Immediately following the conclusion of WWII, things across America didn’t look so great! Fear...
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LECTURE 36.1 American Life After World War II
Immediately following the conclusion of WWII, things across America didn’t look so great! Fear that the Depression might come back The economy faltered
Immediately following the conclusion of WWII, things across
America didnt look so great! Fear that the Depression might come
back The economy faltered and strikes occurred across the country
TAFT-HARTLEY ACT Congress passed the TAFT-HARTLEY ACT which
outlawed the closed shop, held unions liable for damages, and made
union leaders take non- communist oaths Union membership would peak
in the 1950s and begin a steady decline
Slide 4
SERVICEMENS READJUSTMENT ACT OF 1944 By far, the biggest
economic program for post- WWII America was the passage of the
SERVICEMENS READJUSTMENT ACT OF 1944 G.I. BILL OF RIGHTS Also known
as the G.I. BILL OF RIGHTS or the G.I. Bill Dealt with the problem
of 15 million American vets returning to the employment market
Would send soldiers to school Also created the Veterans
Administration to help soldiers with home loans, farms, etc.
Slide 5
Beginning about 1950, the economy began to grow and will grow
for almost 2 decades National incomes doubled Americans had the
most of the worlds wealth MIDDLE CLASS Really saw the creation of
the MIDDLE CLASS This economic growth provided opportunities for
women as they could now reenter the workforce Most of these jobs in
the service sector Still had to deal with the cult of domesticity
versus being an independent woman The big economic boom of the
early 1950s was pushed by military spending Lots of money for the
Korean War Money being spent on research and science Cold War
spending Cheap energy costs were important too!
Slide 6
The post WWII era also saw lots of moving by Americans across
the country Many families relocated after the war Put strain on
family members SUNBELT Largest growth occurred in the SUNBELT
region SUBURB One word that describes this movement in America was
the SUBURB Suburbs were areas outside of the cities that saw
enormous growth People could afford new homes and they moved to the
suburbs WHITE FLIGHT A major negative of the suburbs growth was the
movement of whites from the inner cities called WHITE FLIGHT Left
the inner cities as poverty stricken areas
Slide 7
The Donna Reed Show 1958-1966 Leave It to Beaver 1957-1963
Father Knows Best 1954-1958 The Ozzie & Harriet Show
1952-1966
Slide 8
Another major result of post-WWII America was the large amount
of children born BABY BOOM This growth is called the BABY BOOM More
than 50 million new babies born in the period of 1945-1960 Had
dramatic effects on everything and still does today!!!!
Slide 9
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How did the Cold War begin in the first place? Depends on the
point of view! Stalin seemed intent on creating spheres of
influence in Eastern Europe Stalin has said he would allow free
elections in Eastern Europe at the Yalta Conference but lied Stalin
and the USSR also refused to release East Germany Without a doubt
the US wanted democracy spread throughout the world The Soviet
Union also had some reasons to not trust the U.S. Believed the
Allies didnt open a second front earlier on purpose so more Soviet
soldiers would die The US had not shared information about the
atomic bomb project The Soviet Union also said they had been
attacked by Germany twice in the 20 th century and needed a buffer
zone to protect them in the future
Slide 11
WINSTON CHURCHILLIRON CURTAIN But the signal of the official
tone of the Cold War was delivered by WINSTON CHURCHILL in his
famous IRON CURTAIN speech Said an Iron Curtain had descended upon
Europe and split the European continent
Slide 12
BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
At the BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE they created the WORLD BANK and the
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND to promote economic growth in war-torn
and underdeveloped areas Not all hopes for a better world were gone
though b/c some good things did occur! UNITED NATIONS At the Yalta
Conference, they had established the framework for a UNITED NATIONS
SECURITY COUNCIL The UN created the SECURITY COUNCIL that was
composed of five permanent members (US, USSR, China, GB, and
France) Israel UN also created a Jewish state of Israel
Slide 13
The NUREMBERG TRIALS dealt with Nazi war criminals by putting
them on trial for war crimes As the Cold War began, there was still
