Chapter 28: The Cold War and the American DreamChapter 28: The Cold War and the American DreamSection 1: Peacetime Adjustments and the Cold Section 1: Peacetime Adjustments and the Cold

WarWar

After WWII – the nations economy After WWII – the nations economy boomedboomed

People were starting People were starting families and buying families and buying new homes.new homes.

People wanted new People wanted new things – and had plenty things – and had plenty of money to spend. of money to spend.

Inflation (7/9)Inflation (7/9) hit the hit the country.country.

(when prices rise (when prices rise quickly)quickly)

Also after the war – the Also after the war – the number of marriages increasednumber of marriages increased Meaning more babies and more families needing Meaning more babies and more families needing

homes.homes.

Levittowns:Levittowns:William Levitt was a man who had a plan William Levitt was a man who had a plan

for building lots of houses quickly.for building lots of houses quickly.

During the war many people made During the war many people made sacrifices – including people with jobssacrifices – including people with jobs

Unions had agreed Unions had agreed to help the war to help the war effort by agreeing effort by agreeing to have their pay to have their pay frozen and agreeing frozen and agreeing to not go on strike.to not go on strike.

When the war was When the war was over they began to over they began to demand better pay.demand better pay.

1946 was one of the biggest 1946 was one of the biggest strike years in U.S. Historystrike years in U.S. History

Automobile, steel, Automobile, steel, meat packing, meat packing, electrical, miners, electrical, miners, railway workers…railway workers…

President Truman President Truman even had to even had to threaten to use the threaten to use the army to run the army to run the railroads.railroads.

African Americans were still excluded African Americans were still excluded

from prosperity and full equalityfrom prosperity and full equality In the South little had In the South little had

changed.changed. Many African Americans Many African Americans

who wanted to vote who wanted to vote were threatened, fired, were threatened, fired, and even murdered.and even murdered.

President Truman knew President Truman knew it was bad – he ordered it was bad – he ordered a special commission on a special commission on civil rights.civil rights.

He also ended racial He also ended racial segregation (14/15)segregation (14/15) in in the army (separation of the army (separation of races)races)

Truman was the first Truman was the first president to make civil president to make civil rights a national issue.rights a national issue.

After WWII there were conflicts After WWII there were conflicts with the Soviet Unionwith the Soviet Union

At the end of the At the end of the war, each side war, each side distrusted each distrusted each other more and other more and more. more.

Americans really Americans really grew suspicious of grew suspicious of the Soviets when the Soviets when they began they began occupying several occupying several Eastern European Eastern European countries.countries.

The U.S. felt they The U.S. felt they were trying to were trying to spread communism spread communism around the world around the world (more about (more about communismcommunism on an on an extra page in our extra page in our packets)packets)

The tensions between the two sides The tensions between the two sides (that lasted for decades) came to be (that lasted for decades) came to be

known as:known as:

In a visit to the U.S. In a visit to the U.S. The Prime Minister of Great Britain (Winston The Prime Minister of Great Britain (Winston Churchill) warned the world of the Soviets.Churchill) warned the world of the Soviets.

President Truman’s did not want to go President Truman’s did not want to go to war against the Soviets over to war against the Soviets over

communismcommunism We just finished a war.We just finished a war. His plan was to try and stop His plan was to try and stop

communism from spreading to communism from spreading to new areas.new areas.

He called his plan He called his plan containment containment (26/31)(26/31)

(Keeping something under (Keeping something under control and stopping it from control and stopping it from spreading). spreading).

He also used He also used the Truman the Truman Doctrine (37)Doctrine (37) – which promised – which promised U.S. aid to countries resisting U.S. aid to countries resisting threats to democracy.threats to democracy.

Some nations also formed the Some nations also formed the North Atlantic Treaty North Atlantic Treaty

Organization Organization (NATO - 27)(NATO - 27) To keep an To keep an

organized organized and united and united eye on the eye on the SovietsSoviets

Since we had NATO – the Russians and Since we had NATO – the Russians and their friends formed their friends formed the Warsaw Pact the Warsaw Pact

(28)(28)

“ “A mutual defense A mutual defense Treaty of Treaty of Friendship, Friendship, Cooperation and Cooperation and Mutual Assistance”Mutual Assistance”

British Prime Minister Winston British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said it was “as if an Churchill said it was “as if an iron iron

curtain (29)curtain (29) had descended across the had descended across the continent”continent”

These are also sometimes called satellite nations (30)

Also to help stop the threat of Also to help stop the threat of communism:communism:

The United States The United States came up with came up with the the Marshall Plan (33)Marshall Plan (33) which was to give which was to give money and help to money and help to re-build Europe re-build Europe after WWII.after WWII.

And, after the war, Germany And, after the war, Germany had been divided into 4 zoneshad been divided into 4 zones

France, Great Britain, France, Great Britain, and the U.S each had one and the U.S each had one (they combined theirs), (they combined theirs), and the Russians had a and the Russians had a zone.zone.

The Russians wanted to The Russians wanted to keep all 4 zones from keep all 4 zones from hooking up again (and hooking up again (and getting a strong Germany getting a strong Germany again), so they blocked again), so they blocked any of the others from any of the others from coming into their zone.coming into their zone.

They even built a wall – in They even built a wall – in Berlin.Berlin.

The U.S plan to get The U.S plan to get supplies to these people supplies to these people was called: was called: the Berlin the Berlin Airlift (36)Airlift (36)

There was a group of people that were afraid There was a group of people that were afraid ideas of communism may spread to the United ideas of communism may spread to the United

StatesStates

They were worried some They were worried some people might even be people might even be spies for Russia.spies for Russia.

There even were two There even were two trials where people were trials where people were accused of being spies.accused of being spies.

One was with Alger Hiss One was with Alger Hiss – who was accused of – who was accused of passing military secrets passing military secrets to the Soviets (found to the Soviets (found guilty – 5 years in guilty – 5 years in prison)prison)

The other trial was with The other trial was with Ethyl and Julius RosenbergEthyl and Julius Rosenberg

They were members They were members of the American of the American Communist Party.Communist Party.

Convicted of selling Convicted of selling nuclear secrets to nuclear secrets to the Soviets.the Soviets.

Were executed – the Were executed – the only time that’s only time that’s happened in our happened in our country’s historycountry’s history

Even government workers had Even government workers had to undergo “loyalty” checksto undergo “loyalty” checks

Some people even lost their Some people even lost their jobs because of these jobs because of these checks.checks.

Even the movie industry was Even the movie industry was looking for communists or looking for communists or people with suspected people with suspected communist ties.communist ties.

Many people were put on Many people were put on blacklists (42/43)blacklists (42/43) and their and their careers were ruined.careers were ruined.

(Secret lists of who (Secret lists of who employers should not hire)employers should not hire)