Post a response by Friday, January 24, 2014 to one or more of the questions listed. Remember to include historically accurate SFI and/or analysis. You may comment on the posts of others, but you must add to what they have posted.
*What were the most important factors producing the Cold War?
*In what way was the Cold War a struggle of ideologies and a struggle for power?
*In what way did WW II affect the culture of the late 1940s and 1950s?
great or near-great president. Why was he unpopular? Why is he now respected?
*What produced the Second Red Scare? Why did it happen when it did and why was it
"allowed" to go on as long as it did? Who were the people involved?
*Discuss the major political, social, or economic events of the Cold War Era 1945-1959?
*Discuss the major political, social, or economic events of the Cold War Era 1945-1959?
The Cold War can be classified as a struggle of ideologies and power, but when you dig deeper between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R over who exactly is the world's dominant super power. The reason why it was a stuggle of ideologies can be found in the United States attempt to rid itself completely of all COmmunist influences that dominated the U.S.S.R and some parts of Europe. However, Senator Joseph MCarthy of Wisconsin took this manhunt persay to eliminate communism in the U.S. a little too far by accusing high ranking military officials and thus he was critized for it and it kind of killed the Communist manhunt. The U.S. and U.S.S.R also fought over power in regards to Nuclear arms race. Evidence of this is when the U.S. used two bombs to quickly end World War II and also the U.S. wanted to have control over foreign affairs. The U.S.S.R wanted the same control so they started to develop spaceships to leave this planet and one up the U.S. however, this is something that someone else can talk about so in conclusion, the U.S. and U.S.S.R spent a lot of money and resources in a struggle over ideologies being communism or freedom, and power, being controlling foreign policy by having the greatest and most powerful "toys" to use as intimidation against the other.
ReplyDeleteSenator Joseph McCarthy was censured in 1954 after the highly publicized Army-McCarthy hearings showed McCarthy's lies about communists in the government. He died three years later due to hepatitis, caused by his alcoholism. His downfall from fame led to the end of 'Red Scare'. However, his actions have left a lasting impact in McCarthyism, which references his accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence.
DeleteMcCarthy's hearings until 1954 helped to promote the hysterical fear of Communism prevalent in this period, and single-handedly gave the US government as much support in the Cold War as it needed through creating an environment of fear and distrust. He accused over 200 of Communist activities and sympathies, which gave Americans the idea that Communism was an all-permeating evil that had to be erased from the world. By creating the Second Red Scare, McCarthy created enough hysteria to permit US involvement in Korea (1950-1953) and Vietnam (1956-1975). In effect, his hearings prolonged the Cold War through initiating unnecessary conflicts.
DeleteWell done, Sam... jumped right in!
ReplyDeleteIn what way was the Cold War a struggle of ideologies and a struggle for power?
ReplyDeleteThe Cold War was a struggle of differing ideologies, and through this, a struggle for power. Both Capitalist America and the Communist Soviet Union believed that their socioeconomic system was best, and were prepared to go to great lengths to prove it. In essence, the power struggle was a direct result of the contention between the US and USSR over which governing system was least evil/ most morally correct. For example, the US was prepared to virtually stop at nothing to inhibit the spread of Communism, the platform known as Containment. This concept, proposed by US intelligence official George Kennan in an 8000 word telegram from Moscow in 1946 (later known as the Long Telegram), involved isolating Communist areas by surrounding them with Capitalist countries, gradually squeezing Communism out of existence. This later justified our involvement in Korea and in Vietnam, because Americans at the time felt that the spread of Communism was equal to the end of the world. Soviet policy, however, felt that Western society was impure and needed to be replaced with Communism through proletarian revolt. On the side of the Soviet Union, Karl Marx explained: “If the Russian Revolution becomes the signal for a proletarian revolution in the West, so that both complement each other, the present Russian common ownership of land may serve as the starting-point for a communist development.” Soviet expansionism, basically the “desire for world domination,” was therefore consistent with this Marxist communisis idea: the Soviet Union would be a “signal for a proletarian revolution in the West.” These polar opposites of the ideological spectrum created obvious tension and led to brinkmanship and rapid weaponization that was a power struggle. The Arms Race was an attempt to scare each side into capitulation with the other’s ideas, a power struggle created by a struggle of ideas.
Truman left office a very unpopular president, yet today he is generally considered a great or near-great president. Why was he unpopular? Why is he now respected?
