United States v. Soviet Union

1. Capitalism Private ownership of industry Freedom of competition Survival of the fittest Laissez-faire: government keeps “hands off” Creates different economic classes Socialism Government ownership of industry Created as reaction to capitalism Goal is to bring economic equality to people Classless society United States v. Soviet Union

2. Democracy Government by the people Two forms: Representative Direct Totalitarianism Government by one or a few Total control over any aspects of people’s lives No freedom of press or speech United States v. Soviet Union

3. Freedom The condition of being free Highly valued: Freedom of the press Freedom of speech Freedom to do business Equality Condition of being equal Highly valued: basic needs—food, housing, education, and jobs—supplied for all people United States v. Soviet Union

4. Individualism Stresses the need for people to do things on their own Competition; the best individuals reach higher levels of power, status, or money Collectivism Stresses the need for people to work together to benefit the whole “all for one, and one for all” United States v. Soviet Union

5. Beginning of the Cold War Healingthe Wounds of War

6. Life in America after WWII • During the war, factories had worked overtime to supply the Allied forces. • Now the orders for tanks, planes, ships and weapons dropped sharply. Some predicted that this would lead to economic trouble.

7. 12 million men and women serving in the armed forces at the end of the war were returning to civilian life. • These veterans were looking for jobs, but they were often not available. • Also, many women workers were pressured to leave their jobs so that the male veterans could take their place.

8. The GI Bill • Began before WWII ended in June 1944, FDR signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944. • This Act became known as the GI Bill • Different from WWI government promise of financial bonuses for vets. Provided immediate benefits. • GI stood for “government issue” • A nickname for members of the armed forces

9. The Bill was aimed at helping veterans make a smooth entry into civilian life. • Provided money for veterans to attend college or receive advanced job training. • Arranged for loans for homes, farms, or businesses. • Provided help in finding work as well as a year’s worth of unemployment benefits for those who could not find work.

11. Increase in demand • After the war, demand for consumer good rose sharply. • People who had delayed purchasing during the war now decided to buy. • Demand for houses, furniture, and appliances increased. • Family size also increased. • The two decades following WWII marked the beginning of the “baby boom,” a dramatic rise in the birthrate.

12. Labor Unions • After the war, labor unions began seeking the increases in wages that had been limited during the war. • 1946—the number of strikes rose. • 1947—Congress passed the Taft-Hartley Act despite President Truman’s veto. • Reduced the power of labor unions. • President able to stop strikes when national interest was at stake.

13. Executive Order 9981—passed by Truman in June 1948. This ended segregation in the U.S. armed forces. Racial minorities after WWII

14. Politics in Postwar America • 1946 Congressional elections • During the war, govt. had acted to keep prices low. After the war, prices shot up as a result and Truman was blamed. • Elections were a disaster for the Democrats. Republicans gained became the majority in Congress for the first time since 1930. • Republicans fought against Truman and he had a difficult time putting in place his own programs. Exception: the Marshall Plan.

15. President Truman

16. 1948 Presidential election. • Truman appeared to be in trouble. Popularity extremely low (among voters and many fellow Democrats). • Seemed that he was certainly lose to the Republican candidate Governor Thomas Dewey from NY. • One of the most surprising elections in U.S. history. • Truman now felt confident enough to introduce his Fair Deal program.

17. Trying to Build a Better World • New desire to understand and prevent the causes of war. • United Nations (UN) was established at the end of the war. • Member nations agreed to live in peace and to unite to maintain security. • Force would only be used to serve the common interests of the membership.

18. Human rights • Universal Declaration of Human Rights • Called for an end to slavery, torture, and inhumane punishment. • Demanded a variety of civil rights, including the right to assembly and access to the courts. • Stated that elementary school should be free and available to all.

19. Trade and economic development • World Bank: aimed to help poor countries build their economies. • International Monetary Fund (IMF): designed to encourage economic policies that promoted international trade. • General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): reduce barriers on trade

20. The Second Red Scare

21. Growing Fear of Communism • By 1949, two events added to the nation’s growing anxiety • The discovery of the Soviet’s possession of an atomic weapon. • The news that Communists had gained control of China—the most populous country in the world.

22. Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home • House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): Began in the 1930s; the original purpose was to investigate the full range of radical groups in the U.S. including: Fascists and Communists. • Over time, focused only on the threat of Communism.

23. Hollywood Ten • A famous HUAC investigation that began in 1947 that was intended to explore possible Communist influence in the American film industry. The names of Hollywood writers and directors who were on the list and refused to answer questions about their beliefs or those of their colleagues. • As a result, the Hollywood Ten were found guilty of contempt of Congress and were sentenced to a year in jail.

25. Truman’s policy • Created a new plan that investigated all federal employees. • Those who were “disloyal to the United States” could be barred from federal employment. • Over 3 million people were investigated • A few thousand resigned • About 200 people were judged to be disloyal

26. The Smith Act • 1940 law that made it a crime to call for the overthrow of the U.S. government or belong to an organization that did so.

27. The McCarran Act • Required Communist organizations to register with the government and established a special board to investigate Communist involvement. • Made it illegal to plan for a creation of a totalitarian dictatorship and prevented Communists or other radicals from entering the U.S.

28. Senator Joseph McCarthy • On February 9th 1950, McCarthy visited Wheeling, WV and delivered a speech on the dangers of Communism. • In the speech, he claimed that there were 205 known Communists working for the U.S. Department of State. • He never produced this list and the Senate committee found no evidence of Communists in the State Department.

29. McCarthy’s claims frightened many Americans despite the lack of evidence and they felt he was on the right track. • Continued to make charges against people without any evidence. • One critic called McCarthy’s tactic of spreading fear and making baseless charges “McCarthyism”