Warm Up

With your partner, list at least 5 events after WWII in chronological order that lead to the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953 – 1961)

Rivalry with the Soviet Union promoted American fears of communism.

HOW COLD WAR TENSIONS WERE INTENSIFIED

Arms Race (1950’s) – following World War II the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as superpowers. The U.S. and U.S.S.R. faced off in an arms race where, for nearly 50 years they competed to build the biggest and best equipped military forces. In the U.S., fear of nuclear attack prompted private citizens to build bomb shelters and worry about nuclear disaster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89od_W8lMtA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYKsmLHtKmM

What effect did the Arms Race –vs- the Soviet Union have on U.S. citizens?

Go to your read-a-long page. Discuss with your partner the following question:

McCarthyism (1950-1956) – term coined by political cartoonist Herbert Block (Herblock) in a 1950 cartoon in reference to Senator Joseph McCarthy (R, Wisconsin, 1947-1957). The fear of communism increased throughout the 1950s; extreme opposition to communism gained the name “McCarthyism” from the efforts of Senator McCarthy who, in 1950, announced that communists worked in the State Department. He worked to identify known communists and accused others based on association.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyBiSk97Hag

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) – an investigative committee of the U.S. House of Representatives created in 1938 to inquire into subversive activities in the U.S. (It was abolished in 1975.) In the mid-1940s, the committee focused its investigations on searching for communists in the United States. Most famous for investigating Alger Hiss and for the “blacklisting” of many Hollywood actors. Often inaccurately associated with Joseph McCarthy, who was a Senator (not a member of the House); McCarthy chaired the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations 1953-1954.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfKSykTPzA4

Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall en route to HUAC

Venona Papers (1942-1945)– documents from a secret joint project between the intelligence agencies of the United States and the United Kingdom to decode Soviet ciphers to reveal Americans involved in espionage.

Alger Hiss in Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary

Alger Hiss had secretly been a Communist while in federal service. Chambers had previously testified under oath that Hiss had never been a Communist or a spy, and Chambers would admit, under oath, to other instances where he had committed perjury under oath

Example

What was the goal of the HUAC and the Venona Papers?

Go to your read-a-long page. Discuss with your partner the following question:

Domino Theory (1950-1980) – belief that if one country fell to communism, many others would follow; therefore, it was crucial for the U.S. to contain communism.

REASONS AND OUTCOMES FOR U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN THE KOREAN WAR AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE CONTAINMENT POLICY

Korean War (1951-1953) – Korea is a nation in northern Asia that was divided after World War II into North Korea, occupied by Soviet troops, and South Korea, occupied by U.S. forces. In 1950, following the withdrawal of the Soviet and U.S. troops, communist North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China (PRC) with aid from the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea, supported by the United Nations. Public sentiment on American involvement differed greatly; some felt the United States should not be involved in the war and others felt that the United States should intervene in a decisive way to bring an end to the conflict and to the expansion of communism. A cease-fire was signed in 1953.

With her brother on her back a war weary Korean girl tiredly trudges by a stalled M-26 tank, at Haengju, Korea

General Douglas MacArthur, observes the naval shelling of Incheon from the USS Mt. McKinley, 15 September 1950.

Korean War and its relationship to the containment policy – involvement in the Korean War was primarily the result of efforts by the U.S. to contain communism. Caused by the desire to contain communism and the effect was an increased tension with the Soviet Union.

U.S. troops preparing for the assault on Inch’ŏn during the Korean War, September 1950

Outcomes – created more friction between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.; there was a growing concern for the domino effect and spread of communism in Asia

The Korean War resulted in dividing North Korea and South Korea at the 38th parallel; North Korea remained communist and South Korea gained sovereignty.

What were the long-term effects of the division of North and South Korea?

Go to your read-a-long page. Discuss with your partner the following question:

Do you believe that any form of McCarthyism, fear of communist, exists today?

Can McCarthyism manifest itself in other forms other than a fear of communist?

If so, then what kinds of fear?

Do you think we would ever have a need to use revive the House Un-American Activities Committee?

McCarthyism Today?

McCarthyism Today?

Why do people call for revolutions in their countries?

Have we ever and do we now take part in revolutions in other countries?

Do you think that we will see a revolution in the United States?

Discussion Questions

Revolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IqFxcwWv2Q

Let’s me introduce you to the people of the Cuban Revolution:

U.S/Cuban Relationship http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPlnGiS488s

Che Guevara, first general to Castro, his right hand man. He was an Argentinean, Marxist, guerilla fighter. Image now represents revolution world wide.

Fidel and Raul Castro

Castro’s Cuban Revolution - The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt conducted by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement and its allies against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. The revolution began in July 1953, and finally ousted Batista on 1 January 1959, replacing his regime with Castro's revolutionary government. Castro's government later reformed along communist lines, becoming the present Communist Party of Cuba in October 1965.

Felgencio Batista

FIDEL CASTRO AND

NIKITA KHRUSHCHE

V

Why did Fidel Castro’s Revolution in Cuba give the United States cause for alarm?

GO TO YOUR READ-A-LONG PAGE. DISCUSS WITH YOUR PARTNER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: