The Cold War: American Society in the post-war years

Transcription

1 The Cold War: American Society in the post-war years 1

2 Post War Economic Anxieties The US experienced a faltering economy after WWII. real GNP dropped with no government price controls, prices rose. a series of major labor strikes swept the country (steel, coal, auto) 2

3 Congress passed significant legislation Congress passed the Serviceman s Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill) fear that employment markets would not be able to absorb 15 million servicemen once the war ended. Veterans could go to post-secondary school at Federal expense effect of GI Bill was to raise education levels & stimulate the construction industry. 3

4 Congress passed the Taft-Hartley Act (1947) * restricted the labor movement (gains of the 30 s 7 40 s) * outlawed the closed shop (all union) * required union leaders to take a noncommunist oath 4

5 Economic Expansion and the Development of the Affluent Society 5

6 1950 to 1970 was a period of sustained economic growth national income doubled in the 1950 s & almost doubled again in the 1960 s 60% of Americans were middle class by the mid-1950 s 60% of Americans owned their own homes by the 1960 s 6

7 The service sector of the economy grew faster than the industrial & manufacturing sectors the great majority of jobs created went to women yet popular culture continued to emphasize and romanticize traditional feminine roles of mother & homemaker. (a la June Cleaver of Leave it to Beaver ) 7

8 The emergence of the Affluent Society: Factors the US economic base was undamaged by WWII (expanded) continuous large military budgets (Cold War) stimulated the economy. cheap energy fed the economic boom stimulated car manufacturing, road building worker productivity increased dramatically 8

9 The Rise of the Sunbelt Americans were very mobile between broke the ties of the traditional nuclear family caused a rise in advice books (Dr. Spock s Baby Book) 9

10 Population rate increases of Sunbelt states were double the rate of Frostbelt states Sunbelt: southern half of the US; more temperate climates the South & Southwest were the new frontiers of America people sought new jobs, better climate, lower taxes 10

11 Federal spending fed the Sunbelt s prosperity. Shifts in population and wealth brought political and economic power to the Sunbelt. all Presidents since 1964 have been from Sunbelt states. 11

12 Elected Presidents Since

13 Suburbia and the Baby Boom Federal policies and agencies encouraged movement of people from the cities to the suburbs. FHA and VA home loan guarantees eased movement tax deduction for home mortgage interest federal highway projects linked suburbs to cities people and businesses moved from cities to outlying areas 13

14 Pictures: homes, levettown, highways, 1049 form 14

15 Levittown on Long Island, NY was the first standardized housing suburb with tract houses. White flight to the suburbs left cities increasingly populated by the poor and by minorities. as wealth increased, people moved to better neighborhoods inner cities ghettos were populated by the very poor black migration to northern & western cities for jobs aggravated this problem. 15

16 The post-war baby-boom lasted from 1945 to million babies were born by the end of the 1950 s. the baby-boom had profound effects on society and the economy during the 1960 s, 1970 s, and 1980 s. 16

17 The Political Origins of the Cold War 17

18 The Yalta Conference (Feb., 1945) FDR, Churchill, Stalin met to discuss the final plans for WW II FDR & Churchill granted USSR territorial concessions in eastern Europe and the Far East Stalin pledged to allow free elections in countries occupied by Soviet armies join in the war against Japan in the Far East 18

19 Sources of the Cold War Two Opposing Views of the Post-War World The U.S. view of the World the world was seen as an interdependent whole free trade would make American goods/services available to all nations free trade was necessary to prevent another Depression the continuing American belief in a worldly Manifest Destiny America should bring our vision of democracy and belief in self-determination to the rest of the world 19

20 Soviet View of the World USSR had suffered 20 mil. causalities in WW II Russia feared Germany, demanded security against attack To have defensible borders to have friendly regimes on its western border in eastern Europe. 20

21 PROBLEM: the Soviet view of the world denied the US free access to markets and the opportunity to export its democracy. These differing world views came into conflict in Eastern Europe Southern Europe / Middle East Far East 21

22 Germany Divided into four Allied Zones of Occupation French, British, American, Soviet Nuremberg War Crimes Trials ( ) crimes against the laws of war, crimes against humanity 12 leading Nazis hanged; many long-term jail sentences 22

23 Clashing views on a conquered Germany US view an industrial, healthy Germany was indispensable to the economic recovery of postwar Europe. Soviet view an historical fear of Germany caused Soviets to resist effort to revitalize Germany. Western Allied powers wanted to reunite all zones of occupation Soviets tightened their power in eastern zone and eastern Europe. 23

24 The Problem of Berlin in 1948 Berlin was located in the Soviet zone: Soviets wanted other Allies out Soviets closed the land route across the Soviet zone into Berlin Truman ordered the Berlin airlift to supply the western zones: airlift lasted until May,

