AMERICA: THE LAST BEST HOPE

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "AMERICA: THE LAST BEST HOPE"

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 7 Truman Defends the Free World ( ) Presidential Terms Franklin D. Roosevelt ( ) Harry S Truman ( ) After a complete victory over Germany, Italy, and Japan in World War II, Americans wanted to get back to normal life. The sacrifices made by citizens were enormous. But now the universal sentiment was to bring the boys home. There were clearly still threats in the world, but as Bennett points out, leaders in a democracy cannot resist such pressures to demobilize. These years immediately following the war would forever change America s role in the world. Before World War II, Americans considered themselves isolated from global events. After the war, circumstances demanded that the United States assume a leadership role on the world stage. This chapter will afford ample opportunities for classes to discuss the present role of America in world affairs. That present role was born during this period. An immediate cause for concern was the Soviet Union. America s alliance with that communist dictatorship during the war had been uneasy from the outset. Stalin had made vague assurances about free elections in Eastern Europe at the great wartime conferences. Now it became clear that his vision of free elections was very different than the American vision. With American troops rapidly demobilizing and returning from Europe, Truman had little leverage. Even the possession of the atomic bomb did not intimidate Stalin. It was, after all, relatively useless against the massive and still mobilized Soviet army. Stalin was willing to go to any length to have friendly governments to his west. His nation had been attacked twice from that direction in less than twenty-five years and had suffered over twenty million deaths in the recent war. He was determined to see that such an attack never happen again. Thus he used raw power to create compliant, satellite governments in Eastern Europe. That meant communism and a totalitarian nightmare to the millions living in those nations. Winston Churchill warned of this perilous situation in his 1946 Iron Curtain speech. He urged the Free World to band together to stop the further spread of communism. George Kennan s Long Telegram from the U.S. embassy in Moscow advised a policy of containment as the most appropriate American response. But growing tension did not preclude the U.S. and the Soviet Union from historic cooperation in the postwar period. They worked together to form the United Nations in the hope that a new international organization could maintain world peace. They also worked with other wartime allies to conduct the Nuremberg Trials. These trials set a precedent for how the

2 world can deal with crimes against humanity, as seen in the Holocaust. As Bennett notes, the judges did not accept following orders as an excuse for mass murder. Students can be challenged to think about this deeply. How far down the chain of command should this go? To the commanders of death camps? To the common soldiers herding victims onto trains? What about accountability for the civilian populations who knew what was happening but did nothing? These are difficult issues that deserve serious discussion. Harry Truman s honeymoon with the American people did not last long. Postwar inflation and labor troubles as the nation transitioned to a peacetime economy led to the Republicans taking control of Congress in It was critical that Truman be able to find political opponents willing to cooperate with him as America faced severe challenges abroad. A key person he turned to was Arthur Vandenberg, Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Without the help of Republicans like Vandenberg the president would have never persuaded Congress to pass the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. These were the keystones of American foreign policy in the postwar period. Teachers and students can discuss whether such bipartisanship exists today and if not, why not. The key phrase of Truman s speech establishing the Truman Doctrine was, I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. Teachers should help students see the profound shift this represented from America s past. What does it mean in the present? The Marshall plan was also a dramatic commitment for the United States. Bennett calls it the second most unsordid act in history (referencing Churchill s quote about Lend-Lease). Teachers need to help students see both the humanitarian and the strategic purposes in the Marshall Plan. Hungry, desperate people are more susceptible to the promises of communism. What about calls for new Marshall Plans today? Where do students think such plans would be successful? Is such foreign aid still an important role for the United States? During this period, America s help in rebuilding the war torn world included massive aid to its recent enemies, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The world had never seen such an approach. Students should discuss the long-term impact. What is the status of U.S. relations with those nations today? On the domestic front, Truman pushed for the Fair Deal. The Republican Congress defeated most of his goals, including national health care. That elusive goal remains a hotly debated political issue to this day. The G.I. Bill did pass and offered tremendous benefits to veterans of the war.

3 Government help in attending college, starting a business or buying a home was more of a hand up than a hand out. These efforts stimulated the economy and transformed the nation. Millions of men who had never dreamed of college could go. New careers opened up to them and as they succeeded their incomes rose, pouring more tax money into federal coffers and thus paying for the original costs. Some have argued that today s G.I. Bill is not nearly so generous and efforts are underway to address that concern. Students might research this and compare the way our nation treated veterans of World War II with the benefits afforded to veterans of our present war. Another domestic issue Truman faced was labor turmoil and a record number of strikes and work stoppages. Republicans in Congress sought a solution with the Taft-Hartley Act, a measure Truman deemed too strong in its anti-union provisions. He vetoed the bill, but Congress successfully overrode his veto. Unions were a dominant force in the late 1940s. Bennett points out that Taft-Hartley put a permanent check on their growth. Students should know the details of the bill and also the status of unions today. Are they still an important part of our new post-industrial economy? What roles do they still serve? Struggles with communists were not confined to overseas. Many Americans had been drawn to communism in the depths of the Great Depression when it seemed clear that capitalism was broken beyond repair. Communists sought control of several unions after World War II and Bennett credits major union leaders with preventing this from happening. He uses the story of Ronald Reagan, the president of the Screen Actors Guild, to illustrate this point. The story also marks Reagan s first political battles and his rise as an American leader. The Truman years will always be remembered for decisions, momentous decisions. In the pivotal year 1948, Truman decided the United States would be the first country to recognize Israel as an independent, Jewish nation. This despite strong objections from the man he respected most, Secretary of State George Marshall, who feared resulting chaos in the Mideast. Truman listened to both his heart and to his Jewish friend Eddie Jacobson and came to the conclusion that in the wake of the Holocaust, the Jewish people needed a homeland. Chaos did indeed come, and the region still struggles with the fate of the Arab people who were displaced by the creation of Israel the Palestinians. Teachers should help students see the connection between this era and events seen daily in today s news sources. Truman made another critical decision that year to launch the Berlin Airlift and provide food, clothing and fuel for the millions of residents of West

