American History
American History
“Post WWII America”
Notes
Establishing a Peaceful World
*Rebuilding
--Europe was devastated by the war
--Allied armies of occupation divided the Axis nations into zones of
occupation
1. Yalta Conference--Feb. 1945
-Stalin, Churchill, and FDR met at Yalta (USSR) to plan
the post war world
-Stalin was able to convince the others to let the USSR
control Eastern Europe
-begins a division between the Allies--East/West
2. USSR closed off its zones of occupation to the rest of the world
- “The Iron Curtain”--symbolism for the totalitarian
control of the Soviets--first mentioned by Churchill
in a speech to the US Congress
-results in a divided Germany--East and West
-Berlin is divided as well--was in East Germany--West
Berlin becomes a haven of freedom
-built walls, stationed military units on the borders
-limited personal freedom in the Soviet Bloc--group of
nations in E. Europe controlled by the USSR--put
together by a military treaty--Warsaw Pact
--The Marshall Plan
1. Western Allies (esp. the US) put together a plan to rebuild
Europe--wanted to avoid the mistakes of WWI
-hoped to keep people from becoming desperate and turn
to Communism or Fascism again
2. Consisted of billions of dollars in aid and investment, training
and personnel, and military occupation and assistance
3. helped to stabilize and reestablish governments and normal
routines
4. Finland is the only nation that ever repaid the US
5. established a foreign policy trend of helping troubled nations
and stabilizing volatile situations in foreign countries
--MacArthur and Japan
1. reorganization focused on removing aggressive military and
political elements and traditions in Japan
2. greatly increased democracy--made the Emperor a token leader
3. General MacArthur wanted to “leave Japan better than I found
it”
4. economy booms because of American investment and
training--US still provides military needs for Japan
--The United Nations
1. set up after the war to settle international disputes
2. organized and led by the US
3. military issues are dealt with by the Security Council
-5 permanent members--US, USSR, GB, France, China
--The North Atlantic Treaty Organization--NATO
1. alliance of Western Allies--designed to provide defense
against a Communist threat in Europe
2. goal is to maintain peace in Europe--avoid a world war
The Cold War--1946-1989
*Diplomatic, economic, and military tensions built up between democratic
and communist nations
--were competing for control--did not trust each other--neither wanted
a war--both thought the other group would invade them
--influenced smaller nations or developing countries with economic
and military incentives
--western nations vowed to stop the spread of communism
1. The Truman Doctrine--Pres. Truman vowed to fight to halt
communism wherever and whenever it spread--an
extension of the Monroe Doctrine--became the basis for
modern US foreign policy
--China and USSR became the leading communist nations
1. communists in China, led by Mao Tse Tung, overthrew the
Chinese government in 1948
2. communists took advantage of postwar confusion and lack of
order to control several smaller nations--“satellite
nations”
3. was an uneasy partnership--long history of mistrust between
the two nations
-were long-time rivals for the control of Asia
--was usually a war of diplomacy and aid—espionage—but war was also waged
1. Korea was divided into 2 countries after WWII--North/South
-communists in N.Korea invaded S. Korea in 1950
1) the UN came to the aid of the S. Koreans
2) the US supplied most of the military forces for
this “police action”
a. were commanded by Gen. MacArthur
3) forced the N. Koreans back across the border and
almost into China
-The Chinese entered the war with a massive assault in Nov.1950--pushed UN troops back into S. Korea
-MacArthur and Truman disagreed about attacking China
1) Truman did not want to violate the UN rules of engagement
2) MacArthur wanted to take out bridges on the Yalu River (border w/China) so the Chinese couldn’t get across
-Truman removed him from command for
Insubordination
-The Korean Conflict ended in a stalemate
-UN forces were unable to gain land past the 38th parallel
but did not lose any more ground
-When Eisenhower was elected in 1952 he vowed to end
the war
-a treaty was finally signed in July 1953
-the two nations have lived in an uneasy peace ever since
-33,629 Americans died
