Download 8.1 Key Questions: 1. What were ways the U.S. sought to contain

8.1 Key Questions:
1. What were ways the U.S. sought to contain communism both at home & abroad?
2. How did independence movements throughout the world affect the Cold War?
3. How did the Vietnam War affect domestic life?
*The Soviet Alliance of World War II quickly dissolved once the war was over due to Stalin’s
insistence on holding onto the countries of Eastern Europe to create his iron curtain
As such, the U.S. would focus on measures such as:
Collective security *NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), an attack on one country would
be an attack on all (U.S., Great Britain & France would be leading members)
International Aid – The Marshall Plan in Europe to help war torn countries rebuild following
WWII, The Truman Doctrine which pledged $400 million to Greece & Turkey for military aid
International Financial Institutions to help countries in need and aid financially such as the IMF
(International Monetary Fund), and hopefully steer countries away from Russian communist
influence
**The U.S. would focus on a policy of containment of communism (cannot prevent communism
from existing, but can prevent it from spreading), and would enter into military engagements in
order to assist this containment such as Korea & Vietnam – part of the domino theory that if
one country fell to communism, countries around that one would also fall
The U.S. would also engage in a space race with the Soviet Union in an effort to prove the
superiority of capitalism
Major Events of the Cold War
1. Cuban missile crisis – October, 1962, the U.S. discovered missiles in Cuba only 90 miles off
the coast of Florida, and this would be the closest the U.S. and Soviet Union would come to
actual war
2. Attempts at detente – trying to ease tensions between superpowers (U.S. & Soviet Union)
through arms treaties & limitations on specific types of nuclear weapons (took place
throughout the 70’s)
3. As countries around the world, but especially in Asia, Africa & the Middle East were gaining
their independence from their European colonial mother countries, the U.S. would seek out
allies, but many of these newly independent countries would attempt to remain neutral.
*However, the U.S. would intervene to promote democracy especially in Latin America
Key Concept 8.1 II
--Have second Red Scare in the U.S. in the late 40’s/early 50’s very similar to first Red Scare
following WWI
-Rise of McCarthyism
-Have the HUAC (House Un-American Committee) which questions loyalties of
prominent Americans such as Hollywood producers
*Important to note that the threat of communism is seen by both political parties as both
Republican presidents (Eisenhower) and Democrats (Truman & LBJ) would provide American
support to stop the spread
Despite the support across political parties, the U.S. citizenry was not always in full support.
Some minor protest occurred with Korea, but protests grew significantly once the Vietnam War
broke out.
*Especially after the Tet Offensive in 1968. The U.S. government had been telling the public
how well the war had been going, and how we were going to be successful & victorious with
soldiers returning soon. The Tet Offensive by the communist North Vietnamese proved
otherwise as U.S. troops were overran by the North Vietnamese soldiers
-Protests grew violent as well as students at Kent State University required the Ohio National
Guard to intervene, and 4 students ended up being shot
**Concerns begin to build that there is too much power being granted to the President in terms
of deploying U.S. troops. In response, Congress passes the War Powers Act in 1973, overriding
a veto by President Richard Nixon
The U.S. in the Middle East
1. Egypt nationalizes the Suez Canal, Great Britain & France attack to maintain shipping, the
U.S. intervenes because it fears that the Soviet Union will also get involved.
2. As the U.S. becomes increasingly dependent upon foreign oil, crises in the Middle East will
help shape U.S. energy policies (creation of OPEC is seen as potentially harmful to the U.S.)
