International+relations

What were the major international issues the U.S. was faced with during the 1950s?
Were there any military conflicts the U.S. was involved in? What was the countries response to these issues/conflicts (supported/against)?

=Cold War Begins:=

Fighting Nazis was the only thing giving the US and USSR something to be Allies about during WWII.

After the Yalta Conference between the Allies, Stalin agreed to make Poland Bulgaria, and Romania democratic, but he lied. Americans began the Communist Soviets as treacherous because Stalin broke his promise.

US expert on USSR, George Kennan, used the term “ruthless expansionary” to describe USSR.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) had launched/set off its first atomic bomb. Fear of nuclear annihilation became an underlying anxiety.

Truman Doctrine- from President Harry Truman
· “It must be the policy of the US to support free people who are resisting…” Communism · Build a barrier (not a physical barrier) to keep Communism from spreading (“Containment”) · Economic problems allow Communism to take over (Communism sells a quick fix) so the solution was to help countries develop themselves · Marshall Plan-Financial Aid to countries so their economies were stronger & they could prevent Communism

Revolutionary Fidel Castro overthrows the government of Cuba. The US government recognizes his government and Castro begins friendly relations.

The HUAC was an investigative committee in the House of Representatives. Loyalty boards asked government employees about religion, racial equality, and even their preference for foreign films. Investigators also tried to identify alcoholics and homosexuals, whom they considered targets for blackmail by foreign spies.

Space Race Issue:
The launch of Sputnik, the first unmanned spacecraft, by the Soviet Union, made many Americans question their superiority. US government spending increased to catch up to the Soviet’s space program. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was also created so that the US would catch up in the space race.

The Korean War:
-North Korea attacks and invades South Korea, which leads to the Korean War with U.S involvement in order to protect an ally from Communism. - The total number of American soldiers in Korea eventually exceeds 250,000. - A Korean armistice is declared, effectively ending the war, in 1953r. Peace negotiation take a lot longer than this. -Americans are discouraged by the fact that they did not win this war. It makes total victory seem impossible to achieve ever again.