HIST 1302 Exam Review 2 - Answers

.docx

School

University of Houston *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

1302

Subject

History

Date

Apr 3, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by taylordowning00

HIST 1302 Exam Review 2 - Answers PART I: Major Essay (1 and ¼ of a page) Why did the US launch a massive war on Vietnam, and what were the effects of the war on US society and Vietnamese society, and globally? The United States economic hegemony depended on commerce between other free- trade economies around the world. At this point the expanding fears of communism were stirring the American people into a frenzy. So, the U.S. government sought to take tangible actions which would later be strongly criticized. The U.S. decided to launch a massive war to stop or halt the spread of communism. The U.S. sent monetary support to South Vietnam. This was used by an administration, Dinh Diem’s, for military purposes. But this only further repressed Vietnamese people. President Johnson urged more implicit U.S. involvement sending thousands of troops on a mission of attrition to kill as many of the enemy soldiers as possible. It then became apparent the idiocy of this strategy. Further U.S. involvement did not dim Vietnam’s desire for independence from the French and the constant regime changes in the artificial South that the U.S. created This did nothing but destabilize the nation even more. Later, thousands of American troops deserted aligning with the eventual realization that the war would be largely responsible for a diminished military morale. These actions showed that liberal reform was undermined and led to many Americans suspicious of the government and its competence after this resounding failure. What is the “National Security State”? Be sure to explain how and why it was built, and by whom. With another Red Scare and burgeoning fears of communism abroad, Truman sensed more action was needed. In 1947 Congress passed the National Security Act. On the surface it recognized military, replaced the department of war with the department of defense, and created the CIA, but the roots of the act were much more malicious. George Kennan, an American diplomat, claimed that the U.S. at the time owned over 50% of the worlds wealth by only accounted for a meager 6-7% of the world’s population. For the U.S. to maintain economic hegemony and disparity with the rest of the world, the U.S. became a National Security State. This action added in a militaristic element to life in a country that always prided itself of the supreme ideals of democracy and freedom. Through increased military spending, it asserted even more avid supremacy over the rest of the world. The government hoped this action would intimidate any enemies or communists’ forces from across the world from ever considering attacking the U.S., even though most of the other countries already knew the immense economic and military power the U.S. had and wouldn’t dare to attack, even if the act had not passed. The act also created an imperial presidency with

HIST 1302 Exam Review 2 - Answers newfound powers for the president. Many conservatives feared what too much power in the state would do to individual’s senses of freedom and loss of liberty. Senator Robert Taft who was very critical of the new National Security State and its implications claimed that the act in trying to bolster security would only endanger Americans even more by involving them with foreign affairs. He also warned of economic repercussions of overinvesting in the military sector. Him, and many others, were nervous that trying to be “prepared for anything” would only lead to more budget deficits. PART II: Identification Terms (min. 4-5 sentences) McCarthyism - McCarthyism means anyone who so much as criticized the government became suspect to investigation. It was the practice of making accusations when something showed the slightest trace of communism or socialism. McCarthyism became apparent during the anti-communist movement of the 1950s, the Cold War, and the second Red Scare in America. McCarthyism is associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy who was a known alcoholic. He led the searches for communists in America during the early 1950s through leadership in the House Un-American Activities Committee. McCarthy often used anti- communist sentiments to bolster his own political agenda while he blamed political opponents as communists to destroy their reputations. He really became well known after his rousing speech where he claimed to have a list of 300 plus government officials who were supposedly communist. He also brought on the Pink Scare where he accused government officials of being homosexuals, which in his mind is the same thing as being a treasonous communist. Although it was ironic because his lead lawyer was gay. McCarthy later lost popularity as he was proven wrong on many accounts, but this wasn’t until after he had already ruined thousands of lives. Overall, he used the atmosphere of fear to eliminate neighbors or competition through the disguise of conquering evil. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg - During the second Red Scare there was a fear of communism in America. The government sought to get any sort of communist traces eliminated. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were married American citizens. They were political activists with communist connections. In 1951 the couple was convicted of espionage, spying for the Russians, and helping them develop their own atomic bomb. They were arrested and sentenced to death in 1953. Even facing death while sitting on the electric chairs, they would still not admit to doing anything wrong. Their case “proved” McCarthy’s point that

HIST 1302 Exam Review 2 - Answers communists were inside the U.S. and working with the communists to destroy America from the inside. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg became a symbol of cold war treachery. Poor People’s Campaign - What Martin Luther King didn’t know was that this would be his last crusade and his ultimate undoing. If this campaign would have been successful, it would have been constituted to be the greatest challenge to the power elite and class system. King planned this movement to force liberals to confront the limits of their own privilege by saying it’s time for a “radical redistribution of economic power”. He did not just focus on civil injustices for colored people, but the intersectionality of race, poverty, and working rights. Peaceful protests were formed in Washington D.C. in the demand of better wages, healthcare, and housing. King also branched out to beg for the end of the Vietnam War as it was taking so many lives and money that could be given to those who needed it. As King followed Gandhi’s tactics of civil disobedience, he created to have a mass civil disobedience movement in 1968. With the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, and the failure of the movement, it signaled the end of the dream. The New Deal - The New Deal was a series of reforms enacted by Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) administration between 1933 and 1942 with the goal of ending the Great Depression. The programs inspired by Roosevelt’s early framework consisted of the three R’s: relief, recovery, and reform. FDR and his administration sought to prevent the sort of fiscal decimation brought on by uncontrolled interest rates that had been instrumental in the economic crash that caused the depression. Some accused this plan of being too radical, especially conservatives when it came to banking. The first New Deal was all about big business and conservatives at its core. Programs like CCC and PWA came about. The PWA program worked to create jobs and improve quality of life in the country. This program also worked to improve transportation like bridges and dams, hospitals, and educational institutes. The second New Deal included the Wagner Act and the Workers Progress Administration (WPA). The Wagner Act in 1935 allowed workers to legally form unions and bargain with employers. The WPA created eight million jobs and increased consumption with better wages. The WPA addressed the primary issue with the depression. As the economy began to recover, FDR cut the WPA program because it was creating too much debt. Overall, FDR’s New Deal was his political program and constituted a historical legacy.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help