CSU Martin Luther King Junior and Civil Rights Movement Discussion

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This course has introduced and assessed many noteworthy figures related to the continuing buildup of the United States and its place within the world and globalization during the last 170 years. For this assignment, you will choose an influential public figure from the mid-19th century to the present. Your selection may be taken from speakers or religious, economic, or social leaders. This assignment is open to any reform discussed in this course (e.g., creed, race, age, status, gender), but you may not use any U.S. president. You should focus on communicating the figure’s relevance in today’s modern era. Why and how is this figure important today? This is not meant to be a biography. Your argument should highlight how society remembers him or her now.

Create a one-page outline. The purpose of an outline is to help you plan, organize, and connect ideas together so that you can see the overall picture of your final project. At the beginning of the outline, make sure to include a 2–3 sentence introduction that lets the reader know your chosen topic. At the end of the outline, include at least two potential sources you would like to consider using for your final project. Make sure the two sources listed are in APA format.

Any person will work as long as they are influential in that time era above. No U.S. Presidents may be used.


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UNIT III STUDY GUIDE The Great War Course Learning Outcomes for Unit III Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 5. Contrast varied perspectives concerning America’s presence in the world. 5.1 Discuss America’s experience in becoming a world military power during World War I (WWI). 5.2 Describe reactions to America’s impact on the world stage during the WWI era. Course/Unit Learning Outcomes 5.1 5.2 Learning Activity Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit III Scholarly Activity Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit III Scholarly Activity Reading Assignment Throughout this course, you will be provided with sections of content from the online resource U.S. History. You may be tested on your knowledge and understanding of the material listed below as well as the information presented in the unit lesson. Click on the link below to access your material. Click here to access this unit’s readings from U.S. History. The chapter/section titles are also provided below. Chapter 22 (Sections 22.1–22.5): Age of Empire: American Foreign Policy, 1890-1914 Chapter 23 (Sections 23.1–23.5): Americans and the Great War, 1914-1919 Unit Lesson We ended the previous unit with the ascent of Teddy Roosevelt taking over as president for the deceased McKinley. The turn of the century would prove to be a period of great change for the United States, and it began with a larger-than-life figure in the Oval Office. Roosevelt was viewed as a warrior, sportsman, cowboy, activist, reformer, and politician. He led the American people with a confidence and charisma that inspired feelings of American infallibility and arrogance. Politically, his influence is perhaps best known for trust-busting, or enforcing regulations on the monopolies that had overtaken the railroads, oil, and other economic entities, which used laissez-faire tactics to widen the economic gap. Roosevelt also believed in holding these corruptive influences publicly liable, which would become synonymous with his role in supporting muckrakers—and arguably being one. He was first a man of the citizens, hoping to build relationships rather than enemies, and he even served as a mediator of labor disputes such as with the United Mine Workers (UMW). He did not seek to punish the successful but simply to ensure that the system was fair for all. At the beginning of the 20th century, the contiguous U.S. map, with the exception of a few southwestern territories, closely resembled that of modern America—at least politically. The treatment of Hawaii and Alaska, as protected U.S. territories at the time, along with Roosevelt’s arrogance, led to questions about America’s imperial potential. The same “big stick” that Roosevelt had used to bust corrupt corporations would also sometimes reach beyond U.S. boundaries. He would be directly influential in U.S. actions in Cuba and Panama. As a Navy man, he was an advocate of international ambition. The idea of the United States as a “world police” agency would be made law with his Roosevelt Corollary, which was an amendment to the HY 1120, American History II 1 Monroe Doctrine that spelled out the United States’ role as an international police in theGUIDE Western UNITpower x STUDY Hemisphere. Title The threat of a developing American empire became very apparent under Roosevelt’s watch. Though his terms would not include the inclusion of any particular U.S. military conflicts, it is arguably fair to consider his time as executive similar to that of wartime presidents. His impact in foreign affairs would change U.S. positioning in the world and set the stage for leaving the Western Hemisphere in case of world conflict. Fluctuations in Unity Roosevelt would serve the remainder of McKinley’s term and earn reelection the following term. He was so popular as President that even his chosen successor, William Howard Taft, would fail to keep the nation, or the Republican Party, united. Taft was not the Cartoon of Teddy Roosevelt and the big stick charismatic presence Roosevelt had (Rogers, 1904) been, and he also proved susceptible to swaying from Congress and allowed the courts to return to social politics. In a few short years, almost all of Roosevelt’s good will with the American people was undone by rivals from both within and outside of the party. Anti-American sentiment was even fostered abroad due to unsupported economic plans. In 1912, one of the more fascinating political battles in American history occurred. A third political party, the Bull Moose Party, came out of nowhere to attack the Taft Administration. Led by former President Teddy Roosevelt, this political family feud would ultimately seal the victory for Democrat Woodrow Wilson to take office in 1913. Wilson, however, needed more than a civil conflict to guarantee victory. With the failures of Taft, progressivism once again gained steam, and Socialist Eugene Debs was again a legitimate national contender for office. Though four names were on the ballot, Wilson was the clear victor. The nation was the most politically divided it had been since Lincoln was in office, but Wilson had support throughout the nation, and helped to unite the nation after what had been a disaster for Republican supporters. HY 1120, American History II 2 Wilson, like Roosevelt, was UNIT a competent economist x STUDY GUIDE and a bulldog for reform. He wouldTitle quickly attack trusts, stabilize trade and taxation, and put the banks back in check; in addition, his Federal Reserve Act of 1913 gave the federal government an economic control that it had lacked since the Jackson Administration. Progressivism was in remission, except for a few strategic programs. Wilson