Transcript USII.8abcd PPT Review

Post WWII and
The Cold War Era
•USII.8abc
The United States
& Soviet Union
•Emerged as
SUPERPOWERS
after WWII
The United
Nations
• An international
organization that debates
world issues and tries to
keep peace
• Formed near the end of
WWII to prevent future
wars
After WWII
Japan:
• Adopted a democratic
form of government
• Resumed selfgovernment
• Became a strong ally of
the United States
After WWII
•The U.S. felt it was in
its best interest to
rebuild Europe to
prevent political and
economic instablililty
Containment
•The policy or process
of preventing the
expansion of a hostile
powers; a policy of
blocking communist
expansion.
Marshall Plan
• U.S. plan to provide
massive economic aid to
Western Europe after
WWII and to stop the
spread of communism
Named after George C.
Marshall who made the
announcement
Germany was partitioned
into:
West Germany-
Became democratic
Resumed self-government
(after a few years of
American, French, and
British occupation)
East GermanyRemained under
domination of Soviet
Union & did not adopt
democratic institutions
Capitalism
•An economic system
based on private
property and free
enterprise
•U.S.A. has this type
of system
Converting from:
Wartime to peacetime
• Following WWII, Americans
prospered due to an expanding
economy stimulated by
America’s involvement in the
war
Reasons for rapid
growth of American
economy following
WWII
• With rationing over, business
converted from production of
war materials to consumer
goods
• Americans purchased goods on
credit
Examples of businesses
converting from the
production of
war materials to
consumer goods:
• Combat boots to tennis shoes
• Fighter jets to passenger
airplanes
• Parachutes to nylon stockings
• Production of war vehicles to
family automobiles
•
More reasons for rapid
growth of American
economy following
WWII:
• Workforce went back to men
• Women returned to family
duties
• Labor unions merged &
became more powerful
• Workers gained new benefits
and higher salaries
A “Booming”
economy:
• As economic prosperity
continued and technology
boomed, the next generation
of women re-entered the
labor force in large numbers
The Cold War
•Tension between
the USA and the
Soviet Union
without actual
fighting
Origins of Cold War
• Differences in goals and ideologies
between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
• The U.S. :
Capitalist and Democratic
• The Soviet Union:
Dictatorial and Communist
During the Cold War
the Soviet Union
controlled:
•Eastern
European
countries
NATO
• North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
• Stated that “an armed attack
against one or more of (the
member nation) shall be
considered an attack against all”
• Military alliance of Democratic
nations formed to guard against
Soviet/Communist attack
Warsaw Pact
•Counterpart of NATO
• Had military force that the
Soviet Union controlled to
guard against a
NATO/Democratic attack
The Korean War
•ended in a
STALEMATE
China
•Aided North Korea
during the Korean
War
Domino Theory
• If one country is taken over
by communism then all
surrounding countries fall to
communism
• Coined by President
Eisenhower referring to the
spread of communism into
South Vietnam
The Vietnam War
• Americans were divided over
whether the U.S. should be
involved in Vietnam.
• The conflict ended in a ceasefire agreement in which U.S.
troops withdrew
The Cuban Missile
Crisis
• An event during the Cold War that
brought the USA and the Soviet
Union close to a nuclear war
• The Soviet Union placed missiles
in Cuba
• The USA responded by a naval
blockade & the Soviet Union
turned back
The collapse of the
Soviet Union and
Communism in
Europe
•The destruction of the
Berlin Wall
•The break up of the
Soviet Union into
independent countries
America’s New
Challenges AFTER
the Cold War
• Role of U.S. military
involvement
• Environmental problems
• Global trade and jobs
• Diseases
• Energy
FINALLY!!! You’re
finished!
•Go home and
STUDY, STUDY,
STUDY!