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IMPACT OF WAR ON DOMESTIC POLITICS, 1941-80 - Coggle Diagram
IMPACT OF WAR ON DOMESTIC POLITICS, 1941-80
COLD WAR/WW2
WW2 led to more US involvement abroad, unlike the isolationism after WW1
US and USSR:
- Fought together during WW2, but had huge ideological differences.
- Truman: anti-communist, Stalin: anti-capitalist
- this huge ideological divide led to the cold war when countries occupied by USSR set up communist govts.
Truman's reaction: Truman doctrine to keep communism out of America. This was followed by the Marshall plan, aiding countries to try to prevent communist takeover.
NUCLEAR DEFENCE
US had to prepare for nuclear attack:
- FDA (federal defence administration): set up to organise evacuations, give out pamphlets of advice.
- 1956 Interstate Act: road network, rapid evacuation of cities
- Fallout shelters available
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THE ARMS RACE
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USSR also began to make atomic weapons, which started an arms race. This cost the USA (and USSR) huge amounts of money
ARMED SERVICES
The creation of a large, permanent military force affected the domestic economy
Military cost lots of money, but also provided jobs and was a major consumer for some businesses.
THE COLD WAR LED TO AN EXPECTATION THAT THE USA SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN WORLD AFFAIRS, AS IT WAS THE ONLY COUNTRY ABLE TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE OF POWER WITH THE USSR
KOREAN WAR, 1950-53
Taking place in the context of the second red scare, so Truman wanted to stop hysteria.
This war emphasised the way the Cold War shifted presidential attention away from domestic policy and towards international policy.
All domestic policy had to go through congress, while presidents were given more freedom with foreign policy.
Truman's handling of the Korean war, and the red scare, gave Republicans the opportunity to rise
Republicans were critical of govt policy, and of Truman, at every given opportunity
The Korean war gave more opportunity for Republicans to criticise Truman + the govt:
- Cost to USA of Korean War (and cold war)
- Defence spending peak: 14% of US GNP
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VIETNAM WAR, 1954-72
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The war increased Americans' disappointment with the govt. It also contributed to a loss of national confidence in American morality and power.