Cold War Foundations

Foundations of the Cold War

• Post-World War II, the U.S. and USSR emerged as superpowers with conflicting ideologies: capitalism/democracy versus communism/totalitarianism.
• The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences revealed disputes over Eastern Europe and postwar arrangements.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

• Prompted by unrest in Greece and Turkey.
• The U.S. pledged support to countries resisting communism.
• Marked the beginning of the containment policy: aimed to prevent the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan (1948)

• Provided $12 billion+ in aid to rebuild Western Europe's economy.
• It was designed to strengthen capitalist democracies and prevent communist takeovers.
• A very successful plan, allowed Western Europe to recover quickly.

Berlin Airlift (1948–1949)

• Stalin blockaded West Berlin to force Allies out.
• The U.S. and Britain responded by airlifting food and supplies for almost a year.
• Resulted in the end of the blockade; NATO was formed shortly after as a military alliance.

Creation of NATO (1949)

• The first peacetime alliance for the U.S.
• A mutual defense pact among the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe.
• The Soviet response was the Warsaw Pact (1955).

NSC-68 (1950)

• A secret policy document that recommended a major military buildup.
• The Cold War was viewed as a global ideological conflict requiring long-term readiness.

The Second Red Scare

• An intense fear of internal communist infiltration in the U.S.
• HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) investigated "un-American" behavior, especially in Hollywood.
• Alger Hiss was accused of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury.
• The Rosenbergs were executed for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the USSR.

Senator Joseph McCarthy

• Claimed hundreds of communists were in the U.S. government, but offered no solid evidence.
• "McCarthyism" became synonymous with reckless accusations and fearmongering.
• He was eventually discredited in televised hearings (Army-McCarthy hearings).

Civil Rights under Truman

• Executive Order 9981 (1948) desegregated the armed forces.
• Marked the start of federal involvement in civil rights.

Korean War (1950–1953)

• North Korea (backed by USSR/China) invaded South Korea (backed by the U.S./UN).
• Initial U.S. gains were reversed after Chinese intervention.
• Ended in stalemate with a ceasefire at the 38th parallel.
• Expanded the Cold War to Asia, the first armed conflict of the Cold War.

Eisenhower’s Presidency (1953–1961)

• He advocated Modern Republicanism: conservative on money, liberal on human rights.
• Balanced the budget and supported some New Deal programs.

Foreign Policy under Eisenhower

• Practiced Brinkmanship: pushing adversaries to the brink of war to force concessions.
• Operated under Massive Retaliation: the U.S. would respond with nuclear force if attacked.
• The CIA was involved in Iran (1953): Overthrew Mossadegh, reinstated the Shah.
• The CIA was involved in Guatemala (1954): Overthrew the left-leaning government of Arbenz.

Postwar Economic Boom

• GNP doubled, unemployment was low, and there was widespread prosperity.
• Consumer culture exploded: TVs, appliances, cars, advertising.
• The GI Bill helped veterans access college education and home loans.

Suburbanization

• Levittowns: Mass-produced suburban housing developments.
• Expansion of the middle class also fueled white flight and urban decline.
• The Highway Act of 1956 created the interstate system, supporting car culture and suburbs.

Gender Roles and Family Life

• The ideal of the 1950s woman as a homemaker/mother was reinforced by media.
• Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (early 1960s) later challenged this ideal.

Youth Culture & Dissent

• Rise of rock and roll (Elvis Presley), beatniks, and youth rebellion.
• Teens became a distinct cultural and economic force.

Civil Rights Movement Begins

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned "separate but equal".
• This sparked resistance in the South and momentum for activism.
• Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956): Rosa Parks’ arrest led to a 381-day boycott; MLK emerged as a leader.
• Little Rock Nine (1957): Federal troops enforced desegregation at Central High in Arkansas.

Cold War Intensifies

• Sputnik (1957): The Soviet satellite launch shocked the U.S. and triggered fears of a missile gap.
• Led to the creation of NASA and a focus on STEM education.
• U-2 Incident (1960): A U.S. spy plane was shot down over the USSR; Eisenhower denied it at first, worsening tensions.

Timeline Events

• 1945: End of World War II, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, United Nations established.
• 1947: Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan proposed, Loyalty Review Board created.
• 1948: Berlin Blockade/Airlift, Executive Order 9981, Truman re-elected.
• 1949: NATO formed, the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb, China became communist.
• 1950: NSC-68 issued, Korean War began.
• 1953: Korean War armistice, Eisenhower became president, CIA overthrew Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh.
• 1954: Brown v. Board of Education, the CIA orchestrated a coup in Guatemala.
• 1955: Montgomery Bus Boycott began, Warsaw Pact formed, Emmett Till murdered.
• 1956: Federal Highway Act passed, Southern Manifesto issued.
• 1957: Little Rock Nine integrated Central High School, USSR launched Sputnik, Civil Rights Act of 1957.
• 1960: U-2 Incident, JFK elected president.
• 1961: Bay of Pigs Invasion, Berlin Wall constructed, Freedom Rides began.
• 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis.
• 1963: March on Washington, Birmingham Campaign, JFK assassinated, LBJ became president.
• 1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Freedom Summer, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
• 1965: Voting Rights Act of 1965, Selma to Montgomery Marches, Watts Riot, U.S. began large-scale troop deployment to Vietnam.
• 1966: Black Panther Party formation, National Organization for Women (NOW) founded.
• 1967: Summer of Love, race riots in Detroit and Newark, anti-Vietnam War protests increased.
• 1968: Tet Offensive, MLK assassinated, RFK assassinated, Democratic National Convention protests, Richard Nixon elected president.