Post War America and the Cold War

Return to Normalcy On the return of the soldiers from WWII, women are forced out of the work force to make room for returning veterans. The GI Bill is passed giving veterans better opportunities for housing and college educations

Cold War A fear of Communism will divide the world into the Cold War Cold War – not a “hot” war – the main combatants fight through others This fear of communism is similar to the Palmer Raids from the 1920’s It takes a new form with the McCarthy Hearings (HUAAC) “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” 1950 – 1954 – Spans Truman into Eisenhower

Initial events of the Cold War Truman Iron Curtain speech 1946 Truman Doctrine - 1947 Berlin Airlift 1949

Initial events of the Cold War Kennedy Bay of Pigs – 1961 U-2 Spy Plane – 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962

Hot Conflicts during the Cold War The Korean Conflict is often known as the “Forgotten War” dwarfed by WWII and the Vietnam War on either side. Korea is left as a divided nation after the Korean War with a communist north and a democratic south – the 38th Parallel

Hot Conflicts during the Cold War The ideas of containment and domino theory are the key ideas of the Cold War that lead the US into the Vietnam Conflict

Conflicts during the Cold War Vietnam under LBJ Gulf of Tonkin Incident Tet Offensive Vietnam under Nixon Kent State My Lai Massacre Ending of the war

Domestic Policy Kennedy LBJ Nixon Camelot Peace Corp Great Society = attempt to end poverty and discrimination Nixon Watergate Crisis

Domestic Policy Watergate Scandal leads to impeachment Missing minutes on taped phone calls – WHY WERE THEY MISSING?

Civil Rights Why?

Civil Rights Rosa Parks – she sparks the Montgomery Bus Boycott Brown v. Board of Education – overturns “Separate but Equal”

Civil Rights

Civil Rights Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that equal rights were guaranteed to all regardless of color March on Washington – A variety of groups supported it I Have A Dream Speech https://youtu.be/3vDWWy4CMhE

Civil Rights Dissatisfied with MLKJ r’s approach Malcolm X demands black separatism by any means necessary