4 Berlin. This containment measure took the U.S. to the brink of war and kept the city out of the Soviet orbit. Students will need to see an appropriate map to visualize the German occupation zones and how Berlin was situated deep within the Soviet Zone. Low approval ratings in polls did not stop Truman from seeking election on his own in Few people gave him a chance at success. Prospects looked even worse after Truman took strong stands on behalf of civil rights. He named a Civil Rights Commission, supported strong civil rights planks in the Democratic Party platform, and most dramatically, issued Executive Order 9981, desegregating the armed forces. This led southern Democrats to bolt the party and support their own Dixiecrat candidate, Strom Thurmond. When Henry Wallace led other Democrats to support his candidacy with the liberal Progressive Party, the Roosevelt Coalition was split three ways, making it seemingly impossible for Truman to defeat the Republican candidate Thomas Dewey. In one of the most stunning political upsets in American political history, Truman prevailed by taking the campaign directly to the American people in his whistle stop tour. This was the last presidential campaign before television came to play a dominant role. Classes can discuss whether such an upset would be possible today. They can also discuss how television has transformed politics. Has the impact been positive or negative? Could a Harry Truman get elected in the present era? Once in office on his own right, Truman still faced Cold War tensions. The U.N. s Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 not only reflected back on the horrors people faced in World War II, but also pointed to the totalitarian governments enslaving people behind the Iron Curtain or in newly communist China. In light of this, in 1949 America signed its first mutual defense treaty since the American Revolution NATO. NATO is still a key U.S. connection with the world and is important in several present conflicts. Students can research where American troops still cooperate with NATO forces. Americans found much to worry about by the late 1940s. After being totally victorious in World War II and seemingly on the brink of an American Century, things seemed to be falling apart. The Soviets dominated Eastern Europe, and in 1949 they detonated their own atomic bomb. Then China fell to the communist leadership of Mao Zedong. How could these things happen? Some Americans began to wonder if enemies within were betraying the nation. Thus, the Red Scare came to America. The term Red Scare implies that there was no real threat only unreasonable panic. As Bennett points out, the U.S.S.R. was attempting to subvert American institutions

5 and there were Soviet spies. He refers to the Venona decrypts. These texts of secret messages from Moscow to spies in the West have only become known since the fall of the Soviet Union. Students who research them further will find them fascinating. However, it is true that Congressmen such as Richard Nixon (and the House Un-American Activities Committee) and Senators such as Joseph McCarthy fanned the flames of anti-communism for political advantage and in the process smeared the names of many innocent Americans. Students might look for contemporary charges of McCarthyism and connect those to the man whose tactics created a new word in the English language. Ironically, out of the fear bred by the Cold War came steps forward for America in the arena of civil rights. Before and during World War II, comparisons between discrimination faced by African-Americans here and laws directed at Jews in Nazi Germany made many Americans take note of their own Jim Crow society. The same was true during the Cold War. How could the United States criticize communist denials of freedom on the world stage when American society itself fell far short of its own constitutional ideals? Organizations such as the NAACP pointed this out and Americans began to take steps toward justice. Jackie Robinson s presence on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers riveted the nation and showed that integration in all aspects of American life was possible. Students researching the story of Robinson s journey to the major leagues will find it to be one of the great stories of courage in our national memory. Bennett s account of the Korean War answers many questions about a conflict some Americans call the forgotten war. Students might research how Korea came to be divided by the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. after World War II. North Korea s invasion of the South was the first major military test of Truman s containment policy. General MacArthur s dramatic Inchon landing prevented a major loss and soon turned the tide into what appeared to be an American victory and a unification of Korea into one nation. That was prevented when the communist Chinese sent hundreds of thousands of volunteers into the fray. What resulted was a bitter stalemate across the original dividing line the 38th parallel. The situation remains little changed to this day with opposing armies still lined up along that line. Classes can have fruitful discussions over topics related to this war. Was Truman correct in firing Douglas MacArthur, a genuine American hero? What would have been the result of following MacArthur s recommendations? What were the constitutional implications of Truman s action? When is it ever wise to fight a limited war? What about Truman s decision not to ask Congress for a declaration of war? How does that square with Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution? What has been the

6 historical result of that decision? AMERICA: THE LAST BEST HOPE Harry Truman left office with the Korean War still raging. He returned to Independence, Missouri happy to leave what he called the Great White Jail. He became a private citizen, and walked the streets of his hometown every day. He left office as the least popular president in American history. Yet today, polls of historians consistently rank Truman as one of America s great presidents. This is something students can explore to better understand the nature of historical judgment, as opposed to contemporary opinion. What factors over the last decades account for Truman s growth in historical stature? Teachers will notice that throughout the book, people are mentioned who will become major figures later. Teachers might ask if students recognize such names and even see if they can connect how experiences during this period helped shape their character. Included in this chapter are John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan, Hubert Humphrey, and Colin Powell.