2. Cuba became communist in 1958-59 after a US-supported
rebellion--was led by Fidel Castro--became a communist
after he took over
-put a Soviet “satellite nation” less than 100 miles off the
US coast--Monroe Doctrine was being challenged
-the US tried to overthrow Castro’s government with the
1961 “Bay of Pigs” Invasion
1) had been set up by Pres. Eisenhower in 1959-60
2) John F. Kennedy became Pres. in 1960
3) was a CIA operation--was mismanaged and
ended in disaster--Kennedy was blamed
-the USSR put nuclear missile bases in Cuba--Kruschev
1) Kennedy forced them to remove them by threatening nuclear war
2) Called the “Cuban Missle Crisis”
3. The Vietnam Conflict changed America
-Vietnam had long been struggling for independence
1) was a French Colony--French Indochina
2) was occupied by the Japanese for much of WWII
3) revolted against the French in the early 1950’s
4) France withdrew in 1954
5) nation was split into two countries (north/south)--North
was communist & South democratic
-Ho Chi Minh vowed to unite Vietnam as a communist
nation--had sent political operatives (spies) into the
South before the split--began to disrupt the system
and move to take over local governments in the
late 1950’s
-civil war broke out in 1960
-the US had been an advisor to the Vietnamese since
WWII--had signed a treaty of alliance with South
Vietnam after the partition--wanted to help them
establish a democratic form of government-China
and the USSR were aiding the North
-President Kennedy increased the number of US military
advisors when the civil war broke out--began to
send technical support/training personnel in 1962
-By 1964 the US had troops, ships, planes, and armor in
the region
-Direct US involvement came with the Gulf of Tonkin
Resolution in 1964--North Vietnam attacked US
ships that were assisting South Vietnamese forces
in the Gulf of Ton kin--President Johnson was
given the power to attack the N.V. forces in South
Vietnam--limited where/how by the wording of
the resolution and by the UN--would prove to be a
major drawback for the US military
-Results in a confused, bureaucratic war--no clear
objectives or goals for the forces--rules of combat
limited US capabilities--civilian casualties
-much of the battle took place in the press--media was
looking for scandals--military was covering up
(false casualty reports)--anti-war movement was
strong in America (even aided the enemy-->info.)
-Richard Nixon was elected in 1968--tried to reach “Peace
with Honor”--expanded the war to neighboring
Laos and Cambodia to try to eliminate Viet Cong
supply lines--was unpopular politically
-US withdrew in 1973--over 50,000 killed
-S. Vietnam fell to Communists in 1975--Saigon Airlift
-impacts of the war are still felt today:
1) protests against the war and the government
led to drastic changes within America’s
political system
a) split the Democratic Party
b) less trust in government
2) makes the US tentative to get involved in
“another Vietnam”
3) troops still suffer from the effects
a) drug addiction--part of Viet Cong’s strategy
b) mental illness--were rarely “welcomed” back--anti-war movement called them “baby-killers”--pro-war movement rejected them as “losers”--tortured in POW camps--some soldiers were never released
c) injuries still plague their health—chemical weapons/wounds have disabled many of these veterans the nation made a conscious effort to heal these wounds in the 1980’s and 1990’s
Cultural Changes of the Post WWII World
*End of the Cold War
--Arms Race
1. Eastern and Western nations built up huge, advanced
militaries
-US and USSR become the leading military super powers
1) spent BILLIONS on weapons
2) was a drag on the economies of BOTH nations
a. USSR collapsed economically in 1989-90
b. US builds up a huge national debt
--Changes the politics of Europe
1. break up of the Soviet Bloc is still taking place
2. Germany reunified in 1990-91
*America redefined “Freedom”
--The “Red Scare”
1. part of the paranoia of the Cold War
2. Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisc.) headed the Senate
Committee on “Unamerican Activities”
-did uncover some Communist groups
-was really just a “witch hunt” for political enemies of
McCarthy in politics, education, and entertainment
-ruined many careers--“Black List”
--The Civil Rights Movement
1. Black Americans worked to end segregation and
discrimination
-segregation was still legal--Plessy v. Ferguson (separate
