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Chapter 24 Reading #7

The Other Side of the 1930’s

 

 

                When you think of the 1930’s you probably think of some of the more negative points. The Nazis would gain power in Germany in 1933. The Dust Bowl destroyed millions of crops in the U.S.  Of course, the Great Depression would cause havoc and the New Deal would work to revive the economy.  And finally, to top it all off World War Two would start in 1939. With all of these issues, The Other Side of the 1930’s is often overlooked.

                New advances in technology changes the way people lived their lives. Washing machines made laundry day a bit easier for some. However they wouldn’t become popular till after World War Two. However, refrigerators became exceedingly popular.  In 1930 the number of refrigerators produces was higher than the number of iceboxes. The electric cooking range [1] also made the lives of Americans easier. In addition to appliances, canned goods and became more popular. Think about how life would be today with these wonderful inventions. How would life be without these luxuries?

                This time was also a time of leisure. Many people with free time would enjoy watching a baseball game or a nice game of miniature-golf. Millions spent their nickels playing pinball machines or jukeboxes. Many played the game “Monopoly” by Parker Brothers. Why was monopoly so popular? Well it let people be wealthy and buy tons of houses and property. Do you think that made it so popular?    

                Movies were extraordinarily popular during this time. Over 60 million Americans went to movies every week even during the worst depression in U.S history. Many popular movies like Frankenstein and The Hunchback of Notre Dame were released during the 1930’s.  Our text book states “For many families, even in the depth of the Depression, movie money was almost as important as food money.” This might seem little crazy but in the 1930’s movies were the best kind of entertainment. Is it bad to spend money on movies if people around you can’t buy food and clothes? Today, what would be “almost as important as food money” to you? (Ex, your computer, or your T.V., ECT)

                Books were also nice inexpensive entertainment. John Steinbeck [2] was one of the most popular American writers of the 1930’s. He wrote two very famous books: Grapes of Wrath [3] and Of Mice and Men.  Grapes of Wrath was set during the Great Depression and tells the story of poor sharecroppers. Steinbeck lived fairly well during the Great Depression. Why would he write about an issue that didn’t concern him? Or did in concern him even though he was fairly wealthy?

                Cars became very popular during this time. Even people who were not wealthy, like farm workers [4] would have cars. Even people escaping from the dust bow did so in cars. These people owned used and older cars. However in most other countries only the few wealthy owned cars. How important were cars in the 1930’s? Were they a luxury or a necessity?  How about today?

                So it looks like the 1930’s weren’t all bad, that is if you weren’t struggling to feed yourself. Those people who had some extra money enjoyed watching baseball, playing board games, reading some good books, and watching tons of movies. That actually sounds a lot like today doesn’t it? A popular billboard boasted America as the "World's Highest Standard of Living" [5]. Do you agree in the context of the 1930’s? How about in this time period?

Click the numbers for links to pics (except for number 3) that show the other side of the 1930’s.

 

-- Edited by Matthew Wasilowski on Sunday 18th of April 2010 09:01:28 PM

Chapter 30
Reading #2 - An End to Social Reform

A Slowdown in the Struggle for Civil Rights (1016-1018)

Joseph Lattimore, an African American from Chicago, observed, “As far as integrating with you—we have sang ‘We Shall Overcome,’ we have prayed at the courthouse steps, we have made all these gestures, and the door is not open.”

Under the Reagan Administration, the Civil Rights movement began to lose power. Reagan opposed busing and affirmative action. He also instructed the IRS to lift a ban on tax exemptions for private schools that discriminated against blacks. While this was overruled by supreme court, it showed that Reagan had little concern for equality for blacks. This is exhibited further in Reagan's initial disapproval of the Voting Rights Act of '65 which prohibited states from imposing any "voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure ... to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act). Eventually, he supported the act because of, "harsh bipartisan criticism."
With an unsupportive administration, it seemed as if the President was doing all he could to slow the Civil Rights movement down. However, the African Americans still fought to keep the movement alive. One man in particular saw to advance and better the status African Americans by running for president. He did extremely well as one of the first African American major party candidates, gaining the support of 400 delegates in the election of 1984, with the help of his Rainbow Coalition, and then 1200 four years later in 1988. While ultimately falling short of a nomination both elections, his popularity showed that the people were willing to support the Civil Rights movement, even when the current government was not. (You can see his speech to the 1988 convention at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzlGKEC1MyQ its amazing :D)
The frustrations were not always taken out in a nonviolent nature, however. In 1992, there was a massive riot in Los Angeles after a black motorist, Rodney King, was "savagely beaten" on camera by a group of white police officers, this being the worst in a series of police brutality incidents. Angered by the obvious racism, thousands wreaked havoc upon the city, many of them gang members. The ordinary citizens in the riot acted upon the feeling that the rich politicians had betrayed them, breached a "social contract" and basically were ignoring their plight in society. This riot showed that the causes of "racial justice, social inequality, and poverty could no longer be ignored." Do you think that this riot was justified? If you were a politician, how would you respond to this? Would you denounce it as just simply violent acts? Would you address what caused the riots? If you addressed the cause, wouldn't that be promoting violent acts in the name of justice?



Obstacles to Women's Rights (1018-1020)

Sandra Day O'Connor - First female Supreme Court Justice 1981
Geraldine Ferraro - First Female major party (democrat) Vice President nominee 1984

These two appointments were the just two of the highlights of the Women's Rights movement in the 80's but the average woman was still not equal to the average man. Many women, especially in the working class, still held a disproportionate amount of the second class, low paying jobs. (Additionally, women were often paid much lower than men when they worked essentially the same job. This phenomena of unequal pay for equal work still occurs today with, on average, women only making 71 cents for every dollar made by a man. April 20th is known by many as Equal pay day, marking the day that women would have to work until from the previous year to make the same amount as a man. (https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=1469&page=UserAction&s_src=UNW100001ACT&s_subsrc=100420_equalpay&JServSessionIdr004=3e6w3qy591.app224a is where you can write to your senator to support the equal pay act, helping right this issue. :D)) In these jobs, they only received 59 cents for every dollar made by men. While they had, "come a long way, baby," things such as time off for child rearing or other family responsibilities severely disabled women who tried to get ahead in the workplace. Even women who were able to juggle the female "responsibilities" in the home with a full time career kept hitting their head on the so called "glass ceiling." This metaphor represented the fact that women were exposed to men who were advanced and promoted though the company, while women were restricted at an unofficial, unspoken off barrier. (http://www.robrogers.com/gallery/old_favorites/images/best_93/050293%20Glass%20Ceiling.gif :P)
Another constant battle in the arena of women's rights was upholding Roe v. Wade. Many supreme court cases challenged this decision, all seeking to making the process of obtaining an abortion more difficult. In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, abortion rights were upheld, though they eventually began being restricted. This decision stated that while abortions were to remain legal, a 24 hour waiting period was acceptable and that teen girls should have to obtain a parent or judge's signature to end a pregnancy. This made it harder for young and poor girls to get abortions.
Finally, the concept of sexual harassment was now being recognized, and now it was clear that inappropriate workplace behavior was not to be tolerated, marking a minor success in the movement. Do you think that this waiting period is necessary or a strike against women's rights? Also during this time, opponents of abortion lobbied to cut off federal funds to allow poor women to be able to afford abortions. Is this procedure a right, or should only those rich enough to afford it be able to get it?
Basically, during this period, there were some successes for women, though many things got in the way of major improvements.

