The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe A Post WWII America, The Cold War, and the culture of the 1950s

How did World War II End? Germany Surrenders Japan Surrenders Restrictions Placed on both countries 1. Military Restrictions 2. Government Restrictions Why??????? How did World War II End?

ISRAEL CREATED When and Why? 1948: Great Britain gives land (Imperialist Power) For Holocaust survivors From 1948 to the Present, there has been a great deal of fighting/conflict in this area, between Israel and Palestine ISRAEL CREATED

Communism

America is CONCERNED Evil Axis Powers are defeated Soldiers are coming home Rising threat of communism---RED SCARE Spread of weapons of mass destruction Atomic Bomb America is CONCERNED

Duck and Cover! Atomic Warfare

Cold War: era of high tension and bitter rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union Iron Curtain: A term reflecting Churchill’s belief that communism had created a sharp division in Europe Roots of the Cold War

Containment and the Domino Theory Containment: The policy that the U.S. adopted in the late 1940’s of stopping the spread of communism in a variety of ways Domino Theory: The thought that if countries such as South Korea and South Vietnam fell to communism from North Korea and North Vietnam, this would create a chain reaction in Asia and that other nations would also fall to communism Containment and the Domino Theory

The Truman Doctrine Truman Doctrine Truman stated that aid would help many different governments resist Soviet expansion The Truman Doctrine

Marshall Plan and Berlin Airlift Marshall Plan: U.S. spent over $13 billion in 17 countries so that “conditions in which free institutions” would exist Berlin Airlift: 400,000 tons of supplies were delivered. Soviets put a blockade on Berlin Only way to deliver supplies was by air 70 U.S. and British died in airplane crashes 280,000 total flights made Marshall Plan and Berlin Airlift

Fair Deal: Truman’s post war plan for the country Similar to the New Deal Congress did NOT support his program Few of his ideas became laws Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone is free and equal Called to end slavery, torture, and inhumane punishment A variety of other civil rights and liberties Fair Deal and Beyond…

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, U.S. These five joined Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the UK to form an alliance against the Soviet Union in case of war NATO

GI Bill: FDR signed this bill so that GI’s could make a smooth adjustment into civilian life Money for schooling Loans Help finding work Baby Boom: More Americans began having families the 2 decades following WWII GI Bill and Baby Boom

1950s Culture President Eisenhower Federal Highway Act “Ike” Former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Well loved Federal Highway Act Largest Public Works Program in US History 10 years, over 40,000 miles of interstate highways 1950s Culture

1950s Culture… US economy prospers Growth of the suburbs Decade of incredible prosperity Lots of disposable income Growth of the suburbs In between the “rural” and “city” areas 1950s Culture…

1950s Culture… Rise of Television Rock ‘n’ Roll Sit coms portrayed everyday life & culture Woman’s place was the home Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis Presley Rise of Black American entertainers Chuck Berry Ray Charles Little Richard 1950s Culture…

Mao Zedong Threat of Communist China Mao Zedong: Chinese Communist dictator Leader of Chinese Revolution Overthrew Chang Kai-shek (he fled to Taiwan) Held in high regard in China Although China's population almost doubled during the period of Mao's leadership (from around 550 to over 900 million), his rule from 1949 to 1976 is believed to have caused the deaths of 40 to 70 million people. Mao Zedong

Examples of Cold War “Hot” Conflicts KOREAN WAR POLICE ACTION Examples of Cold War “Hot” Conflicts

Truman FIRES MacArthur General MacArthur wants to expand Korean War against China Use of Atomic Weapons Criticizes LIMITED WAR and President Truman Truman FIRES MacArthur for INSUBORDINATION Truman FIRES MacArthur

VIETNAM WAR------CONFLICT