APUSH REVIEWED! THE COLD WAR BEGINS POST WW2, TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION

APUSH REVIEWED! THE COLD WAR BEGINS POST WW2, TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION APUSH 1945-1952 POST WW2, TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION THE COLD WAR BEGINS REVIEWED! American Pageant (Kennedy) Chapter 36 American History (Brinkley) Chapter 27 America s History (Henretta) Chapter 25-26 Fear

More information

Introduction to the Cold War

Introduction to the Cold War Introduction to the Cold War What is the Cold War? The Cold War is the conflict that existed between the United States and Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991. It is called cold because the two sides never

More information

Name Class Date. The Cold War Begins Section 1

Name Class Date. The Cold War Begins Section 1 Name Class Date Section 1 MAIN IDEA At the end of World War II, tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States deepened, leading to an era known as the Cold War. Key Terms and People Cold War

More information

EOC Test Preparation: The Cold War Era

EOC Test Preparation: The Cold War Era EOC Test Preparation: The Cold War Era Conflict in Europe Following WWII, tensions were running high between western Allies and USSR US and Great Britain: Allies should not occupy territories they conquered

More information

Cold War A period of time in which the U.S. & USSR experienced high tension and bitter rivalry

Cold War A period of time in which the U.S. & USSR experienced high tension and bitter rivalry 1 2 3 4 Cold War America 1945-1960 Truman & The Cold War 1945-1953 Cold War 1945-1991 A period of time in which the U.S. & USSR experienced high tension and bitter rivalry Roots of the Cold War Philosophical

More information

Warm-Up 3/29/18. Happy Thursday!

Warm-Up 3/29/18. Happy Thursday! Happy Thursday! Warm-Up 3/29/18 Please have your essays out and ready to turn in; I will pick them up after the warm-up. In your journal, please WRITE and ANSWER the following question: Why was it so imperative

More information

Cold War Begins. Chapter 36

Cold War Begins. Chapter 36 Cold War Begins Chapter 36 Postwar Economic Anxieties Significant fear that US would return to Depression following War Saved money during WWII, now wanted to spend Caused inflation Not enough supply Strikes

More information

Chapter 27 The Cold War at Home and Abroad,

Chapter 27 The Cold War at Home and Abroad, 67 Chapter 27 The Cold War at Home and Abroad, 1946-1952 Practice Test 1. The popular film The Best Years of Our Lives reflected Americans A) rejection of the trend toward suburban living. B) desire to

More information

COLD WAR ORIGINS. U.S vs. U.S.S.R. Democ./Cap vs Comm.

COLD WAR ORIGINS. U.S vs. U.S.S.R. Democ./Cap vs Comm. COLD WAR ORIGINS U.S vs. U.S.S.R. Democ./Cap vs Comm. Section One: Objectives By the end, I will be able to: 1. Explain the breakdown in relations between the United States and the Soviet Union after World

More information

Unit 6 World War II & Aftermath

Unit 6 World War II & Aftermath Unit 6 World War II & Aftermath Following WWI and the Gr. Depr US wanted to stay out of world affairs Needed to rebuild economy Pursued policies of: isolationism neutrality Neutrality Taking no side in

More information

4/8/2015. April nations met. US and USSR on same side in WW II. Cold War Feb FDR, Churchill, Stalin Postwar issues

4/8/2015. April nations met. US and USSR on same side in WW II. Cold War Feb FDR, Churchill, Stalin Postwar issues Chapter 26 US and USSR on same side in WW II Not by choice Common enemy Cold War 1946 1991 Feb. 1945 FDR, Churchill, Stalin Postwar issues divide Germany free elections April 1945 50 nations met UN Charter

More information

The Cold War Begins: CHAPTER 39

The Cold War Begins: CHAPTER 39 The Cold War Begins: 1946-1953 CHAPTER 39 OBJECTIVES Describe the economic transformation of the immediate post-wwii era. Explain the changes in the American population structure brought about the baby

More information

2. The State Department asked the American Embassy in Moscow to explain Soviet behavior.

2. The State Department asked the American Embassy in Moscow to explain Soviet behavior. 1. The Americans become increasingly impatient with the Soviets. 2. The State Department asked the American Embassy in Moscow to explain Soviet behavior. 3. On February 22, 1946, George Kennan an American

More information

Europe and North America Section 1

Europe and North America Section 1 Europe and North America Section 1 Europe and North America Section 1 Click the icon to play Listen to History audio. Click the icon below to connect to the Interactive Maps. Europe and North America Section

More information

Alan Brinkley, AMERICAN HISTORY 13/e. Chapter Twenty-seven: The Cold War

Alan Brinkley, AMERICAN HISTORY 13/e. Chapter Twenty-seven: The Cold War Alan Brinkley, AMERICAN HISTORY 13/e Origins of the Cold War Sources of Soviet-American Tension America s Postwar Vision Spheres of Influence Satellite Nations Eastern Europe 2 Origins of the Cold War

More information

Guided Reading Activity 27-1

Guided Reading Activity 27-1 Guided Reading Activity 27-1 DIRECTIONS: Recalling the Facts Use the information in your textbook to answer the questions. Use another sheet of paper if necessary. 1. Who were the Big Three leaders? 2.