The Limited Commitment to Latino Rights (1020)

The title of this section basically summarizes the Latino Rights movement during this period. While the number of Latino immigrants was going up, the amount of social services provided, that were very much needed, went down. Latino students were being largely ignored, with only 60% of Latino students graduating and 31% enrolling in college (as of 1987). Latinos did advance in the field of public office, with more being elected than ever before, however, the working class suffered and the unemployment rate rose. Essentially, there was no real commitment to the advancement of Latinos in society, by the conservative dominated government or the public at large. What do you think prevented the Latino Americans from working together as African Americans had done so well?

Continuing Problems for Native Americans (1020-1021)

Native Americans, during this time, were moving further and further still from their communal, tribal ways and being economically forced toward becoming entrepreneurs, capitalists, and moving toward self sufficiency. While they did make a financial gains in 1988 with the approval of Native American gambling which lead to the construction of very profitable casinos, Native Americans still remained poorest ethnic group (according to 1990 census) with median household income at less than $20k a year.
Do you think that the Native Americans are the minority group that has faced the most problems with Americans?

Asian American Gains (1021-1022)

Unlike other minority groups of the time, Asian Americans were able to make some gains during this period. While other minority groups faced a high number of unskilled immigrants, many Asian immigrants entered the country with professional expertise. With these skills, they were able to seek better opportunities for their children. Eventually, in California, Asians became the largest group of students entering college campuses. Because of their great strides Asians became known as "Model Minority" or "Super Minority", though working class still struggled. Many were forced into the garment industry or sweat shops and Asian women rarely had any choice but to be seamstresses who worked in crowded shops.
With gains, however, came some drawbacks and hatred from jealous whites. This hatred was exhibited in the case of Vincent Chin. Vincent Chin was a Chinese American living in Detroit,  who went to a strip club the week before his wedding with some of his friends. There, a group of white American Men, thinking he was Japanese, conspired to murder him because they blamed Japan for the crisis the American auto industry was in. The men followed Chin out into the parking lot and killed him with a baseball bat. The three men plead guilty and received only three years probation and $3,780 in fines, proving that Asian Americans were not as valued as their fellow white citizens. The Asian American's of Detroit were outraged, but did little to react, thinking that in America, they were already too vulnerable. What do you think the outcome would have been if the Asian Americans had protested/rioted against this decision? Would publicly acting out have been the best idea?

Pressures on the Environmental Movement (1022-1023)

Reagan showed little concern for the environmental movement, appointing politicians such as James Watt to lead the Department of the Interior, who cared little about preservation of forests, wilderness, and other undeveloped coastal areas. Under the Bush Administration, the environment proved to be a bit more important, for example, the Clean Air Act was signed, but as soon as the economy faltered, the Bush Administration pushed aside environmental concerns, stating they would, "slow economic growth." This lack of concern was exhibited again at a United Nations sponsored Earth Summit where Bush, "stood alone," in his refusal to sign a treaty which looked to conserve plant and animal species. (Do you find this situation similar to George W. Bush's stance on the Kyoto Protocol during his administration?) This again exhibits the conservative party's lack of commitment to the environment as well as reform movements in general.


-- Edited by Cara on Tuesday 27th of April 2010 01:26:24 PM

Chapter 21: The Progressives Confront Capitalism
Reading #5
Woodrow Wilson and the New Freedom

Woodrow Wilson’s presidency was all out about breaking many of the conservative traditions of the past and replacing them with his much more progressive ones. Wilson would even speak directly to Congress, breaking a precedent set by Thomas Jefferson. However, as progressive Woodrow Wilson was, and as much as he sought to break with the traditionalist, capitalist American past, he was limited by the conservative members of his own Democratic Party who barred him from just how progressive his legislation could be. Should government leaders constrain themselves to party principles when their own principles that they were elected to institute feel that doing something else is best for the people?

During the first two years of the Wilsonian Presidency, Wilson was often forced to compromise his progressive ideas with those of conservatives, otherwise known as “old-guards” in Congress. However, Wilson was able to accomplish significant legislation. Although he envisioned a free trade bill (free trade would later come apart of his foreign policy in the “14 Points Plan”), he received a compromise of that in the Underwood Tariff of 1913 which significantly reduced the tariff on numerous items and also called for a small graduated income tax, following the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which gave him the right to do so. However, unlike many progressives who sought to redistribute wealth, Wilson sought to use the money from the income tax to pay for the reduction in the tariff. Is it fair to take money in taxes from only the wealthiest Americans to pay for the common good of all Americans? Does the same argument still go on today between liberals and conservatives? As you know, there had been numerous bank crises in U.S. History; the most recent to Wilson being in 1907. Wilson sought to solve this problem with a more progressive banking system however once again had to settle on the key word, compromise! The Federal Reserve Act created a system of 12 federally run banks, the issuance of Federal Reserve notes, and the Federal Reserve Board, which was supposed to regulate large private banks, but would turn out not to. Wilson also established labor’s “Magna Carta” with the Clayton Anti-Trust Law of 1914. This bill practically gave labor the right to organize however the courts still saw fit that labor leaders could be held under the tight fists of court injunctions. Is it one’s right to protest in the workplace? Can any body of government withhold this if you feel it is a right?

Despite his avid progressivism, many felt that Wilson did not go far enough. First off, Woodrow Wilson did not support integration of races, which many progressives saw as morally right, although others did not. Was racial equality truly a part of the progressive movement of the early 20th century? However, it is important to note that Wilson did not always stick to his “New Freedom” values and in fact made a big shift to “New Nationalism” when he created the Federal Trade Commission which had such great power, that it could take down and punish corporations that threatened a competitive market. Such a law can be argued to violate Wilsonian principle of free trade. Is it the job of the Federal Government to regulate capitalist completion? Is that a step towards socialism?