issues concerning Germany Germany itself was divided into 4 zones
of occupation and the Soviets refuse to give theirs up BERLIN
BERLIN will become the focus of the Cold War for the first part of
the post-WWII period Soviets cut off access to Berlin in 1948
BERLIN AIRLIFT Truman will respond by sending airplanes in what is
known as the BERLIN AIRLIFT Officially froze relations between the
US and USSR
Slide 14
The first president to have to deal with Cold War policy was
Harry Truman CONTAINMENT GEORGE KENNAN Developed the policy of
CONTAINMENT with assistance from US ambassador GEORGE KENNAN TRUMAN
DOCTRINE Harry Truman will eventually issue the TRUMAN DOCTRINE and
it will define US foreign policy for the next 20 years! Officially
initiated the policy of containment First real test of this policy
occurred in Turkey and Greece since the British were no longer able
Truman recognized Israel as the new country
Slide 15
To follow through with the containment policy, the US needed to
make sure that nations were less vulnerable to the threat of
communism MARSHALL PLAN To meet the needs of many European nations
torn by WWII, the US began the MARSHALL PLAN Soviet Union kept
Eastern European nations out ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES Truman
will also create the ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES Created to
prevent communism in Latin America
Slide 16
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE In 1947 Truman pushed through the
National Security Act that created the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE To
meet the demands of the Cold War, Truman also began to reorganize
the United States defensive structure NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Also created the NATIONAL SECURITY
COUNCIL and the CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY NSC NUMBER 68 Also
issued NSC NUMBER 68 which would implement a rigorous worldwide
defense of communism with an immediate and large-scale build up of
our military In 1948, Truman ordered the first peacetime military
draft ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Also created the ATOMIC ENERGY
COMMISSION which established civilian control over nuclear
development and gave the president sole authority to use the atomic
weapons in warfare
Slide 17
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE SECURITY The
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION or NATO was formed as a
COLLECTIVE SECURITY organization that essentially warned Moscow
that a threat to any members would be met with force WARSAW PACT
The USSR formed the WARSAW PACT as a response to NATO During Harry
Trumans second term, other Cold War alliances and policies were put
into place
Slide 18
In 1949, the Soviet Union exploded the atomic bomb which meant
that the US no longer had a monopoly on atomic weapons
Slide 19
CHINA A major test for Trumans Cold War policies was put to the
test with the nation of CHINA in 1949 CHANG KAI SHEK US supported
CHANG KAI SHEK MAO ZEDONG FORMOSA (TAWAIN Communist led by MAO
ZEDONG who eventually defeats Shek and force him to move to the
island of FORMOSA (TAWAIN) Loss of China a major defeat for US and
Truman criticized for allowing China to fall to Communists
Slide 20
HYDROGEN BOMB In 1952, the United States explodes the HYDROGEN
BOMB, but in 1953 so do the Soviets For the first time in human
history, humankind has the ability to end civilization
Slide 21
The Korean War lasted between the years of 1950 through 1953
The problem with Korea started back in the days of World War II
Russian troops had occupied northern Korea US troops had occupied
southern Korea By 1949, both sides had set up regimes KIM IL-SUNG
North Korean led by KIM IL-SUNG and was supported by the Soviet
Union Conflict in Korea started in 1950 when North Korean army with
Soviet made tanks invaded South Korea and took nearly all the
country Truman invoked NSC-68 which called for a military buildup
UN Security Council, with Russia absent, called for members to
restore peace and condemned invasion UN votes military aid to South
Korea
Slide 22
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR With the call for military aid, the
UN votes to establish a UN force with Trumans choice, GENERAL
DOUGLAS MACARTHUR as UN Commander who took orders from Washington
Truman ordered US troops into fighting US soldiers make up 4 out of
every 5 UN troops By August 1950, North Korea captured virtually
all of South Korea INCHON MacArthur directed a surprise amphibious
landing at INCHON behind Korean lines In two weeks, UN forces had
recaptured nearly all of South Korea 38 TH PARALLEL MacArthur