More information

Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins,

Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins, APUSH CH 36 Lecture Name: Hour: Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins, 1945-1952 I. Post-World War II Era A. Post-war Economy 1. Cutbacks in the production of war supplies caused layoffs and high unemployment

More information

Standard 7 Review. Opening: Answer the multiple-choice questions on pages and

Standard 7 Review. Opening: Answer the multiple-choice questions on pages and Opening: Standard 7 Review Answer the multiple-choice questions on pages 186-188 and 201-204. Correct answers we be counted as extra credit on your quiz. Standard USHC-7: The student will demonstrate an

More information

Beginnings of the Cold War

Beginnings of the Cold War Beginnings of the Cold War Chapter 15 Section 1 Problems of Peace At the end of World War II, Germany was in ruins and had no government. Much of Europe was also in ruins. Problems of Peace Occupied Germany

More information

Origins of the Cold War

Origins of the Cold War The Cold War The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world. Harry S. Truman, March 12 th, 1947

More information

The Dawn of the Cold War, The Dawn of the Cold War,

The Dawn of the Cold War, The Dawn of the Cold War, The Dawn of the Cold War, 1945-1953 Topics of Consideration 1. Roots of the Cold War 2. Containment and the Truman Doctrine 3. The Marshall Plan 4. The Berlin Blockade and NATO 5. Tools of Containment

More information

Chapter 37: The Cold War Begins As you read, take notes using this guide. The most significant names/terms are highlighted.

Chapter 37: The Cold War Begins As you read, take notes using this guide. The most significant names/terms are highlighted. Chapter 37: The Cold War Begins 1945-1952 As you read, take notes using this guide. The most significant names/terms are highlighted. Unit Introduction (pp. 856 857) The authors here summarize the formative

More information

What Challenges Did President Truman Face at Home in the Postwar Years?

What Challenges Did President Truman Face at Home in the Postwar Years? What Challenges Did President Truman Face at Home in the Postwar Years? LESSON 2 SECTION 29.2 Text pp. 527 531 Read What Challenges Did President Truman Face at Home in the Postwar Years? (pp. 527-531).

More information

Results of World War II Crossword

Results of World War II Crossword Name Date Period Chapter 27 Results of World War II Crossword Workbook 107 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Across 1) country that became a superpower after World War II 3) these people were killed

More information

Chapter 27 The Cold War at Home and Abroad,

Chapter 27 The Cold War at Home and Abroad, Chapter 27 The Cold War at Home and Abroad, 1946 1952 Chapter Summary Chapter 27 examines the post-world War II history of America. Topics covered in the chapter include postwar domestic developments with

More information

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: A DIVIDED WORLD: THE EARLY COLD WAR, READING AND STUDY GUIDE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: A DIVIDED WORLD: THE EARLY COLD WAR, READING AND STUDY GUIDE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: A DIVIDED WORLD: THE EARLY COLD WAR, 1945 1963 READING AND STUDY GUIDE I. Origins of the Cold War A. Differing Goals in the Postwar World B. The American Vision Takes Shape: Kennan

More information

The Americans (Survey)

The Americans (Survey) The Americans (Survey) Chapter 26: TELESCOPING THE TIMES Cold War Conflicts CHAPTER OVERVIEW After World War II, tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union lead to a war without direct military

More information

America after WWII. The 1946 through the 1950 s

America after WWII. The 1946 through the 1950 s America after WWII The 1946 through the 1950 s The United Nations In 1944 President Roosevelt began to think about what the world would be like after WWII He especially wanted to be sure that there would

More information

The Dawn of the Cold War, The Dawn of the Cold War,

The Dawn of the Cold War, The Dawn of the Cold War, The Dawn of the Cold War, 1945-1954 Topics of Consideration 1. Roots of the Cold War 2. Containment and the Truman Doctrine 3. The Marshall Plan 4. The Berlin Blockade and NATO 5. Tools of Containment

More information

Origins of the Cold War. A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Ms. Shen

Origins of the Cold War. A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Ms. Shen Origins of the Cold War A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Ms. Shen What was the Cold War? The Cold War was a 40+ year long conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that started

More information

Ch 25-1 The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe

Ch 25-1 The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe Ch 25-1 The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe The Main Idea WWIII??? At the end of World War II, tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States deepened, leading to an era known as the Cold War. Cold

More information

Cold War. Unit EQ: How did social, economic, and political events influence the US during the Cold War era?