but equal)
-Brown v. the Board of Ed. (Topeka, KS)--1954
1) was a case of school segregation--students were
forced to go to schools because of race, not
location--Sup. Ct. saw that segregation could
not be equal--one group was always favored--
Outlawed Segregation--was ignored in the
South--states’ rights
-Black leaders worked to expose the reality of segregation
and discrimination
1) Martin Luther King, Jr.--Baptist minister who
used his pulpit to fight injustice
a. formed the Southern Christian Leadership
Council--made up of ministers and
community leaders (black and white)
who favored change
b. believed in non-violent protests--would
expose the ignorance of discrimination
and violence--used boycotts, sit-ins,
marches, “freedom rides”, etc. to
challenge segregation--he and his
followers were attacked, beaten,
imprisoned, and even murdered--
violence was the only argument that
segregation had
c. became a national issue--public was
appalled by what they saw
d. led to Federal Government intervention
by Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy,
Johnson, and Nixon--Civil Right Act
of 1964 enforced the Constitution
e. King was murdered on April 4, 1968 in
Memphis, TN--riots broke out in
many cities--the nation mourned
2) Malcolm X
a. was an Islamic leader--wanted to increase
pride of Black Americans in their
heritage--rejected non-violence--called
for total separation of races--religious
experience changed him--called for
equality under the law--saw separation as racism--shot by Black radicals (1965)
--Americans change politically
1. greatly influenced by the presidency of John F. Kennedy
-elected in 1960--1st Roman Catholic Pres.--1st Pres. of the
WWII generation
-had definite goals for the nation:
1) zero tolerance for Communism--increase Space
technology--man on the moon before 1970
(Apollo 11 landed in 1969)--increase
educational opportunities--increase civil
rights--zero tolerance for organized crime
(Robert Kennedy was the Attorney General)--
use America’s gifts to improve the world
(Peace Corps and VISTA) programs helped
the less fortunate
-was a young father and a decorated veteran--“America’s
New Frontier”--inspired a new generation
-controversy and scandal marred this image--affairs and
corruption were later revealed
-was assassinated in Dallas, TX--Nov. 22, 1963
1) conspiracy and cover-up surround the murder
a. possible links with Cuba, organized crime,
and the CIA
b. only suspect--Lee Harvey Oswald--was shot before he could be brought to trial--evidence was confusing--cover up?
c. only credible evidence points to a single gunman (Oswald) acting on his own
2) made Kennedy a martyr--began America’s
disillusion with politics
2. Watergate brings America more scandal and controversy
-members of Richard Nixon’s campaign staff set up a
break in at the Democratic headquarters in the
Watergate Hotel--before the 1972 election--info.
taken was never used--Nixon won in a landslide
over Sen. George McGovern (D-SD)
-Nixon learned of the break in and decided to cover it up
-the media got the story and exposed the cover up
-Congress brought up articles of impeachment
-Nixon resigned rather than disgrace the office--1974
-V.P. Gerald Ford was sworn in as President
-every controversial story is a “scandal” now
-increased the power of the press in America
3. Jimmy Carter’s presidency was largely ineffective (1976-1980)
-former Gov. of Georgia--was elected because he was
honest and was not a “Washington Insider”--was
the choice of the people, not the party--much of his
program for Am. was blocked by his own party
-Energy Crisis--Started with oil embargoes by the Middle
Eastern petroleum companies against the US
(OPEC) in the early 1970’s--Carter’s energy programs
were aimed at conserving energy and developing
alternative fuel sources
-Peace Between Israel and Egypt--Carter hosted a series of
meetings between Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat and
Israeli leader Menachim Begin--led to the first peace
treaty ever signed between an Arab nation and the
Israelis
-Iran Hostage Crisis--Islamic terrorists overthrew the Shah
of Iran--seized the US Embassy--took hostages--Pres.
Carter was unable to get them home--was wrongly
blamed for problems at home and abroad
*The “Reagan Revolution”
--Ronald Reagan (R-California) was elected by a landslide over Jimmy
Carter in 1980--was re-elected in 1984 over former V.P. Walter
Mondale (D--Minn.)
