APUSH Cold War and Postwar Notes

Postwar Economic Anxieties

  • Many feared another Great Depression after WWII.

  • Inflation increased, gross national product dropped, and labor strikes surged.

  • Taft-Hartley Act restricted labor unions, reversing Wagner Act effects.

  • Operation Dixie aimed to organize labor in South and West but failed.

  • Government sold war factories to private businesses to prevent economic downturn.

  • Employment Act of 1946 established maximum employment policy and created Council of Economic Advisors.

  • GI Bill of Rights (1944) provided free college education for veterans.

The Long Economic Boom (1950-1970)

  • Economy boomed post-war, with a doubled middle class.

  • Significant growth in consumer goods ownership (e.g., TVs).

  • Women joined workforce, moving away from traditional roles.

The Roots of Postwar Prosperity

  • Prosperity driven by war production and military projects (Korean War, defense spending).

  • New industries in R&D, increased productivity through technology.

  • Cheap energy supported automotive growth.

The Smiling Sunbelt

  • William Spock's book and baby boom caused family strains.

  • Sunbelt grew significantly in population, especially California.

  • Economic opportunities attracted immigrants; federal funding enhanced political power.

The Rush to the Suburbs

  • White migration from cities to suburbs due to federal aid for housing.

  • By 1960, 25% of Americans lived in suburbs; Levittown exemplified suburban living.

The Postwar Baby Boom

  • Soldiers returned and married, resulting in a population boom affecting markets and Social Security.

Truman: the “Gutty” Man from Missouri

  • Truman succeeded FDR and led with confidence, despite lacking formal education.

Yalta: Bargain or Betrayal?

  • At Yalta, Stalin broke promises for free elections in Eastern Europe, leading to U.S.-Soviet tensions.

The United States and the Soviet Union

  • Tensions arose from U.S. refusal to aid USSR post-WWII and Stalin’s expansionist policies.

Shaping the Postwar World

  • Bretton Woods Conference established IMF; United Nations charter created under U.S. initiative.

  • U.N. entities such as WHO formed; nuclear regulation faced USSR objections.

The Problem of Germany

  • Nuremberg Trials addressed war crimes; Germany divided into zones for Allied control.

  • U.S. initiated Berlin Airlift in response to USSR blockade in 1948.

The Cold War Congeals

  • Stalin’s actions in Iran led to Truman's containment policy.

  • Truman Doctrine aimed to support nations resisting communist threats.

  • Marshall Plan provided economic aid to rebuild Europe and curb communism.

America Begins to Rearm

  • 1947 National Security Act formed Department of Defense and NSC; NATO established.

Reconstruction and Revolution in Asia

  • MacArthur oversaw Japan’s democratic reconstruction post-WWII.

  • Communist victory in China shifted balance, prompting U.S. concerns about nuclear arms race.

Ferreting Out Alleged Communists

  • Loyalty Review Board and other measures targeted suspected communists amid growing paranoia.

  • McCarthyism led to widespread fear and unjust accusations.

Democratic Divisions in 1948

  • Split in Democratic party; Truman unexpectedly won election against Dewey.

  • Implemented "Point Four" for international aid and "Fair Deal" for domestic improvement.