#16: Space Race, Arms Race, & McCarthyism

How did Cold War tensions intensify during the 1950s?

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Poll

If I assign an episode from Amend on Netflix next week, which would you prefer?

• To watch the episode on my own after Zoom -

  I have a way to watch on my own.

• To watch the episode together over Zoom

Open Ended

Name 3 characteristics of the Cold War. Countries involved, events, leaders, issues, dates.

The Cold War: 1945-1991

• 2 superpowers: the US & the Soviet Union

• war to spread ideology: American democracy versus Soviet communism

• competition to be the strongest, most powerful nation on earth = more allies & more weapons

• competition to have the most nuclear weapons AND build more powerful bombs

• America is 1st to develop nuclear bombs, but the Soviets quickly catch up

Multiple Choice

How did news of the Soviet's 1st successful nuclear bomb test impact Americans?

• Fear led many young Americans to volunteer for military service.

• Paranoia about Soviet spies led to witch hunts for suspected communists.

• Prosperity of the post war period led to an increase in consumer spending.

Multiple Select

Which 2 of the following was involved in the witch hunt for suspected Reds and subversives - aka communists - during the 1950s?

• President

  Harry Truman

• Senator

  Joseph McCarthy

• Joseph Stalin

• Secretary of State

  John Marshall

• House Un-American

  Activities Committee (HUAC)

McCarthyism & the hunt for undercover communists

left many Americans afraid that they would be accused of being red, forced to testify in a show trial, & thrown in jail.

In November of 1952, American scientists build & test a hydrogen bomb -

1,000 times MORE powerful than a nuclear bomb - to maintain military dominance over the Soviets.

Open Ended

In the midst of McCarthyism & Cold War fears, who are Americans more likely to support for President: a civilian or former military commander? Why?

Dwight D Eisenhower

Elected President

in 1952

• General Eisenhower served as the Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during WWII

• He led the D-Day invasion of Normandy beaches

• He witnessed first hand the atrocities of the Holocaust, interviewed survivors, & made sure the US media shared the horrors of Nazi concentration camps

Containment to Brinkmanship in 1952

• Eisenhower & his Secretary of State John Foster Dulles are staunchly anti-communist

• Under Eisenhower, America promises to respond to aggression with force, including the use of nuclear weapons

• America's defense spending increased as the Air Force was expanded & the US began stockpiling nuclear warheads

• the Soviets developed their own H-bomb in 1953 and also began building up their nuclear arsenal

Multiple Choice

The Cold War competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to build and stockpile nuclear bombs in order to maintain the largest nuclear arsenal is known as -

• the arms race.

• the space race.

• the bomb race.

In 1953, after 30 years in power, Joseph Stalin dies.

Nikita Khrushchev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union.

Americans expect the Cold War to thaw, but will it be that simple?

Eisenhower Promises Massive Retaliation

John Foster Dulles said that if the Soviets attack any US ally (NATO),

America would launch nuclear weapons at every major Soviet city.

Multiple Choice

Under President Eisenhower, US foreign policy shifted from one of containing the spread of communism to --

• one of isolationism and withdrawing from Cold War competition.

• one of brinkmanship bringing the US to the edge of another world war.

• one of pacifism seeking to avoid a global conflict by promising to de-arm.

In 1954, Senator McCarthy is discredited & falls out of popularity

when his attempts to find hidden Reds in the military is met with disgust from military leaders.

McCarthyism did not result in a single confirmed communist or spy in the U.S. government

America Fears Nuclear Attack

• National and local governments prepared citizens for a Soviet nuclear attack on the United States

• Citizens built fallout shelters in their backyards

• Congress created the Interstate Highway System in 1956 to help Americans evacuate from cities quickly in case of attack

Cities & schools practiced building evacuations & “duck and cover” drills

Prosperity AND Fear

• the GI Bill that provided veterans with college tuition, discounted mortgages & business loans created a middle class

• more Americans were employed in the 1950s than ever before

• Eisenhower raised the minimum wage & families had more $$ than ever before

• 1950s were a mix of consumer spending & fear of nuclear attack

Multiple Choice

Which country was 1st to successfully launch a satellite - Sputnik I - into space during the Cold War?

• the United States

• the Soviet Union

Multiple Choice

The Soviet Union's launch of the Sputnik satellite in 1957 was responsible for starting -

• an arms race to build up nuclear arsenals to maintain military power

• a space race to develop the technology necessary to launch a nuclear bomb from anywhere

Multiple Select

Which 3 actions did the US take in response to Soviet technological and scientific advances that were embarrassing America?

• increased the speed & funding for space projects

• launched a campaign for more math and science education in American schools

• joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for protection

• created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• launched nuclear weapons at major Russian cities

After class today,

• complete the 12 multiple choice Quizizz: retake it until you're happy with your score & you know the info

• check your class grade & complete any missing or incomplete assignments