*U.S. support of Israel upsets OPEC members leading to an oil embargo in 1973
Main points to remember
1. How did the U.S. seek to contain communism?
(Korean War, Vietnam War, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan)
2. What is détente & the military industrial complex (the perceived necessary buildup of a
strong military in order to maintain power on the world stage, and the increased influence of
military matters in government operations
Essay possibilities
1. WWII as a turning point for foreign policy (U.S. is no longer seeking to remain neutral in
world affairs, marked a major change from Washington’s Farewell Address/stay neutral
2. Compare & contrast U.S. policies following WWI & WWII / U.S. reverted back to isolationism
following WWI, did the opposite following WWII, Red Scare following both
Key Concept 8.2
All about civil rights. Government involvement & attitudes towards civil rights as well as
additional groups such as Latinos, Asian-Americans, American Indians, women, and
gays/lesbians
Different strategies to challenge segregation following WWII:
1. Legal challenges through organizations such as the NAACP; *Brown v. Board of Education &
Thurgood Marshall
2. Direct Actions such as the Freedom Summer which sought to increase the number of blacks
registered to vote in Mississippi
3. Non-violent acts of protest *MLK, Montgomery Bus Boycotts, Sit-ins in Greensboro, NC
Efforts of all 3 branches of gov’t to help end desegregation
1. President Truman signed an Executive Order in 1948 to end segregation in the military
(Korea)
2. Supreme Court ruled in Board v. Board of Education that segregation in public schools was no
longer legal-overturned Plessey v. Ferguson from near turn of century time period
3. Congress passes the Civil Rights Act of 1964, part of LBJ’s Great Society which sought to
extend FDR’s New Deal initiatives
*Discrimination in the workplace is now illegal
*Guaranteed equal access to public accommodations
White resistance
1. Southern schools threatened to shut down rather than desegregate, Ex.) Little Rock, AR – the
governor refuses to integrate the school, so Eisenhower sends in troops to force integration at
Little Rock High School
2. Southern Manifesto – 101 southern congressmen issue statement saying they believe
Supreme Court overstepped its bounds in Brown v. Board
Black action
1. Riots in many northern cities post-1965
2. Rise of Black Panther movement (more militant/violent response in contrast to MLK’s tactics
of non-violence
Building on the efforts of African-Americans, other groups also begin to advocate for their own
civil rights such as women & gays & lesbians
1. Women – Betty Friedan writes book called The Feminine Mystique which challenges the long
held views that women should simply be content to be housewives by stating that many
women are unfulfilled with the lifestyle, especially suburban women
Gloria Steinem forms National Women’s Political Caucus to assist females seeking to be
involved in national politics
2. Stonewall Riots in 1969 began the Gay rights movement when gay & lesbian clubgoers were
arrested outside the club simply for being gay
3. Latinos, American Indians, and Asian Americans all had their own efforts to advocate for their
own civil rights as well
Additional reform would come for the environment
1. Formation of the EPA under Richard Nixon
2. Government regulation would be instituted following events like 3 Mile Island
Note rise in liberalism (LBJ & Great Society) / use of government resources to help bring about
change & equality
- Civil Rights Act
- Voting Rights Act
- 24th Amendment eliminates poll taxes
- Beginning of programs to help end poverty such as Head Start, Medicare, Food Stamps
- Supreme court decisions such as Miranda v. Arizona which protected individual rights
Conservative response to the liberal measures in government
-Sought to limit the role of government in people’s lives
-Be more assertive with foreign policy
General growing distrust in the federal government (1970’s) due to a number of factors:
1. economic issues (stagflation = growing unemployment along with inflation)
2. political scandal (Nixon & Watergate, led to Nixon resigning the office of President)
3. foreign policy crises (oil embargo in 1973 which led to long lines at the pumps & rising gas
prices, Vietnam War, Iran hostage crisis under Jimmy Carter in 1979)
8.3 Key Important points to know
Immigration Law of 1965 which abolished previous quotas which had been in place since 1920’s
helped give preference to immigrants from Asia & Latin America
The Beat Movement – writers of the 1950’s & 60’s who challenged the conformity of middle
class society
Clash in society between counterculture hippies of the 1960’s & born again Christians of the
70’s & 80’s, religion especially attaches itself to politics following the Roe v. Wade Supreme
Court decision which legalized abortion