be communist and refused to answer any questions (found guilty of contempt to congress)
anyone thought to have communist ideals were blacklisted from Hollywood
2nd Red scare (1947-57) - Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism
between 1950-54 senator McCarthy headed 2nd red scare
McCarthyism - fear of internal subversion
1950 announced had names of 250 known communists working under state departments (changed number to 57 then 81)
despite suspicious nature - gained support from catholics (extremely influential)
set up tydings committee and led investigations (witch hunts) into suspect communists using the media (radio and TV) to spread his ideals
violence often broke out due to his encouragement to find communists at home and work
Until investigation the army in 1953 remained powerful
televised interviews (with some 20 million people watching) found his treatment of interviewees to be so unreasonable he lost support
so much so that senate passed a vote to censure him - allowing red scare to die down
Anti - communism (FBI)
FBI (J Edgar Hoover) given powers to investigate people and bring them in to questioning on very little evidence
tapped phones, opened letters, and bugged offices and homes - movement towards repressive communist regime
people fearful of expressing opinion and ideology - libaries got rid of books by Karl Marx in fear of being seen as having communist sympathies
anti-communism shared between Republicans and Democrats - various groups set up from 1950 to press government to take a hard line in relation to communism
Liberalism - 60s
Red scare and increasing violence towards black people (especially in south)
under president Kennedy new liberalism took off
campaigned under word ‘liberal’ - being forward-thinking, flexible, and concerned about populations’ welfare (both republican and democrats agreed)
usually educated middle class supporting equality, civil rights, and social welfare
believed in gov intervention
introduced positive discrimination (preferred treatment of groups previously discriminated against in areas such as housing and employment) for ‘5 minorities’ including black people and women
all support for liberalism increased in 60s
1968 - Democratic National Convention divided about Vietnam war leading to anti-war protests outside hall (police violent tear gas, batons)
civil rights act, voting reform act could never be passed without liberal minded congress
Counter culture
oppose system
assassination of JFK and civil rights movement fuelled counterculture
gained speed in 1960s especially within gay, women and young
Napalm bomb increased support for counterculture - through media (people gained knowledge they never previously had)
anti-war culture and anger towards seeing friends taken to war due to draft (taking higher percentage of African Americans)
Hippie’s values - sexual freedom, drugs, wanting peace
Woodstock festival 1960s had around 500,000 people turn up - summing up everything opponents of the movement feared
radical students’ groups - main aim of protesting against the war in Vietnam and creating an equal America
Kent state shooting (1970) - 4 students shot by National Guards due to protests in Vietnam war
counter culture quickly lost momentum - young supporters grown older, less rebellious
impeachment of Nixon (watergate)
1970s religious rights movement called for return to traditional family values and move away from liberalism
Older Americans bewildered by problems created counter culture (violence)
Cold war timeline (Feb 1945 - Yalta conference)
Churchil, Roosevelt, Stalin (grand alliance) discuss winning war and post-war government in Europe
Soviets controlled most of Europe - Roosevelt and Stalin agreed on free elections in soviet led countries and UN (relations looked optimistic)
Cold war timeline (April 1945 - Truman)
Roosevelt replaced by Truman
Truman new to diplomatic discussion, more difficult to get way with Stalin - wanted to look strong so postponed till after bomb testing
Winston also replaced with labour leader Attlee
cold war timeline (July 1945 - Potsdam conference)
Germany split into 4 zones - Truman objected soviet control over liberated countries and wanted less communism in Poland (one true enemy Hitler no longer there)
Cold war timeline (August 1945 - atomic bombs dropped on Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki)
estimated 120,000 deaths - made Truman more confident and western countries more secure under USA protection
increased cold war tensions as soviets believed Truman was attempting to show America as a world superpower
Cold war timeline (1946 - Iron curtain speech)
Churchill still had large influence - thought soviet control was threat to freedom and world peace
added tension as Stalin belived these views mirrored US views
Cold war (1947 - Truman doctrine)
wanted to give aid to Greece and Turkey ($400 million and military)
had to stop spread of communism and aid democracy - in doing so abandoned isolationism
British could no longer afford aid to Greece
Cold war timeline (1947 - Marshall aid)
provided economic aid to war torn countries to stop communism
1948-52 - $12.7 billion aid
had not suffered damage from war so could afford to give economic aid