1. CH 27: Post WWWII America

2. WWII is Over! FEARS The Soviet Union A return of the Great Depression

4. A Return of the Soldiers Slow return Fear of the soviets in Europe Soldiers had difficult adjustment High divorce rate Housing shortage US helps GI Bill  construction boom & college ed.

5. Post War Affluence People “Ready to Spend” Wartime employment  $140 billion in savings Tired of the rations and empty shelves The Baby Boom

6. The Post War Family High marriage rates, low divorce Led to baby boom Women’s employment gains disappeared They wanted them, but men were returning Experts said their true job was “mothering”

7. Suburbia Mass production of homes Levittown Good schools Safe streets “Sameness” and conformity Reinforced gender roles

8. The Soviet Threat – The Cold War U.S. ended “Lend-Lease” after Japan Gave England $3.75 Billion in loans Refused Russian requests Stalin irritated Churchill gives the Iron Curtain Speech Mentions that it was God’s will to give the US the A-bomb to stop USSR expansion

9. Containment Ideology Communism is like an amoeba US must be ready to meet all attempts at expansion Will lead to Korea and Vietnam

10. The Truman Doctrine 1947 – Truman presents his doctrine over the Radio and to Congress “it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures” We’re looking at you Stalin… Too open ended?

11. The Marshall Plan Without massive aid, Euro Govs might collapse Would cause chaos Offered to USSR They refused Didn’t want to be tied to capitalist gov Truman ok that Would have been hard to Convince Congress to give $ to USSR Might have ruined the whole plan

12. Effects of the Marshall Plan Tremendous success Created jobs, raised standard of living Curbed Communist influences Increased US trade and investment in Europe Ominous Growing Repression in Eastern Europe Satellite Countries Poland, Yugoslavia, Hungary

13. Remember the Red Scare… US fearful of communism Led to less tolerance for progressive reforms Truman created the Federal Loyalty- Security Program Background checks on Federal employees Minimal rights for accused House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Watchdog for commy propaganda Investigated the movie industry

14. Domestic Policies during this time Alger Hiss (Communist spy) in Gov. Democrats hurt by idea that they were full of spies Led to an end to national health care and federal aid for education Taft-Hartley act ended union power Truman tried to help Civil Rights efforts Desegregated the army

15. 1948 Truman gets re-elected… Northern Democrats called for strong Civil Rights Acts Southern Dems left the convention Formed the Dixiecrats Demanded complete segregation of the races Truman campaigned as a protector of the New Deal legislation Supported Israel Confronted Stalin Supported the Berlin Airlift

16. Cold War Internationally 1949 – USSR detonated a Nuclear Weapon Communists have the “Bomb” US loses the “Atomic Monopoly” Blamed spies, the USSR was too backward US relied on the bomb in foreign policy China was about to become Communist too!

17. What to do?!? NATO formed – a group of 11 western European nations join against USSR The USSR & satellites for the Warsaw Pact Also issue NSC68 Use of military force to stop communist aggressions anywhere in the world Develop the Hydrogen Bomb

19. War In Korea - 1950 Communist N. Korea invaded non-Communist S. Korea US wanted to “Contain” Communism Needed to check this act Troops sent to Korea Successful, but went past the original border Brought China into war US feared Russian involvement US had to fall back and truce settled at the original border

20. McCarthyism An extension of the Red Scare/HUAC model Republican Joseph McCarthy accused people in government of being Communists no evidence Usually made up Eventually flamed out…

21. I Like Ike 1952 elections – tense atmosphere of Cold War Dwight Eisenhower accused Democrats of greed, protecting traitors, messing up the Korean War Ike’s VP selection was Richard Nixon Accused of taking gifts Went on TV to deny the charges Ike went on to become president in 52