THE 1950S: COLD WAR, ANXIETY, & CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
LEARNING GOALS:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to do the following:
1. Explain the origins of the Cold War and the United States’ response to containing communism.
2. Discuss the lasting effects and historical importance of the Cold War.
3. Critique the United States’ domestic policies towards fighting communism at home.
4. Analyze the economic boom of post World War II America.
5. Hypothesize the geographic shift of the United States during the 1950s.
6. Explain the importance of rock-and-roll in the popular culture of the 1950s.
7. Assess the cause and effect of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
The Cold War: Chapter 16 Notes & Questions
WHY ARE WE LEARNING THIS?!?!?!
Chapter 16 | Section 1 | The Cold War Begins
How did U.S. leaders respond to the threat of Soviet expansion in Europe?
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World War II convinced U.S. leaders that the policies of isolationism and appeasement had been mistakes.
To counter the growing Soviet threat, they sought new ways to keep the U.S. safe and protect its interests abroad.
Despite their alliance during World War II, the U.S. and the Soviet Union had little in common.
The United States was a __________________. The American people valued freedom and individual rights.
The Soviet Union was a ___________________. Stalin and the Communist Party wielded total control over the
lives of the Soviet people.
The nations of Eastern Europe and the eastern part of Germany became ______________________ of the Soviet
Union, separated from the free world by an “____________________________.”
After the Big Three split at Potsdam, the _____________________ struggle between the world’s two superpowers
began.
The __________________________________ were determined to spread communism to other lands.
The __________________________________ were determined to stop them.
Containing communist expansion became the United State’s top priority.
With the ________________________, the U.S. promised to support nations struggling against communist
movements.
Money was sent to Greece and Turkey to provide aid to people who needed it.
The U.S. sent about $13 billion to Western Europe under the _________________________.
The money provided ____________________________ to help rebuild war-torn cities and towns.
Germany, and the city of Berlin, became flashpoints in the Cold War.
After the war, Germany was divided into four zones
The zones controlled by the _____________________________ were combined to form West Germany.
The _________________________ zone became East Germany.
Berlin was also divided. West Berlin was controlled by the Allies.
The prosperity and freedoms there stood in stark contrast to the bleak life in communist East Berlin.
Determine to capture West Berlin, _______________________ blockaded the city, cutting off supplies.
In response, the U.S. and Britain sent aid to West Berlin through a massive airlift.
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The ___________________________________ saved West Berlin and underscored the U.S. commitment to
contain communism.
As Cold War tensions mounted, both sides formed military alliances for collective security.
NATO
Warsaw Pact
Questions
1. How would having control over satellite states benefit the Soviet Union if it became involved in a European War?
LG_____
2. How did U.S. foreign policy differ after World War II from U.S. foreign policy after World War I? LG_____
3. What options besides containment might have President Truman have considered in response to Soviet Expansion?
LG_____
Chapter 16 | Section 2 | The Korean War
How did President Truman use the power of the presidency to limit the spread of communism in East Asia?
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In the early 1950s, Cold War tensions erupted in East Asia, where communist and non-communist forces struggled
for control of Korea.
Before World War II, China had been torn apart by a brutal civil war.
Pro-government Nationalists were led by Chiang Kai-Shek and supported by the __________________________.
Communist revolutionaries were led by Mao Zedong and supported by the _____________________________.
Mao built support by promising food to the starving population. Communist forces soon dominated.
Chiang Kai-Shek fled to Taiwan. Mao took control of the mainland, renaming it the People’s Republic of China.
Mao’s victory deeply shocked Americans. Communists seemed to be winning everywhere, extending their reach
throughout the world.
Communist regimes now controlled:
1.
2.
The next battleground was on the Korean peninsula.
After World War II, Korea was divided into two countries along the ______________________________.
The Soviet Union supported ______________________ and established a communist government there.
The United States provided aid to noncommunist ___________________________.
The crisis began in June 1950.
North Korean troops, armed with Soviet equipment, crossed the ____________________ and attacked South
Korea.
Communist forces advanced far into the South, taking over much of the peninsula.
Forces from the U.S. and other U.N. countries arrived to help their South Korean allies.
They halted their retreat near Pusan.
American troops in South Korea were led by World War II hero Douglas MacArthur.
Discussion Question: What role did Douglas MacArthur plan in World War II? LG_____
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MacArthur devised a bold counterattack designed to drive the invaders from South Korea.
MacArthur’s plan worked. In the fall of 1950, a surprise landing at Inchon helped U.N. forces push the North
Koreans to the Chinese border.
The situation worsened when China entered the war, sending __________ troops across the border into North
Korea.
The Chinese attacked U.S. and South Korean positions.
Badly outnumbered, U.N. troops were forced to retreat.