1. “Cultural Conservativism”--Reagan’s main philosophy as
President was based on conservative Judeao-Christian
values--was against abortion, divorce, “immoral” behavior,
communism, drugs, etc.
2. Fiscal Conservatism--wanted to reduce the size of the
government by cutting taxes and eliminating federal
programs
-created a “boom” in the economy
-military defense spending created a huge budget deficit
that led to a recession or down turn in the economy
in the early 1990’s--was blamed on Pres. Bush (sr.)
3. Was shot by John Hinkley, Jr. in 1981--Hinkley was found
mentally incompetent to stand trial and placed in a
psychiatric hospital--Reagan’s press secretary, James Brady,
was also badly wounded and later works for hand-gun
control--“The Brady Bill”
4. Farm Crisis, Unemployment, and Homelessness were problems
that arose during Reagan’s Presidency
5. Restores pride in the nation and brings more respect to the
Presidency--Grenada Rescue Operation and Libyan Bombings
6. Scandals did arise in the military build up and funding of anti-
Communist forces in Central America
-Iran-Contra--members of the administration diverted illegal funds from arm sales to Iran to fund the “Contras” who were fighting communist governments in Nicaragua and El Salvador—many were charged with crimes—Reagan was “out of the loop” and was unaware of the incidents
-Deficit Spending—by winning the arms race and cutting taxes, Reagan’s administration increased the Federal Deficit (money borrowed by the government) at an incredible rate—However, the economy continued to boom for most Americans
--George Bush was elected President in 1988
1. Opposition in the Congress worked against many of his
programs--party politics
2. Was successful in foreign policy issues
-Panama (1989)--a military dictator, Manuel Noriaga, was
helping to smuggle drugs and weapons into and out
of the U.S.
1) Bush deployed Army and Marine forces to “arrest”
him
-The Persian Gulf War--Iraqi dictator Saddham Hussein
tried to take over the neighboring country of Kuwait
and threatened to take over Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and
Israel--was contained and defeated by a U.S.-led
coalition of United Nations countries--the coalition
rules were so strictly written that Hussein could not
be pursued and captured and remains in power
4. Economic difficulties forced Bush to go back on a campaign promise not to raise taxes
-ended a recession and closed the deficit on the budget—bipartisan economic package with the Democrats to improve economy
-opponents used this against him in 1992—“broken promises”
-pushed many Republicans and Conservative Democrats toward H. Ross Perot’s Reform Party
5. Was defeated by William J. Clinton in 1992
-Clinton promised an economic turnaround
-Perot claimed that neither party could break the gridlock of politics that was stagnating the nation’s growth
-Bush could not overcome the “No NEW TAXES” pledge
-Election results:
|Clinton |Bush |Perot |
|Electors: 370 |Electors: 168 |Electors: 0 |
|Pop. Vote: 43% |Pop. Vote: 37.4% |Pop. Vote: 18.9% |
--William J. Clinton capitalized on Bush’s lack of success on economic and certain foreign issues and the rise of Reform Party candidate H. Ross Perot
1. Was seen as a Washington outsider—former Gov. of Arkansas
2. Economy turned around in 1993—1992 Bush Budget Compromise
3. Benefitted from growth of internet and “website business”
4. Increased capital gains tax (tax on personal profits from the sale of land or from stock market activity) and greatly reduced defense spending (Post Cold War Military) to shrink the US budget deficit
5. Worked to reform welfare system—“workfare” programs pushed for less dependancy on welfare programs and encouraged people to seek jobs—compromised with BOTH parties in Congress
6. Won re-election in 1996 over Sen. Robert Dole of Kansas by moving to more moderate positions—Perot ran as well, getting 12% of the vote, again taking votes away from the more conservative candidate, Dole
7. Personal scandals involving real estate deals, campaign contributions, misuse of FBI files, sexual affairs, and perjury consumed much of his efforts and credibility as President
8. Impeachment—was impeached by the House of Representatives—Senate fell one vote short of convicting him on perjury and obstruction of justice charges
9. First Democratic President to win and serve 2 full terms since FDR
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