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The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was a pledge to provide economic and military aid to oppose the spread of communism. Truman said the U.S. was committed to help free peoples resist to takeover by "armed minorities or outside pressures." The U.S. congress even agreed to send hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Greece and Germany. -
The Marshall Plan
The United States government launched a massive program of economic aid. The Marshall Plan, named after the U.S. secretary of state George Marshall, provided $13 billion for rebuilding Europe. The plan helped Western Europe make a rapid recovery from the war, and it also helped preserve political stability. -
The Berlin Airlift
In June 1948, the Soviets blocked off all land, rail, and water routes into West Berlin. As a result, Berlin's 2 million residents were no longer able to inport food, coal, abd other vital supplies. The Soviets hoped this would force the West to leave Berlin. Western leaders refused to give in. They organized the Berlin Airlift, which was a massive effort to supply West Berlin by air. At on epoint, a cargo plane was taking off from or landing in Berlin every 30 seconds. -
NATO & Warshaw act
In the aftermath of the airlift, the United States, Canada, and most Western European countries joined together in a military alliance. The alliance was called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was designed to counter Soviet Union and the Communist nations of Eastern Europe formed their own alliance known as the Warshaw Pact. -
Social Changes
During the 1950's the U.S. economy was booming, it helped raise the living standard of millions of Americans. So did the G.I. Bill of Rights, a law that helped many American veterans attend college. -
Communsim in Cuba
In 1959 rebels under the leadership of Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba's dicatator and installed a Communist government. Once Castro was in power he established a centrally planned economy and forged close ties with the Soviet Union. Castro's actions worried the U.S. Cuba is located only 90 miles south of Florida, and its alliance with the Soviet Union brought Cold War alarmingly close to the American territory. -
The U.S. Economy
The U.S. economy was already the most powerful in the world. Americans enjoyed great success in the years after WWII. By 1960 the total value of all U.S. goods and services was two-and-a-half times greater than it had been in 1940. -
Nonaligned Nations
Many countries sought to avoid being caught up in this worldwide rivalry between superpowers. Starting in the 1950's a number of nations refused to support either side. Instead these so-called nonaligned nations sought to use their combined strength to promote the interests of poorer countries. -
Womens Rights
The civil rights movement helped inspire the women's rights movement in the 1960's and 1970's. Many people belived that men and women should be treated equally so they worked hard to make that happen. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962 a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union happened called the Cuban Missile Crisis. After a two-week standoff, Soviet leaders removed the missiles when the U.S. agreed to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey and promised not to attack Cuba.