Cold War. Unit EQ: How did social, economic, and political events influence the US during the Cold War era? Cold War Unit EQ: How did social, economic, and political events influence the US during the Cold War era? Yalta Conference The Yalta Conference was held towards the end of World War II. During this time

More information

THE EARLY COLD WAR YEARS. US HISTORY Chapter 15 Section 2

THE EARLY COLD WAR YEARS. US HISTORY Chapter 15 Section 2 THE EARLY COLD WAR YEARS US HISTORY Chapter 15 Section 2 THE EARLY COLD WAR YEARS CONTAINING COMMUNISM MAIN IDEA The Truman Doctrine offered aid to any nation resisting communism; The Marshal Plan aided

More information

Early Cold War

Early Cold War Early Cold War 1945-1972 Capitalism vs. Communism Capitalism Communism Free-Market Economy Upper, Middle and Working Class North Atlantic Treaty Organization Government Controlled Economy Classless Society

More information

Cold War Conflicts Chapter 26

Cold War Conflicts Chapter 26 Cold War Conflicts Chapter 26 Former Allies Clash After World War II the US and the Soviets had very different goals for the future. Under Soviet communism the state controlled all property and economic

More information

VS. THE COLD WAR BEGINS

VS. THE COLD WAR BEGINS VS. THE COLD WAR BEGINS 1945-1960 GEORGIA STANDARDS SSUSH20 The student will analyze the domestic and international impact of the Cold War on the United States. a. Describe the creation of the Marshall

More information

Origins of the Cold War. A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Ms. Shen

Origins of the Cold War. A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Ms. Shen Origins of the Cold War A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Ms. Shen What was the Cold War? The Cold War was a 40+ year long conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that started

More information

The Cold War. Origins - Korean War

The Cold War. Origins - Korean War The Cold War Origins - Korean War What is a Cold War? WW II left two nations of almost equal strength but differing goals Cold War A struggle over political differences carried on by means short of direct

More information

THE COLD WAR Part One Teachers Notes by Paul Latham

THE COLD WAR Part One Teachers Notes by Paul Latham THE COLD WAR Part One Teachers Notes by Paul Latham Notes also available on DVD disc as either a Word document or PDF file. Also available on the website. 1 2 The Cold War (Part 1) Teachers Notes ORIGINS

More information

End of WWI and Early Cold War

End of WWI and Early Cold War End of WWI and Early Cold War Why So Scary, Communism? It posed a direct threat to democracy and capitalism Struggle between US and USSR was political but battle between good and evil Democracy A system

More information

The Cold War Begins. After WWII

The Cold War Begins. After WWII The Cold War Begins After WWII After WWII the US and the USSR emerged as the world s two. Although allies during WWII distrust between the communist USSR and the democratic US led to the. Cold War tension

More information

The Cold War Part I ( ) US vs. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Democracy vs. Communism Capitalism vs.

The Cold War Part I ( ) US vs. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Democracy vs. Communism Capitalism vs. The Cold War 1945-1990 Part I (1945-1960) US vs. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Democracy vs. Communism Capitalism vs. Socialism Ideas/Questions What was the cold war? Are we still seeing its echoes

More information

5. Base your answer on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies.

5. Base your answer on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies. Name: 1. To help pay for World War II, the United States government relied heavily on the 1) money borrowed from foreign governments 2) sale of war bonds 3) sale of United States manufactured goods to

More information

THE IRON CURTAIN. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the continent. - Winston Churchill

THE IRON CURTAIN. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the continent. - Winston Churchill COLD WAR 1945-1991 1. The Soviet Union drove the Germans back across Eastern Europe. 2. They occupied several countries along it s western border and considered them a necessary buffer or wall of protection

More information

Origins of the Cold War,

Origins of the Cold War, Origins of the Cold War, 1945-1949 Why did the USA and USSR, allies who defeated and solved the problem of Germany, become the bitter enemies of the Cold War era and what did it mean for their respective

More information

Analyze the political cartoon by writing:

Analyze the political cartoon by writing: Bellringer Analyze the political cartoon by writing: 1. Title (make one up of there isn t one): 2. Important Words: 3. Symbols: 4. Action: 5. Message: The Cold War Day 1 Ms. Luco IB Hist Americas Yr 1

More information

The Cold War. Chap. 18, 19

The Cold War. Chap. 18, 19 The Cold War Chap. 18, 19 Cold War 1945-1991 Political and economic conflict between U.S. and USSR Not fought on battlefield U.S. Vs. USSR Democracy- free elections private ownership Free market former

More information

2014 Brain Wrinkles. Origins and Consequences

2014 Brain Wrinkles. Origins and Consequences Origins and Consequences Standards SS5H7 The student will discuss the origins and consequences of the Cold War. a. Explain the origin and meaning of the term Iron Curtain. b. Explain how the United States

More information

Chapter 25 Cold War America, APUSH Mr. Muller

Chapter 25 Cold War America, APUSH Mr. Muller Chapter 25 Cold War America, 1945-1963 APUSH Mr. Muller Aim: How does the U.S. and U.S.S.R. go from allies to rivals? Do Now: Communism holds that the world is so deeply divided into opposing classes that

More information

Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins, (Pages ) Per. Date Row

Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins, (Pages ) Per. Date Row Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins, 1945 1952 (Pages 852--881) Name Per. Date Row I. Postwar Economic Anxieties A. Signs of a faltering economy after the war ended: GNP, prices, wages/labor B. Taft-Hartley

More information

OUTLINE 8-1: TRUMAN AND THE COLD WAR,

OUTLINE 8-1: TRUMAN AND THE COLD WAR, OUTLINE 8-1: TRUMAN AND THE COLD WAR, 1945-1952 The United States responded to an uncertain and unstable postwar world by asserting and working to maintain a position of global leadership, with far-reaching