25 the separate countries of East & West Germany were formed East Germany aligned with the Soviet Union West Germany aligned with the US & Western nations Significance: Airlift established the American determination to resist further Soviet advances and the expansion of Communism in Europe. 25

26 American Efforts to Develop a policy to contain Communism 26

27 Greece (Feb.-March, 1947) Moscow-backed communists waged guerrilla war against the British-backed monarchy of Greece Britain pulled out of the Eastern Mediterranean region could no longer undertake the financial commitment US moved in to fill the political power vacuum. 27

28 The Truman Doctrine (March, 1947) was a policy to contain the spread of communism pledged US military assistance to Greece to resist communism Truman asked Congress for $500 mil. in aid for Greece/Turkey US aid helped resist communism both countries remained aligned with the West. 28

29 The Marshall Plan (June, 1947) was an economic manifestation of the containment policy America believed that economic stability in Europe would translate into political stability. many countries were vulnerable to communist coup 29

30 Aims rebuild European economies help America prosper by providing an outlet for surplus American goods the US offered aid to all European nations The USSR and the Soviet-dominated eastern Europe countries refused the offer. 30

31 Political Polarization in Europe: Eastern Block Soviet-sponsored communist rebellions in E. Europe countries. promised free elections did not happen. Soviet-backed regimes installed creation of the Iron Curtain (Churchill s phrase) 31

32 Western Block NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed April, 1949 prime goal was to coordinate the defense of western Europe based on the concept of collective security: attack on one is attack on all was a fundamental shift in American foreign policy Nato s primary military & economic support came from the U.S. 32

33 Political Polarization in the Far East China: internal Civil War during the 1930 s and 1940 s in 1949, the communists under Mao Zedong won control of the mainland Nationalist Chinese fled to Formosa (Taiwan) Formed a pro-western government - US recognized the Nationalist government from 1949 until

34 Korea: communists overran Manchuria & northern Korea at the end of WWII. 38th Parallel divided Korea into a communist north and democratic south. Communists invaded South Korea in June, The United Nations & US resisted and engaged the communists in a three year war. Gen. Douglas MacArthur was UN commander until sacked by Pres. Truman in April, North and South Korea signed an Armistice in no peace treaty; country remained divided 34

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36 Vietnam US helped reinstall French colonialism at the end of WWII civil war began; French asked for aid from US to help fight nationalist/communist insurgency French army defeated by the communist Viet Mihn at Dienbien Phu; US refused to give French air support French surrendered, pulled out of Indo China US filled the resulting power vacuum in the region. 36

37 1954 Geneva Accords divided Vietnam at the 17th Parallel promised free elections and a unified country elections never occurred N. Vietnam: pro-communist (Ho Chi Mihn) S. Vietnam: pro-us (Ngo Dinh Diem) 37

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40 The Cold War made it difficult for Truman to continue the economic policies of the New Deal and led to fears of Communist subversion, and a second Red Scare. The Republicans used these fears to revive their political party. 40

41 Truman was surrounded by ineffective political cronies and he tended to be selfrighteous (his way was right ). Truman faced an apathetic public, post-war inflation, and labor unrest as he attempted to extend New Deal reforms. His increasing unpopularity allowed the Republicans to gain control of Congress in the 1946 elections. 41

42 By 1948, it seemed impossible that Truman could be re-elected. The Republican candidate, Gov. Thomas Dewey of New York, took victory for granted, while southern Democrats, and northern liberals deserted Truman. Nevertheless, Truman was re-elected by the old Roosevelt coalition who resented Republican policies, like the Taft-Hartley Act (perceived as anti-union) and who still felt grateful for the reform policies of the New Deal. After the election, Republicans looked for ways to challenge Truman s handling of the Cold War. 42

43 As a result of the post-war tensions between the US and USSR, the American people feared that the nation was being attacked from within. A few sensational spy cases and Truman s own rhetoric gave some credence to irrational fears. The Truman administration tried to calm the public by violating civil rights in a campaign against subversives. The Democrats were generally blamed for losing China to communism in 1949 and for Russia s successful explosion of an atomic bomb in

44 In 1950, Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) exploited the fear of communism within the government. Using the technique of the multiple lie, by making so many accusations that the innocent never had an opportunity to respond, McCarthy frightened the Senate bedeviled the Administration, and even attacked the loyalty of the U.S. Army (this would ultimately be his downfall.) His rough treatment of bureaucrats attracted wide public support. 44

45 The Republican party won the presidency in 1952 by nominating war hero Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who promised to end the Korean War. Once elected, Eisenhower settled for a stalemate in Korea. Rather than face McCarthy head-on, Eisenhower waited for the senator to make a fool of himself. McCarthy made accusations that the U.S. Army was a hotbed of treason. After making charges against the Army, he was censured by the US Senate in

