The Cold War Era (1945-1991)

A. Post-War America
Demobilization
o Size of the armed forces was decreased
1946: 12 million to 3 million
o Some still served in West Germany and Japan to ensure a smooth

governmental transition
B. Election of 1948
Democrat Nominee: Harry S. Truman (Incumbent President)
Democratic Party Split: opposed to Trumans stand on civil rights
Republic Nominee: Thomas E. Dewey Governor of New York
Truman campaigned by train Whistle Stop
TV was a factor (not a big one)
Truman wins a close election
Truman wanted to give the American people a Fair Deal
o Fair Deal an extension of New Deal reforms
C. Atomic Energy
Atomic Energy Act Preserved government control of fissionable materials
Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) encouraged private and government

research and development of atomic energy

D. National Security Act
Armed Forces placed under a new Cabinet department
Headed by a civilian: Secretary of Defense
Created the National Security Council and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
E. Presidential Succession Act
Succession passed from Vice President to Speaker of the House and then to the

President pro tempore of the Senate

Truman believed the President should be someone elected to office
F. Twenty Second Amendment
Limited any president after Harry Truman to two terms
o A reaction of FDRs time in office
G. Post War America: Affluent Society and Culture
White Collar Jobs
o Jobs that are mainly in sales and management
Blue Collar Jobs
o Jobs that are physical in nature
 o Construction, factory workers, miners
H. Labor
Laborers wanted wage increases
o Many had not received them during the war
o Inflation concerns were growing
Both the railroad and coal mines went on strike
Taft-Hartley Act
o Goal: to achieve a better balance between labor and management
o President: if strike endangered public safety, he could require cool off

period
o During this period: Unions could NOT call a strike and management could

NOT call a lockout

I. G.I. Bill of Rights
Provided veterans of WWII with a variety of services
Examples: Hospitals, payments to vets without jobs, free tuition, books and

expenses for job training, college, or advanced education

Helped veterans with their transition back to civilian life
J. Multi-National Corporations
A corporation that has branches in other countries
K. Franchises
One person owns or operates several stores of a particular chain
Typically have a specific uniform and style
o Continuity
L. Baby Boom
Soldiers coming home from WWII
Number of babies increases exponentially
Baby Boom: typically born between 1946-1964
M. Consumerism
People desire the objects their neighbors have keeping up with the Jones

(want what your neighbor has)

More disposable income = more spending
Luxury items (washing machine, oven, fridge)
N. Advertising
People are buying more
Companies market goods to try and sell
Advertising explosion
O. Levittown
Levittown, NY: one of the first suburbs
Bill Levitt: mass produced similar looking houses
 Houses were inexpensive
Other Levittowns spring up
P. Reasons for Moving to the Suburbs
Escape crime and congestion
Better life
Picturesque environment
Affordability
Effect: leads to urban sprawl
Q. Technology Breakthroughs
Polio vaccination
o Jonas Salk 1954
o Polio was a huge issue in the 1950s
o We didnt know what caused it
o Jonas Salk first tested it on himself and his family
o Albert Sabin invents oral vaccinati
o Polio cases plummet across the USA

1950s Popular Culture and the Other Side of American Life

R. Rise of Television Popularity
TVs more affordable
o 1946: 7,000 sets
o 1957: 40,000 sets
Advertising finds a new outlet
Athletic events become very popular
S. Popular TV Programs of the 1950s
Comedy Shows
o Bob Hope and Jack Benny
Action Shows
o Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, Dragnet
Variety Shows
o Ed Sullivan Show, quiz shows
Movies in the 1950s
o TV grows = movies decline
Try different things
3-D
Widescreen
Drive-In Movies
Youth Culture
o Rock n Roll
Early forms grew from R&B
o Music was ideal for dancing
Buddy Holly
Elvis Presley
 Chuck Berry
Bill Haley
The Comets
o Draws teens in
T. Music and Youth
Rock n Roll became the popular music of the times
o Parents do not like it
o Youths rebel
People complain that Rock n Roll incites youths
o Generation Gap
U. African American Entertainers
TV tended to shut out African American Entertainers
o Few break through
Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, and Little Richard were popular
o Female groups became popular
V. Other Side of American Life
In 1950, 1 in 3 were impoverished
o End of the 50s: 1 in 5
Most were blind to the nations poor
o Thought all were well
Not all Americans were a part of the affluent society
o Minorities and rural were poor
The American Dream remained out of reach for these people
W. Decline of the Inner City
White families move to suburbs
o Tax money goes with these people
o Urban centers begin to decline
Urban Renewal
o Tear down slums
o Nice high-rise towers
Overcrowded: leads to violence
X. African Americans in the 1950s
City population increase
o Mostly due to African Americans moving north during/after WWII
Life was typically not better in the north
o Racial discrimination continues
o last hired, first fired
Y. Hispanic-Americans in the 1950s
Bracero Program
o Brings millions of workers to work on farms in SW
o Temporary: started during WWII
Long hours, little pay
o 10-12 hours a day
 o 100 degrees
Slept where they could, ate what they could
Z. Native Americans in the 1950s
Made $1000 less than a typical African American worker
Termination Policy: federal government terminated separate status
o Forced them to assimilate into society
o Disastrous policy
AA. Juvenile Delinquency
Increase 45% in the early 1950s
Crime increases
o Car theft
o Muggings
Why?
o Stereotypes abound
Education system
o Focus is thrown into better educating younger citizens
Interstate Highway System
AB. Beginnings
Eisenhower and army personnel crossed the country in 1919
Autobahn
o Eisenhower liked the autobahn in Germany
o Thought it was efficient
Kept that in his head
Ex: PA Turnpike
o How it Came To Be
Eisenhower threw his support behind creation of the Interstate