More information

Origins of the Cold War. A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Mr. Raffel

Origins of the Cold War. A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Mr. Raffel Origins of the Cold War A Chilly Power Point Presentation Brought to You by Mr. Raffel What was the Cold War? The Cold War was the bitter state of indirect conflict that existed between the U.S. and the

More information

TRUMAN BECOMES PRESIDENT Hopes for world peace were high at the end of the war

TRUMAN BECOMES PRESIDENT Hopes for world peace were high at the end of the war Name: Origins of the Cold War Period: FORMER ALLIES CLASH The US and Soviet Union had very different ambitions for the future Soviet Communism v. American Capitalism Joseph Stalin totalitarian, leader

More information

The Differences Between the 2 Sides Under Soviet communism, the state controlled all property & economic activity In capitalistic America, private

The Differences Between the 2 Sides Under Soviet communism, the state controlled all property & economic activity In capitalistic America, private Although the US and Soviet Union had been allies in WWII, they emerged as rival superpowers They had very different ambitions for the future These differences created an icy tension that plunged the 2

More information

The Nazi Retreat from the East

The Nazi Retreat from the East The Cold War Begins A Quick Review In 1917, there was a REVOLUTION in Russia And the Russian Tsar was overthrown and executed by communist revolutionaries led by Vladimir Lenin And NEW NATION The Union

More information

Divided into 4 zones of occupation; Berlin also divided

Divided into 4 zones of occupation; Berlin also divided Cold War 1945-1989 Germany Divided into 4 zones of occupation; Berlin also divided Japan Occupied by U.S. troops Demilitarized Industries re-built with modern machinery Divided into 2 zones of occupation

More information

the Cold War The Cold War would dominate global affairs from 1945 until the breakup of the USSR in 1991

the Cold War The Cold War would dominate global affairs from 1945 until the breakup of the USSR in 1991 U.S vs. U.S.S.R. ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR After being Allies during WWII, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. soon viewed each other with increasing suspicion Their political differences created a climate of icy tension

More information

World History Chapter 23 Page Reading Outline

World History Chapter 23 Page Reading Outline World History Chapter 23 Page 601-632 Reading Outline The Cold War Era: Iron Curtain: a phrased coined by Winston Churchill at the end of World War I when her foresaw of the impending danger Russia would

More information

The Roots of the Cold War

The Roots of the Cold War STAAR Review 10 The Cold War Although the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union were allies during World War II, these two Superpowers soon became rivals during the Cold War. It was called a Cold War because they

More information

The Cold War

The Cold War The Cold War 1945-1989 What is the Cold War It was an intense rivalry between the United States and Russia between West and East and between capitalism and communism that dominated the years following

More information

A. True or False Where the statement is true, mark T. Where it is false, mark F, and correct it in the space immediately below.

A. True or False Where the statement is true, mark T. Where it is false, mark F, and correct it in the space immediately below. AP U.S. History Mr. Mercado Chapter 36 The Cold War Begins, 1945-1952 Name A. True or False Where the statement is true, mark T. Where it is false, mark F, and correct it in the space immediately below.

More information

The Cold War: Why did the United States and the USSR enter into the Cold War after World War II?

The Cold War: Why did the United States and the USSR enter into the Cold War after World War II? The Cold War: Why did the United States and the USSR enter into the Cold War after World War II? INTRODUCTION FOR STUDENTS In this lesson, you will learn about the source of tensions between the United

More information

The Hot Days of the Cold War

The Hot Days of the Cold War The Hot Days of the Cold War Brian Frydenborg History 321, Soviet Russia 3/18/02 On my honor, I have neither given nor received any unacknowledged aid on this paper. The origins of the cold war up to 1953

More information

Ch 25-1 The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe

Ch 25-1 The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe Ch 25-1 The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe The Main Idea WWIII??? At the end of World War II, tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States deepened, leading to an era known as the Cold War. Cold

More information

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Cold War

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Cold War Alan Brinkley, AMERICAN HISTORY 12/e Chapter Twenty-Nine: Origins of the Cold War Sources of Soviet-American Tension America s Postwar Vision Origins of the Cold War Sources of Soviet-American Tension

More information

EOC Preparation: WWII and the Early Cold War Era

EOC Preparation: WWII and the Early Cold War Era EOC Preparation: WWII and the Early Cold War Era WWII Begins Adolf Hitler and Nazi Party were elected to power and took over the German government Hitler held a strict rule over Germany and set his sights

More information

The Atomic Age: Truman & Eisenhower. Post-war Confidence and Anxiety

The Atomic Age: Truman & Eisenhower. Post-war Confidence and Anxiety The Atomic Age: Truman & Eisenhower Post-war Confidence and Anxiety 1945-1960 The International Impact of the Cold War Origins of the Cold War US President Harry Truman and Soviet Union dictator Joseph

More information

Cold War ( conflict, with no fighting, between USA/Democracy and Soviet Union/Russia/ Communism

Cold War ( conflict, with no fighting, between USA/Democracy and Soviet Union/Russia/ Communism Cold War (1945-1991- conflict, with no fighting, between USA/Democracy and Soviet Union/Russia/ Communism 1) Define the Cold War and identify one reasons why the two nations mistrusted each other. 2) Analyze