had patched the nation back together, but his reelection in 1916 was won on a different platform: isolationism and neutrality. War had broken out in Europe, and the United States, with its melting pot of cultures, was a wildcard. Wilson knew that war could be an economic savior from the recession of 1913 but a political death sentence if the United States became directly involved. His best move was keeping the United States out of the fight while serving as supplier to those fighting. The Path to War Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States for the entire war. (Pach Brothers, 1912) Oddly enough, the United States’ path to joining the war in Europe would start with disputes in Central America. The Monroe Doctrine once again encouraged U.S. influence in the Americas, and, like Roosevelt, Wilson felt that the U.S. model was to be the savior for struggling nations to the south. The United States wanted to firm up economic ties in the Caribbean and Central America and felt that helping to secure pro-U.S. leadership would be the best way to do so. Influences in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua provided some positive results, but adjacent Mexico would incite a series of challenges. A takeover of Mexico by anti-U.S. General Victoriano Huerta would quickly result in U.S. interference. When Huerta fled to Spain, another rebellion emerged—this one under the leadership of Francisco “Pancho” Villa. Villa proved to be more adept at avoiding U.S. pressure, and with the war in Europe continuing to intensify, Wilson could not afford to dispatch too many resources to the dispute. On February 25th, 1917, the British intercepted a letter from Germany’s Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman. This letter stated that if Mexico would declare war on the United States, Germany would return its former holdings in the American Southwest to Mexico at the end of the war. In response, Wilson asked Congress to allow the arming of American merchant ships; the United States remained neutral, unnerved by Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare. While Wilson preached neutrality, the United States was not entirely out of the war’s influence. The U.S. trade with Britain constituted almost half of the country’s wartime supplies, and Wilson even approved billions of dollars in U.S. loans to cover the growing cost of the allied war effort. This trade was so lucrative that even the blockade by Britain against Germany did not significantly faze U.S. interests. In response to the British blockade, on May 7, 1915, German U-boats in the Eastern Atlantic sunk a luxury liner off the coast of Ireland carrying 128 U.S. citizens. Germany rationalized the sinking as an act of war, as the liner was carrying war supplies. Tensions calmed with the United States until March of 1917, when Germany again targeted passenger vessels that it considered to be a covert part of the war effort. These attacks would kill another 66 U.S. citizens, and with the Zimmerman threat from only weeks before, Wilson had no choice but to ask Congress to declare war on Germany. The First World War World War I began in 1914 with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary as he paraded in the city of Sarajevo. However, it can be argued that the battle lines were drawn much earlier. Upon the United States’ entry into the war, Europe was divided between the Central Powers (i.e., the Triple Alliance), which included the nations of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, and the Allied Powers (i.e., the Triple Entente), which included Great Britain, France, Japan, and Russia. The war was as much a family feud as it was a political powder keg. Monarchs from multiple nations, including the HY 1120, American History II 3 aforementioned Franz Ferdinand of Austria as well as Wilhelm II of Germany, UNIT Nicholas II of Russia, x STUDY GUIDEand George V of Britain, all claimed some lineage to the Austrian Royal Family, which Titlewas once also part of the Holy Roman Empire. Some of the smaller nations would also boast leaders of great charisma and influence, such as Italy’s ambitious Victor Emmanuel III, Serbia’s sickly Peter I, and the fearless Belgian Albert I. These fronts, or battle lines, were crafted from a series of alliances, which had been drafted over the previous decades. The assassination of an Austrian heir by a Bosnian extremist, Gavrilo Princip, was the spark necessary to cause a territorial dispute in the Balkan region to explode into a full-scale world conflict. Nation after nation, compelled by their allies, declared war against one another. Even the bloodline of the influential Habsburg family, which included many of the prominent royal families of Europe, was not enough to suppress the chaos that politics and fear had created. Gavrilo Princip was a teenage Serbian militant who assassinated Franz Ferdinand in 1914. (Producer, 2013) World War I is also known as the Great War. It was the first modern war, the first trench war, and the last war to be dominated by the traditional European monarchies, which used nationalism as a method for championing combat as a glorious rite of passage. This conflict was brutal for those on the front lines, as weeks to months at a time were spent crouching in dirt trenches. Covered in filth and waste, gas masks at the ready, soldiers had to hold their resolve while preparing for the worst. Reinforcements and supplies were not always on schedule or reliable; when there was an advance, it was rarely more than a few feet. For those who did brave “no-man’s land” between the trenches, all too often, they had maybe only moments to reach the next trench. Any gains meant braving a sprint over barbed wire, mud, and fallen comrades, all while machine gunfire mowed down entire lines of soldiers. The nationalistic ideals and image that had been portrayed were far from the truth, as the narratives from those present reflect this more barbaric scene. Erich Maria Remarque’s unforgettable account of innocence lost as a German soldier in All Quiet on the Western Front matches lesser known but equally horrific versions from both sides of the conflict. On the home front, the war received mixed reviews. In the mix of hysteria and fear from loved ones half a world away, there was also a question of American purity, which became especially hostile, with even multiple-generation Americans who had German ancestry being ostracized. Politically, on one side, Socialists saw this as an unnecessary threat to the American people and fueled by a Capitalist agenda. On the other side, Progressives saw this as an opportunity for reform; with the men away, there were opportunities for others to advance and capitalize on the wartime production. This even fed into prohibition (Eighteenth Amendment) as an effort to conserve resources. The suffrage debate would also quickly gain support in this charged atmosphere. By 1918, Wilson had changed his perspective to one of support for the betterment of the war. By 1919, the Nineteenth Amendment was passed and then ratified in 1920, giving women the right to vote. It is important to note, however, that there was still a heavy