History

The questions cover Chapters 5, 6, and 7 from the Cold War book- Pearson, and Ch. 12, 16, and 17 and pages 150-161 from the Todd book. All of these sections were assigned and questions were asked in class covering most of the readings.

Write multi-sentence responses for the prompts below. Be specific and give examples from the history we have learned.

However, to condemn those in positions of power for their actions is to misinterpret the volatile climate of the Cold War Era in which they operated. The polarized political thought and the turbulent domestic events that shadowed everyday life had a profound impact on American thought and culture and the lives of public figures who dominate the story. To truly understand the impact of these characters and the climate of the American Cold War theatre, the complexity of the dynamics within society must be understood from the point of view and the

America was once described as baseball and apple pie. The Cold War forced small town America to choose between a simpler time and a new modernized age. The United States being a superpower in the Cold War has locked horns with the Soviet Union over which form of government was best. The struggle for power in both countries consisted of espionage, counter warfare, propaganda and a space race.

For nearly fifty years, the world lived in fear as two super-power nations quietly battled for power, respect and popularity of their respective political views. The Cold War arose out of the ashes of the failed alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union in World War II. Many different factors could be linked to the actual cause of the Cold War, however many agree that the political future of Eastern Europe was the major spark that ignited the battle between Communist Russia and Capitalist America1. The American fear of the spread of communism and their ambition to penetrate the "Iron Curtain" only added fuel to the fire that had been burning for some time already. Although the

The Cold War was a pivotal time in American history. To a greater degree than most other wars, the Cold War affected American society in unfathomable and profound ways. More specifically, American culture transformed immensely during this time. From a constant state of anxiety, to changes in media and the arts, to McCarthyism; the Cold War fervently affected the quality of life, personal expression, and American politics. Predominantly, the Cold War inflicted fear and apprehension within the American people that was so overpowering that it affected every aspect of their lives and overall American culture.

The Articles of Confederation was our countries first Constitution. It was a black and white agreement drafted by the Second Continental Congress. It was agreed upon and signed by the thirteen colonies in 1781. The Articles were mainly aimed at the state governments. The Articles had many weaknesses, but it also accomplished many things. The Articles of Confederation were able to keep the state together until the Constitution was written. I was because of the Articles that the Revolutionary war was ended with Great Britain. Many states gave up their claims to land west of the Appalachians. This land was given to the government. It helped to create a feeling of national security. Under the Articles, congress enacted laws to

Although it wasn’t a war fought on land, the Cold War produced an immense amount of tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States. In general, the topic of concern between the two countries was Communism; the Soviet Union was clothed heavily in communist red under the control of Joseph Stalin, while the United States thrived in a democracy led by Harry S. Truman. The two countries strongly united during World War II to take down Nazi Germany, but the loss twenty-five million Soviets put Stalin and the rest of the country on edge. Through the Soviet Union’s strong push to spread Communism, the United States’ attempt to contain it, and the mistrust between the two countries, a war began between the philosophies of democracy and communism erupted.

Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity to participate in the group discussion in person on the day we were on campus. I have since emailed both particpants in my group, Anna Guzman and Tara Rhodes, who both responded promptly that everyone was submitting short answers to the questions in our discussion group, to compare and analyze. I have since compared and reviewed their answers with mine and we have similar opinions on Shackleton’s leadership traits, the meaning of the great achievement of failure to us all seemed to be that his greatest achievement was successfully keeping his team of men alive for two years.

The Cold War changed American society by introducing both foreign and domestic fear into the lives of Americans. It brought neighbor against neighbor, and a trembling thoughts to all Americans. It gave an upper-hand to the men in the branches of Federal Government, and especially to the HUAC; moreover it

The belief, creed or political ideology that involves an individual identifying with or becoming attached to one’s nation. This involved the use of Flags, anthems, holidays, census/statistics, education, and finally propaganda. It was produced not natural.

History is integral part of our lives and historians play an important role to preserve history. Historians are present in every society. They have been around probably throughout the history of humanity. Their work however has become more methodical and systematic now. Modern day historians spend a lot of time searching for the truth from various sources of past information. These days so much information is available and this information is interpreted with so many different angles that a common reader can easily get confused. Most importantly the job of historian is to compile the history and events in most truthful manner and narrate them in the appropriate context. Simple form of narration would be to just to put events together in certain form of order. But job of the historian is more complex and intricate.

One of the main causes of the Cold War was the difference in political ideals between the democratic US and the communist Soviet Union. The Cold war was, in essence, a war based off of the political differences between the Soviet Union and the US, (Browne). Mutual suspicion had long existed between the West and the USSR, and friction was sometimes manifest in the Grand Alliance during World War II.(Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia). In a comment following the test of the first Soviet atomic bomb in 1949, U.S. Representative Carl Durham said “The American people … must be prepared to sacrifice all sorts of otherwise desirable welfare programs on the domestic front in order to be sure of adequate defenses in the light of this situation.” (Pearson). Fearing the appeal of Communism, President Truman,

World History helps serve as markers of what we have become today as well as hints to what we will become. Ironically, it gives us a close perspective, while at the same time giving us a broader one. If we focused solemnly on American history, we would only be informed about situations only occurring in our country and would be closed off to the rest of the world. It helps us keep a large record of past events as either successes or failures and help us make decisions regarding the future. Some of those important markers that help us keep track of our history include literature, competition, unity, and expansion.

The end of the cold war signified a new era of history that has changed the entire world. The face of Europe and Asia has changed dramatically. Vast changes have been felt socially, politically, and especially economically. Also the effect the cold war had on foreign policy was paramount. The effect of these changes is not only felt across the ocean but can be felt here in America. The goal of this paper is to define what the cold war specifically was, and reflect upon the various choices throughout the world as a result of the end of the cold war.