In conclusion however, despite certain shifts away from progressivism, Woodrow Wilson can be hailed as the father of progressivism, along with Teddy Roosevelt in this country. In his first term Wilson would pass the Keatings-Owen Act which barred the interstate commerce of child labor, the Adamson Act which created a federally mandated 8 hour work day and the payment of time and a half for all railroad laborers, and also passed the Federal Farm Loan Act which provided farmers with long term credit.

When studying Wilson and progressivism in general, the key thing to remember is the assertion of government power and intervention. Both Wilson and Roosevelt were clearly not afraid to use said power, in great amounts. They both expanded the power of the executive branches to such great lengths not seen since the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, for after him until Roosevelt, many of the executives remained “weak.” Remember, Wilson and Roosevelt were not afraid to use the bully pulpit to gather support for policy and in turn support for their heavy increases in government regulation. Is President Obama more of a Wilsonian when it comes to executive power, or an “old guard” like the presidents between Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt?

Chapter 23: Affluence and Anxiety
Reading #4: The Business of Politics


The 1920’s, were times of great prosperity and power for business in the United States. After years of progressivism, where presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson would use the bully pulpit in order to attack business, business had no greater of a relationship with the politics of the day than it did in the United States in the 1920’s. The real question is: How close of a relationship, if any, should business have with our elected officials and politics today? In regards to a present issue, should businesses be allowed to fiscally contribute to the campaigns of politicians in the United States?

Harding and Coolidge- Although both of these men held the Presidency of the United States, both were Republicans, and both had similar political views, when it came to personal values, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge were like fire and ice. The Harding Administration was involved in corruption and Harding himself didn’t even want to be president. He and his attorney general, Harry Daugherty, had a house on K Street which was filled liquor and brothels and was the place of corrupt back room deals during the Harding Administration. In fact one of the greatest political scandals in American History took place under the Harding Administration, where Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall took $300,000 in bribes from oil companies to use government oil reserves in the Teapot Dome portion of Wyoming. Surprisingly, Harding remained one of the most popular presidents in American History, for much of his corruption was not uncovered until after his surprise death in August 1923, which the country dearly mourned. Despite all of his corruption, Harding was able to spark the economic prosperity of the 1920’s with passage of the Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922 which raised tariffs, his as well as his decrease in taxes and regulation.

When then Vice President Calvin Coolidge assumed the office of the presidency in 1923, he was a breath of fresh air in regards to honest. Coolidge partook in no corruption, however he was known as the “Sleeping President” for his lax style and the number of hours he slept in a day. However Coolidge was very popular, working with Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon to pursue the economic policies of the Harding Administration. Coolidge is hailed by many as the first “modern conservative” president. He made a statement that summed up business in the 1920’s and for generations to come: “The business of the American people is business…A man who builds a factory, builds a temple, and a man who works there, worships there.” Do you agree with President Coolidge? Does this quote resonate in American business today?

Herbert Hoover- Herbert Hoover was the self made man of the 1920’s, and the “poster boy” for individualism and the social mobility that American Capitalism had created. As secretary of commerce under President Coolidge, he was much more progressive than his boss. In the Great War he led the Belgian Relief Commission and helped to deliver food and supplies to those devastated by the war in Europe. Hoover was a wealthy engineer, who followed the rags to riches tradition, and although he supported personal responsibility and free enterprise, he was sympathetic to poverty and sought to help those in need, something he’d try to do as president, without asserting very much federal power. Is Herbert Hoover evidence that the “self made man” in a capitalist society is achievable and that radical forms of government are not necessary to institute social mobility?

Global Expansion- Although American foreign policy throughout the 1920’s sought to “isolate” the U.S. from foreign policy, business itself had such great influence in politics, that it would lead to U.S. intervention in certain parts of the world. After the disaster of the Great War, many countries sought disarmament; however, such intentions would not last long. The U.S. called the first disarmament conference with the Conference on Naval Disarmament in 1921 where navy sizes were reduced proportionally. There was even talk at the time of a worldwide outlaw of war. How could such an outlaw of war exist and be enforced in a world we live in today? However, such isolationism that the Republican Presidents of the 1920’s so strongly sought was not true in all cases. The U.S. was responsible for sending in troops to Nicaragua in 1925 when a liberal government threatened the status quo of business there and President Coolidge was persuaded by the businessmen of the U.S. to negotiate with the Mexicans to denationalize their oil fields, which was certainly in the best interests of businessmen. The U.S. also instituted a plan to help Germany pay reparation to Britain and France who would then use that money to pay the U.S. back. Sounds like are money is just going in circles right? Finally, businessmen also proved their influence in government with passage of the Hawley-Smoot Tariff in 1930 which raised to tariffs to never before seen rates, caused foreign countries to retaliate, and arguably is partially responsible for the Great Depression. So is it just poor to have businessmen influence U.S. Foreign Policy? Where must the line be drawn?

The Survival of Progressivism & Temperance Triumphant- Hang on progressives, because the 1920’s are a bumpy, conservative ride for you! Clearly in a time against reform, the book states it perfectly that progressivism “did not simply die.” Its major accomplishment of the 1920’s was the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Maternity Act which created the Children’s Bureau and sought to help mothers although maternity and their newborns. This certainly was a victory for progressivism in a time where much was not good for them. Arguably, temperance can be looked upon as a victory legislatively with the passage of the 18th Amendment to Constitution which outlawed alcohol, although its results were a rise in organized crime and a continuance in drinking, which would then lead to its repeal with the 21st Amendment. So, can the federal government enforce laws against any illegal substances?

The Election of 1928 & the Stock Market Crash-The Election of 1928 was more a battle then just Republicans v. Democrats. It pitted Catholics v. Protestants, urbanites v. rural dwellers, and anti prohibitionists v. prohibitionists. The battle was between the first ever Catholic nominee, New York Governor and Democrat Alfred Smith against Republican Herbert Hoover. Although Hoover won the election, Democrats viewed it as a rise from there slump for they made significant gains in popular vote and carried the 12 largest cities creating a trend for future elections.

How would you like to inherit an economic disaster? Then step on down. Herbert Hoover certainly did. And in 1929, about 6 months after being sworn in, the stock market crashed due to over speculation of stocks. When you can buy a $100 stock for $10 and use credit for the other $90, why not? This however led to the crash of the market, which was only an omen for the depression to come.