lobby against the passage of this suffrage bill; even in the prohibition years, alcohol companies held a strong political pressure, and they were frantically jumping from state to state to slow the passage. HY 1120, American History II 4 It would be a showdown in Nashville, Tennessee, that ultimately decided the bill’s WithGUIDE a strong sense UNITfuture. x STUDY of anti-suffrage among the state congress, most did not ever expect the bill to Title pass. The sudden disappearance of large numbers from the Tennessee Congress kept the vote from reaching quorum. It would take legal threats to return quorum to the chambers, and even then the outcome was still expected to be a “no.” It was after receiving a letter from his mother that a shocking change of heart compelled one representative, Harry Burn, to change his vote. This tipped the scale toward ratification, and women were finally granted their voting rights. Women would have their first opportunity to vote in the presidential election of 1920, which witnessed Republican Warren G. Harding take all but the American South. Eugene Debs would run yet again as a Socialist, but in a charged post-war atmosphere, his support was barely registered. By the time the U.S. entered the war, it was in its latter stages. The Bolsheviks, a Russian revolutionary group, had taken control of Russia from Nicholas II and soon after pulled out of the war—essentially removing the Eastern front. With the help of the draft (Selective Service Act) and some effective nationalist propaganda, the U.S. built a military just shy of 5 million in number, including draftees and volunteers. As at home, there was a cultural divide among different races, creeds, and cultures in the ranks of the military. The 92nd Division, which was composed of African Americans, was the first such regiment to be integrated with the French. Interestingly enough, being stationed in France became a kind of utopia for these African Americans, as European prejudices were not as pronounced as those in the United States, and many earned medals of valor that came with extended times at the front. Most American soldiers would not see war until March 1918, when they were sent to reinforce the war-weary French troops along the Western front. A couple months later, Wilhelm was forced to abdicate. Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, would be the official ending date for the conflict. Working Toward Peace and Cooperation One of Wilson’s most infamous failures was his Fourteen Points plan, from which he hoped to inspire a peaceful forum for debate and discussion, a proposed League of Nations reminiscent of today’s United Nations. With the Democrats no longer in control of the legislature, this plan flopped on both the national and international levels, failing to even receive the support of the U.S. Senate. Still, the year 1919 would see official peace and strides made toward Wilson’s desired cooperation. HY 1120, American History II 5 There would also be sanctions that gravely wounded the nations that compromised the Central powers— especially Germany—which would end up on the cusp of total economic failure. Left with mountains of debt and the loss of the disputed Alsace-Lorraine region to France, and without the right to retain a standing army, Germany was a shell of its former self, providing a dangerous opportunity for a charismatic and ambitious young German corporal named Adolf Hitler. Other nations, too, would suffer from these sanctions, many of which were decided by Western powers without account to local cultural ties and potential new powder kegs. As with the end of any conflict, so also ends the wartime opportunities. This all too often causes the economy to slow and new “villains” to emerge. The new threat would be any opposition to democracy. The first Red Scare, which was a politically charged public warning against communism, emerged in full force, with vengeance toward anyone who threatened the American ideal. This would include two major migrating populations within U.S. borders: Mexicans and African Americans. UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title The war years and economic Cartoon about Kaiser Wilhelm considering Wilson’s 14-point plan (Bushnell, 1918) opportunities motivated the movement of approximately 500,000 African Americans to northern industrial cities in search of work and an escape from the continued harsh realities in the South. In the following two decades, another 500,000 also migrated, often as families came together. With day labor moving to industry, opportunities opened in agricultural centers such as the American South and Southwest. It is from this motivation that hundreds of thousands of Mexicans entered the United States in search of better lives and to escape from corrupt governments. As their numbers grew, so did their voice, representation, and, just as suddenly, renewed forms of segregation and hate. These first two decades of the 20th century proved to have both pros and cons, as almost every community would be drastically impacted by the war, migrations, or legal changes. As important as it is to consider the international impact of an event such as World War I, it is also important to reflect on the local impact; for some communities, entire generations of young adult men were lost, while in other communities, new laws led to an upsurge in family potential. In still others, the entire demographic changed as the need for labor surged during wartime production. The next 2 decades would be stark reminders of just how quickly life could change and how even positive developments, such as the end of a bloody war, can have negative consequences. References Bushnell, E. A. (1918). Bushnell cartoon about Kaiser Wilhelm considering Wilson’s 14-point plan [Image]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bushnell_cartoon_about_Kaiser_Wilhelm_considering_Wilso n%27s_14-point_plan.jpg HY 1120, American History II 6 Pach Brothers. (1912). President Woodrow Wilson portrait [Photograph]. Retrieved UNIT from x STUDY GUIDE https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Woodrow_Wilson_portrait_December_2_1912.jpg Title #/media/File:President_Woodrow_Wilson_portrait_December_2_1912.jpg Producer. (2013). Gavrilo Pincip [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gavrilo_Princip_cropped.jpg Rogers, W. A. (1904). Theodore Roosevelt and his big stick in the Caribbean [Image]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tr-bigstick-cartoon.JPG HY 1120, American History II 7 UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE The Great Depression and the New Deal Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 1. Describe the impact of industrial expansion on the evolution of big business in the United States. 1.1 Recognize how the New Deal attempted to impact business in America. 1.2 Describe the impact that the Great Depression had on America’s changing economic landscape. 4. Summarize the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on America’s societal infrastructure. 4.1 Recognize the varied economic policies and New Deal programs that served as catalysts for social growth. 