1. The Cold War:
Points of Conflict

2. Textbook’s Narrative After WWII, USSR took over EE -controls countries
US alarmed by USSR “hostility,” responded with “containment”: contain USSR to defend “democratic ideals and freedoms” (467)
Marshall Plan is part of containment:
give money to Europe to recover and fight communism
USSR responds by blocking all US traffic into Berlin, Germany’s capital
The US and allies airlift materials to Berliners and refuse to lose to USSR
Also, US forms NATO, a military alliance meant to stop USSR aggression.

3. The Spread of Communism

5. Cold War at Home
How does the Cold War affect regular Americans, and the nation as a whole?

6. The Second Red Scare!!! Post WWII Events
USSR seals Eastern European border (1946) –Iron Curtain Speech
Greek and Turkish Communist Rebels (1947) – Truman Doctrine of Containment
Berlin Blockade (1948) – Leads to NATO
USSR invents own A-Bomb (1949)
Chinese Communist win (1949)
Communist North Korea invades South (1950)
General rebellion in colonies
Americans felt communists were everywhere! Gov’t officials believed and manipulated the Red Scare
Films, cartoons, speeches reflected this Red Scare

11. Red Scare Leads to McCarthysm
House of Un-American Activities (HUAC): investigated commies in film (1947)
Truman’s anti-communism through laws
The Smith Act (1949): crime to call overthrow of gov’t
The McCarran Act (1950): required communist org to register with gov’t; prevented “radicals from entering US
Senator Joseph McCarthy, 1950
Claims State Dept has communists – reason for Chinese and USSR victories
No evidence, but Americans believed– leaders were investigated, lost jobs, political careers
1954, after reelection, McCarthy discredited by military
McCarthyism: climate of fear that leads to baseless accusations (1950-4)

12. Red Scare Leads to Arms Race
1949, USSR invented their own nuclear weapon, which created further fears of communist attack!
Leaders being arms race (who has more bombs) to:
Contain/prevent USSR attack or threats
Negotiate pro-US deals --- use bombs to make demands
Intimidate USSR with more bombs
Mutually Assured Destruction: MAD
Both countries could destroy each other, even if you attacked first
This made the world safer because no one would attack 

16. Cold War Effects in Government Size
Limited Civil Liberties
Loyalty oaths, communist investigations, propaganda departments
Imperial Presidents: try to limit checks and balances. Ex: Truman does not declare war on North Korea = no Congressional authority
National Defense Act
Federal Deficit Spending
Defense budget quadrupled from $13.5 billion (’50) to $52 billion (’52)
Huge deficits afterwards; spent $100 billion on Korean War
Military Industrial Complex
Conjunction (connection) between a large military establishment and a large arms industry – endanger democratic process; economy seemingly dependent on military