system
Revitalizing nations highway system was a high priority
o Ownership and Operation
The individual states own and operate the Interstate system
Currently 46,876 miles of highway
o Speed Limits
States control the MPH limit
In 1974, it was 55
You could go over, but lose federal funds
AC. Hotness Level Rankings
How hot was the Cold War?
o Level 1: Friends - Team you support (Phillies/Eagles)
o Level 2: Acquaintance - Team you mildly support/indifferent about

(Pirates/Steelers)
o Level 3: Disliked Person Team you dislike (Nationals/Redskins)
 o Level 4: Strongly Dislike Team you would never root for

(Braves/Pirates)
o Level 5: Mortal Enemy Team you actively hate and root against

(Mets/Cowboys)
AD. Hotness Level
Marshal Plan
o Summary: an American initiative to aid Western Europe by giving them

money
o Rank: Level 1 because we helped them when they needed money
Long Telegram
o Summary: George Kennan was talking about Soviet Communism. The

greatest task our diplomacy will ever have to face.

o Rank: Level 2 because you are not really giving them anything but your

not doing anything to them either.

Berlin Airlift
o Summary: The US and Britain divided and occupied Germany
o Rank: Level 4 because they dont trust Germany enough to let it run on its

own
Fall of China to Communism
o Summary: It led US to stop diplomacy to
o Rank: Level 3 because you dislike that China fell to communism but it

isnt truly their fault

Korean War
o Summary: N. Korea and S. Korea are fighting and the US gets involved to

help S. Korea and China gets involved to help N. Korea.

o Rank: Level 5 because we strongly dislike N. Korea and what they are

doing. It can also be a Level 1 because we are supporting S. Korea in the

war
AE. Early Cold War Foreign Affairs
United Nations
o A new organization to replace the League of Nations
o Organized to promote international security and cooperation
o General Assembly included delegates from every member nation
AF. Truman Doctrine
 Attempted to contain communist growth
o Containment Policy
Did so by supporting those who resisted Communism
Peacetime military aid to other countries: became our diplomacy
o Ex: Turkey, Greece
AG. Marshall Plan
Sec. of State Marshall provided gifts to Europe
Wanted to prevent economic, social, and political deterioration
o Also, the US was concerned that countries that were in disrepair would

turn to communism
Russia and satellites did not accept aid
AH. Berlin Airlift
June 1948: Russians banned all traffic between Allied controlled West Berlin and

Russia controlled East Berlin

Russians wanted to drive Allies out of West Berlin by cutting off supplies
US, England, and France supplies West Berlin by air
May 1949: Russians lifted the blockade
AI. Fall of China
US former ally, Chiang Kai-shek, was driven out of mainland China
October 1949: Chinese communists, led by Mao Zedong, controlled the Chinese

mainland
The fall of the mainland seemed like one more defeat (to communism) for the US
AJ. N.A.T.O.
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied US and Canada with ten W. European nations from Norway to Portugal;

eventually 15 members
Signed April 4, 1949 an attack on one is treated as an attack on all
Significance: US joined the first peacetime alliance in its history
General Eisenhower Commander of NATO forces
AK. Korean War
Invasion by North Korea
o 1949 & 1950: Skirmishes took place between N. and S. Korea along the

38th parallel (Dividing Line)

o Suddenly on June 25, 1950, 135,000 N. Koreans, armed and organized by

the Soviets, attacked S. Korea

Trumans Action
o Had the attack brought before the UN Council
 o UN Called for an end to fighting
o General MacArthur: told to furnish arms and naval & air support to South