More information

Harry S. Truman Library & Museum Teacher Lessons

Harry S. Truman Library & Museum Teacher Lessons Title: Lesson Plans for Conference at Yalta Activity Author: Derek Frieling Course: American History Time Frame: Part of one class period for introduction and one full class period for the debate. Subjects:

More information

PPT: Post WWII Tensions

PPT: Post WWII Tensions PPT: Post WWII Tensions WWII ends Cold War begins USSR collapses Cold War ends 1945 1991 The Cold War: The U.S. and USSR never directly declare war on each other, but fight by other means and through other

More information

Journal # 11 04/30/15 Objective: Students will utilize various

Journal # 11 04/30/15 Objective: Students will utilize various Journal # 11 04/30/15 Objective: Students will utilize various resources to identify, compare/contrast, and evaluate the origins, development and effects of the Cold War. Agenda: Journal Cold War PPT Guided

More information

Name Period Cold War Germany Divided into zones of occupation; also

Name Period Cold War Germany Divided into zones of occupation; also Name Period Cold War 1945-1989 Germany Divided into zones of occupation; also Japan by U.S. troops Industries re-built with modern Korea into zones of occupation (USSR and US) Boundary is parallel (38

More information

Unit 8. 5th Grade Social Studies Cold War Study Guide. Additional study material and review games are available at at

Unit 8. 5th Grade Social Studies Cold War Study Guide. Additional study material and review games are available at at Unit 8 5th Grade Social Studies Cold War Study Guide Additional study material and review games are available at www.jonathanfeicht.com. are available at www.jonathanfeicht.com. Copyright 2015. For single

More information

Chapter 35 The Cold War Begins

Chapter 35 The Cold War Begins Chapter 35 The Cold War Begins Section Notes Video The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe Healing the Wounds of War The Second Red Scare The Korean War The Cold War Begins History Close-up Assault on Inchon

More information

Chapter 18: Cold War Conflicts

Chapter 18: Cold War Conflicts Chapter 18: Cold War Conflicts Section 1: Origins of the Cold War United Nations Satellite Nation Containment Iron Curtain Cold War Truman Doctrine Marshall Plan Berlin Airlift North Atlantic Treaty Organization

More information

The Cold War TOWARD A GLOBAL COMMUNITY (1900 PRESENT)

The Cold War TOWARD A GLOBAL COMMUNITY (1900 PRESENT) The Cold War TOWARD A GLOBAL COMMUNITY (1900 PRESENT) Throughout WWII the U.S. and the Soviet Union began to view each other with increasing suspicion. He s a commie, and once made an alliance with Hitler...

More information

Communism. Soviet Union government State (government) controls everything Opposite of democracy and capitalism (USA)

Communism. Soviet Union government State (government) controls everything Opposite of democracy and capitalism (USA) Cold War VS Communism Soviet Union government State (government) controls everything Opposite of democracy and capitalism (USA) United Nations (UN) Started with 50 member countries Created to promote peace

More information

Trace the reasons that the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union unraveled.

Trace the reasons that the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union unraveled. Objectives Trace the reasons that the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union unraveled. Explain how President Truman responded to Soviet domination of Eastern Europe. Describe

More information

4/8/2014. Other Clashes Loss of Trust: The Fate of Eastern European Nations

4/8/2014. Other Clashes Loss of Trust: The Fate of Eastern European Nations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Cold War 1945-1960 The war that wasn t really a war at all. The American Presidents Part 1- The Origins Review: The Yalta Conference February 1945 Players: FDR/Churchill/Stalin USSR pledges

More information

A. True or False Where the statement is true, mark T. Where it is false, mark F, and correct it in the space immediately below.

A. True or False Where the statement is true, mark T. Where it is false, mark F, and correct it in the space immediately below. AP U.S. History Mr. Pondy Chapter 36 The Cold War Begins, 1945-1952 Name A. True or False Where the statement is true, mark T. Where it is false, mark F, and correct it in the space immediately below.

More information

Red Scare and Cold War Policies SSUSH 20 a-b

Red Scare and Cold War Policies SSUSH 20 a-b Red Scare and Cold War Policies SSUSH 20 a-b Bellringer Today s Essential Question: What post World War Two international trend motivated American leaders to develop a policy of containment? The Cold

More information

Yalta Conference. The Cold War. February 4, Attended by Churchill, FDR, Stalin Each premier has own agenda

Yalta Conference. The Cold War. February 4, Attended by Churchill, FDR, Stalin Each premier has own agenda February 4, 1945 Attended by Churchill, FDR, Stalin Each premier has own agenda FDR: Wanted Soviet support in attacking Japan in the Pacific Churchill: Pressed USSR to install free elections in Poland,

More information

Chapter 17 Lesson 1: Two Superpowers Face Off. Essential Question: Why did tension between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R increase after WWII?

Chapter 17 Lesson 1: Two Superpowers Face Off. Essential Question: Why did tension between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R increase after WWII? Chapter 17 Lesson 1: Two Superpowers Face Off Essential Question: Why did tension between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R increase after WWII? Post WWII Big Three meet in Yalta Divide Germany into 4 zones (U.S.,

More information

BACKGROUND: why did the USA and USSR start to mistrust each other? What was the Soviet View? What was the Western view? What is a Cold War?