46 Eisenhower was supremely confident and in control of his administration. He decided to try to relax tensions with Russia as much as possible. He feared both the crushing debt imposed by modern defense spending and the increasingly real possibility of atomic warfare between the West and the East. 46

47 Eisenhower s Sec. Of State was John Foster Dulles. Dulles was the architect of the Cold War policies of massive retaliation and brinkmanship. Dulles believed the US should respond to communist threats through massive retaliation, which meant threatening to use nuclear weapons. Eisenhower and Dulles,

48 Brinkmanship meant going to the brink of war with the Soviet Union to keep the peace and to obtain concessions. Eisenhower s foreign policy relied on nuclear weapons rather than on expensive conventional armed forces. The massive retaliation doctrine helped to keep the peace because it was based on a belief that neither side would risk the danger of actually using nuclear weapons. Use of weapons would bring a swift escalation to all-out nuclear war. This led to the doctrine of MAD- mutually-assured-destruction 48

49 Eisenhower rejected proposals to give France active military aid in her struggle to retain Indochina as a colony. Forces under Communist leader Ho Chi Minh defeated the French at the battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954). The Geneva Accords (1954) temporarily divided Vietnam along the 17 th parallel. The north was placed under Ho Chi Minh s control, while the south would be governed by a pro-western regime. 49

50 In 1956, elections were to be held to unify the country. The US, fearing that the elections would result in a communist government, helped establish a pro- American government in the south under Ngo Dinh Diem, who would not allow the elections to take place. Eisenhower preferred a divided Vietnam, with the southern part under a puppet government dependent on the US. 50

51 This analogy held that, if Vietnam became communist, the rest of Asia, like a row of dominoes, would fall under communist control. This row of dominoes stretched from East Asia (Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) across South Asia (Burma, India, Pakistan), to the Middle East, and eventually to Europe. 51

52 Eisenhower adopted a tough line against China. He sought to prove to Chinese leaders that they could not rely on the USSR. Congress approved the Formosa Resolution (1955), which authorized the President to make use of armed forces, if needed, to protect Formosa (Taiwan, the government of Nationalist China) and the Pescadores Islands. 52

53 The US-China Security Treaty (1955) stated that Nationalist China and the US would jointly resist both armed attack and communist subversive activities directed against either nation. Nationalist China granted the US the right to station US troops in Formosa. the implication is that the US might be required to use nuclear weapons. 53

54 In 1952, Egypt gained independence from Britain. Gamal Nasser became President in 1954 and began trading Egyptian cotton for Soviet arms. Nasser flirted with the Soviet Union, antagonizing the Americans. In 1956, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, which was run by an Anglo-French company. 54

55 France, Britain, and Israel invaded Egypt to take the canal by force. The US and the UN condemned the invasion. Eisenhower applied pressure on both sides as forced them to withdraw their troops before the Russians could take advantage of the situation. French & British forces withdrew, while Egypt and Israel agreed to a cease-fire. 55

56 While Egypt increasingly turned to the USSR for assistance, America became a trusted nation in the region. This led to the Eisenhower Doctrine (1957) which offered US economic and military aid to ensure the territorial independence of Middle Eastern nations threatened by armed aggression from communist nations. In 1957, the doctrine was invoked to assist King Hussein in Jordan and Lebanon invited the US to send troops to maintain order there in

57 Eisenhower used the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to achieve objectives that he did not want to make public. In Iran (1953) the CIA engineered a coup that restored the Shah of Iran to power. The Shah remained a staunch American ally until the Iranian Revolution of 1980; in Guatemala, the CIA ousted a leftist government; in Cuba, Fidel Castro came to power after overthrowing the pro-american Batista regime (1959). Castro accepted Soviet assistance. By 1961, the US had severed diplomatic relations with Castro and Cuba developed an alliance with the Soviet Union. The CIA tried to kill Castro. 57

58 The launching of Sputnik by the Soviet Union on Oct. 4, 1957 created fear that the US was falling behind technologically. Fears grew that the US was losing the missile race. If the Soviets could launch a satellite into space, then they could launch an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a nuclear warhead at the continental United States. 58

59 Even though the US launched Explorer I on Jan. 31, 1958, the American public remained concerned. In 1958, Congress established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to coordinate missile research and development. Congress passed the National Defense Education Act (1958) to provide grants and loans for the improvement of teaching the sciences and languages. 59

60 In his last speech as president, Eisenhower warned that traditional democratic values were increasingly threatened by the growth of a military-industrial complex. Americans generally ignored his warning. 60

61 The Military-Industrial Complex information-warfare-one.blogspot.com 61

62 By the late 1950s, the American people realized that peace and tranquility they had expected after their victory in World War II was not about to happen. They faced instead a seemingly endless cold war with the Soviets. 62

63 Hardtack II, October,