Chapter 24: The Last Years of the New Deal

Election of 1936

In the election of 1936, FDR ran against a man named Alfred Landon who was the Governor of Kansas. Landon harshly criticized Roosevelt for his new deal efforts. He called them impractical and wasteful. When Alfred Landon was asked what he will do to aid the American people in the depression, he said that he would do the same thing as Roosevelt but more efficiently and better.Even though Landon thought and said, that he could do a much better job at rescuing the country from its worst economic crisis in history, he was not elected, leaving FDR to continue as president for another four years.

Also, FDR received the highest amount of African American votes in the election, even though he was a democrat.In FDR’s new deal, there was funding going to the aid of the poor. Landon however, was planning (if he had won the election) to cut that funding. Even though Landon was a Republican, which the blacks usually favored because it was “the party of Lincoln”, the black Americans were unwilling to let him cut the funding and gave their votes to FDR.

This shows the shift in the political parties, evolving to our modern day political parties.

The Battle of the Supreme Court

Once Franklin Delano Roosevelt was reelected, he vowed that he would aid the “ill-housed, ill- clad and ill-nourished” Americans. However, his first duty in his second term was reforming the Supreme Court and the judicial system.He did this because the courts had invalidated the new deal programs such as the NIRA and the AAA. He tried to get all new justices and even add positions.This was “above his pay grade” and he failed to make these immense changes. However, Roosevelt ended up being satisfied with the judicial system after it decided to cooperate with him and accept his new deal programs after realizing that they could only be helpful to the American economic situation.

Though in late 1936 the economy showed signs of recovery, it soon collapsed again and unemployment rose to record-breaking levels again. Finally, the government listened to a British economist and spent massive amounts of money on goods to increase demand. In the beginning of 1940, the economy had recovered.

This mass spending of American goods is very similar in principal to the stimulus plan which our current president Barack Obama has employed.

Completing the New Deal

One of the final bills of the New Deal that was passed by congress was the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenancy Administration of 1937 (FSA). This aided farmers who lost all of their property and were no longer to create a living for them. Some people saw this as an advancement to communist ways. As for the farmers though, it was an awful nice gesture!: D

In urban areas, many families were having a lot of trouble with their housing arrangements. Many people were still in what were called Hoovervilles on the sides of streets. As a solution to this, grants were given to cities to build tenements or multifamily homes which were far more cost efficient than single family houses.

With the building of more homes came the Federal Housing Administration and the National Housing act.

New Bedford has many tenements today because of the great depression.

Chapter 25: Social Impact of War

Wartime Opportunities

During the First World War, women were a vital part of life in America both in the homes and in labor intensive jobs. This dependence on the woman’s role induced the realization to all that women were equally competent and they were responsible enough to hold down a job and a family. It doesn’t have to be only the husband’s job to make a living. Suddenly, California was a better place for families. During the war, California gained more than 2 million citizens.

A surprising fact about the war time is, the rate of marriages increased during war time. Why?It is said that marrying a dependant woman could act as an excuse for staying home, not serving. Also, many men were found marring women just so that they had someone to come home to or just for a little excitement.

Women Workers of Victory

Because men were absent from society, in was essential that women take jobs in heavy industry. Even though these jobs involved very hard labor, they gave the women a feeling of independence and self worth. However, wars don’t last forever and these women were soon expected to give up their temporary sense of equality and resume their role as domestic servants.This didn’t settle well with many women and soon propaganda figures such as Rosie the riveter were appearing in public to persuade women to take a position of their role in the community.

Why were such unpleasant jobs such as industrial labor so pleasing to women?

Entertaining the People

Americans have always wanted to be entertained. During the First World War, 41/2 hours per day were spent listening to the radio. People of all ages tuned in for the news, music, and even radio shows with storylines. Besides a form of pastime, listening to the radio also served as a connection to the outside world and it kept people aware of the war’s progress over seas.

Although, the radio was a huge part of America’s entertainment, the movie theaters were revolutionizing America’s fantasy luxury.About 100million people would visit the movie theaters per week were they would see movies and special features such as news clips and cartoons including Looney Tunes.

Even today, in times of economic crisis and or war, people find sanctuary in fantasy at the movie theaters.

Religion in Time of War

One of the injustices made by Hitler to the Jewish people is that he took their freedom of religion.Because this was going on in many other countries, Americans were inspired to practice their faiths more “faithfully” XD and church/ synagogue attendance of many states saw a noticeable increase. The whole spike in religious attendance brought about a debate involving America’s response to evils around the world which took place in the forties, fifties, and sixties.

GI’s and Women in Uniform

GI which was short for government issued referred to the soldiers who were famous for becoming heroes. Unlike many other groups of soldiers, the GI’ were completely racially integrated. There were blacks, Asians, and even Native Americans.The term GI however was made famous in the era by a children’s action figure toy called the GI Joe which was armed and suited up in full gear. This subliminally glorified fighting for the US army in children’s minds.

In all wars, women were involved mostly as nurses. This tradition of female aids on the battle fields continued in the First World War and still continues today. However, during the war, congress granted approval to women serving in the military along side men. After this, about 350,000 women joined and fought for their country. To this though, many military men and soldiers objected. In response to the men’s reaction to this new change, persuasive posters and propaganda advertisements were often seen. One of the arguments of the men is that the women would get pregnant and hold the army back. The women proved them wrong;’ the pregnancy rate was extremely low and remained low. These changes again broadened the horizons for women in the near future after the war. This was yet another way women advanced to equality and freedom of stereotype.

Chapter 26: Economic Boom

The Thriving Peacetime Economy

After the war, the economic condition, which was in great shape, relieved the people’s fears of another depression in the future.The gross national product jumped during the fifties and personal income per capita almost doubled.The after war time was very peaceful and happy. Also, in 1955, 8 million cars were manufactured, causing more people to be able to choose from a wider variety of cars. Besides just cars, an economic boom was also seen in the housing market. The home ownership rates rose 9% in a 15year time period. This was partly because the GI bill gave out loans for property buying to people who served in the war.

Also, the post war economic boom was responsible for the companies and corporations that are still around today and are still loved by millions, such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola.This and the spread of American books, movies, and magazines brought in a lot of profit for companies and entrepreneurs.

Postwar Growth around the World

Along with the America, European countries and Asia’s economy grew and thrived once their towns and cities recovered from war. Defeated nations showed the most dramatic development of all. Why? Because they were able to “start fresh” and build with better plans and uses for space which would better serve the people. Germany suffered the worst wartime destruction due to both conventional bombing and to the new atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The Corporate Impact on American Society

The different arising companies had a great effect on American society and even the landscape. Mostly, car companies and the availability of cars as transportation lead to the increase of drive through of drive in facilities. Food, drugs, and entertainment were all formatted to accommodate people who never wanted to exit their cars. McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, and Ray Kroc, also Drive-in movies were all new businesses that were making automobiles more convenient to own. Grocery stores were more.Because cars were now the norm, the expansion of roads and highways were very necessary and were built throughout the country. Also, parking lots were created to accommodate cars. All of these changes impacted the lives of Americans and the country’s landscape.

