Fluent Essays

WWII, the 1950s, 60s, 70s 3 1. Using the PowerPoint’s in the materials module, explain what were the major changes that occurred after WWII. 2. What do we see as a major change during 1950? 3. What were some of the problems that Truman and Eisenhower faced? 4. Summarize the major point in Chapter 20 and Zinns view of Watergate https://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html 5. Explain the biggest contribution Clinton made during his presidency? 6. Do you believe after reading about the Iraq War, that it was worthwhile and led to peace in the Middle East? 7. From your own point of view, discuss what you think were two of Obamas contributions to our country during his presidency.Reagan, Culture Wars, and Recent American History 1980-2004 Women’s Rights Equal access to education, family, employment Domestic violence Control over bodies Betty Freidan NOW Planned Parenthood 2-person family incomes Affirmative Action Continued… Title IX and women in college sports (Ed. Amend. 1972) Roe v. Wade (1973) Constitutional right to privacy Women in politics “Liberation” Gloria Steinem & Ms. Magazine Conservative Backlash, 1965-1980 Conservatives react against changes in America during the 1960s American foreign policy “Lost Vietnam” Affirmative Action Women’s liberation The Growing Backlash 1978: Regents of U.C. v. Bakke “Quotas” in college admissions were unconst. 1976: Hyde Amendment Limited Medicaid funds for Abortion Moral Majority, 1978 Southern Democrats become Republicans Many working class Anglos or “White Ethnics” in industrialized urban areas, and new suburbanites blamed immigrants and the poor for their condition, as well as economic decline of “Americans” Conservative ideology Ignored global changes in economy that led to the decline of American manufacturing and industrial base “Tax and spend” Great Society & War on Poverty Creationism, “family values,” cut government, stop communists, end abortion, no immigration Strong military / national defense American global power Individualism Lead to “Culture Wars” & Reagan “Revolution…” Religious Fundamentalism and Extremism Conservative Groups & Leaders Barry Goldwater, AZ Orrin Hatch, UT Strom Thurmond, MS Ronald Reagan, CA Jerry Falwell Phyllis Schafly Jerry Falwell, 1974 I listen to feminists and all these radical gals... These women just need a man in the house. Thats all they need. Most of the feminists need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home. And they blew it and theyre mad at all men. Feminists hate men. Theyre sexist. They hate men; thats their problem. Conservative Concerns Conservative reactions to the “excesses” of the 1960s and 1970s Lost control of America Diversity = Divorce, gay rights, abortion, day care, big government, & decline of the family Stopped ERA New “traditionalism” American Malaise Soft America and “decline” of American power OPEC and Oil Embargo Stagflation De-Industrialization Iranian Hostage Crisis (Nov. 1979) Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew Shah of Iran 50 Hostages for over a year Failed rescue effort USSR invaded Afghanistan (Dec. 1979) Ronald Reagan CA. Governor Reagan Anti-communist “Black and white” “New Day in America” Charismatic Channeled anger of mainstream white America at minorities, immigrants, feminists, taxes, affirmative action, big government Reagan’s Conservative Vision Vietnam was a “Noble Cause” Renew the Cold War American Power Patriotism Traditionalism State’s Rights “Individualism” Feel Good Reaganomics: “Trickle-Down” DOD spending up 45\% $3 trillion debt, 1981-9 Rising # of Fortune 500 companieKennedy and His New Frontier The Election of 1960 • Richard Milhouse Nixon ran against John F. Kennedy. • These two candidates were about as different as any two people could be. http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-67710/Button-from-John-F-Kennedys-1960-US-presidential-campaign?articleTypeId=1 John F. Kennedy • A very young candidate. • Came from a very rich family. • Believed communism was America’s worst enemy. • Good television speaker and due to his good looks many believed he would win the election. • Kennedy won the election by one of the smallest margins in history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:John_F._Kennedy\%2C_White_House_color_photo_portrait.jpg Kennedy’s “New Frontier” • This was an extension of FDR’s New Deal and Truman’s Fair Deal. • Kennedy will quickly be at odds with business leaders in the United States, especially in steel. Kennedy and Steel • Kennedy told steel companies to hold down prices to allow economic growth, but they didn’t listen. • He threatened them by saying the US would buy foreign steel and sent the Justice Department to investigate their business practices. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pittsburgh-pennsylvania-usx-tower.jpg Other “New Frontier” Ideas • Kennedy went to work on funding public schools by passing new bills. • He tried fighting poverty in the South and in big cities. • He supported the Area Development Act which encouraged businesses to move into economically depressed areas. • The Housing Act asked for $5 billion for urban renewal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:John_F._Kennedy\%2C_White_House_photo_portrait\%2C_looking_up.jpg NASA • One of Kennedy’s biggest accomplishments was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). • Part of this reason was to compete with the Soviets in the Cold War. Kennedy at Odds • Kennedy was frequently at odds with the legislative branch. • Southern senators and representatives blocked many of the measures that he tried to pass partly because he was for civil rights. Bay of Pigs Invasion, Berlin Crisis, and Cuban Missile Crisis What impact did the Bay of Pigs, Berlin Crisis, and Cuban Missile Crisis have on the Cold War? Kennedy took responsibility for the mission’s failure. The President said, however, that he would continue to resist efforts by the communists to control other countries in Western Hemisphere. Started with Eisenhower and followed with Kennedy. Conceived by the CIA to overthrow Fidel Castro, the invasion involved Cuban exiles who had fled Castro’s rule and settled in the United States. The Bay of Pigs mission failed. The Bay of Pigs Invasion Bay of Pigs Invasion The Failed Invasion • Information was leaked early- New York Times • Air strikes failed. • Castro prepared for a land attack. • Invaders were captured and ransomed back to United States for $52 million in food and aid. • StrengtThe Presidency of George H.W. Bush I. Election of 1988 I. Election of 1988 • Election of 1988 • Low voter turnout (50.1 percent) • Most attribute low turnout to negativity of the campaign. • Bush won with the promise of no new taxes. II. Domestic Policy • “Betrayal of the Reagan Revolution”? • By 1990, the US had entered another recession • Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 • Raised Taxes (oops) • Savings and Loans industry collapsed. The President reached a compromise with Congress that ended up costing taxpayers more than $100 billion. II. Domestic Policy • “Betrayal of the Reagan Revolution”? • The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) • made it illegal for employers to discriminate against the disabled, guaranteed the disabled adequate access to places of business and public venues, expanded access to transportation • Clean Air Act (1990) • Exxon-Valdez • reducing urban smog, curbing acid rain, and eliminating industrial emissions of toxic chemicals III. Foreign Policy • A Changing World • Glasnost and perestroika awakened a spirit of nationalism in the subject nations of Eastern Europe. • Gorbachev knew the USSR could not support the ailing Eastern European economies. • He ordered a large troop pullback from the region and warned leaders to adopt reforms. III. Foreign Policy The Fall of the Wall • To calm rising protests in East Germany, the government opened the gates of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. • Thousands of East Berliners poured into West Berlin. • Spontaneous destruction of the wall • Less than a year later, East Germany and West Germany were reunified as one country. III. Foreign Policy The Soviet Union Crumbles • Beginning in 1990, Soviet republics started declaring their independence. • Boris Yeltsin, the leader of the Russian Republic, helped foil a hard-liners’ coup against Gorbachev in 1991. • Gorbachev resigned as president and the Soviet Union dissolved. III. Foreign Policy • Panama • US invasion of Panama to remove the dictator Colonel Manuel Noriega on drug charges (Operation Just Cause). • Largely successful, but led some to believe that American interventionism in Latin America would continue after the Cold War III. Foreign Policy • China and Tiananmen Square (1989) • Chinese students called on their Communist leaders to embrace reforms. • Led huge pro-democracy demonstrations that filled Tiananmen Square. • Tanks surrounded the protesters and opened fire. Hundreds(?) were killed. • Bush announced an arms embargo… whoopee! III. Foreign Policy The Persian Gulf War (August, 1990- Feb 1991) • Iraq’s Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. • The UN imposed sanctions but the deadline passed. • US commenced Operation Desert Storm in Jan. of 1991 • Made Bush incredibly popular (for a while) IV. Election of 1992 The End of the Cold War Bill Clinton - Democrat • Arkansas governor 1Truman Harry S Truman 33rd President of the United States Nomination for Vice President Truman was selected as Franklin Roosevelts vice presidential candidate in 1944 Advisors to Roosevelt said that the incumbent VP, Henry Wallace, was too liberal In contrast, James Byrnes of NC was too conservative Truman was nicknamed the ‘Missouri Compromise’ because of his appeal to the party center Truman did not want to serve as VP, but he reluctantly did so anyway because he felt it was his duty to the country In the presidential race of 1944, the Roosevelt/Truman team easily won against Republican candidates Dewey/Brickler (432 to 99 electoral votes) Vice President… Sworn in on January 20, 1945 Vice Presidency was relatively uneventful As VP, he presided over the Senate, attended parties and receptions, and shook endless numbers of hands Thought he wouldn’t like being VP, however, he actually loved the ‘round of social engagements’ Only met twice with President Roosevelt Roosevelt didn’t keep him informed- domestic affairs, how things were unfolding in Russia, the Manhattan Project, etc. Didn’t even meet Secretary of State (Stettinius) Vice President for only 82 days… …To President On April 12, 1945, Roosevelt died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage (Roosevelt’s health had been deteriorating for months) Truman was completely uninformed about world affairs or domestic policies- Roosevelt had told him practically nothing Upon assuming the presidency, Truman asked all of Roosevelt’s Cabinet to remain in place “I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me” -Truman to reporters on becoming President Surrender of Germany & The Potsdam Conference On May 7, 1945 German forces surrendered to Allied forces- V-E (Victory in Europe) Day In July & August of 1945, Truman attended the Potsdam Conference, which was a meeting of the US, England & the Soviet Union to establish post-WWII order The results of this conference are detailed in the Potsdam Agreement The Potsdam Declaration was issued on July 26, 1945 by Truman, Churchill (England) and Chiang Kai-shek (China). It outlined the terms of surrender for Japan (who we were at war with). It also said if Japan didn’t surrender, they would be subject to “inevitable & complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces.” Russia wasn’t at war w/Japan, thus didn’t participate in the Potsdam Declaration 6 Hiroshima & Nagasaki However, the Japanese government dismissed the Potsdam Declaration and chose to ignore it. In the end, Truman made the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan. His intention was to bring about a quick resolution to the war by inflicting destruction and to basically shock Japan into surrendering. August 6th, 1945- Hiroshima 140,000 dead August 9th, 1945- Nagasaki 80,000 dead On August 15th, Japan announced its surrender to the AlliBarack Obama Obama’s Inheritance Two US counterinsurgency wars One global war against radical Islam Arab Uprising Rising power in China Obama’s Foreign Policy US National Security Strategy May 2010 Threats Non-state Actors: The “dark side” of globalization Al-Qaeda WMD proliferation Non-Democratic Regimes Economic Instability Cyber attacks Afghanistan/Pakistan Middle East Instability New balance of power in Asia (rise of China) US Role Economic renewal at home Expanding markets Economic Stability: G-20 Promote US values “Underwrite global security” “Shaping international order” Engagement China and Russia within a stable international order Strengthening Alliances 1. Counterinsurgency (COIN) in Iraq Getting Out: 2/09 Plan Combat Operations Officially End: 9/10/10 COIN in Afghanistan December 2009: Additional 33,000 troops Withdrawal in 2014…2016… Obama Policy 2/27/09 Speech Refocus on Afghanistan 2. Global War against Radical Islam Drone Strikes Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Anwar al-Awlaki Killed by drone strike 9/30/11 Attacks 2009 Nidal Hasan Umar Farouk 11/5/09 Abdulmutallab Killed 13 at Ft. Hood 12/25/09 Northwest FLT 253 Amsterdam to Detroit May 1, 2011 Bin-Laden killed Counterterrorism Strategy Special Forces Drone strikes Criminal cases GW Bush balance: capture and detain over kill Obama balance: kill over capture and detain 3. Arab Spring 2010-2011 Timeline Balancing US interests counterterrorism human rights and democracy OIL alliance with Israel Iranian threat Country by Country Decisions Encouraging Egyptian military to oust Mubarak Trying to salvage Yemeni leaders then helping negotiate their resignations Trying to salvage Bahraini leaders, but encouraging them to move faster on political reform Bombing Libya Diplomacy with Syria then harsh language Saudi Arabia: silence The Dilemma Saudi Arabia vs. Iran Israel vs. Iran After dictators fall Sectarian civil wars? Theocracies less friendly with US? Al-Qaeda opportunities? Are democracies more or less likely to be allies of the US? Syrian Civil War Syria Policy Non-intervention Warning about using Chemical Weapons August 20, 2012 “enormous consequences” Summer 2013:confirmed use of chemical weapons Pres and Congress agree to take no action ISIS 2011 Territory controlled in Syria Iraq Allies Boko Haram Libya Europe 4. Rise of China One nation catches up to the US Rising Challenger Declining hegemon US vs. China Obama and Pres. Hu Jintao Obama and Pres. Xi Jinping China as Challenges Rival Power Ideology One-Party State vs. Liberal Democracy China sees Hegemony Encirclement? (US, Japan, S. Korea, India) * China sees threat: Launch Tube Hatches USS Alabama (SSBN) * 385.bin Sending a Message? Obama Administration’s first state dinner Michelle Obama and Ind