4.2 Identify popular media figures associated with post-World War I (WWI) America. 4.3 Identify themes associated with the Great Depression era. Course/Unit Learning Outcomes 1.1 1.2 4.1 4.2 4.3 Learning Activity Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit IV Assessment Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit IV Assessment Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit IV Assessment Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit IV Assessment Unit Lesson Readings: U.S. History Unit IV Assessment Reading Assignment Throughout this course, you will be provided with sections of content from the online resource U.S. History. You may be tested on your knowledge and understanding of the material listed below as well as the information presented in the unit lesson. Click on the link below to access your material. Click here to access this unit’s readings from U.S. History. The chapter/section titles are also provided below. Chapter 25 (Sections 25.1–25.4): Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The Great Depression, 1929-1932 Chapter 26 (Sections 26.1–26.3): Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932-1941 Unit Lesson Fallout of the Great War For Americans, the decades between the world wars were times of contrast and change—and with good reason. The visual images of the Great Depression, such as businessmen in bread lines, have etched themselves into the nation’s memory, but that is only a part of the story. This would be a time of great joy and HY 1120, American History II 1 heartbreak, triumph and adversity, and magic—perhaps best encapsulated in UNIT F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1924 x STUDY GUIDE masterpiece The Great Gatsby. This setting provides a backdrop to the attitudes and extravagances of Title American society in the Roaring Twenties. Although the more outrageous fads of the time would fade, some of the cultural gifts continue today. Perhaps the most timeless, poignant donation is the fervent flowing radiance of jazz music, impassioned enough to stimulate dance, decadence, and deception, but with the soul to personify both the highs and lows of the era. Unit IV will focus on the fallout of the Great War, the realities of coming home in the wake of great changes, and the society that was mortared back together from a world at war. American Renewal The end of the Great War brought about a period of renewal in America. Though the United States’ time in the war was limited, it took its toll on the younger generation by accounting for more than 320,000 killed, wounded, or missing in action. As with any war, there would soon be a period of economic deterioration causing widespread loss of jobs, great migrations in search of opportunity, and a renewed period of struggles. The first modern war was a nightmare—a conflict so devastating that many believed it was barbaric enough to ensure that another war would never begin. In the wake of the war, there would continue to be waves in political leadership, including Harding and Fall’s scandalous Teapot Dome and Hughes’s ambitious Five-Power Naval Treaty of 1922, which put limits on naval power and created worries about being able to defend the Pacific, but as a whole, it was a return to politics as usual. Today, we know that there would soon be an even more devastating series of conflicts on the horizon, but at the time, it was a period of thankfulness and celebration. The 1920s remain as one of the most iconic decades for the United Troops returning from war States. The affordable automobile may be (Library of Congress, 1919) one of the strongest manifestations of this ideal. Loud and flashy, the automobile inspired exploration, innovation, and even youthful expression to breathe a renewed zeal into the nation. Henry Ford’s savvy business success was not without a more universal purpose and outcome; in addition to a rise in the necessity for car parts, America’s obsession with travel would inspire new roads and services, introducing the iconic styles of glass gas pumps and full-service stations. Motels and restaurants would appear and grow more successful businesses to serve the growing numbers of weary travelers. Sometimes, even new communities would arise, perhaps most notably in regions outside of the chaos and racket of major cities—areas that are known as suburbs in today’s society. HY 1120, American History II 2 New Normal UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title There was also a new “normal” for many demographics in the population that had spent much of the previous century simply trying to have their voices heard. Women, for the first time, were given ballots to vote for the president. Despite Harding’s failures in office, this first election after the war was one of great significance concerning equality for all Americans. Women again would defy expectations with a rise in the number of individuals seeking education and being admitted to college, and the public image of women was shaped by the increasingly popular magazines geared toward women, which threatened to shatter the gender spheres of influence. This culminated in another chance for controversial reform: the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Like suffrage, the ERA would emphasize the equal ability and intelligence of women. However, this would ultimately find defeat in the political halls. Unlike the suffrage debate, the divide between supporters was not as pronounced along gender lines. The question of what equality really meant became a common topic of conversation. Would this equality stop at wage increases, or was there a barrier that could safeguard protective legislation, such as maternity leave and related provisions, types of extreme physical labor, and even gender-specific washroom facilities? This reform would again shake the expectations of society and lead to a new generation of outspoken female leaders in the coming decades. Another group tried to once again find their place in American society—African Americans, many of whom were veterans of the war and fresh from an overwhelming acceptance by the French. These efforts would again lead to large patterns of migration due to inefficient or corruptive influences in regions of heightened segregation, including a clear negative influence in the American Southeast. This was punctuated by a pronounced (and often publicly sponsored) revival of hate groups who tried to use religious and moral imagery to spread their message to the susceptible masses. Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan resurged during this era, becoming an unavoidable reality. Now much less a secret society than an unofficial policing agent, their message of 100% Americanism ensured that segregation was kept alive not only in the Old South but throughout the nation. In the North, which had been the destination for many during current and earlier migrations, a wave of culture change encapsulated the spirit of the society. Marcus Garvey built a regiment of supporters who joined his Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in droves, and the term New Negro was coined as a way to identify those who influenced a renewed era of culture that was reflective of the African American. This culture became known as The Harlem Renaissance and resulted in the creation of a rich legacy of great works of art that were painted, written, and performed musically, especially in an era bearing witness to the rise of jazz and blues. For many of the upper-class citizens, this became a time of luxury and criminal mischief. The Eighteenth Amendment, which banned all manufacture, sale, and ingestion of alcoholic beverages, had an unexpected consequence—crime grew throughout the nation. In major cities, such as Chicago, crime bosses could have more power than police chiefs. To many people, figures such as Al Capone were viewed as kings, offering debauchery to anyone choosing to partake. Today, the image of the semi-hidden speakeasy is still prevalent throughout the media. Gambling, alcohol, prostitution, and other crimes against moral standards were less and less of a risk for those seeking these vices, which included politicians, writers, artists, and other persons of influence and affluence throughout society. This was just a taste of the kind of corruptive influence that was present in this era. Not unlike the political machines a century earlier, these kings of influence had a resilient hold on the lower and working classes. However, unlike Boss Tweed and his contemporaries, these newer kings were, more often than not, deposed by being riddled with bullets. They were finally brought under control with a repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1933. The Great Depression Just as many had taken the era by storm, there were also those who became immersed in more melancholy views. Often associated with the horrors of war, changes in the society they had known, or simply drowning in the vices of the age, cultural titans such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald illuminated a darker side of the time, a reality for many in the shadows of the showy lights. These artists discussed themes of poverty, loss, prejudice, and missed opportunity. This Lost Generation provides even HY 1120, American History II 3 modern readers with a depiction of timeless struggles and human emotions drowned by society. UNIT x out STUDY GUIDEThese depictions, ranging from rural Mississippi, to Cuban seas, to lavish New York, Title still have a way of reaching out to us in modern times. They would become increasingly relevant to all as the next great challenge arose: a worldwide economic collapse of unprecedented scale. The Great Depression hit the world from seemingly out of nowhere. Its devastating effects would cripple the country’s economic infrastructure and hierarchy. President Herbert Hoover, who took office in January 1929 on a platform of savings and reform, may be better known today for Hoovervilles— the unflatteringly named tenements filled with starving Americans—than any action taken during his presidency. Though a veteran of strife and personal ambition based on his own need, Hoover failed to provide leadership during a calamity to the extent of the Great Depression. By 1929, the U.S. economy was reaping what it had sown in the years after the war. The U.S. decision to forego providing aid for European School children line up for free issue of soup and a slice of bread in the rebuilding and instead contributing to Depression the devastation through demands of (Hood, 1934) wartime repayment meant that traditional buyers were no longer able A Hooverville in Portland, Oregon to purchase industrial goods, and the (Rothstein, 1936) economic collapse finally spread across the Atlantic. In addition, poor management of funds only caused greater economic divide in America. Segregation of haves from have-nots increased, creating greater social tensions throughout the population. Hoover tried to keep the nation’s head above water through plans of good faith between production and industry, but as debt rose, so did frustrations. Implementing tariffs and taxes, lowering prices, and limiting supply all failed to resurrect the economy. National spending, though helpful to a few, was far too late. When he left office, Hoover had seen the American economy shrink to nearly half its worth in 1929. In 1933, the economy was the lowest it had been in a generation. Millions of people had lost everything, and there was no longer faith in his leadership to correct the nation’s course. Once again, the desperation led to rash action, which meant new spikes in racism, such as the Scottsboro case, and a renewal of two controversial voices in American politics: Socialism and Communism. The Second Roosevelt As much as Hoover had appealed to the common person with his poor upbringing, it was difficult for the nowdestitute American voter to imagine one of his or her own having the answer to battling the Depression. It is from this frustration that the nation would find Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR). A cousin of the charismatic former president Theodore Roosevelt, FDR was also a demanding character with a face that the camera loved. FDR practiced a policy of government that worked for the people, not one asserting that better times were ahead. It was this enthusiasm that had brought him success as New York’s governor. In 1932, FDR and Hoover were complete opposites in the eyes of the American people, and that was the perfect recipe for bringing the Democratic Party back into the White House for the first time since the Civil War. HY 1120, American History II 4 FDR made himself what he had to be—a man of the people. Though this was almost an insult to the elites who shared his experiences, Roosevelt proved his willingness and ability to reach out to the struggling masses. Perhaps his greatest gift was his ability to use the technology of the day to his advantage. Being stricken with polio, he had limited ability to walk, which might have unfairly discounted him in a more prosperous or invasive era. However, that handicap was cleverly hidden with camera tricks and a dedicated support network. Despite this affliction, Roosevelt embraced the office of a public figure, speaking directly to the American people in their homes via radio broadcast of his Fireside Chats. He provided a calm but assertive reminder that there was a strong, charismatic, and active voice behind the American public’s interests. UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title FDR knew that time was not his ally, and he promised the American people that changes would come soon—a plan that he explained would unfold in the first 100 Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)—a man of the people days of his term. This plan would (Suckley, 1941) eventually become known as the New Deal. In simplest terms, the New Deal was a series of federally funded programs, most of which put the average American person back to work, generally on projects that directly addressed other government needs such as infrastructure building. Other programs that were also a part of this New Deal would be those that reformed banking practices to ensure that the people’s money was safe. Now, with money in people’s pockets and faith in financial institutions, Americans