ordered UN forces to cross North across the 38 TH PARALLEL with
support of Truman and UN North Korean forces driven back to edge of
Chinese border In November 1950, Chinese soldiers poured into North
Korea which forced UN troops to retreat with heavy losses across
the 38 th parallel Truman horrified that Korea might be completely
lost
Slide 23
In one of the most surprising moves of the Korean War,
President Truman is forced to fire Gen. Douglas MacArthur LIMITED
WAR Truman sought a LIMITED WAR with specific objectives rather
than total victory Said nuclear weapons would NOT be used If US
invaded into China, meant Soviet Union might retaliate in Europe or
Asia MacArthur against limited war saying there Is not a substitute
for victory MacArthur asked for nuclear weapons to be used on China
MacArthur circumvents President Truman and demands total North
Korean surrender Undercuts Truman as Commander in Chief Truman
orders MacArthur removed from command MacArthur returns to US a
hero
Slide 24
DWIGHT EISENHOWER The basic end of the conflict in Korea began
with the election of 1952 when Republican candidate DWIGHT
EISENHOWER promised to personally go to Korea and end the conflict
Eisenhower did go to Korea once elected Eisenhower also threatened
to use nuclear weapons unless the negotiations were successful
Cease fire was signed in 1953 and remains in effect today 38 TH
parallel boundary restored Created a DMZ around the boundary The
long term effects of the Korean War are both good and bad 54,000 US
soldiers dead UN successfully repelled North Korean attack on South
Korea US successfully enforced its containment policy
Slide 25
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One of the places that the Cold War was really striking was the
home where a new anti-red chase was in full gear There were fears
that communist spies were trying to undermine the government Fear
they were trying to mislead foreign policy In response, Truman
ordered a massive loyalty program The loyalty of American became a
major concern to many people and leaders in America Almost none
were given the opportunity to prove their innocence LOYALTY REVIEW
BOARD LOYALTY REVIEW BOARD established to investigate federal
employees LOYALTY OATHS LOYALTY OATHS required for many jobs
including most teachers!!! SECOND RED SCARE Historians refer to
this post World War II fear as the SECOND RED SCARE Fear of
communism at home Fear of nuclear war Fear of communism spreading
around the world Culture reflected those fears in movies such as
Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Blob
Slide 27
Trumans Administration passed the SMITH ACT OF 1940 in an
effort to jail leaders of the American Communist Party Made it
illegal to advocate the overthrow of the government by force Made
it illegal to belong to an organization advocating such a move 11
Communists brought to trial in NY in 1949 and sent to prison
Slide 28
Americas great fear of communism showed up nationally with the
creation of the HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES (HUAC)
Created in 1945 to root out communism and lasted into the 1950s The
committee went after public figures in Washington and Hollywood
Liberals and members of the New Deal were targeted RICHARD NIXON
One of the lead members of the HUAC committee was a young RICHARD
NIXON
Slide 29
One of the most famous cases of the HUAC committee involved
ALGER HISS Hiss a current member of the State Department Hiss
denied being a communist member in the 1930s, but was convicted of
perjury and sentenced to 5 years in prison Case allowed Nixon to
gain national recognition Another famous commie case involved the
ROSENBERGS in 1954 Julius and Ethal Rosenberg were convicted and
executed for allegedly giving atomic bomb secrets to the Soviet
Both were avowed Communists
Slide 30
BLACKLISTED Many actors and actresses plus directors in
Hollywood were BLACKLISTED HOLLYWOOD TEN 1O of these were known as
the HOLLYWOOD TEN They refused to testify and decided to go to
prison rather than testifying to the HUAC Industry responded by
denying work to 250 actors, writers, and directors
Slide 31
JOE MCCARTHY Eventually, a central figure rose to prominence in
the early 1950s known as JOE MCCARTHY McCarthy a senator from
Wisconsin Asserted that 200 unknown communists were in the State
Department McCarthy had some crazy ideas and made accusation
without any evidence Downfall of McCarthy occurred when he took on
the Army in 1954 ARTHUR MILLER THE CRUCIBLE A famous work by ARTHUR
MILLER called THE CRUCIBLE was a popular play in the 1950s that
used the 1692 Salem Witch trials as a metaphor for McCarthyism