ReplyDeleteBy the end of Truman's second term, he was widely unpopular. Although securing his second term from Senator Thomas Dewey by a wide margin (303-189) in the 1948 election, due to corruption scandals inside Truman's administration involving Attorney General J. Howard McGrath, the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, and the scandalous decision to drop several atomic bombs on Japan in August 1948, Truman left the Oval Office with little support. However, while his efforts as president were not respected in his time, historians now acknowledge him as a great president because of his desegregation efforts, extension of New Deal programs, and his diplomatic efforts with the U.S.S.R.
Truman could be considered a 'man before his time' in the sense that his ideas of Civil Rights and diplomatic interaction with the USSR were very progressive in an era characterized by segregation, discrimination and racial violence in the US, and heightened political tensions in the international theatre. He authorized a fifteen-man committee on Civil Rights to suggest new legislation to protect minorities from discrimination, an idea that was not really developed until the 1960s, Kennedy and Johnson. In the late 40s, anti-Communism was rampant, and trying to discuss or compromise with Stalin was a touchy subject to say the least. 'Talks' with the USSR were not truly held until SALT and the Vladivostok Summit in Gerald Ford's administration. By the standards of the era, Truman was unduly progressive, but by today's, a visionary.
DeleteWhat produced the Second Red Scare? Why did it happen when it did and why was it "allowed" to go on as long as it did? Who were the people involved?
ReplyDeleteThe Second Red Scare began in the years following the end of World War II when most of the Eastern Europe fell under the influence of the Soviet Union. The fears that arose in the 1920's returned except this time the fears were focused on the infiltration by foreign communists when China was seized by Mao Zedong and the United States taken into the Korean War in an effort to try and prevent the communist North from overturning the South. Joe McCarthy was the leader of this Anti-Communist movement. Investigators dealing with McCarthy caused a rise to another round of civil right violations when hunting for the communists. His approach in pursuing the communists led to the term McCarthyism. Despite his unconstitutional methods he was right about the Soviets and communist infiltration of the United States government.
Many Americans thought that there had to be spying in the government. This led to the Federal Bureau of Investigation becoming larger than ever under J. Edgar Hoover. Loyalty oaths became required in order to hold a job in government. Real spies did exist and responsibility for the Soviet nuclear success was in their hands. Senator Joseph McCarthy damaged the real efforts that were used to catch any spies when he used his anti-communist antics that, as stated, led to McCarthyism.
DeleteThat last sentence is suppose to be he was wrong about the Soviet.
ReplyDeleteIn what way did WW II affect the culture of the late 1940s and 1950s?
ReplyDeleteAfter WWII, an economic boom ensued because war was always good for the economy. This brought a great deal of prosperity to the majority of the citizens and raised American expectations. Along with the big boom, women and minorities began their struggle for equality. The U.S. also got a sense that it was the "world police" and that it had to maintain world peace and shape the behavior of other nations. And also, the economic boom wasn't the only "boom" that happened. When the soldiers came home from the war to their wives, many many babies were made. Thus giving this age the "baby boomers" name.
Not everything was hunky-dory after World War Two. The war had inspired anti-Communistic sentiments in the US, and so, beginning in 1950 and lasting through 1954, McCarthyism raged throughout the nation. However, despite its domestic disputes, the US found time (1950-1953) and incentive (its containment policy) to engage in war with North Korea.
DeleteWorld War II boosted the economy of America. This resulted in young adults increasing thee spending. The television and car began to be used more widely and bought more often. Since the population rose with the baby boom, the need for an automobile became more popular. TVs appealed to the viewers about ethnic families, so they were being purchased more often (five million a year).
ReplyDeleteContinued.. The role of women transformed into being a stay at home mom. The man left early and came home late from work in order to provide for the family. Ruth Schwartz Cowan wrote about psychiatrists, psychologists, and popular writers that felt a tht a women who wanted a career was considered an "unlovely women" who was "lost".
ReplyDeleteOne of the factors which produced the Cold War was how communism and capitalism were hostile social philosophies. This is proven by how the US officially refused to acknowledge the government that sprung forth from the Bolshevik revolution until 1933, sixteen years afterwards.Soviets in turn were skeptical toward captialist countries due to British and American reluctance start a second open front on Germany during WWII, which caused heavy Russian casualties. The development of the atomic bomb also contributed to the USSR's distrust of capitalism, since Britain and America had left them out of its development. Also contributing was how Americans viewed the Soviet's "sphere of influence", which appeared to many Americans as an empire.
ReplyDeleteWhat were the most important factors producing the Cold War?
