Post-WWII: Global Superpowers
America emerged from WWII as a global superpower. In what ways did Americans experience a "boom" after the war? (list at least three)
- Infrastructure: improved roads, highways, and interstate systems
- Automobiles: improved design and increased production of cars
- Mobility: freedom and means for interstate travel
- Suburban Life: new housing developments, nuclear families, and the "Baby Boom"
- Space Exploration: manned and unmanned missions to outer space and to the moon
Russians successfully sent the first vessel into space. What was the name of this space vessel?
BONUS: When did this mission launch? (at least the year)
Sputnik
BONUS: October 4, 1957
Who became the communist leader of Cuba in 1959?
Fidel Castro
When did the Berlin Wall fall?
BONUS: In what year were West and East Germany officially reunified
BONUS: Germany was officially reunified in the year 1990.
The Truman Doctrine
During the Korean War, the United States supported __________ and China supported ____________.
US supported South Korea
China supported North Korea
Fill in the Blank:
Russians sent the first manned rocket into space in April, 1961. This ignited the Space Race between Russia and the U.S., and prompted President ________________ to announce America's intention to put a man on the moon "before the decade is out."
Why did Americans fear Cuba in the 1960s? (name at least one reason)
- Cuba was a communist nation, which made them ideological enemies
- Cuba is located only 90 miles from the coast of Florida/from the United States
- Cuba was armed with nuclear missiles from Russia
When did the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) dissolve into its component republics?
The dissolution of the U.S.S.R. was completed in the year 1991.
Who coined the term "Iron Curtain" and to what did it refer?
Winston Churchill used this term to describe a political border between the communist nations like the U.S.S.R. and democratic countries in the west (i.e., The United States, Britain, France).
What forms the border between North and South Korea?
The 38th Parallel
Which two American astronauts were the first people to step foot on the moon?
Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Which U.S. agency was secretly training Cuban refugees to overthrow the Cuban government when Kennedy took office?
The Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.)
By the end of the Cold War, the United States has engaged in military conflict with several nations around the world in order to prevent the spread of communism. Name at least one of these nations.
North Korea
Vietnam
Cambodia
Afghanistan
Iran
Iraq
Pakistan
This plan sent billions of dollars in aid and assistance to America's allies and former enemies after World War II.
The Marshall Plan
Which U.S. senator led a "witch hunt" against fellow Americans, accusing them of being communists and blacklisting them (removing them from their jobs and social networks, and in some cases, imprisoning them for treason) without evidence or cause?
BONUS: What do we call this "witch hunt" today?
Senator Joseph McCarthy
BONUS: McCarthyism
In what year did the Apollo 11 land on the moon?
July 20, 1969
On April 17, 1961, 1,400 Cuban exiles launched what became a botched invasion on the south coast of Cuba. What was this Invasion Called (hint: name of the invasion's location)?
What problems or concerns remain after the Cold War?
- Vast nuclear arsenals in the U.S. and Russia
- Potential for nuclear disaster or nuclear war
- Some countries that were formerly part of the U.S.S.R. have struggled to rebuild or reestablish functional government
- Cuba's isolation from the international community under Fidel Castro caused a major economic depression
Some groups of people did not experience the benefits of America's booming economy after the war. Which groups in America struggled to secure equal rights for themselves, their children, and their communities after the war?
BONUS: What happened during the war to reinvigorate individuals and inspire communities to fight for equality and justice for all?
Black Americans, women, and other marginalized groups sought equality in the years after WWII.
BONUS: Black Americans, Latinx Americans, women, and others who had supported the war effort abroad and at home were seen and treated as equals during the war.
In the years between 1949 and 1961, about 2.5 million East Germans had fled from East to West Germany, including steadily rising numbers of skilled workers, professionals, and intellectuals. Their loss threatened to destroy the economic viability of the East German state.
What did East Germany do to prevent access to West Berlin in 1961?
They built the Berlin Wall.
Who "won" the Space Race?
The United States
In October 1962, an American U-2 spy plane secretly photographed nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union on the island of Cuba. President Kennedy did not want the Soviet Union and Cuba to know that he had discovered the missiles. He met in secret with his advisors for several days to discuss the problem.
How was the Cuban Missile Crisis resolved?
- After many long and difficult meetings, Kennedy decided to place a naval blockade, or a ring of ships, around Cuba to prevent the Soviets from bringing in more military supplies.
- Kennedy and Khrushchev publicly agreed to a deal in which the Soviets would dismantle the weapon sites in exchange for a pledge from the United States not to invade Cuba.
- In a separate deal, which remained secret for more than twenty-five years, the United States also agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey.
Which countries are considered "communist states" today?
China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea