Cold War, Reaganomics, and Civil Rights: Key US Events

HUAC: The House Un-American Activities Committee

The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was formed to uncover citizens with Nazi ties within the United States. It also investigated allegations of communist activity in the US during the early years of the Cold War.

Arms Race: Military-Industrial Complex and Nuclear Power

Military-Industrial Complex: The US economy became dependent on military supplies production.

Nuclear Capabilities: Both the US and the USSR produced nuclear weapons to deter the other side from attacking. This led to the concept of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction).

Korean War: A Nation Divided

• The US, with support from the UN, helped the capitalist South, pushing communists back to the border with China.
• China intervened, and the border returned to its original position.
• South Korea became capitalist and democratic.
• North Korea became communist.
• The 38^th parallel remains a point of dispute over the border between North and South Korea.

Cuban Missile Crisis: A Standoff

Blockade, Espionage, UN, Agreement: The USSR installed missiles in Cuba, which the US discovered and reacted to strongly.

• The US initiated a “quarantine” (blockade) of ships entering Cuba.
• The US appealed to the OAS (Organization of American States) and the UN to place blame on the USSR.
• The USSR agreed to withdraw missiles if the US removed its missiles from Turkey.
• This event could have been part of a mutually assured destruction scenario.

Vietnam War: A Nation Divided

Domino Theory: The US feared that if the communist North took over the capitalistic South, other countries might also become communist.

Gulf of Tonkin: The US claimed its ships were attacked in neutral waters, using this as an excuse to allow the president to send troops to Vietnam.

US Troop Failures:

• Vietnamese did not widely support US involvement.
• The Vietcong used effective guerilla warfare tactics.
• The US struggled to identify the enemy due to tunnel systems and the nature of the conflict, which was not based on territorial gains.

Tet Offensive: A strong North Vietnamese attack on South Vietnam convinced US journalists that the war could not be won.

Public Opinion: The public was heavily influenced by media reports.

My Lai Massacre: US troops killed villagers in retaliation, leading to widespread condemnation.

The Vietnam War resulted in numerous anti-war protests and significant social division.

Reaganomics vs. FDR Policies

• Reagan: Conservative, policies favored the wealthy. Critics argued that “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”
• FDR: Policies favored the middle and lower classes, with higher taxes for the wealthy.

Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement

Similarities:

• Both involved the military.
• Multiple presidents presided over each era.
• Each era affected different regions of the country differently.
• Both were based primarily in the South.

Differences:

• Reconstruction is generally considered a failure, while the Civil Rights Movement is seen as a success.
• The Civil Rights Movement was largely unofficial, while Reconstruction was governed by the federal government.
• Reconstruction was unpopular among both parties, while the Civil Rights Movement was not a party-based movement.