The Union Movement at High Tide

The union movement which had become strengthened during the New Deal, gained 14.5 million members, ten million of which belonged to the American Federation of Labor. In the late 40’s, early 50’s, big business at last recognized the basic rights of industrial workers. Union leaders and members in response acknowledged the prerogatives of the management and accepted the principals of fair profit.This wasn’t just a kind gesture, but vital to the survival of both the workers and the businesses. Without agreement, nothing would get done and both the company who was out of workers would shut down, and the workers who were out of a job would starve.

Agricultural Workers in Trouble

Just like Hamilton predicted and hoped for, the United States strayed away from agrarian means of income and moved on to better paying, more technological fields. New technologies and cars revolutionized the way everyone lived their lives. Because, big business was taking over jobs including farming, farmers who owned their own small farms were in deep trouble.In response, farmers left the land in increasing numbers for factories and office jobs. This increased the size of the big business farms and virtually killed off the smaller farms. Overall, America was drifting towards a service oriented society, not a production oriented one.

Chapter 27: Origins of the Cold War

The American Stance

America, after the Second World War became officially the most powerful country in the world. America wanted to use this power to sustain its strong economy and when communism threatened democracy and America’s capitalistic ways, fear was instantly instilled into the minds of Americans. If communism was allowed to takeover, a hostile environment would be left for America’s capitalism, causing world trade to fail.

Soviet Aims

Usually, Russia had been governed by strong centralized governments. These ideologies lead to the start of communism. During the war, the Russians had played down talk of the world revolution, which they knew their allies found threatening and had mobilized domestic support with nationalistic appeals.Communism relied on America’s fear of an economic failure to protect itself.

After World War II ended, the Soviet Union was badly hurt and needed to build up its strength before continuing to challenge the US. Even though the Russians seemed to be willing to risk all to weaken America, the citizens of Russia felt vulnerable along their western border.

Early Cold War Leadership

In the cold war, the battle was mainly the United States versus the Soviet Union, the two strongest yet very different governments in the world.The Soviet Union’s leaders were Stalin and then Khrushchev. During this time period, the American presidents were Truman and Eisenhower.After World War II, even though Americans were in a peace mode, they felt like they owned the world and were invincible. They were uncomfortable with the idea of fighting with the soviets but were willing if necessary. Truman said “it is now time to stand up to the Russians”. When Truman said this, he was threatening the Soviets in a way; he was “brandishing his gun”.

After Stalin died in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev, who was the prime minister, inherited control over the Soviet Union. Khrushchev worried the world just with his crude behavior, for example, he interrupted the British prime minister during a speech by banging his shoe loudly on the table at the United Nations.

The Troublesome Polish Question

The Yalta conference on February 1945 attempted to resolve the issue regarding the governing of Poland. At the Potsdam conference in July of 1945, Truman and Stalin met in person for the first and last time. This meeting took place outside Berlin, where the US and Soviet Leaders negotiated the Russian, Polish border.

Why would America involve itself in affairs in Poland?

It was important to the United States that there be as few communist countries as possible, as the power of the Soviet Union was growing regardless of Poland’s political status. The US fought for Poland to become democratic because this was a way of preserving democracy, capitalism, and indirectly for America’ economy.

Economic Pressures of the USSR& Declaring the Cold War

The United States intended to use the economic pressures of war to weaken the USSR and prevent them from strengthening and spreading. After the war, the Soviets needed desperately financial aid, six billion dollars to be exact. Roosevelt refused to give them the money. They were so desperate that, four months later, they asked for one billion dollars.

As Soviet- American relations deteriorated, both sided stepped up their rhetorical attacks.America stated that if an attack should be made, massive retribution would be swift.

Winston Churchill declared that “from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain had descended across the continent.” By this, he meant that there was a great separation in the world. There was a great political division between half the world. This was a grim statement that further urged democratic countries to destroy communist forces.

 

-- Edited by Arthur on Monday 3rd of May 2010 02:40:08 PM

Chapter 30: The Revival of Conservatism
	Reading #1: Conservative Transformation

REAGANSTEIN! AH!

After years of liberal administrations from FDR to LBJ; it declined during the terms of Nixon and Ford. While it made a comeback during Carter’s brief tenure, it declined once more as the Reagan administration came to power, along with a new set of conservative policies. Conservatism dominated the American government, setting a new national agenda completely different than its liberal counterpart that thrived since FDR and its ideas persisted throughout the eighties till today. The conservative philosophy is governed by certain motto given by Thomas Jefferson: “That government is best is one that governs least.”

Yet is a government that governs least is one that truly governs best?

The New Politics

Conservative gained ground during the 1960’s and gained much appeal for those who experienced backlash during the Vietnam War. Many people, mostly middle-class Americans, found much appeal to the conservative argument against liberal policies and were dissatisfied at the liberal solution of “spreading the wealth” to counterattack social problems, which would in turn stimulate an unstable economic growth and contribute to problems such as inflation, wastefulness, and lack of productivity. In order to counterattack these problems believed to be left in the dust by the failure of its “liberal solution”, conservatives proposed another philosophy: “That government is best is one that governs least.” Conservatives pushed for a more “down-sized” government by decreasing government regulation of businesses and reduce taxes. These tactics were part of the “trickle-down theory” or “Reaganomics”. If businesses are assisted by decreasing regulation and cutting down taxes for the wealth, its benefits would “trickle down” to the lower classes. Another argument that conservatives pushed was the idea that liberal policies would led to acts of “reverse racism”. Many middle-class Americans believed that due to “affirmative action, job quotas, and promoting equal opportunity” that they been left in the dust because of the focus on the poor and minorities.
Another factor that dominated conservative politics was religion. Many Americans believed that religious morality had been “eaten away” by homosexuality, abortion, and the high rates of divorces. Promoting “stricter standards of morality” became the blood vessel of the heart of conservatism. “Religious activist” Reverend Jerry Falwell founded The Moral Majority to advocate this. Similar religious groups such as the Christian Coalition advocated this idea as well. While the textbook shows examples of orthodox Jews and Muslims “taking a stand”, the religious platform of the Republican Party was Christian, specifically Protestant or Evangelical Christians.

Religion and fundamental values are so deeply ingrained into the conservative philosophy; does that violate the idea of separation of church and state?