During the winter of 1950 and 1951, communist forces pushed U.N. troops to the 37th parallel.
The U.S. now faced the possibility of all-out-war against the world’s most populous nation.
MacArthur favored invading China to win a total victory.
Truman refused. He favored a ____________________ to help stabilize South Korea.
By the spring of 1951, U.N. forces secured their positions near the 38th parallel, and a tense stalemate began.
In 1953, the two sides agreed to a cease-fire. This agreement remains in effect today.
There was no clear winner in the Korean War, but the conflict had lasting effects in the U.S.
Military spending increases. Military commitments increase worldwide. SEATO contains communism in Asia.
Future Presidents send the military into combat without Congressional approval.
Questions
1. How did General MacArthur’s decision to advance towards the Yalu River change the course of the Korean War?
LG_____
2. How did the way in which Truman handled the Korean crisis affect the powers of the presidency? LG_____
Chapter 16 | Section 3 | The Cold War Expands
Questions
1. What was Sputnik and explain its significance? LG_____
Chapter 16 | Section 4 | The Cold War @ Home
How did fear of domestic communism affect American society during the Cold War?
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As Cold War tensions mounted, the U.S. became gripped by a Red Scare.
Many feared that communists were infiltrating the country, attempting to destroy the American way of life.
During the Cold War, it seemed to many Americans that communism was spreading everywhere – in Europe, in Asia,
even in outer space.
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Many feared the United States was next. Some suspected that communists were already in the country, plotting
revolution.
______________________ fears led President Truman to take action.
Congress joined in the search for communists.
The House Un-American Activities Committee held hearings to investigate communist influence in American society,
including:
Question: Was HUAC unconstitutional? LG_____
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As Americans worried about the nation’s security, a little-known leader burst onto the national scene.
Senator ____________________ charged that communist agents had infiltrated the highest levels of government.
He claimed to have lists of Americans who were secretly communists and had betrayed their country.
McCarthy could not prove his charges, but they grabbed the public’s attention. He consolidated power by making
baseless allegations and opening endless investigations.
Few protested, for fear they would be accused. Those branded as communist sympathizers lost their jobs, their
reputations were ruined.
The public was horrified to see McCarthy bullying witnesses, making reckless accusations, and twisting the truth.
Today, such irresponsible actions are known as __________________________.
By the time the hearings ended, McCarthy had lost much of his support. He was formally censured by the Senate.
McCarthy’s downfall marked the decline of the Red Scare. In an attempt to protect the nation from communism,
free speech had been threatened. In the end, both the nation and free speech survived.
Today, the U.S. still struggles with balancing the nation’s security with the civil liberties of its citizens.
Questions
1. Is national security more important than civil liberties? Why or why not? Give one example of a time when the U.S.
ignored civil liberties over national security. LG_____
2. How do movies reflect the values of society? LG_____
Postwar Confidence & Anxiety (1945-1960): Chapter 17 Notes & Questions
WHY ARE WE LEARNING THIS?!?!?!
Chapter 17 | Section 1-4 | An Economic Boom – A Society on the Move – Mass Culture & Family Life –
Dissent & Discontent
How did the nation experience recovery and economic prosperity after World War II?
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The _________________ and a strong demand for _____________________ - coupled with ____________________
on the Korean War and increased foreign demand for U.S. goods – greatly improved the economy.
The U.S. became the richest country in the world.
Questions
1. The United States occurred a huge housing boom from 1945-1960. Using the following vocabulary works to explain
how this happened. (1) G.I. Bill (2) Demobilization (3) Baby Boom LG_____
2. Explain the cycle that was created in post WWII America. LG_____
3. Explain the significance in the massive jump in auto sales during the 1950s. Include the following vocabulary words.
(1) Interstate Highway System (2) Sunbelt (3) Rust Belt LG_____
4. Give some examples of who might have benefited from the Interstate Highway Act. LG_____
5. Explain the 3 things transforming American businesses during the 1950s. LG_____
6. Do you agree with other states adopting the California Master Plan? Explain. LG_____
7. Explain why consumerism skyrocketed during the 1950s using the following terms. (1) Television (2) Median Family
Incomes LG_____
8. In what ways was the mood in the 1950s different from the mood of the 1930s? LG_____
9. Explain the nuclear family and what caused this to happen. LG_____
10. How did urban cities become so poor during this time period? LG_____
11. Explain the good and the bad with urban renewal. LG_____
12. How did the Indian policy of Termination in the 1950s differ from the Indian New Deal of the 1930s? LG_____
13. Explain the significance of Elvis Presley. LG_____
14. Why would Elvis Presley have achieved greater success than African American musicians in the 1950s? LG_____
15. How do reactions to current music resemble the early response to Elvis Presley and Rock-and-Roll? LG_____