Theme 1: the changing political environment

• Why did the US not join the League of Nations?

  Because Congress thought it would get US involved in too many foreign affairs and wanted to return to being isolationist
• The impact of the Vietnam War 1954 - 1975

  Military budgetary concerns contributed to inflation at home, draft lottery, many men burned their cards, VVAM, media coverage of the war was intense and relied less on military press conferences and sought out their own stories as soldiers reported going into battle high and reports of US troops carrying out massacres
• The impact of the Korean War

  Shift from domestic to foreign affairs, president was expected to lead a crusade against communism, republican dominated congress was severely critical of Truman - 'too soft', marked a shift in how media reported on the presidency, Truman adopted a cautious approach to the media to avoid an anti communist feeling at home, media reports became more critical and less accurate about government policy
• The impact of cold war on domestic policy?

  The national security act, this led to the creation of the CIA and national security council, after the USSR bomb testing the Federal defence administration was set up to co-ordinate civil defence, little practical defence against nuclear attack, threat of nuclear war sparked an arms race, increased military spending which would benefit associated businesses but overall prevented post war governments from controlling their defence budgets
• The impact of the Cold War on foreign policy?

  Truman doctrine due to the fears of communism and the USSR and the 'danger' they posed to national security, lead to the formation of NATO, Russia was taking the opportunity to spy on America during WWII, strong fear that all of Europe would become communist
• What did America's GDP rise to during WWII?

  $91.3 - 214 billion between 1939 - 1945
• What did national debt in the US rise to during WWII?

  $41 - 260 billion between 1941 - 1945
• The impact of WWII 1941 - 45


  Helped US complete their economy's recovery, unemployment declined, GDP rose, Average wages rose, National debt increased, women in male roles
• Isolationism 1920-39


  US isolated themselves from foreign affairs, Wilson advocated for a League of Nations but senate voted against membership, Harding pushed for isolationism legislation, high tariffs on imports and restricting immigration
• The conservative reaction

  bewildered by counter-culture as it rejected family value, consumer culture, hard work and striving for success, christian values and patriotism, led to general feeling that liberal government was not working, politicians campaigned to restore law and order and traditional values, 1970's a religious right movement emerged that campaigned for a return to traditional family values and a move away from liberal policies such as abortion, contraception and homosexuality
• What happened at Kent State University?

  4 students were killed when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire during an anti-Vietnam War rally
• What was the Free Speech Movement?

  Formed by students in protest of administrators at the University of California at Berkeley banning student political activity on university property. Spread across the country, and more students began to protest against the Vietnam War.
• What was the Students for a Democratic Society?

  a 1960s student organization that opposed the Vietnam war and all forms of discrimination
• Counter culture: Radical student groups

  Students who rejected conventional politics such as the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) - student protest both peaceful and violent continued across university campuses throughout the 60s and 70s
• What was the Woodstock festival?

  Most famous hippie gathering - 500,000 people during August 1969
• Counter culture: Hippies


  group of young Americans in the late 1960s who rejected conventional customs and mainstream culture and were advocates of peace. They lived in communes and used recreational drugs to 'free their minds
• What were the liberal causes?

  Civil rights, equal opportunities and legalising abortion and politicians aligned themselves with each other
• Liberal politicians supported what?

  'Five minorities' - native Americans, Asians, blacks, Hispanics and women
• Liberalism JFK


  JFK campaigned for the presidency as a 'liberal' - forward thinking, adaptable
• Liberalism


  A political ideology that emphasizes the civil rights of citizens, representative government, and the protection of private property. This ideology, derived from the Enlightenment, was especially popular among the property-owning middle classes.
• Anti - communism 1954 - 1980


  Fear of communism led to a significant curb on civil liberties, the FBI were given special powers to investigate people and bring them to be questioned, the government were moving towards that of the repressive communist regimes, various groups were established in the 1950s to press the government to take a hard line in relations with communist countries.
• What is McCarthyism?

  When Senator McCarthy made people accuse each other for being Communists.
• Who is Joseph McCarthy?


  anti-communist activist, in Feb 1950 he made unsupported claims that 205 state members and high ranking army officers were communist, eventually he went to far and was disregarded by the public
• High profile spy scandals during the second red scare

  Klaus Fuchs - selling nuclear secrets in 1950, Julia and Ethel Rosenberg executed for passing atomic secrets to the soviets
• What happened during the second red scare?

  After WWII, communism was seen as a direct threat to the American way of life, fear increased as china became a communist state in 1949 and USSR successfully tested an atomic bomb
• When was the second red scare?

  1947 - 1954
• What were the Palmer Raids?


  the roundup and arrest of suspected communists in the US - 6,000 arrests were made but these raids only uncovered 3 pistols
• What was the General Intelligence Division?

  Set up by Attorney General Mitchell Palmer in 1919 and used to investigate 'revolutionary activities' such as steel strike and the coal strike both in 1919
• What happened during the first red scare?

  Lots of strikes - Seattle general strike (Feb 1919) and the Boston Police Strike (Sept 1919) it was believed that these strikes were led by communists hoping to achieve a Marxist revolution and the Palmer raids
• When was the first red scare?

  1919 - 1920
• How many government employees were forced to resign between 1947 and 1951

  3,000
• What was the McCarran Act 1951?

  It required all Communist organizations to register with the government and to provide lists of members. No communists in defence plants.
• What was the Second New Deal?

  a wave of legislation including more social welfare benefits for example the social security act and a new wealth tax
• What did the major 15 bills affect?

  Unemployment relief, industry, agriculture, banking, transport and the currency
• What was the presidents emergency committee for employment?

  Formed in 1930, temporary organisation to help find work and encourage businesses to create jobs on a voluntary basis, it did not actually provide jobs or relief but even so it was overwhelmed. So Hoover offered federal assistance to states
• Rugged Individualism (Hoover)


  Herbert Hoover's belief that people must be self-reliant and not depend upon the federal government for assistance as it sap people of their self reliance and undermined them. It also advocated restricting immigration
• The 1980 election


  Voter disillusionment remained pronounced and fewer Americans than ever appeared to believe in the American Dream
• What was Ronald Reagan campaign?

  Lowering taxes and states' rights and defence
• What was carter?

  A successful peanut farmer
• What problems did Carter struggle with over his presidency?

  Rising oil prices, a balance of trade deficit and high unemployment