Conservative Leadership

During the eighties, the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, a former movie star and governor of California, and George H.W. Bush, a guy who achieved positions most men dreamed of, dominated the decade. But the conservative politics of the decade was more powerfully spearheaded by Reagan. In 1980, Reagan won in a landslide victory against democratic opponent, Jimmy Carter, who was tarnished by his lackluster term beforehand. His charm and natural talent in communicating to the media, a skill developed during his career as an actor, was the key factor during his presidential campaign. He promoted his vision to the American people as President, stating that the country was the “last best hope of man on Earth,” and used religious metaphors and fundamental values to promote this vision. Yet Reagan also had a few obstacles. He was the oldest person to date (and still is) that was elected President, ripe in his seventies. Due to his age, his attention and memory often went hazy or drifted, thus committing infamous acts such as falling asleep during a meeting with Pope John Paul II. During his administration, he often left political decisions in the hand of his aids, thus leaving room for corruption.
Reagan’s Republican brethren and vice-president, George H. W. Bush, ran for presidency in 1988 and won. Bush had previously achieved many things: owning a Texas oil industry, served in Congress, served as an ambassador to China, and served as head of the CIA. He ran a “mudslinging campaign” against a fellow New Englander, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. While Bush gained victory, many Republicans were “suspicious” about him. Yet he experienced a personal 67% approval rating during his term until the economy began to falter in the early nineties during the last years of his presidency and the commencement of the Persian Gulf War.

Republican Policies at Home

The Republican policies during the Reagan-Bush administrations revolved around a certain philosophy: “The government governs best is one that governs least.” They aimed to follow this philosophy by reducing strict business regulation that was set by more liberal administrations in the previous years and provide benefits to the wealthy. Businesses always aim to prosper. As the international economy became increasingly globalize, business wanted to spread their interests aboard. The Reagan-Bush government supported these efforts to prosper both at home and aboard.
In order to benefit the wealthy, Reagan used a new economic theory, “Reaganomics” or the “trickle-down theory”. Taxes would be reduced for the wealthy, which, in turn, would supposedly help businesses to expand and prosper. This prosperity would then “trickle-down” to the lower class, thus help “stimulate the system as a whole”. According to Zinn, those who had an income over $400, 000 paid ninety-one percent in 1946. In 1982, the wealthy only paid fifty percent and in 1986 “a coalition of Republicans and Democrats sponsored another tax reform bill that lowered the top rate to twenty-eight percent.” This meant that “a schoolteacher, a factory worker, and a billionaire could all pay twenty-eight percent,” meaning that those from the lower class did not benefit. Tax cuts, along with massive military spending, increased from $74 billion in 1980 to $290 billion in 1992. In his mission to deregulate businesses, Reagan aimed at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Reagan argued that “regulations pertaining to the consumer, the workplace, and the environment were inefficient, paternalistic, and excessively expensive,” and that they inhibited the growth of corporations. One example was Reagan’s “deregulation” of the FCC, which now decreased the time of the airing of public-service broadcasts in exchange for commercials. In order to manage the large tax cuts and military spending, the Reagan administration eliminated or weakened the amount federal funding for social programs. During the Reagan-Bush years, the number of public-service jobs and aid to cities were reduced. They also required Medicare to be paid, reduced unemployment compensations, and reduced welfare benefits such as food stamps. While the wealthy continued to enjoy the benefits of massive tax cuts, the lower class was left in the dark. The rising poverty rate was one of the major contributions of “Reaganomics”, the poor obviously wasn’t receiving any benefits at all. 

-- Edited by Charlene on Tuesday 18th of May 2010 10:45:37 AM

-- Edited by Charlene on Tuesday 18th of May 2010 10:46:52 AM

Chapter 26 Consensus and Conformity


As the economy grew and as immigration slowed, conformity seemed increase in the United States.  With less immigrants comming into the country, assimilation sped up and with that, more interethnic marriages started to happen. With the third and fourth generations growing up in a similar technological world, a sense of same-nass came about.

After the second World War, many Americans returned to church. Many found that they shared the same religious views which added to the conformity of the country. Evangelist preacher Billy Graham became highly popular and led the Evangelical revival. Graham preached firey messages for sinners to embrace God and "save their nation from the perils of the Communist threat".  Catholicism broadened its appeal as well as Judaism. Slogans such as "A Family that prays toghether, stays toghether" were advertised to show the importance of family life. Why do you suppose there was a great religious revival post-WWII?

Just as WWI had done, the traditional roles of men and women were broken. Women would go to work in place of all the men who left over seas. Once the war was over, women were expected to return to the domestic life. These expectations met a challenge as many women enjoyed working and did not want to leave their jobs. Is the cult of domesticity being broken now that women have experienced the workforce? Betty Friedan wrote "The Feminine Mystique" to project the idea that women were trapped in the domestic life and had talents that were yet to be discovered due to the pressure of being a mother and wife.  This book helped begin the restarting of the Women's Rights Movement.

Sexuality became a rising concer amongst post-war Americans. Alfed C. Kinsey did studies on human sexuality and shocked America with what he found. Why was it so shocking to America that 67% of males have had sex before marriage? Was it the amount of men who were having pre-marital sex? Or was it that it was out in the open now? Sex symbol Marilyn Monroe was a popular movie actress who's seductive appearence captured the forbidden woman that many American males dreamed about.

Culture rebels started breaking away from the comformity of the 1950s. Wirters and poets such as J.D Salinger (Catcher in the Rye) and Allen Ginsberg were apart of the "Beat Generation". This "generation" was the opposite of the conformity in America. They wanted people to me spontaneous and spiritual.

The Decline of Liberalism[/b]
Richard Nixon and His Team

American citizens, who were frustrated with the ongoing war in Vietnam, the liberal agenda, and the government’s inability to eliminate social programs, looked to another political ideal or party. After a long democratic rule, beginning from FDR’s administration to Johnson’s administration, the Republican party finally came back to power after President Richard Nixon, an Republican Senator, was elected in 1968. Nixon himself was described as a “complex” and “quiet” man who was born into poverty and worked vigorously his way up the political ladder through different tactics, often scheming. Nixon and his team, mostly made-up of white Republicans, aimed to cut vigorous spending on social programs planted by previous liberal administrations and cut down the size of the federal government. The white middle class Americans or “the Silent Majority” (a term coined by Nixon), who was frustrated with the government’s focus on helping the poor and minorities, favored this direction.
While Nixon favored a strong executive office, he also depended on his cabinet members, which included Henry A. Kissinger, Arthur Burns, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Nixon also depended on others that weren’t part of the Cabinet, which included H.R. Haldeman, advertising executive and Nixon’s main campaigner; John Enhrlichman, an lawyer who worked with Haldeman; and John Mitchell, a lawyer hailing from New York who was eventually appointed as Attorney General by President Nixon.

