HIS-450 Topic 1 From World War to Cold War
Worksheet
Instructions: In 200-300 words, respond to the following prompts. Each prompt
should be supported with research. Each response is worth 7 points.
1. Describe the significance of the Truman Doctrine to the Cold War.
As the Soviet Union continued to pressure parts of the world, including Greece and Turkey, into
their Communist government, the British government provided aid. However, in 1947, the
British told the United States that “they could no longer provide support to the Greek and
Turkish governments due to economic problems”1. To fight the war on Communism, the United
States government had to step up. The Truman Doctrine declared that the United States was
“committed to actively resisting Soviet expansion”1. In order to more effectively implement the
Truman Doctrine, or the war against Communism, Congress created new government agencies
which drastically changed the United States foreign affairs policies during the Cold War.
2. How did the Marshall Plan impact the future of Europe?
The Marshall Plan was an aid program that was put in place to help Europe recover from war.
Secretary of State, George Marshall, said the “plan directed against hunger, poverty, desperation,
and chaos”1. It provided Europe with the necessary funds to boost their economy. The idea of the
Marshall Plan was that the European nations, including the Soviet Union, would plan their
recovery needs as a whole. Europeans held a general planning conference in Paris in which the
Soviet Union “walked out saying the Marshall Plan is a United States scheme to dominate
Europe”1. Shortly thereafter, Communism took over Czechoslovakia, which pushed support of
the plan even further. The Marshall Plan was in effect from 1948 to 1952. During that time,
“European industrial production increased 200 percent and the appeal of Communism
diminished”1. The Marshall Plan also benefited the United States by “stimulating the economy,
helping to contain the spread of Communism, and tied Europe more closely with the American
model of managerial capitalism”1.
3. How did the social and racial changes that occurred during WWII impact U.S.
society after the war?
The many social and racial changes that occurred during WWII had a major impact of the United
States’ society after the war. There was a large population shift that took place. For example, due
to “coastal and Midwestern cities having the wartime shipyards, assembly plants, and other war
industries, many people relocated to cities”1. In addition, popular culture such as major league
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baseball games, racetracks, ballroom dancing, books, magazines, movies, and radio soared. The
economic growth that took place during the postwar was incredible. “More women that ever
were working despite there being declining opportunities in the job markets”1. African
Americans also had more job opportunities, but racial segregation continued. Mexican
Americans also had to endure racism. Mexican American males developed a fashion trend called
a zoot suit and during attacks, the zoot suit would often be “ripped off of them”1. Japanese
Americans were released from their prisons, but “most of them had nowhere to go”1. However,
government began paying them for what they had been forced to endure.
4. What is NATO and why was (is) it important to the West?
NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a security pact that was signed in 1949.
NATO said, “attack any member of the organization, and you will have to fight all the members
of NATO”1. What this meant is the nations who signed the security pact would have protection
from the other members of the pact. The nations that signed the pact; “ten European nations,
Canada, and the United States”1 would be allies and protect one another. In addition, “NATO
encouraged western European economic recovery under the Marshall Plan and served as a means
to bind western Europeans more tightly into an American sphere of influence”1.
5. What was the Red Scare? What role did the HUAC (House Un-American
Activities Committee) play during the Red Scare? What was the overall impact
of the Red Scare on U.S. society?
The Red Scare was a period of time when the country was terrified about Communism taking
over the United States. The House Committee on Un-American Activities, HUAC, was created
in “1938 by Southern opponents of New Deal agricultural policies”1. During the Red Scare,
HUAC did an investigation into Hollywood accusing actors, actresses, directors, writers, and
everyone else involved in producing film, of attempting to brainwash the public into
Communism. During the HUAC investigation, the committee subpoenaed ten people from the
film industry who became known as the Hollywood Ten. The Hollywood Ten refused to
cooperate with the investigation and ultimately went to jail. In the wake of the Red Scare, the
nation became fearful of anyone who is disloyal. As a result of this fear, “teachers and professors
were fired for expressing dissenting views, books were removed from library shelves, Parent–
Teacher Association leaders were attacked, the Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls came under
suspicion for their advocacy of world peace and understanding, etc”1. The Red Scare had a
negative impact on society because it caused chaos, panic, and unnecessary violence.
Bibliography
[1] George Donelson Moss and Evan A. Thomas, Moving On: The American People since 1945,
5th ed. (United States of America: Pearson, 2012), 1-59. https://viewer.gcu.edu/D6YH6K