could again become consumers, and with consumption, the downward spiral started to reverse. Of course, no plan is perfect, and there is always an opposing side. FDR’s plan was no different. Republicans, now out of their accustomed political roles, argued about loopholes in the programs. They claimed that the plan was fascist and unequally beneficial to different-sized businesses and farms as well as anti-capitalistic in nature. One program, the National Recovery Administration, was even declared unconstitutional. Even nature seemed to be against FDR. John Steinbeck’s masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath describes the hardships of the dustbowl that plagued the American Midwest in the 1930s, describing it and the economic plight as akin to a trial, death, or a demon itself. Despite the disbelievers and heartache, the New Deal quickly benefited millions. With that motivation, a second major effort was launched in 1935 with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This program was also geared toward lowering unemployment and satisfying public work needs. Roosevelt, remember, considered himself as a man for the people. However, as widespread as these programs were, many in the American population still would not directly benefit. In this time of uncertainty, even those who were able to remain employed needed some assistance against the big businesses, such as steel, which held all bargaining power in the down economy. With this in mind, unionization, which had emerged initially as a socialist measure, was given a much-needed ally in 1935 with the Wagner Act and John L. Lewis’ Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO). These guaranteed the safety and legality of unions. The next and perhaps most notable still-existing program today would address those who could no longer work but who felt the economic strain all the same: Social Security. Though not as comprehensive as today, it did ensure benefits for a struggling population. Even with these plans, life was not perfect, and many people continued to suffer. This was especially true for the youngest and HY 1120, American History II 5 oldest, those without deep American or European roots, and those suffering through Still, the UNIT xsegregation. STUDY GUIDE majority of the population saw the American economy shifting to the positive. Title FDR soundly won reelection in 1936 and subsequently took the opportunity to guarantee additional political support. Using age against several current judges, he opened new positions on the Supreme Court to account for Republican carryovers. This meant that he would be able to guarantee four Democratic voices on the highest court in the land. The New Deal had supporters and detractors, but for many Americans, it brought hope to a time that might otherwise not have had any. Roosevelt’s plans put people to work. The New Deal reached across age, gender, and ethnic lines to ensure that opportunities were as fair as possible, and it worked to restore good faith in banking, labor, and protective institutions that had withered in the wake of the 1929 crash. As this era affected people on a world scale, it is important to recognize how our own families and communities were and are impacted by both the time and the programs associated with it. This was a project that was designed to be stimulating and enlightening. By 1938, the luster of the New Deal was wearing off, but opportunity was shifting across the Atlantic. Once again, there were rumbles of discontent and aggression rising from Western Europe, and the German Wehrmacht army was marching under a fascist swastika and banner. At the same time, the often-elusive Empire of Japan was making noise, gearing up to strike to ensure its own preservation. The world was again about to be at war, and the United States was no longer able to assume a policy of isolation. References Library of Congress. (1919). Returning from World War I [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Returning_from_World_War_I.jpg Rothstein, A. (1936). Hooverville Portland Oregon [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Hooverville#/media/File:Hooverville_Portland_Oregon_1936.jpg Suckley, M. (1941). Roosevelt in wheelchair [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roosevelt_in_a_wheelchair.jpg HY 1120, American History II 6 UNIT V STUDY GUIDE World War II Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: Summarize the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on America’s societal infrastructure. 5. Contrast varied perspectives concerning America’s presence in the world. 5.1 Compare views from political, social, and economic realms regarding the United States’ participation in World War II (WWII). 6. Explain the United States’ role as a superpower during and after the world wars. 6.1 Discuss the United States’ power and influence throughout the world during WWII. 7. Describe the modern challenges and opportunities concerning the United States around the globe. Course/Unit Learning Outcomes 4 5 5.1 6 6.1 7 Learning Activity Unit V Outline Unit V Outline Unit Lesson Reading: U.S. History Unit V Assessment Unit V Outline Unit Lesson Reading: U.S. History Unit V Assessment Unit V Outline Reading Assignment Throughout this course, you will be provided with sections of content from the online resource U.S. History. You may be tested on your knowledge and understanding of the material listed below as well as the information presented in the unit lesson. Click on the link below to access your material. Click here to access this unit’s readings from U.S. History. The chapter title is also provided below. Chapter 27 (Sections 27.1–27.4): Fighting the Good Fight in World War II, 1941-1945 Unit Lesson In this unit, it will once again be important to consider the perspective of the time, with an emphasis on the lingering effects of worry, anxiety, and opportunity. We will review questionable actions from all fronts, including questionable actions of both successful and unsuccessful regimes, and compare attitudes and actions of civilians during those times. It is nearly impossible not to hold a preconceived perspective on this conflict, as it is one of the most enduring and lucrative subjects recorded in national memory. HY 1120, American History II 1 Challenge yourself to avoid anachronism, and insert yourself into the time period. wouldGUIDE possess people UNITWhat x STUDY of this age to react in ways that we have trouble even considering today? ThisTitle unit will look at the social change, the times directly after, the civilian response, and the beginnings of a tension-filled Cold War. You will be challenged to look past modern understandings to engage in debates from the time. A Time of Unrest By the latter 1930s, the United States was watching its economy slowly starting to rebound, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR) New Deal was continuing to put willing Americans back to work. By 1933, aggressions again began to stir in Europe. Despite his personal international ambitions, which echoed the previous Roosevelt’s imperial interests, FDR knew that the American people needed domestic stability