The Cold War ContinuesKhrushchev, McCarthyism, and

the Space Race

I. The Cold War ContinuesA. An Upturn in the Cold War

1. Nikita Khrushchev – Comes to rule the USSR in ’56 (invited by the US)a. Visits US farms, factories, and neighborhoods

b. We are trying to show him how successful capitalism can bec. He balks, and still insists the USSR is superior over the US

2. VP Nixon visits Soviet Uniona. Returning the favor, Nixon visits the USSRb. Primarily to improve US – Soviet relationsc. In Moscow, they plan arms reduction talks to ease the Cold Ward. But in the meantime…

U-2 Spy Plane shot down over USSRKhrushchev demands an apology / cease spying

US says that it was a weather balloonSoviets say that they have the pilot!

3. DDE’s Responsea. DDE will halt the flights, but refuses to apologizeb. What little progress that had been made was lost

II. Fears At HomeA. Political Changes as a Result of the Cold War

1. War Department – Department of Defensea. Combined the efforts of the Army, Navy, and Air Force (Marines)b. Allowed the US to pursue military state of readiness w/o looking

like we were fixing to attack the USSR2. National Security Council

a. Set up to allow the President a “team” of advisors on world situations

b. The job was no longer just the decision of the President alone

B. Second Red Scare1. House on Un-American Activities Committee

a. Originally est. to investigate Fascism in the 1920’s and 30’sb. If Communist ties were suspected

Black-Listed Put on a “high-risk” listFired, or even deported from the US

2. Loyalty Review Boarda. Set up to investigate all Federal Employees

C. McCarthyism

1. Senator who took the HUAC to a whole new level of investigation

a. claimed to know of a “list” of Comm groups / people in America

b. Congressmen, Movie stars, Actors…Even Army officials !

i. Black-Listed, Excommunicated, Fired

2. Held televised hearings on these activities for 38 days

a. After hearings; over 3,000 either fired, blacklisted, deported

b. People wanted to see this “list” or some hard evidence; when he could not produce it was condemned by US Congress

c. He eventually resigned after never proving Comm ties to anyone he accused

D. Nuclear Anxiety1. The US successfully tests an H-Bomb (1,000 times more powerful )

a. The Soviets follow suit with their own bomb—the arms race had now FULLY begun2. People’s Response

a. Religion—Billy Graham

b. Congress professes that the US is a God-Loving Nation i. “ One Nation, Under God” / “In God

We Trust3. FCDA (Federal Civil

Defense Agency)a. What should the

American ppl do if there is a nuclear attack?

b. Produced manuals of how to survive an attack

c. Encouraged ppl to build bomb shelters in their back yards

http://www.spike.com/video/duck-cover/2680496

E. Space Race

1. October 1957

a. Sputnik: 200lbs, loaded with transistors to track its path

b. People all over the world could hear it as it passed over-head

c. This fueled fears that we were faltering in out educational system

d. But more importantly…

2. Sputnik II: Launched one month later

a. Orbited earth for over 200 days

b. Carried a special passenger--Dog

3. January 1958—Explorer I

a. 1st US Satellite

4. Govt’s Response

a. NASA-Nat’l Aeronautics and Space Administration

b. NDEA-Nat’l Defense Education Act

i. Millions of $’s to promote science, math, & foreign languages

1954