The Republican Agenda at Home

As always, the Republican motto, written by Thomas Jefferson, is: “A government that governs best is one that governs least.” The Nixon administration aimed to follow this philosophy by cutting taxes and reversing liberal policies. He wanted to reverse the “flow of power” away from the federal government and into state and local governments.
Nixon also sought to use “economic tools” to help an ailing economy. Besides the Vietnam War, several factors contributed to the downsizing of the economy such as the American market regarding grain prices and most importantly and critically, the infamous Arab oil embargo during the seventies. After the Six Day War between Egyptian and Israeli forces, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised oil prices. The final blow came due to the Yom Kippur War, as Saudi Arabia refused to give oil to the United States, an ally of Israel. Prices of oil imported from other countries skyrocketed and oil became too expensive to buy, thus becoming scarce. All different kinds of Americans, from manufacturers to homeowners, were all greatly affected by the oil embargo. Americans were now paying about 65 cents per gallon, an ridiculous price for gas back in the seventies. The high-energy prices and the rising inflation caused Americans to cut back on consumer spending. Nixon sought to combat these economic problems. In the beginning of his first term, he persuaded the Federal Reserve Board to increase interest rates and reduce government to combat inflation. He eventually imposed more monetary policies and wage control to further combat it until after his re-election in 1972.

And as a consequence of the oil embargo, Japanese cars entered into the market while European and American cars crashed and burned.

In his effort to combat “welfare cheaters” (Sweet, sweet Thoreau…) Nixon wanted to cut social programs and place his own programs and policies to aid the poor, such as the Family Assistance Plan, which would yearly provided $1600 for a family of four and $800 in food stamps. Though, the Senate shot down this program. In order to face demonstrations run by American’s rowdy youth, Nixon publicly denounced these “disruptive elements” and used government power to his advantage. In turn, the Nixon administration turned to support the youth who was part of “the Silent Majority”.

Continuing Confrontations in Civil Rights

Unlike his liberal predecessors, Nixon was less than sympathetic and more apathetic toward the civil rights movement. Most African-Americans felt the same way toward the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln, and this was evident as the Republican Party only gained twelve percent of the black vote in the election of 1968. Nixon, who believed that “any effort to woo the black electorate would endanger his attempt to obtain the white southern support”, showed barely any support the civil rights movement. The Nixon administration wanted to reduce appropriations for housing enforcement and an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The most important situation regarding race was the busing crisis in Northern cities, especially Boston, during the seventies. Nixon and the Republican Party slowed down eventual desegregation in order to appeal to the Conservative supporters and those in favor of segregation of busing.


-- Edited by Charlene on Tuesday 1st of June 2010 07:30:44 AM

Chapter 31 Section One; the Changing Face of the American People
~The New Pilgrims~

The second wave of 20th century immigration was tremendous; from 1981-2000 over 17.5 million immigrants came to American shores. In the 1990’s one/third of the population consisted of immigrants.

In the 1990’s immigrants normally moved to the East Coast, but in 2000 things dramatically changed. States such as California, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada became the immigration hub

Hispanics, Latinos, and Asian Pacific Islanders made up the largest percentage of the recent rush in immigrants

However, illegal immigration became the premier issue in this era; a problem which permeates every state, city, and town across America (an issue which is very prevalent in our area, as well)

In 1986 the Immigration Reform and Control Act allotted illegal immigrants amnesty, a promise that convinced many immigrants to make the “new pilgrimage”

In order to combat the huge influx of immigrants into America, California passed proposition 187 which denied aliens access to public education and medical treatments. This law was enacted, but received HUGE backlash, and was ultimately repealed

~ Census of 2000~
MAJOR FIRGURES

13% overall national increase
30.7 million people increase from 1990-2000
290.8 million people living in the US in 2003
19% growth in the West
45% growth in Phoenix, AZ metro area
83% growth in the Las Vegas, NV metro area
69% white population
Asian Pacific Islander increase by 43%
African American 12% increase
38.8% increase in Latinos etc.
Minorities now outnumbered whites in CA
Phoenix, AZ had an outstanding 34.3% growth


Main ideas-
the melting pot has finally come full circle--- we are embracing our multi-national heritage.
illegal immigration, and its backlash

-- Edited by felicity on Tuesday 1st of June 2010 10:21:02 PM

Chapter 29 Section 2

~ Vietnamization- bringing the Soldiers Home~

In wake of the Communist Craze, Nixon emerged as one of the front-running politicians in the 1970’s. He promised to bring the troops home and win the war, lofty goals that seemed to conflict with one another. However, from 1968-1972 American soldiers returned home 400,000 plus, despite major blows to the South Vietnamese by the Vietcong. His game was confusing; he gained popularity by returning soldiers, but he bombed N.V. extensively, and peace proved elusive.

~Widening the War~

Nixon invaded Cambodia, which ushered in a brand new round of protestors, ultimately leading to the Kent State  Massacre, in which the national guard shot into the crowd, killing students and shattering trust in government.  A similar event unfolded at Jackson State University, where 460 rounds were fired into a woman’s dormitory.  Daniel Ellbsurg also began to publish the “Pentagon Papers” via the NY Times, an unembellished image of what the Vietnam actually entailed.

~End of the War~

Closure from the V War arrived in spring 1975, leaving S.V. crumbling, alone, and prone. Nixon essentially lost; the first in American history. (Way to go Nixon!) After losing 58,000 men, the trust of the public, and some of his credibility, Nixon and Kissinger were left in the cold. However, he did decide to engage in a more friendly relationship with China, a step in the right direction (he met with Zedong and Enlai). He also signed the first SALT treaty, one of the first steps towards the end of the Cold War.