before the country could once again reenter the world stage. The Good Neighbor Policy was a promise to remain as a dormant, isolated power; it was more show than substance, but it kept America progressing economically. Things were not going as well across the Atlantic. The reconstruction of Europe following World War I (WWI) was slow, as those nations who faced a generation’s worth of loss struggled to regroup and rebuild their ancient lands. One of the few nations successfully on the rise was the unlikely Germany. Under the leadership of a charismatic orator named Adolf Hitler, whose personal drive and ambition allowed him to quickly rise through the ranks, Germany was no longer tending to its wounds. Instead, it was boasting about its progress on the world stage. Hitler’s Nazi initiative had given direction, hope, and stability to a people who had either lost or forfeited much of their culture after the Great War. By 1936, the swastika hung in Berlin next to the Olympic flag. Hitler and His Allies In 1933, Hitler had taken the role of Chancellor. He had suspended the German Parliament and declared the nation in need of emergency action, even at the expense of basic civil liberties and rights. His National Socialist Party (Nazi), though socialist only in name, would quickly gain support from all ages through a series of programs ranging from work opportunities to the Hitler Youth, which was a program for all German children meant to indoctrinate them into the role of an ideal Nazi. Der Fuhrer, the leader, had stealthily and successfully made himself dictator of the most powerful fascist government in Europe, meaning the government was extremely conservative, bordering on autocratic. And yet, his greatest motivation was still only known by a select few. HY 1120, American History II 2 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Hitler salutes marching Nazis in Weimar in October 1930 (Pahl, 1930) In much the same tradition of Caesar and Napoleon, Hitler quickly amassed a powerful circle of advisors and muscle, including a secret enforcement squad called the Gestapo. These propelled him to a level of unchecked power and influence. His success was so surprising to the world that he was even honored with the cover of Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” issue in 1939. Hidden behind the glamor was a dark cloud that was about to envelop Europe once again. Unfortunately, many did not hear the rising sound of a beating drum. The Wehrmacht, the German war machine, was about to march once again—this time under the Nazi banner. Among those who responded to the beating drum were fellow fascist dictators Il Duce (the leader); Benito Mussolini of Italy; and Hideko Tojo, Prime Minister of Japan, under the rule of Emperor Hirohito. Japan and Italy, though not major factors in any Great War alliance, felt disregarded in the previous treaties. Fueled by both desperation and outrage, these two joined with Germany, creating a new Axis alliance against the revitalized Alliance of Western power. Their tactics included deploying fear-filled propaganda and aggressive oratory. For all of the domestic building that had been accomplished in Germany, what would make Nazism distinct from Fascism was the central role of cultural aggression and blame. For Hitler, his aggressive anti-Semitism was a rallying cry across political borders. However, what was yet unknown were the lengths he would go with this charge. To the East, Japan’s ambitions of naval superiority rivaled only those of Britain in the Atlantic, and Emperor Hirohito and his Prime Minister Tojo would prove their might and resolve with attacks on longtime rival China. What united Tojo with Hitler was simple; each wished to retake what he believed culturally belonged to his country, despite political boundaries or declarations from a previous generation. Just as Hitler had violated stipulations from the Great War, Japan openly disregarded naval treaties based on past trade battles—a move that would ultimately leave the United States, whose population had again embraced isolationism, no choice but to enter the fray. In 1936–1937, while Hitler was retaking the lost West German lands, Japan would invade China. In the 1930s, Japan was a major trading nation with the United States, but what Tojo did not expect were the continued loyalties stemming from the Great War. The United States’ greatest international ally during this HY 1120, American History II 3 era, and arguably still today, was the United Kingdom. The Japanese threats against required UNIT x China STUDY GUIDEthe United States to disrupt this trade, which included oil experts essential to continued Title Japanese prosperity. In addition, trade would ramp up with the creation of the Lend-Lease Act in 1941. This promise to continuously supply war and civilian needs to Britain, without requirement for repayment, would ensure an American presence in the war, even if not with troops. It would also serve as a manufacturing boom for struggling American industries. This concerned many of Roosevelt’s contemporaries, who feared this alliance was sending the United States headfirst into the war. FDR was cast as a warmonger, baiting possible future Nazi attacks to which the United States would have to respond. The War to End All Wars Hitler would continue to spread his Nazi influence by malevolently extending Germany’s borders throughout Europe. In 1938, Austria was again incorporated into Germany. In 1939, the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact was signed. Czechoslovakia would fall, followed by Poland on the heels of the unrelenting blitzkrieg (lightning war) by the German Luftwaffe (Nazi Air Force). Britain and France, still weary from the Great War, had tried to reason with Hitler. They allowed him to disregard certain parts of the overbearing Treaty of Versailles in an attempt to appease him, as long as he promised to stop this annexation of neighboring nations. The brash nature of Hitler’s refusal to leave Poland again triggered the alliance system, prompting Britain and France to take up arms to avenge Poland, a tactic that would lead the German army into Paris once again, despite the efforts of Commander Charles de Gaulle. The war to end all wars, as it is often called, had officially began anew. What is sometimes overlooked was the opportunity at this time for other revolutions. Perhaps the best-known case was Spain’s Francisco Franco, who was also a fascist. His efforts would hinder the democratic process in Spain and spark the Spanish Civil War of 1936, but perhaps the greatest significance of his rise was the revelation of the nature of chaos in Europe during this time. His contemporaries, Hitler and Mussolini, recognized Franco, but ultimately the Spanish Civil War would do little more than ensure that Spain was a nonfactor in the greater world conflict throughout the 1930s. As 1940 rolled around, Germany began looking west. Despite their interests and attempts to fight, the Scandinavian nations provided little interference against Hitler’s might, eventually pushing the remaining French resistance south into a territory known as Vichy France. On June 4, 1940, in