BACKGROUND: why did the USA and USSR start to mistrust each other? What was the Soviet View? What was the Western view? What is a Cold War? BACKGROUND: why did the USA and USSR start to mistrust each other? The 2 sides were enemies long before they were allies in WWII. Relations had been bad since 1917 as Russia had become communist and the

More information

The Origins of Cold War. Chapter 26 Section 1

The Origins of Cold War. Chapter 26 Section 1 The Origins of Cold War Chapter 26 Section 1 Warm-Up 4/23/2018 What was the Cold War? I. Former Allies Now Opponents: A. U.S. 1. Political system: Republic - Government by the people a. Vote for leaders

More information

The Cold War US vs. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Democracy vs. Communism Capitalism vs. Socialism

The Cold War US vs. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Democracy vs. Communism Capitalism vs. Socialism The Cold War 1945-1991 US vs. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Democracy vs. Communism Capitalism vs. Socialism US/USSR Relationship during WWII 1939: Stalin (USSR) makes a deal with Hitler (Germany).

More information

LESSON OBJECTIVE. 1.) ANALYZE the effectiveness & morality of the British Royal Air Force bombing of German civilians

LESSON OBJECTIVE. 1.) ANALYZE the effectiveness & morality of the British Royal Air Force bombing of German civilians NAME: BLOCK: - CENTRAL HISTORICAL QUESTION - THE ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR: WHO IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR STARTING THE COLD WAR: THE U.S. OR S.U.? Pictured: Then-former British Prime Minster Winston Churchill

More information

Chapter 28, Section 1: The Cold War Begins. Main Idea: After WWII, distrust between the US & USSR led to the Cold War.

Chapter 28, Section 1: The Cold War Begins. Main Idea: After WWII, distrust between the US & USSR led to the Cold War. Chapter 28, Section 1: The Cold War Begins Main Idea: After WWII, distrust between the US & USSR led to the Cold War. The Cold War [1945-1991]: An Ideological Struggle US & the Western Democracies GOAL

More information

Today we will identify and examine the legislation, policies and events that begin the rivalry known as the Cold War

Today we will identify and examine the legislation, policies and events that begin the rivalry known as the Cold War Today we will identify and examine the legislation, policies and events that begin the rivalry known as the Cold War Thought for the day: Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also

More information

The Cold War Begins. Chapter 36

The Cold War Begins. Chapter 36 The Cold War Begins Chapter 36 Post War Economic Anxiety After war many Americans worried that economy would slip back into depression. At first these predictions seemed to be coming true GNP dropped in

More information

World History (Survey) Restructuring the Postwar World, 1945 Present

World History (Survey) Restructuring the Postwar World, 1945 Present World History (Survey) Chapter 33: Restructuring the Postwar World, 1945 Present Section 1: Two Superpowers Face Off The United States and the Soviet Union were allies during World War II. In February

More information

Unit Eight Test Review

Unit Eight Test Review Unit Eight Test Review 1. How had the Treaty of Versailles laid the groundwork for the outbreak of World War Two? 2. What worldwide event led to the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany? 3. Explain the importance

More information

Cold War Conflicts NEXT

Cold War Conflicts NEXT Cold War Conflicts The Cold War and the danger of nuclear war define international affairs, especially after the Korean War. Fear of communism in the U.S. leads to accusations against innocent citizens.

More information

The Early Cold War APUSH Review Guide AMSCO chapter 26 or American Pageant chapter 37 (or other resource)

The Early Cold War APUSH Review Guide AMSCO chapter 26 or American Pageant chapter 37 (or other resource) 1 Name: Class Period: The Early Cold War APUSH Review Guide AMSCO chapter 26 or American Pageant chapter 37 (or other resource) Directions Print document and take notes in the spaces provided. Read through

More information

1. Base your answer to the following question on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.

1. Base your answer to the following question on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies. 1. Base your answer to the following question on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies. 3. Base your answer on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies. In the cartoon,

More information

Unit 11: The Cold War B A T T L E O F T H E S U P E R P O W E R S :

Unit 11: The Cold War B A T T L E O F T H E S U P E R P O W E R S : Unit 11: The Cold War B A T T L E O F T H E S U P E R P O W E R S : 1 9 4 6-1 9 9 1 Textbook Help Remember your textbook has a lot of extra information that can really help you learn more about the Cold

More information

Section 2 Guided Reading pp Name: Class Period: Due Date: / /

Section 2 Guided Reading pp Name: Class Period: Due Date: / / Name: Class Period: Due Date: / / APUSH Review Guide for AMSCO chapter 26. Directions: 1. Pre-Read: Read the prompts/questions within this guide before you read the chapter. 2. Skim: Flip through the chapter

More information

Unit 7: The Cold War

Unit 7: The Cold War Unit 7: The Cold War Standard 7-5 Goal: The student will demonstrate an understanding of international developments during the Cold War era. Vocabulary 7-5.1 OCCUPIED 7-5.2 UNITED NATIONS NORTH ATLANTIC

More information

Modern World History Spring Final Exam 09

Modern World History Spring Final Exam 09 1. What was the goal of the Marshall Plan? A. to provide aid to European countries damaged by World War II B. to protect member nations against Soviet Union aggression C. to protect the United States economically

More information