APUSH Period 8 1945-1980

• Cold War


  Conflict between 2 belligerent in which neither engages in direct warfare. US vs Soviet Union, democracy/capitalism vs communism
• United Nations


  • Maintain international peace and security
  • Develop friendly relations among nations
  • Achieve international cooperation
• World Court


  • Make formal judgements on general disputes between nations
  • Give advisory opinions on international legal issues
• World Bank


  • Provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects
• International Monetary Fund


  • Works to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity for 190 member countries
  • Supporting economic policies that promote financial stability and monetary cooperation, essential to increase productivity, job creation, and economic well-being
• Post War Germany


  • 4 occupation zones (soviets, Americans, British, French)
  • Soviet want to keep Germany weak and extract reparations
  • West powers wanted economic recovery to keep a stable Europe
• Iron Curtain

  Political, military, and ideological barrier, US + Brit responsibility guard against soviet communism
• Berlin Blockade


  Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control
• Berlin Air lift


  Western allies flew resources into western Berlin to counter the blockade
• Suez Canal Crisis

  1. Egyptian president nationalized canal

  2. Israeli invaded supported by France + UK

  3. US + SU concerned about destabilization

  4. Ceasefire and withdrawal

  5. Demonstrated growing power of post-colonial states

  6. Importance of regions oil

  7. Region significance in CW geopolitics
• Containment


  Contain spread of communism
• NSC-68

  Outlines militaristic approach to combating the spread of global communism
• Truman Doctrine


  US provide economic and military support to any nation threatened by spread of communism
• Eisenhower Doctrine


  Promise military or economic aid to any Middle Eastern country needing help in resisting communist aggression
• Peace Corps


  • Trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance
• Alliance for Progress


  • Establish economic cooperation between the US and Latin America to avert expansion of communist influence in region
• Greece and Turkey


  1. US support G against communist uprising

  2. Soviet demands for control of the Dardanelles water route in Turkey
• Marshall Plan


  • Economic aid plan $12 bil to help European nations rebuilds and revive economy
  • Stable/healthy economy = opt for democracy
• NATO


  • Military pact for defense of western Europe
• Warsaw Pact


  • Pact for communist nations of E Europe
• SEATO


  • Collective defense/security and prevent communism
• Arms Race

  1. To develop superior weapons systems

  2. 1952 hydrogen bomb

  3. M.A.D.

  4. Duck and cover video

  5. Home bomb shelter

  6. Interstate highway
• S.A.L.T. 1+2


  • Limited quantity of nuclear war heads each nation could possess
  • Prohibited the development of missile defense systems
• Space Race 1955-75: US vs SU compete for superior spaceflight capability
• Sputnik


  1st artificial satellite to orbit earth, made US feel inferior
• National Defense Education Act


  • Encouraged education in sciences and modern language, through student loans, university research grants, aid to public school
• Korean War

  1. Korea divided 38th parallel

  2. SU in N, US in S

  3. 1949 both powers withdrew

  4. 1950 communist N Korea invaded democratic S Korea

  5. Stalemate

  6. Demilitarized zone

  7. Mass civilian devastation
• Proxy War


  War instigated by a major power which does not itself become involved
• Détente


  • Mutual coexistence via easing of hostility or strained relations
  • 1972 Nixon visit China end isolation, reestablish diplomatic relations
• 2nd Red Scare (McCarthyism)


  Anti-communist hysteria, fear of communist infiltration into American society, government, and institutions, fueled by rise of communist governments in E Europe after WW2, Soviet Union's acquisition of nuclear weapons, and the start of the Cold War
• Unamerican Activities Committee (HUAC)


  • Searched for communist influence in US society
  • Investigate citizens, public employees, organizations
• Hollywood 10


  • Refused to answer questions regarding their possible communist affiliations
  • Spent time in prison for contempt of Congress
  • Were mostly blacklisted by the Hollywood studios
• McCarran Act


  Required associations the gov considered Communist to register and submit info about membership, finances, and activities
• Rosenberg's


  • Jewish communists convicted of conspiracy to pass atomic bomb secretes to soviet agents during WW2
• McCarthy


  • Claimed list 205 communist working in state department
  • He rode wave of fear to greater influence
  • Couldn't prove the claims
• Army-McCarthy Hearings


  1. Televised investigate accusations of US army and McCarty

  2. McCarthy unable to prove claim so he was censured
• Servicemen's Readjustment Act (GI Bill)

  • WW2 vets go college on gov money or get low interest loans for houses and businesses
• Baby Boom


  5 mil people added to population, led to increased demand for housing
• Levittown


  • Mass produced low cost homes organized into identical lots
  • Middle class moved to suburbs leaving urban cities poor racial divided
• Sun Belt


  Virginia to California, grew politically, better climate, military jobs and growth of infrastructure