Chapter 14 Section 1Chapter 14 Section 1

Peacetime Adjustments andPeacetime Adjustments and

The Cold WarThe Cold War

Levittown, New YorkLevittown, New York

Many returning Many returning veterans wanted veterans wanted housing – the GI Bill housing – the GI Bill would pay for itwould pay for it

Huge Demand for Huge Demand for Housing for familiesHousing for families

William Levitt used William Levitt used assembly line assembly line techniques to house techniques to house buildingbuilding

Created Levittown, NY Created Levittown, NY out of this systemout of this system

Levittown – the start of Levittown – the start of “planned” suburbs in America“planned” suburbs in America

Labor UnrestLabor Unrest

Workers in the auto, Workers in the auto, steel, meatpacking, steel, meatpacking, and railroad and railroad industry went on industry went on strike in 1946strike in 1946

President Truman President Truman was worried about was worried about the railroad workers the railroad workers going on strike the going on strike the mostmost

Civil Rights after WWIICivil Rights after WWII

Many Blacks returned from war – the Many Blacks returned from war – the Civil Rights situation hadn’t changedCivil Rights situation hadn’t changed

Blacks were still harassed, threatened Blacks were still harassed, threatened from voting, and killedfrom voting, and killed

Truman established Commission on Truman established Commission on Civil Rights & ended segregation of Civil Rights & ended segregation of the militarythe military

Southern Democrats resisted Truman Southern Democrats resisted Truman on other Civil Rights proposalson other Civil Rights proposals

Problems for Harry Truman – Problems for Harry Truman – looking for re-electionlooking for re-election

1946 – Republican 1946 – Republican Congress in the Congress in the majority nowmajority now

Many Truman programs Many Truman programs were blocked by were blocked by Congress (no federal Congress (no federal funds for education, funds for education, health care, housing; health care, housing; Taft Hartley Act)Taft Hartley Act)

Trailed in the polls to Trailed in the polls to NY Gov. Thomas DeweyNY Gov. Thomas Dewey

More Problems for Truman in More Problems for Truman in the 1948 Electionthe 1948 Election

Democrats were divided into three Democrats were divided into three parts:parts:

1.1. Harry Truman (current president)Harry Truman (current president)2.2. Henry Wallace (more liberal than Truman / Henry Wallace (more liberal than Truman /

supported by the “New Dealers”supported by the “New Dealers”3.3. Strom Thurmond (member of the Strom Thurmond (member of the

“Dixiecrats” – part of the movement that “Dixiecrats” – part of the movement that left the Democratic Party when it put in a left the Democratic Party when it put in a strong Civil Rights platform at the strong Civil Rights platform at the convention)convention)

**Truman feared…Would this divide our **Truman feared…Would this divide our party and ensure that the Republican party and ensure that the Republican would win??would win??

Election of 1948Election of 1948 Truman took his Truman took his

message directly to the message directly to the peoplepeople

Went on an eight-Went on an eight-week, non stop train week, non stop train tour across countrytour across country

Scored a big “upset” Scored a big “upset” win over Dewey in the win over Dewey in the electionelection

After the win – Truman After the win – Truman pushed the “Fair Deal” pushed the “Fair Deal” – projects aimed at – projects aimed at creating jobs, ending creating jobs, ending discrimination, and discrimination, and ensuring fair housingensuring fair housing

So many people believed Dewey would win the election. Even newspapers

(like this one) printed early editions with the headline that Dewey had won.

Here, Truman holds up the “incorrect” headline

Cold War Map of EuropeCold War Map of EuropeBlue=Capitalist/DemocracyBlue=Capitalist/Democracy

Red=CommunistRed=CommunistYellow=NeutralYellow=Neutral

Truman’s Policy toward Truman’s Policy toward CommunismCommunism

Believed in the Believed in the Containment PolicyContainment Policy

Means stopping the Means stopping the spread of spread of Communism to Communism to new areasnew areas

Based on the belief Based on the belief that Communists that Communists wanted to “spread” wanted to “spread” their influencetheir influence

Use military and Use military and non-military meansnon-military means

The Truman DoctrineThe Truman Doctrine

Stated that the U.S. Stated that the U.S. would give would give “assistance” to “assistance” to nations that were nations that were threatened by threatened by CommunismCommunism

Western Democracies form Western Democracies form NATONATO

NNorth orth AAtlantic tlantic TTreaty reaty OOrganizationrganization

Alliance of Western Alliance of Western Democracies (U.S., Democracies (U.S., Canada, France, Canada, France, Britain, etc.)Britain, etc.)

Soviets respond Soviets respond with their own with their own alliance called the alliance called the “Warsaw Pact”“Warsaw Pact”

NATO

Warsaw Pact

Berlin, Germany: A divided Berlin, Germany: A divided citycity

Germany – as a nation – was divided Germany – as a nation – was divided after WWII (Western Democracies – after WWII (Western Democracies – US / Britain / France – controlled the US / Britain / France – controlled the Western half……..The Soviets Western half……..The Soviets controlled the Eastcontrolled the East

The city of Berlin (even though lying The city of Berlin (even though lying in the Eastern half of the country) in the Eastern half of the country) was divided as well (The Western was divided as well (The Western countries had access to it)countries had access to it)

Blocking Access to BerlinBlocking Access to Berlin

Soviet Forces tried to block access to Soviet Forces tried to block access to the city – so the West couldn’t get inthe city – so the West couldn’t get in

Stalin surrounded the city with troops Stalin surrounded the city with troops and prevented all Western and prevented all Western democracies to enter the citydemocracies to enter the city

Truman needed to make a decision…Truman needed to make a decision…– Can he just let the Soviets have the Can he just let the Soviets have the

Western half of Berlin?Western half of Berlin?– That wouldn’t go well with his That wouldn’t go well with his

“Containment” policy“Containment” policy

Truman’s DecisionTruman’s Decision

Truman approved a massive “Airlift” Truman approved a massive “Airlift” of food, medicine, and other relief of food, medicine, and other relief supplies to the western half of Berlinsupplies to the western half of Berlin

People are overjoyed with American People are overjoyed with American generositygenerosity

The Berlin AirliftThe Berlin Airlift

The Berlin AirliftThe Berlin Airlift

Julius and Ethel RosenbergJulius and Ethel Rosenberg

Accused of Accused of passing atomic passing atomic secrets to the secrets to the Russians in 1951Russians in 1951

Members of Members of American American Communist PartyCommunist Party

Executed in 1953 Executed in 1953 for Espionage for Espionage (spying)(spying)