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The Cold War Era Ariana Fuller Chapter 26 AMSCO April 2007
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Post WWII America became a military superpower because of WWII Soldiers wanted to come home to white picket fences Cold War conflict with the Soviet Union dampened this dream
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GI Bill of Rights Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 Free college education Low-interest loans Bought homes Started businesses Roosevelt signing the bill
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Employment Act of 1946 Truman tried to pass this act through Congress National health insurance Increase in minimum wage Commit government to maintaining full employment Less effective bill passed Council of Economic Affairs created
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Civil Rights Committee on Civil Rights established in 1946 Tried to end segregation in schools End of racial discrimination in federal government and in the armed forces.
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Twenty-Second Amendment 1951 Limited a president to a maximum of two full terms in office
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Taft-Hartley Act 1947 Restrictions on unions Outlawed the “closed shop” States could pass “right to work” laws Outlawed the union shop Outlawed “secondary boycotts” 80-day cooling off period before a strike could be called
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Fair Deal Reform program Enact national health care insurance Federal aid to education Civil rights legislation Funds for public housing Most Fair Deal bills were defeated
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Postwar Cooperation The US and the Soviet Union had an alliance of “mutual convenience” After WWII, positive relations diminished United Nations was founded to maintain international peace The Soviet Union rejected a plan to eliminate atomic weaponry
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Satellite States Soviet forces occupied countries of Central and Eastern Europe Democratic elections were manipulated “Iron Curtain” Separating Communist countries from non-Communist countries.
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Truman Doctrine Policy of Containment Communist uprising in Greece and Soviet demand for Turkey’s Dardanelles $400 million in economic and military aid to assist them
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The Marshall Plan $17 billion European Recovery Program helped Western Europe achieve self- sustaining growth Ended threat of Communism in that region Deepened right between Communists and non-Communists
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Berlin Airlift Soviets cut off all access by land to Berlin Truman flew in supplies to West Berlin for 11 months Two Germanys: Federal Republic of Germany German Democratic Republic
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NATO & National Security North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a military alliance. National Security Act Department of Defense National Security Council Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
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NSC-68 Secret report about fighting the Cold War Quadruple US government defense spending Form alliances with non-Communist countries Convince American public that a costly arms build-up was imperative for the nation’s defense. Defense build-up intensified Russian fears and started unnecessary arms race
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Japan General MacArthur instituted new constitution in US- occupied Japan Parliamentary democracy Renounced war, limited military capability Japan depended on US protection
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US-Japanese Security Treaty Occupation of Japan ended in 1951 Japan surrendered Korea and Pacific Islands US troops remained in military bases in Japan
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China Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek since 1920s Chinese Communists led by Mao Zedong instigated Civil War Congress voted to give the Nationalists $400 million 80% of that went to Communists because of corruption By 1949, mainland China fell to Communists Chiang’s government moved to Taiwan (the only Chinese government recognized by the US until the ‘70s)
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Korea Korea was divided at 38th parallel Soviets occupied the North US occupied the South with By 1949, Soviets left power to Communist leader Kim Sung II US left power to conservative Nationalist Syngman Rhee
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Korean War In 1950, the North invaded the South Truman called the UN Security Council to authorize a UN force to defend South Korea MacArthur stabilized fighting at 38th parallel, pushed for intensified assault at mainland China Truman recalled MacArthur for insubordination Armistice signed in 1953 after 54,000 US dead
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Second Red Scare Loyalty Review Board: investigated federal employees’ backgrounds Thousands lost their jobs Smith Act: illegal to advocate the overthrow of the government Dennis et al. v United States: Supreme Court upheld constitutionality of the Smith Act
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Second Red Scare McCarran Internal Security Act Made it unlawful to support totalitarianism Restricted rights of people belonging to communist organizations Authorized creation of detention camps for subversives House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Reactivated in postwar years to find and alienate Communists
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Espionage Cases Alger Hiss was accused of leaking secret documents to Communists Proclaimed innocence, sent to prison Julius and Ethel Rosenburg were executed for giving atomic bomb secrets to the Soviets Anticommunist hysteria added to extreme accusations
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Joseph McCarthy Senator McCarthy used unsupported accusations about Communists in the government to feed his hunger for power His ruthless tactics and reckless cruelty was exposed on television in 1954 Viewers saw him as a bully “McCarthyism” ended in 1954 when the Senate censured him.
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