HST 202 Winter 200 Prof. Wang
Review No. 3 US: 1945-1960
Early Cold War--International Anti-Communism: Who Was Responsible for the Start of the Cold War?
United Nations, founded in 1945--successor to the League of Nations, designed to continue the wartime alliance but became forum of US-Soviet conflicts.
Containment Policy, formulated in 1946-1947--by George Kennan, a US diplomat in Moscow, led the US government to adopt a policy to contain Soviet expansion.
Truman Doctrine, 1947--the US would provide aid to Greece and Turkey and later other countries under threat from communism; a step of containment.
Marshall Plan, 1947--provided economic aid to Western Europe to re-build its economy and thus reduce the appeal of socialism and communism
Berlin Blockade, 1948--Soviet blockade of West Berlin in the middle of East Germany brought the world close to war; it ended after long Western airlift.
NATO, 1949-North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a military alliance of US and Western European countries guarding against possible Soviet invasion of West.
First Soviet Atomic Bomb, 1949--Broke American monopoly and made many people nervous about a deadly nuclear war; triggered new arms race for H-bomb.
Chinese Communist Revolution, 1949--Mao Zedong's forces drove the pro-US Nationalists to the island of Taiwan and established alliance with Soviets.
Korean War, 1950-1953--North Korean Communists invaded pro-US South Korea; intervention by US-led UN forces drew China into war. 1st hot war in Cold War.
Dien Bien Phu, 1954--Final defeat of French colonial forces by Vietnamese Communists and the start of American military involvement; another step in containment.
Quemoy and Matsu, 1954-1955 and 1958--Chinese Communists forces twice shelled islands controlled by pro-US Nationalists, bringing the US almost to brink of war.
Sputnik, 1957--Soviet launching of first satellite which touched off the space race with the US; Democrats accused Eisenhower adm. of a "missile gap" with Soviets.
McCarthyism--Domestic Anti-Communism: Was McCarthyism Justified?
Truman Loyalty Program, 1947--Investigated federal employees for loyalty and left impression that communists worked in government though no spies found.
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), est. 1938--Became a major congressional group to hunt for communist subversives in the country.
Alger Hiss Case, 1948-1950--A former State Department official accused of spying for Soviets but convicted of perjury. Nixon pursued the case and rose in politics.
Atomic Spies Case, 1950--British scientist Klaus Fuchs had passed atomic secrets to Soviets during WWII. The Rosenbergs, of the spy ring, were executed in 1953.
Joseph McCarthy's Rise and Fall, 1950-1954--Rep. senator accused the Truman adm., esp. State Dept., of having communists, and later many others without evidence.
Conservatism, 1950s--Politicians, even liberals, pursued anti-Communism abroad and at home. Conformity ruled. Racism, poverty, and women's discontent ignored.
Civil Rights: Brown Decision, 1954; Rosa Parks, Martin L. King and Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-1956; Little Rock Incident, 1957—why did civil rights movement begin?