Ch.12 early years of the cold war

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Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Chapter 12
US History: Civil War to the Present
Adjusting to Peace
The Big Idea
After World War II, Americans adjusted to new challenges both at home and around the world.
Main Ideas
•As World War II ended, leaders began planning the future of the postwar world.
•The United States and the Soviet Union went from being allies to enemies after World War II.
•Americans adjusted to postwar life.

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Chapter 12
War Crimes Trials
•The Nuremberg trials put
high-ranking Nazi officials on
trial.
•The International Military
Tribunal of the Far East put
Japanese officials on trial.
•Established that individuals
must be held responsible for
committing war crimes, even
when acting on behalf of a
government
Main Idea 1: As World War II ended, leaders began planning the future of the
postwar world.
Potsdam Conference
•Allied leaders divided
conquered Germany into four
zones.
•Britain, France, the United
States, and the Soviet Union
would each control one zone.
•Berlin also divided into four
zones
Yalta Conference
•Leaders met to discuss
Europe’s future.
•Supported creation of
international peacekeeping
organization
•Agreed on free elections for
countries liberated from
German control

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Chapter 12
The United Nations
• In 1944, American, British, Soviet, and Chinese representatives met to draft a plan for the
United Nations– an organization dedicated to resolving international conflicts.
• In 1945, representatives from 50 countries met to write the UN Charter.
• One of its first major actions was to divide Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states.
–May 14, 1948– Jewish leaders announced the creation of nation of Israel.
–Arab leaders protested and invaded.
–Israeli forces drove Arabs back and a truce was made.

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Chapter 12
The Iron Curtain
•Stalin established Communist governments in
Poland and Eastern Europe, cutting them off
from the rest of the world.
— The term iron curtain came to be
used to describe this division.
•The phrase Cold War came to be used to
describe the struggle for global power between
the Soviet Union and the United States.
Main Idea 2: The United States and the Soviet Union went from being allies to
enemies after World War II.
From Allies to Enemies
•After the war, differences arose between
United States and Soviet Union.
— Americans committed to capitalism and
democracy
— Soviets hoped to spread communism
around the world.

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Chapter 12
Truman Doctrine– policy of providing aid to help foreign countries fight communism
North Atlantic Treaty Organization– a coalition of the United States, nine Western European
countries, Canada, and Iceland.
— Members promised to defend each other if attacked.
— Soviet Union responded by creating Warsaw Pact, a military
alliance with its Eastern European satellite countries.
Marshall Plan– Western Europe received more than $13 billion in U.S. loans and grants for
European economic recovery between 1948 and 1952.
Goal– containment, or preventing the Soviet Union from expanding its influence around the
world
U.S. Foreign Policy

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Chapter 12
Main Idea 3: Americans adjusted to postwar life.
Economy
• Government urged women to give up their
jobs once veterans returned.
• The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, or GI
Bill of Rights, offered veterans money for
school, as well as loans for houses, farms,
and businesses.
• Inflation rose as people rushed to buy
products that were limited during war.
Labor
•More than 35 percent of non-farm workers
were union members in 1946.
•With inflation on rise, many went on strike.
•Labor unions became a major political
problem.
•Government worked to reduce power of labor
unions.
— Passed the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947
that outlawed closed shops, or
business that could hire only union
members.

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Chapter 12
Civil Rights after the War
• African American veterans faced segregation and prejudice at home.
– Helped lead a major effort to gain equal rights
• Truman appointed Committee on Civil Rights to investigate discrimination and suggest
solutions.
–Congress failed to act on the committee’s report.
• In 1948 Truman issued an executive order to
–End segregation in the armed forces, and
–Ban discrimination in the hiring of federal employees.

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Chapter 12
Election of 1948
•President Truman faced many challenges for reelection.
– Southern Democrats opposed his support for civil rights laws.
− Republicans controlled Congress and felt their candidate, New York governor
Thomas Dewey, could beat Truman.
•Truman took his case for reelection to the American people.
– Traveled thousands of miles and gave hundreds of speeches
– Defended his views and attacked Congress
•In 1948 election, Truman won a surprise victory.
•Urged Congress to support his plan for a package of domestic programs called the Fair
Deal
–Congress approved some parts, including higher minimum wage and
expanded Social Security benefits.
– Congress rejected other parts, including civil rights legislation.

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Chapter 12
War in Korea and a New Red Scare
The Big Idea
During the Cold War, the U.S. government confronted communism globally and within the
United States.
Main Ideas
•The United States fought Communist North Korea in the Korean War.
•Fear of Communists led to a new Red Scare at home.
•President Eisenhower faced Cold War crises around the world.

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Chapter 12
Main Idea 1: The United States fought Communist North Korea in the Korean War.
• Cold War quickly spread to Asian nations of China and Korea.
– China: in 1949 the People’s Republic of China was established by
Communists, led by Mao Zedong.
– Korea: after World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel with a
Soviet-implemented government in North Korea and a U.S.-implemented
government in South Korea.