ReplyDeleteOne of the factors that caused the Cold War to happen was because of the competition between the United States and USSR trying to influence other countries to follow. The U.S was for democracy and capitalism and USSR was for communism. Secretary of State Georgia, George C. Marshall, feared the spread of communism and tried to stop the spreading by establishing the Marshall Plan which was an idea to hold back communism with money. The Marshall Plan was passed by Congress on June 1947 with the approval of $17 billion to be used for the Marshall Plan. In order to counter the Marshall Plan, USSR established COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) to prevent the spread of Soviet's sphere of influence to the Americans and South-East Asia.
What were the important factors producing the cold war?
ReplyDeleteThe important factor's producing the cold war were the containment policies to stop the spread of communism(the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan),Berlin being divided into 4 zones and the US, Great Brittain, and france uniting their zones which caused Stalin to react with a blockade, the Berlin Air lift, the formation of NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Anticommunist military alliance), and the Arms race.
Discuss the political, social, or economic events of the Cold War Era (1945-1959).
ReplyDeletePolitically, the Cold War era was highly active. In late 1945 and early 1946, the Soviet Union established its control over the countries of Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and others in an effort to buffer itself from capitalism. In 1947, the US adopted George Kennan's containment policy, and initiated diplomatic relations, such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, in order to fulfill that policy. 1948 was the year in which the Berlin Airlift started (it ended the next year), while 1949 saw the formation of NATO and the People's Republic of China. Starting in 1950 and lasting until '53, the Korean War distracted America internationally, while McCarthyism (1950-1954) gripped domestic US. In 1953, Joseph Stalin kicked the bucket, and the Western world rejoiced. The next several years were relatively quiet on the international scale (the exception being the formation of the Warsaw Pact in 1955), but domestically, the US was busy making internal improvements with legislation such as the Federal Highway Act of 1956 and the Education Act of 1957. Soon thereafter, the US and and the SU became willing to powwow, and so they met at Camp David to talk peace. Thus, the "Spirit of Camp David" was established in 1959, and the decade came to a close on a positive note.
Wartime production had helped pull America's economy out of depression, and from the late 1940s on, young adults saw a remarkable rise in their spending power. Jobs were plentiful, wages were higher, and because of the lack of consumer goods during the war, Americans were eager to spend. During the same years, young couples were marrying and having children at unprecedented rates. New and expanded federal programs, including the G.I. Bill of Rights, allowed many young families to purchase their own homes, often located in rapidly expanding suburbs. One major industry that sky rocketed is the automotive industry and the rapid sales of television. Television and automobile sales skyrocketed in the 1950s. With the massive growth in suburban populations, automobiles were needed more than ever, and were within reach for many first-time buyers. Families of all income brackets were buying televisions at a rate of five million a year. In addition, television provided a potent medium for advertisers to reach inside American homes, creating desires for other products.
ReplyDeleteFollowing World War II, America had been pulled out of a depression due to the wartime production. Americans now had much more room for spending and as they all began to migrate into suburbs and have new houses built due and spend all to the new deals such as the GI Bill. This now led to an increase in automobile purchases and due to the lack of consumer goods during the war and the increase in spending post war, Americans now began spending their money on luxuries that they had not been used to. During the 1950's over 21 million refrigerators and 5 million stoves were sold in order to modernize daily American lives. Americans were now considered consumers.
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ReplyDeleteAt the end of World War II, American soldiers returned home to a country quite different from the one they had left four years earlier. Wartime production had helped pull America's economy out of depression, and from the late 1940s on, young adults saw a remarkable rise in their spending power. Jobs were plentiful, wages were higher, and because of the lack of consumer goods during the war, Americans were eager to spend. During the same years, young couples were marrying and having children at unprecedented rates. New and expanded federal programs, including the G.I. Bill of Rights, allowed many young families to purchase their own homes, often located in rapidly expanding suburbs.
ReplyDeleteThe Second Red Scare was precipitated by both the fall of China and the Soviet atomic bomb in 1949. Real and high-level espionage did exist and was partly responsible for the Soviet nuclear success; however, Senator Joseph McCarthy undermined real efforts to address espionage by his anti-communist antics. McCarthy used the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to level charges against the media, the government, academics, political enemies and all challengers. He was known for waving stacks of paper in front of committees and cameras and claiming to have “lists” of government officials sympathetic to the Communist Party. In reality McCarthy had seized on anti-Communism to enhance his mediocre political career. McCarthy eventually discredited himself in 1954 by taking on the Army on national television and humiliating himself in front of millions. This was a major problem beacause it undermined actual progress in the hunting of Communist spies who had penetrated the U.S. government before, during and after World War II.
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