HIST 1302 Northwest Vista College President Truman and Cold War Discussion Cold War Map: Postwar Europe… USA took over the blue nations, while the Soviet

HIST 1302 Northwest Vista College President Truman and Cold War Discussion Cold War Map: Postwar Europe… USA took over the blue nations, while the Soviet Union invaded the red nations.

Constructing the American past, Gorn, chapter 12 document 1:

World War II, 1941-1945, catapulted the United States as the major power in the world.With a military second to none, and the ability of atomic energy (the atomic bomb!) the U.S. was positioned to lead the world after WWII.After WWII, the U.S. (with help from Britain) created the United Nations,established military bases globally, and reconfigured the world map- literally!

The end of WWII also propelled the United States in to another conflict, as the feud between the U.S. and the` Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) led to a Cold War; a war of political ideas.By 1947, the USA pushed nations to promote a Democratic government for trading, while the Soviet Union promoted a Communist form of society- which would make it harder for free trade to exist.

President Harry Truman (the President after FDR) was aggressive soon after WWII.His unfamiliarity with Americans forced him to create a policy aimed to stop the spread of Communism.His Truman Doctrine was created to tackle and prevent the spread of Communism throughout Europe (mainly Greece and Turkey).This important document launched the American Empire and its destined to be the leader of the free world.

Be sure to answer the questions from the document, using evidence from the document.

1 How would you describe President Truman, based from this document alone?

2. Does the document give any hints at the United States taking on responsibility of assisting nations / forcing democracy to weaker nations? Explain.

3. Should the Truman Doctrine be a policy to help war torn nations that cannot defend themselves from Communism?Or, should we not care if other nations become Communist. Explain.

2 pages…MLA or APA formatting (includes double space, 12 font, 1 inch margins

Pictures and explanations of Cold War society below. These pics can / will help your understanding of the assignment, and Truman’s Doctrine.

The Rosenbergs: couple put to death (THE ELECTRIC CHAIR) for selling secrets to the Communists (the Soviet Union). They were innocent, but the U.S. government buried the evidence…

San Antonio Express News!! —>

Rosenberg’s orphaned children… : (

McCarthyism and ‘Witch-Hunts’! In the early 1950s, Senator Joe McCarthy led the Red Scare in the USA, alleging, that there were Communists within the U.S. (similar to terrorists in the early 2000s). However, McCarthy had little evidence and was out of the Senate within a decade. Because of his actions, many were sent to prison, while many had their reputations crushed- including actors, writers, musicians, Civil Rights Leaders, and Democratic politicians.

A young Congressman Richard Nixon, viewing “evidence (b.s.)” against Communist spies…

Cuban Missile Crisis:

President John F. Kennedy keeping Soviet Nuclear weapons away from the Western Hemisphere—- or was it the X – Men?? Kennedy was later assassinated by a an Communist. This was the closest our nation came to World War III; very scary!

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, and Cuban leader,Fidel Castro: Khrushchev was actually cool & compromising , yet Castro was not.

Fear of a Communist Cuba with nuclear weapons!!!

President Kennedy’s tough stance on Cuba:

Kennedy and Khrushchev sharing a moment after the Crisis… they each made a deal to not place nuclear bombs in Cuba, pissing off Castro (ha ha ha !)

Vietnam: Wars, and conflicts to prevent Communism from spreading. What was interesting was that a majority of Vietnamese wanted Communism. However, the USA would not allow it, forcing Democracy.

Ho Chi Minh: Communist leader_ educated in France, returned to Vietnam to free his people from foreign rule (France, and then the USA)… no offense, but an admirer of mine.

Troops against their own war!

Forcing the Vietnamese to become what they didn’t want!

Vietnamese terrorized!

Burning villages for American victory… which did not happen

Over 55,000 American soldiers killed. Million Vietnamese killed.

Article comparing “Star Wars” to Vietnam and how George Lucas got his ideas (not a fan of the NY Post, but…)

https://nypost.com/2014/09/21/how-star-wars-was-secretly-george-lucas-protest-of-vietnam/ (Links to an external site.)

Republican candidate Richard Nixon commercial for President, 1968, calling for a resolve to Vietnam:

1968 Nixon Campaign Commercial – Vietnam War (Links to an external site.)

CBS segment on American troops during Vietnam.

Vietnam War, 1970: CBS camera rolls as platoon comes under fire (Links to an external site.)

PROTESTING VIETNAM and WAR: Here is an example of Americans protesting the war while at the Woodstock Music Festival. Country Joe was a war vet who became a writer, and singer. His song,”1, 2, 3, 4…” song was a major hit during the 1960s.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qPUJhy0Dz4 (Links to an external site.)

College Campuses became deadly, as the National Guard was sent to calm Anti War protests. This video gives a look at how students protesting led to death. Very troubling times…

Opposition to the Vietnam War in the United States (Links to an external site.)

Other Wars and Conflicts the USA entered after WWII:

Turkey, Greece, Italy. Brazil, El Salvador, Columbia, Perua, Guatemala, Grenada, Panama (2 times), The Congo, Chad, Iceland, India, Saudi Arabia, Iraq (three times), Iran, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Nepal, Finland, Armenia, Moldavia, Laos, Cambodia, Cuba, and, a whole lot more…

This map shows the USA “participation” in other nations’ governmental system!!

POP CULTURE AND COMMUNISM:

Books and Comics against Communism.

1950s!

1960s- 1970s

late 1980s- 90s

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1950s Movies using subliminal messaging to combat Communism.

1980s films Propaganda against Communism