Twenty Three/One
Postwar Problems
~The Red Scare~
• In the model of past pointless scares such as the persecution of Mormons, anarchists, immigrants, Catholics, and Populists the “Red Scare” gripped the country
• Cultivated by the cinemas and media, seeds of hysteria were planted across the country; men and women began to look at one another and only see one word- COMMUNIST!
• Groups in Europe such as the Bolsheviks and Brest-Litovsk, fanned the fears, contributiting to the “Red Scare”
• A mere 25,000 Communists were active in America, usually romanticized intellectuals, who posed no threat to democracy
~The Red Scare and the Palmer Raids~
• Trouble was brewing from 1914-1919 due to wartime inflation, which doubled prices, and made it difficult to make ends meet.
• In 1919 alone, over 4 million workers went on strike and took to the streets, and affiliated themselves with over 4,000 individual strikes
• No threat to the government, they demanded what most strikers demand across the chapters of history’s textbooks; shorter hours, higher wages, and sometimes, worker control
• Over 35,000 ship workers took to the pickets on January 21st 1919, and were met by federal troops and blood of their comrades
• The newspapers, street corners, mothers, and gypsies alike blamed the unrest as the work of the Bolsheviks; utter hog wash, but sensational none the less
• Coolidge replied “ There is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anytime, anywhere.”
• Palmer initiated raids in November 1919, which resulted in the brutal beatings of many, arrests, and calls of communism
• As violent as it was oppressive, the Palmer Raids are a dark scourge in American society
• Although the craziness affiliated with the Red Scare died down by 1920, Communist fear was still very real and prevalent
~ The KKK~
• Organized by William J. Simmons, the KKK was of super-patriots and more importantly, white supremacists
• Characterized by their white hoods and capes, they were immortalized and portrayed in a positive light by the “Birth of a Nation”
• Very anti-Semitic, Catholic and pro Protestant
• Militantly anti-black
• There was also a WKKK, a women’s group which made up 50% of the group
• Very popular in Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, and Indianapolis
• However, its power weaned after 1925
• The Sacco Vanzetti trial led to the execution of two supposed immigrant anarchists despite any evidence….a great example of Red Scare hysterical mentality

Reading #1: The Twisting Road to War

In the years of 1933 through 1941, American involvement in World War II was in a way unavoidable. In a sense, as leaders of one of the greatest nations in the world, certain stands must be made. What would have happened if the United States had not grown in their involvement in World War II? Would whole countries be destroyed? Would millions of more Jewish people and other prisoners of the concentration camps be mass murdered? U.S. involvement was necessary in order to preserve mankind and save a whole race of people from dying out due to the killings, bombing, and genocide taking place in Europe. Not only was Europe in turmoil, the devastation of war was being spend across the globe through the axis powers’ reaches. Pearl Harbor was the last straw for the American people, inevitably leading the decision to enter the war was obvious. American leaders and the American people had to take a stand and defend not only themselves, but their allies and the innocent people amidst the chaos of a world war.

International crisis and domestic difficulties surrounded Roosevelt. Were his decisions justified? Depression had engulfed Europe and Germany was growing in power and expanding in land by the day. Time was of the essence. With no great master plan in foreign policy or domestic issues, Roosevelt gave out mixed signals to the American people on what his plan may turn out to be. To remain neutral would be a more peaceful choice since Pearl Harbor had yet to be attacked. To join the allies in the fight against the axis powers could potentially endanger more American lives than could be bearable. So where to go from here? Roosevelt felt lenient towards addressing the domestic issues because after all he is a president for the people. The American people come first, always. Dictators also remained to be in the support of America in order to preserve American economic interests. That move was a somewhat successful maneuver. In a time when the whole world was standing on pins and needles, who can you trust and what comes first? The decisions could not be made in a hasty manner, Roosevelt addressed the time period in no other than a delicate manner.

Europe was on the brink of war, Ethiopia was being invaded by Italy and Spain was in the middle of a deadly civil war, also taking the lives of numerous American activists. War in Europe was everywhere. The Nazis had invaded Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Denmark, along numerous other occupied countries. Britain and ever Ireland were bombed by the Germans on the regular. Black paint was painted over the skyscrapers windows of London so the planes dropping the bombs would fail to target the light attracted from the rooms. How could the United States stand by and let such brutality occur? The lend-lease act was the first attempt to aid Britain without completely lashing against the axis powers. Although already previously engaging in an unofficial naval war with German submarines, the United States wanted to remain “a turtle in its shell.”

The election of 1940 brought new light to the reluctance to aid Britain.  The world power nation and fond ally of the United States was the last power standing up against the Nazi. If the United States did not aid Britain, Germany would have most definitely took over the country, similar to the occupation of the world power nation of France. With the fall of the United Kingdom, Germany would have held a massive grip over the Western shores of Europe and over the continent as a whole. Without American aid to the British, Germany most likely would have won the war in Europe. Knowing that the fall of Britain would be the end, the United States was lenient towards defending their greatest ally, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor, United States entering the fight in World War II was inevitable.

Reading #1: Origins of the Cold War

Stemming from different degrees of tension between the countries after World War II, the Cold War developed as the demise of entire empires began to crumble. With the whole world hanging on to a thread, the heat boiled to an extend like never seen before. The two main countries with the most tension were the United States and the Soviet Union. Senator J. William Fulbright commented on the situation between the nations, “like two big dogs, chewing on a bone.” Policymakers followed the steps created by Woodrow Wilson. Liberty, equality, and democracy were the three major aspects of the ultimate American dream. In order to maintain recognition from other nations, the United States were extremely careful when it come to decision making during this time. Any drastic moves would have created a nuclear war, perhaps to wild to tame.

 
The American economy was striving through warfare production. The Great Depression lingered in the pasts of the American people causing an even greater motivation to maintain a stable economy and to never enter another drastic depression again. The main motivation however was the desire to win the war and fight off the Soviets. The Soviet Union instilled fear in Americans like no other nation or war had before. The element of the unknown may be more fearful then actually being in a full-fledged war with another country. The new technological age increased nuclear weapons for both countries alike.  The possibilities were frightful. Conflicts such as the Cuban Missile Crisis left the Soviet Union and the United States neck and neck.

The Soviet Union created their goals after World War II. Russia had played down the talk of a world revolution due to the fear it would cause its allies. Nationalism was publicized instead which was most definitely a positive move for the Russian leaders.  Coming out as the two most powerful countries after the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union held strong leadership throughout the difficult early years of World War II. Why were the two countries the strongest at the beginning of the Cold War? Well, the two countries gained the most territory and conquered the largest amount of area. Location was also key for the Soviet Union and strength in weaponry and soldiers made the United States almost undefeatable. Truman grew hostile to the Soviets following the ending years of World War II. He believed that the United States must stand up to Russia before they spread communism throughout the whole world. The United States knew the dangers of world domination through the Soviets. During the Cold War, it was almost as if the world had been divided half and half; half the world was taken over by communism, and the other half practiced capitalism.

-- Edited by Sarah Flood on Wednesday 2nd of June 2010 10:52:49 AM

-- Edited by Sarah Flood on Wednesday 2nd of June 2010 10:53:21 AM

-- Edited by Sarah Flood on Wednesday 2nd of June 2010 10:54:02 AM