Unit 8: Competing Ideologies

US history from great depression to cold war. How has American leadership evolved over time, at home and abroad?

What caused the great depression?

A recession caused by a fall in spending, The multiplier effect working in reverse. Agricultural overproduction, Industrial overproduction (meet the demands of the 1920s), Unequal distribution of wealth, Over-extension of credit , International economic situation, people Lost trust in economy because of stock market crash and bank failures, so people did not spend money and were taking money out of their accounts.

Typical Buisness Cycle

has a peak, then there's a recession [slowdown in business activity], the lowest part is the trough, then grows, which is the recovery, and then another peak, the cycle continues

Business cycle of Great Depression

demand for durable goods falls first then stock, workers who make the goods are laid off, due to less income they spend less further decreasing demand, eventually demand for durable good increases and investment goods increase so workers are rehired. The great depression started with typical ups and downs of the economy but people didn’t start buying again.

Multiplier effect

one person’s spending becomes income to another person, who in turn can spend more and add to the income of others by sending it into the economy.

What is the New Deal?

It was a series of reforms, both political and social, to help America get back on its feet after the Great Depression. President Roosevelt enacted this.

What are the 3 R’s

Relief, Recovery, and Reform

Describe Relief

short term assistance for unemployment and the poor - people

Describe Recovery

stimulate a speedy economic recovery for farms and businesses - economy

Describe Reform

Correct systematic weaknesses in economy so hopefully Great depression doesn’t happen again (helps the system)

Successes of the New Deal

They got rid of child labor and cut unemployment by half for having jobs like building dams, Black Americans had housing that was funded by the government however it was heavily segregated. Redefined democracy with new political rights, economic security and social justice.

Failures of the New Deal

The new deal prioritized white americans, there wasn't much fixing to the unemployment (helped slightly but still many people struggling to find jobs), the economy wouldn't get better for some time as well.

Totalitarianism

an approach to government defined by a central authority exercising complete control over a society

facism

Form of radical authoritarian nationalism

Conditions supporting the rise of regimes

citizens and leaders were dissatisfied with the result and aftermath of WW1, decided to focus on themselves (nationalism), the leaders were unhappy with the exploitation of promoting democracy.

Characteristics of totalitarian / fascist regimes

1 party totalitarian regime, led by charismatic dictators, glorified violence, and racism.

Where did totalitarism/facism emerge?

Italy, Germany, Japan

Aggression & expansion

Once Germany, Italy, and Japan had control of their own country, they started wanting control of other nations. All three of them did so through violence.

US intervention vs isolation

They initially were isolationists because they remembered the effects of WW1 and were still recovering from the great depression, but eventually FDR sees that if we let this continue we are also technicalyl helping the axis and when pearl harbor happens we realise it is go time.

Isolationist viewpoint

US should avoid alliances with other nations,americans should focus on issues at home, such as the Great Depression, Complete neutrality was the way to keep the United States safe, intervention in foregin war would be a mistake like WW1 was, rise of fascism made sacrifices of WW1 pointless.

Interventionist viewpoint

The US should work with other countries to promote collective security, Axis aggressions were wrong and threatened american interss, US should help the allies who were fighting for democracy and freedom, US should put pressure on Allies and prepare for war.

US involvement in War

Japanese attack on pearl harbor, December 7 1941. US enters the war immediately after.

What were the theaters of War?

the European theater/ African theater and Pacific Theater

European theater

encroaching into Germany. Operation overlord launches on D-Day June 6, 1944 (beaches of normandy were stormed, incredibly deadly)

Pacific theater

America on the offense. Brutal fighting to push back the Japanese. Island hopping and cutting off japanese supply lines. Operation downfall.

What was operation downfall?

Japanese troops would not stop fighting, even with little chance of winning. Pottential invasion of japan would result in massive loss of life. They had to decided between dropping the atomic bomb or invading japan. US chose the bomb.

US homefront

engagement of civilians in the war who are not fighting. Manufacturing/industry, Propaganda, War bonds, Victory gardens. Provided oppurtunities for women.

US Interment of Japanese American Citizens

action on homefront where US forcibly removed Japanese americans from their homes in california and sending them to the Wyoming desert. They did this because they feared the japanese americans were spying on america for japan.

Marshal Plan

1948, US funded the economic restoration of western europe since they are physically destroyed after the war. US provide over $12 billion for rebuilding for allainces and trying to gain influence by helping people.

Cold War

No one actualy bombed anybody but it was the threat and standoff. Technically it didn't involve fighting but involved the preparation for warfare. There were proxy wars that America joined to avoid the spread of communism. The countries started testing nuclear weapons and one upping each other with weapons

Proxy War

Nations that are at war are not directly at war with each other, but fighting in a different country as substitutions for fighting directly.

Nuclear Proliferation

time when countries were getting more and more nuclear weapons/ tech to produce them. And USSR and US were allies of convenience and 2 main superpowers but they had different beliefs communism vs democracy. Both superpowers occupied a zone in germany.

NATO

military alliance of democratic nations for mutual defense formed in 1949. “An attack on one is an attack on all”

Warsaw pact

basically Soviet union and satellite states form of NATO in 1955.

McCarthyism

A Period of intense anti-communism suspicion in the late 1940s and 1950s

How did McCarthyism arise?

Due to the civil war, increasing the paranoia of the spread of communism. So McCarthy took advantage of the 2nd Red Scare for his own agenda.

What were the effects of McCarthyism?

ruined many people's lives since many innocent people were accused of being communists without solid evidence. The threat was smaller than the damage it caused.