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The Cold War
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The Berlin Airlift
Berlin Airlift
Stalin closed all highways and rail routes into West Berlin and the 2.1 million residents of the city had only enough food to last for about five weeks. American and British officials started the Berlin airlift to fly food and supplies into West Berlin in an attempt to break the blockade for 327 days. In 277,000 flights, they brought 2.3 million tons of supplies. By May 1949, the Soviet Union lifted the blockade. West Berlin survived because of the airlift. -
North Korea Attacks South Korea
North Korean forces surprise attacked South Korea and the conflict created the Korean War. South Korea called on the United Nations to stop the North Korean invasions. The Soviets boycotted the council in protest over the presence of the Nationalist China. The Soviets could not veto the UN’s plan of military action and the vote passed. On June 27, Truman ordered troops stationed in Japan to support the South Koreans and sent an American fleet into the waters between Taiwan and China. -
McCarthy's Downfall
==> In 1954, Senator Joseph McCarthy made accusations against the U.S. Army, which resulted in a nationally televised Senate investigation. McCarthy’s cullying of witnesses alienated the audience and cost him public support. The Senate condemned him for improper conduct that “brought the Senate into dishonor and disrepute.” Three years later, McCarthy, suffering from alcoholism, died a broken man. -
The Eisenhower Doctrine
The Soviet Union's prestige in the Middle East rose because of it's support for Eypt. To counterbalance this development, President Eisenhower issuded a warning in January 1957. This warning, known as the Eisenhower Doctrine, said that the US would defend the Middle East against an attack by any communist country. In March, Congress officially approved the doctrine. -
The Televised Debate Affects Votes
Kennedy and Nixon took part in the first televised debate between presidential candidiates. On September 26, 1960, 70million TV viewers watched the two articulate and knowledgeable candidates debating issues. Nixon had agreed to the forum in hopes of exposing Kennedy's inexperience. But, Kennedy had been coached by television producers, and he looked and spoke better than Nixon. Kennedy's success in the debate launched a new era in American politics: the television age. -
The Race To The Moon
First Moon Landing
In less than a month the United States had duplicated the Soviet feat. Later that year, a communications satellite called Telstar relayed live television pictures across the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Europe. Speaking before a crowd at Houston's Rice University, Kennedy expressed the spirit of "the space race." Seven years later, the US would achieve its goal. An excited nation watched with bated breath as U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon. -
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The Vietnam War
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The War On Poverty
LBJ declared “unconditional war on poverty in America” and proposed sweeping legislation designed to help Americans “on the outskirts of hope.” August 1964, Congress enacted the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA), approving nearly $1 billion for youth programs, antipoverty measures, small-business loans, and job training.