Koreans
UN Action
o 2 days after invasion, UN Security Council calls on member nations to aid

S. Korea
o General MacArthur: put in command of UN forces
AL. Incheon Landing
Early days of the war: N. Korea pushed S. Korea and UN forces south into a small

area around Pusan

Sept. 15, 1950: MacArthur lands forces from sea at Incheon
A daring and successful flank maneuver
AM. Chinese Communists in Korea
UN Wanted to defeat N. Korea and create a unified, independent, and

democratic government
China warned If UN crossed 38th parallel, the Chinese would defend N. Korea
Chinese troops N. Korea after UN troops crossed the 38th parallel
AN. Truman vs. MacArthur
MacArthur An entirely new war wanted to bomb mainland China
Truman and Joint Chiefs of Staff refused him
Truman removed MacArthur from his position
Today: The border (close to the 38th parallel) is a Demilitarized Zone (2 miles

wide)
It is the most heavily militarized border in the world
Post WWII Korean Leadership
o Kim Il-sung (1948-1994)
o Kim Jong il (1994-2011)
o Kim Jung-un (2011-Present)
AO. North Korea Today
State Approved Haircuts
Mass Games
Part 2
AP. Eisenhowers Domestic Program: Election of 1952
Republican Nominee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
GOP: Grand Old Party; Nickname of the Republican Party
Democratic Nominee: Adlai E. Stevenson
Eisenhower won easily
AQ. Eisenhowers Farm Problem
 Farm Problems: Surplus Farm Production
Eisenhower admin. discouraged overproduction
Soil Bank paid farmers for not planting their crops
AR. Combating Communism at Home
Many believed that there was a strong communist conspiracy to take over the US
Truman issued an Executive Order to go after suspected communists
FBI and Civil Service Commission checked the loyalty of all Federal employees;

many were dismissed

AS. McCarthyism and its Demise
Senator Joseph McCarthy felt communists had taken over many government

positions
Accused many individuals of Communist activities
TV exposed and defeated McCarthy influence rapidly declined
AT. Election of 1956
Rep. Nominee: Ike
Demo. Nominee: Stevenson
Eisenhower wins his second term easily
AU. Alaskan and Hawaiian Statehood
49th State: Alaska- Jan. 1959
50th State: Hawaii- Aug. 1959
AV.Eisenhower and Foreign Affairs
Brinkmanship
o Eisenhowers Secretary of State John Faster Dulles
o Dulles threatened massive retaliation against the Soviet Union or

Communist China if they attacked any country

o Brinkmanship necessary to go to the brink of war to preserve the

peace of the world

AW. Crisis in Indochina
Following WWII Communist Ho Chi Minh liberated Vietnam
The French tried to regain control and set up puppet gov.
AX. US Aid to the French
US aided the French because we felt they were helping us contain Communism
1950 US helped the French w/ money and arms
1954 US paid for 80% of the cost of the war
AY.Dien Bien Phu
Communist Viet Minh troops had trapped a large French force
Should the US assist the French? Decided against it
o French were defeated
AZ. Geneva Agreement
 Vietnam would be divided in two
o North: Communist
o South: free gov.
BA. S.E.A.T.O.
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Special attention/support to Non-Communist nations - an attempt to keep

Communism from spreading

BB. Hungarian Revolution (1956)
Hungarian people revolted against Communism
Crushed by Soviet tanks and troops
US could not provide much help
BC. Eisenhower Doctrine
March 1957 US would not help any Middle East country that requested aid to

military aggression from a Communist country

o Came about as a result of the Suez Crisis
BD. Sputnik and the Space Race
Rocket development became very important
Operation Paperclip project to rescue German rocket engineers from WWII
Worked on rocket and space travel for the US
Oct. 4, 1957: Russians sent up the first man-made earth satellite Sputnik
Feb. 1958: US launches its first satellite Explorer I Space Race is on!
1958: National Aeronautics and Space Admin. (NASA)
BE. Scheduled Summit Conference
U-2 Incident
o May 5, 1960: Soviet forces shot down an American U-2 spy plane
o Khrushchev demanded an apology; Ike refused
Wreck of summit hopes
o The chance of a summit was now gone
BF.Rise of Castro in Cuba
1958 Forces led by Fidel Castro overthrew the Cuban government
Set up the Communist government supported by the Soviets
BG. Eisenhower Steps Down
Farewell Address warned of a military-industrial complex
He and others were concerned with the new relationship formed between the

military establishment and the defense industry

Many did not see a lasting peace in future years, and feared spending on defense