U.S. History II The Postwar World SOL 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d Prepared by Judy Self.

U.S. History II

The Postwar WorldSOL 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d

Prepared by Judy Self

USII SOL 7a

Rebuilding Europe and Japan

How did the United States help rebuild postwar Europe and Japan?

Learning from the mistakes after World War I the U.S. accepted its role as a world superpower

U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall prepared the Marshall Plan to help rebuild Europe

How did the United States help rebuild postwar Europe and Japan?

Marshall Plan, the European Recovery Plan, was to to provide massive financial aid to rebuild European economies

U.S. hoped the aid would help prevent the spread of communism

How did the United States help rebuild postwar Europe and Japan?

Germany was partitioned into East and West Germany

West Germany became democratic and resumed self-government after a few years of American, British, and French occupation

How did the United States help rebuild postwar Europe and Japan?

East Germany remained under the domination of the Soviet Union and did not adopt democratic institutions

How did the United States help rebuild postwar Europe and Japan?

Japan was occupied by American forces It adopted a democratic form of

government and resumed self-government Japan became a strong ally of the United

States

How did the United States help rebuild postwar Europe and Japan?

The United Nations was formed as a peace keeping organization

The UN was a way for the nations of the world to try to prevent future global wars

USII SOL 7b

Shift from Wartime to Peacetime Economy

What contributed to the prosperity of Americans following World War

II?

Businesses converted from production of war materials to consumer goods

Americans purchased goods on credit

What contributed to the prosperity of Americans following World War

II?

Workforce shifted back to men and most women returned to family responsibilities

What contributed to the prosperity of Americans following World War

II?

Labor unions merged and became more powerful

Workers gained new benefits and higher salaries

What contributed to the prosperity of Americans following World War

II?

As economic prosperity continued and technology boomed, the next generation of women re-entered the labor force in large numbers

USII SOL 7c

The Cold War

What is the Cold War?

After World War II the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as world powers

The “Cold War” was the state of tension between the two countries without actual fighting

It divided the world into two camps

How and why did the Cold War begin?

Differences between the two superpowers

The United States was democratic and capitalist

The Soviet Union was dictatorial and communistic

How and why did the Cold War begin?

The Soviet Union’s domination over Eastern European countries

How and why did the Cold War begin?

American policy of containment; stopping the spread of communism

How and why did the Cold War begin?

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) versus Warsaw Pact

NATO - United States and its allies Warsaw Pact - Soviet Union and its allies

What have been the major conflicts and confrontations in the

post-World War II era?

South Korea and the United States resisted Chinese and North Korean aggression

The conflict ended in a stalemate North and South Korea remain divided

What have been the major conflicts and confrontations in the

post-World War II era?

Cuban Missile Crisis occurred when the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba

Soviets removed the missiles in response to a U.S. blockade

What have been the major conflicts and confrontations in the

post-World War II era?

The United States believed that if one nation in Asia became communist the rest would fall to communism one after the other

That belief is called the Domino Theory

What have been the major conflicts and confrontations in the

post-World War II era?

The U.S. intervened to stop the spread of communism into South Vietnam Americans were divided over whether the U.S. should be involved

militarily in Vietnam Conflict ended in a cease-fire agreement in which U.S. troops

withdrew

How did communism collapse in Europe?

Economic problems led to the breakup of the Soviet Union into independent countries

The destruction of the Berlin Wall signaled the collapse of communism in Europe

What new challenges did the U.S. face after the Cold War?

The role of U.S. military intervention Environmental challenges Global issues, including trade, jobs, and diseases

USII SOL 7d

Our Changing Society

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

The development of a strong economyHealthy job marketIncreased productivityIncreased demand for American products

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

Greater investment in education to meet the challenges of the future

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

The sudden and large increase in births after World War II, called the Baby Boom, that led to a great change in demographics in the United States

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

The building of the interstate highway system

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

The evolving role of women from homemaker to working outside the home

Expanding women’s rights; one advocate was Eleanor Roosevelt

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

African Americans’ aspirations for equal opportunities

What factors led to changing patterns of society in the post-

World War II era?

Changes in the make-up of immigrants More Asian and Hispanic Americans

What policies and programs expanded educational and

employment opportunities for the military, women, and minorities?

G.I. Bill of Rights gave educational, housing, and employment benefits to World War II veterans

President Truman desegregated the armed forces

What policies and programs expanded educational and

employment opportunities for the military, women, and minorities?

Civil Rights legislation led to increased educational, economic, and political opportunities for women and minorities

The End