Download Chapter 32 – Questions/Answers 1. How did the Cold War affect

Chapter 32 – Questions/Answers
1. How did the Cold War affect Western Europe?
It brought new influences from the United States on internal as well as foreign policy.
The rearmament of western Germany meant that the U.S. would pull aid if its wishes
were not fulfilled.
2. Characterize the internal politics of Western Europe after World War II.
New leaders emerged who worked to avoid the mistakes of the past. After 1945, their
nations moved forward on three fronts: extension of democratic political forms;
modification of inter-European rivalries; and a commitment to economic growth.
3. What was the “welfare state”?
By 1948 the basic nature of the welfare state had been established in western Europe; the
United States and Canada later moved in the same direction. Welfare state measures
included unemployment insurance, state-funded medicine and housing, and family
assistance. The system won wide support since benefits went to all social classes. The
private sector remained functioning and the welfare state did not bring about social
revolution. The poor, although protected, were still there.
4. How did the social structure of the West change in the period after World War II?
Economic growth eased social conflicts, while social mobility blurred social lines
throughout the West. Educational opportunities opened new paths as the size of the
white-collar sector expanded. Unskilled labor was left to immigrants. Peasants improved
their living standards through commercial agriculture. Social distinctions did not vanish.
Middle-class individuals had better opportunities than workers. Social tensions persisted.
Crime rates rose after the 1940s and several nations suffered from racial and antiimmigrant strife.
5. Describe Western science and culture in the late 20th century.
Twentieth-century cultural life proceeded along established paths. A key development
was a focus shift toward the United States. Many European intellectuals fled the
instability of their homelands. The wealth of expanding U.S. universities created a
scientific “brain drain.” More vitality appeared in Western popular culture than in
intellectual life. The U.S. military brought new currents to societies weakened by the war.
Still, European culture remained resilient and managed to influence the United States.
Sexual culture changed. Premarital sex became more common and the age of first
intercourse declined.
6. How did Soviet foreign policy change after 1941?
After World War II, a continuing concentration on heavy industry and weapon
development, along with ties to other communist movements, made the Soviet Union a
world power. By joining the war against Japan, Russia gained northern Pacific Islands
and a protectorate over North Korea. Assistance given to the Chinese and Vietnamese
communists, and to African, Middle Eastern, and Asian nationalists, widened Russian
influence. An alliance with Cuba brought Russia to the Americas. The development of
atomic and hydrogen bombs, plus missile and naval deployment, brought Russia to
superpower status.
7. What was the cultural policy of the Stalinist state?
The Soviet government had a vigorous cultural agenda. It declared war on religion and
aimed at creating Marxist secularism. The Orthodox church remained, but it was under
firm state control. Religious freedom for Jews was curtailed; Muslims fared better if
they were loyal to the regime. Artistic and literary styles were kept within the party line.
Modern Western ideas were regarded as decadent, but traditional classical music and
ballet received state support. There was some interaction with Western styles; jazz and
rock music bands emerged by the 1980s. Despite the imposed state limits, Russian
literature remained diverse and creative; freedom of expression depended upon the
changing mood of the leadership. Even critical writers, like the exiled Alexsandr
Solzhenitsyn, maintained distinctive Russian values. Soviet culture placed great
emphasis on science and social science. Although they were monitored by the state,
significant developments occurred. In all, Soviet culture, with its state control, was
neither traditional nor Western.
Chapter 33 – Questions and answers
1. What problems were associated with Latin America’s attempt to achieve economic
development?
The Latin American struggle was primarily one of economic disengagement and an effort
to develop their own cultural and political forms. Along with other societies the peoples
of the third world, developing nations, had to deal with industrialization and its growth,
and with their inequality in economic matters with more developed nations. Latin
America had characteristics distinguishing it from other developing countries. It had won
independence earlier, and had more Western social and political structures. After 1945,
Latin American economies concentrated on exports, and thus became very vulnerable to
world financial changes.
2. How was radical reform attempted in Guatemala? What was the result?
A first radical solution was tried in Guatemala, a predominantly Indian nation suffering
from economic inequality, illiteracy, poor health conditions, and high mortality rates.
The economy depended upon the export of coffee and bananas. In 1944, a middle class
and labor coalition elected Juan José Arevalo as president. Under a new constitution, he
began land reform and improvement of worker and peasant life. Arevalo’s reforms and
nationalism led to conflict with foreign interests, especially the United Fruit Company. In
1951, the more radical Jacobo Arbenz was elected president. His reformist programs,
especially a proposed expropriation of United Fruit land, led the cold war American
government to impose economic and diplomatic restrictions on Guatemala. In 1954 the
Central Intelligence Agency assisted military opponents to overthrow Arbenz, and under
the new government, reform ceased. Continued violence and political instability
followed.
3. Why did the military believe that they offered a viable answer to Latin American
problems?
What was the outcome of military governments?
The Cuban Revolution worried individuals fearing reform within a communist system. As
the military became more professionalized, soldiers adopted a creed that made them the
true representatives of the nation. During the 1960s, often with support from the United
States, they intervened directly in politics. In 1964 the Brazilian military took over the
government when the president proposed sweeping reforms. Soldiers took over in
Argentina in 1966, and in 1973, the military in Chile overthrew the socialist government
of Salvador Allende. Similar coups occurred in Uruguay in 1973 and Peru in 1968. The
soldiers imposed bureaucratic authoritarian
regimes that were supposed to provide economic stability by submerging selfish
interests. The military controlled policy and resorted to repression. Thousands were
tortured and killed in Argentina. Economic policies fell heaviest on workers, since any
economic development came at their cost. Basic structural problems persisted. All
regimes were nationalistic, but other policies varied. Peru’s leaders had a real social
program, including land redistribution. Chile and Uruguay were militantly anticommunist. Argentina fought an unsuccessful war with Britain over the contested
Falkland Islands that contributed to the regime’s loss of authority.
4. How has the role of women changed in Latin America in the twentieth century?
Latin American women’s status was closer to those of western Europe than Africa. There
were many changes, but discrimination continues. Women were denied the vote until
1929 in Ecuador. By the 1950s, most of the region allowed female franchise. Feminist
movements pushed for inclusion into elected offices. Industrial jobs expanded to include
women. Shifts in attitudes about women’s roles developed more slowly. Overall, as in
many other areas, by the beginning of the 21st century, Latin America was in the
intermediate position between industrialized and developing nations where the status of
women was concerned.
5. What has been the pattern of U.S. interaction with Latin America?
After World War I, the U.S. was clearly the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere.
In South America, private investments by U.S. companies and loans from the government
were the chief means of influence. Military intervention became a common means of
protecting U.S. interests. The grounds for these interventions were economic, political,
strategic, and ideological. The U.S. Good Neighbor Policy of the 1930s and the Alliance
for Progress of the 1960s sought to ameliorate tensions.
6. How have population movements affected the development of Latin America in the
twentieth
century?
Declining mortality and high fertility brought great population expansion to Latin
America. By the 1980s, internal migration and movement between countries soared as
individuals sought work or basic freedoms. The process was influenced by the fact that
mechanized industry did not create enough new jobs. The 20th century was also marked
by movement from rural to urban areas. By the 1980s, some cities reached massive size:
Mexico City and São Paulo in 1999 each had 18 million inhabitants. The rate of growth
created problems since urban economies do not provide enough employment.
Shantytowns provided terrible living conditions. The lack of jobs has prevented migrants
from becoming part of a unified working-class movement.