The Cold War: Truman to Eisenhower

Agenda 1. Bell Ringer: 2. Notes: The 1950s, Eisenhower and continuation of the Cold War. Affluence and Society (20 minutes) 3. Red Scare Analysis, McCarthyism (10 minutes) 4. The Century Americas Time Clip (4 minutes) (Happy Days) 5. Kitchen Table Debates Analysis (15 minutes) 6. Sputnik Analysis (15 minutes) HW: Finish any work that was not submitted originally

Truman’s Domestic Policies Congress Congress is Republican Controlled, Not good for a Democrat as President Twenty-Second Amendment (1951): two-term limit imposed on President Taft-Hartley Act (1947): probusiness act passed by Congress, permitted states to pass “right to work” Civil Rights Truman challenged racial discrimination, used executive powers to establish The Committee on Civil Rights in 1946 The Fair Deal -Truman proposed a domestic agenda that included civil rights, national health care legislation, federal aid to education.

The Red Scare and McCarthyism McCarthy pursued people he felt were Communist. Alger Hiss received 5 years in prison for perjury in his testimony on Communist activities. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg jailed and executed for selling atomic secrets to the Soviet Union. Teachers had to take a loyalty oath. A McCarthy accusation would lead to hearings and blacklists.

Eisenhower wins the Election Eisenhower wins on the claim that he can end the war in Korea. He does, having a ceasefire created in 1953. Eisenhower is a dynamic conservative, doing things traditionally but also compromising on economic affairs. Federal aid goes to create the federal highway system. (Interstates)

Ending Korea, Starting Vietnam Mutually Assured Destruction- A continuing increase in nuclear weapons occurred during this period. Brinkmanship- Never backing down from a challenge, even if it meant nuclear weapons. CIA- Fought Communism covertly by helping others collapse governments friendly to the Soviet Union. Purchased the film rights to “Animal Farm” and “1984” to make them overtly anti-communist. Vietnam (1955) French Colony since the 1850s, Vietnam and the Indo-China region was seen as key battle ground in the fight for containment. Eisenhower did not want to get too involved in a conflict in Asia again just a few years after Korea, When nuclear weapons were suggested, Eisenhower stated, “You boys must be crazy, We can’t use those awful things against Asia for the second time in ten years, my God” An international conference at Geneva divides Vietnam on the 17th parallel.

Sputnik and the Kitchen Debates 1957 Soviets launch the first Satellite into Space, and the United States is behind in the space race. Many Americans believe a bomb in space is next. 1959, Kitchen debates have Nixon and Khrushchev debating the merits of their respective countries. Held in Moscow, Nixon attempts to show the advanced nature of the United States compared to Communism.