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Chapter 12
Korean War
• On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea.
• United States and United Nations responded by offering support to South Korea.
• China sent support to North Korea.
• By 1951, UN forces drove North Koreans and Chinese back across the 38th parallel but
fighting continued.
• The unpopularity of Truman’s actions during the war helped Dwight D. Eisenhower win the
1952 presidential election.
• Korean War officially ended July 27, 1953 with a cease-fire.
– More than 130,000 Americans had been killed or wounded.
– Over 2 million Korean and Chinese casualties

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Chapter 12
A Congressional committee known as the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was
in charge of investigating Communist influence in America.
Explosive spy cases also fed fears that Communists were at work in the United States.
In 1947 HUAC launched hearings to expose supposed Communist influence in movie industry
— They branded as “red,” or Communist, actors and writers who
would not answer questions or refused to reveal names.
— People suspected of Communist sympathies were often
blacklisted, or denied work.
Cold War fears led to a new Red Scare in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Main Idea 2: Fear of Communists led to a new Red Scare at home.

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Chapter 12
Rise of McCarthy
• In 1950 Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy charged that Communists were working
inside the State Department.
– Had no concrete proof
– When charges were challenged, he made up new charges.
– This method of making aggressive accusations without proof became known
as McCarthyism.
• In 1954, during televised hearings, he finally went too far.
– Used brutal tactics and bullied a young legal assistant
– Public outraged
• Senate later voted to condemn McCarthy’s actions.
– Came too late to help those whose careers had already been ruined by his
attacks

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Chapter 12
Main Idea 3: President Eisenhower faced Cold War crises around the world.
• In 1952 America completed development on hydrogen bomb, a weapon more powerful
than the atomic bomb.
• By 1953 Soviet Union developed its own hydrogen bomb, thus beginning a nuclear arms
race, as both rushed to build more weapons.
• In October 1957 Soviets launched Sputnik, the first artificial space satellite.
• In January 1958 the United States launched its own satellite and established the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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Chapter 12
Cold War Crises
• Eisenhower supported strategy of brinkmanship, a willingness to go to the brink of war to
oppose communism.
• Used covert, or secret, operations around the world to overthrow leaders and influence
politics.
– 1953– Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) helped overthrow premier of Iran.
– 1954– CIA helped organize removal of Guatemalan president.
• Crisis in Egypt briefly brought Americans and Soviets together.
• After crisis averted, Cold War continued.

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Chapter 12
The Nation Prospers
The Big Idea
An expanding economy led to new ways of life for many Americans in the 1950s.
Main Ideas
•America’s economy boomed in the 1950s.
•Americans enjoyed new forms of popular culture.
•Social critics found fault with 1950s society.

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Chapter 12
On the
Move
Economy On the Move
•Many businesses and workers moved to the
Sun Belt– southern and western states that
offered a warm climate year-round and low tax
rates.
•1956 Highway Act encouraged travel and
made commutes easier.
Main Idea 1: America’s economy boomed in the 1950s.
Economy
•Millions of Americans earned more money
than ever and could spend more.
•Young Americans getting married and starting
families led to a baby boom, a significant
increase in births.

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Chapter 12
Suburbs and Cities
• Rising demand for homes encouraged development of new suburban
neighborhoods.
– By mid-1950s, builders were constructing preplanned suburbs all over the country.
– By 1970 more Americans lived in suburbs than in cities.
• Suburban life appealed to many.
– Many enjoyed the additional space and convenience.
• Suburban life was criticized by others.
–Critics believed suburban life too heavily based on consumer culture
–Lacking in diversity– most people living in suburbs were white and middle-class
–Discrimination– some communities refused to sell homes to black families
• Move to suburbs meant cities collected fewer taxes and began to decline.
• Federal government began urban renewal program to improve life in cities.

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Chapter 12
Music
•New styles of music helped reshape American
culture.
•New style of jazz, known as bebop, became
popular.
•Rock ’n’ roll swept the nation.
•Teenage fans bought more than 70 percent of
all records sold in the late 1950s.
Main Idea 2: Americans enjoyed new forms of popular culture.
Television
•By end of 1950s, nearly 90 percent of
American families owned television sets.
•Americans shared the experience of watching
the same news, comedies, and sports shows.
•American families watched about six hours of
television a day.

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Chapter 12
Main Idea 3: Social critics found fault with 1950s society.
• Some women were frustrated at lack of opportunities.
–Could only find work in limited fields
–Discouraged by expectation that they would give up jobs when they got
married
• Novelists commented on society in their work.
–J.D. Salinger criticized culture filled with love of money and conformity.
–Ralph Ellison wrote of how African Americans were excluded by society.
• Young people known as beatniks, or beats, criticized society with unusual writing styles
and rebellious behavior.
–Beat authors inspired many to question the rules of mainstream society.
–Many identified with rebellious characters in popular movies of the 1950s.

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Chapter 12
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Ch.12 early years of the cold war

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