response to Hitler’s progress, a single voice spread through the airways to the resistant British camps, homes, and bases from the confident and defiant oratory of Sir Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, whose calm, unwavering tone provided the Allies with a sense of comfort in a time of uncertainty and chaos. He, like FDR during the Depression, would be the rock of defiance against Hitler, and the resounding, composed tenor urged the British people to have the spirit to “keep calm and carry on.” Hitler would invade the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) on June 22, 1941. On the American front, FDR stayed the isolationist course. The military, continuing to address its own issues with regard to integration and with the newly formed Army Air Corps, felt confident that the two oceans provided the necessary forewarning to react to threats. Still, the fleets remained on alert, especially in Norfolk, VA, home of the Atlantic fleet, and at the United States’ westernmost military installation, a small port off of the Hawaiian island Oahu, named Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, everything changed. The United States, in hopes of limiting the Japanese threat and in response to its earlier aggression toward Anglo populations in Asia, cut off the supply lines to oil, which was essential to the Japanese military and cultural ways of life. Japan already had agreed to a defensive pact with the European Axis nations, and Tojo, now in complete control of military operations, felt it was time to act to ensure a future for the empire. With the use of 183 fighter planes, known as Zeros, the Japanese completely decimated the Pacific naval fleet stationed at the Pearl Harbor port. The attack was immediately considered an act of war. FDR’s message on December 8, 1941, addressed the significance of the attack: as “a date which will live in infamy.” HY 1120, American History II 4 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Pearl Harbor (U.S. Navy, 1941) Congress officially declared war on the Axis Powers, making the United States the replacement nation in the Allied Powers, replacing the now-occupied France. Alongside Britain’s Churchill and the U.S.S.R’s Stalin, FDR’s presence would complete the Big Three, who would dictate the pattern of the war in the 1940s. At home, the war was a part of everyday life once again. For many families, this meant that husbands, brothers, uncles, and sons of adequate age would likely be sent overseas. For women, this meant a return to industry and manufacturing. All able factories switched from commercial to wartime production. Scrap materials and goods were carefully monitored to avoid waste, and the victory garden became a common sight throughout most neighborhoods as the U.S. government rationed most consumable staples such as bread, gas, and meat. With much of the luster of war lost during the horrors of the Great War only a generation ago, propaganda and enlistment would change. One of the most notable icons during this age would be Rosie the Riveter, a characterization in the style of Uncle Sam who personified the spirit of the ideal industrial woman. Rosie inspired many to forego traditional gender roles in order to aid the American cause. In addition, a heavy emphasis was given to a new style of media, which was attractive to all ages: cinema and animation. Though the United States would be shocked by the attack on Pearl Harbor, there was quickly trouble in the Atlantic in the form of U-Boats threatening the Lend-Lease Act supply lines with Britain and the Soviet Union. It was official that the United States was now facing a two-front war, with oceans separating battle lines. FDR’s strategy would have to be one of great innovation and action to keep the Axis Powers from spreading the blitzkrieg to American shores as well as avoiding another disaster like Pearl Harbor. Politically, two new actions were taken to attempt to ensure American support and to limit the spread of secrets. First, the Selective Service Act had been enacted in 1940, thus guaranteeing a continued enlistment through the draft if voluntary enlistments started to wane. Still in use today, this act requires all males by their 18th birthday to declare for the draft. To many, this would be seen as a violation of rights, but to others, it was a leveling of the chances for military service, as the draft would hinge on the random draw of numbers, without regard of race, wealth, or beliefs. In addition, with the influence of union leader A. Philip Randolph, HY 1120, American History II 5 FDR created the Committee on Fair Employment Practices to ensure that raceUNIT would not be aGUIDE discriminating x STUDY factor in employment. Title The second act by executive order of FDR was almost a complete about-face in tolerance. Naturalized Americans of Japanese descent (particularly on the West coast), some of whom were multi-generational Americans, were forcefully taken from their homes and sequestered in internment camps, all in the name of security. This round-up, a direct reaction to the Pearl Harbor disaster, was generally nonviolent but was a clear violation of basic civil rights done in the name of security. Though unique to American history, this type of internment was not unique to even this time. Across the Atlantic, Hitler’s anti-Semitic agenda became clear. Hitler was fixated on creating a master race, specifically a revival of the mythical Aryans, whose god-like powers would give Hitler the necessary means to spread his influence across the globe. Hitler’s legacy actually includes a heavy helping of religious and occult symbolism. Most often associated with his right-hand man, Minister of the Interior Heinrich Himmler, much of the modern research concerning this partnership displays Hitler’s intent to secure power in any way possible. In contemporary discussion of Himmler, it can become difficult to find where fact ends and conspiracy theory begins, but it is important to note that Hitler’s inner circle and Schutzstaffel (SS) corps used much occult and religious symbolism in their rituals and garb. Use of these symbols was an effective motivator for many Germans, even leading to the roundup and violent suffering of another ancient culture, the Jewish people, during the Holocaust. In all, approximately 11 million deaths at concentration camps throughout Europe were attributed to the Holocaust— 6 million of which were directly related to Hitler’s anti-Semitic agenda. June 1942 would be a turning point in the war. The Battle of Midway changed the tide of Japan’s pressure on the Americans for the remainder of the war. In November, Nazi General Erwin Rommel, one of history’s most legendary strategists, was stopped before securing the invaluable Suez Canal pipeline, and American General George Patton (known as “Ole Blood and Guts” for his brutal successes) would ensure the removal of the Germans from North Africa only a few months later. With the fighting now focused only in Europe, a new Allied strategy would pit the Soviet Union against the Nazis while the other allies went after Mussolini. By February 1943, the Nazis were being pushed back from Stalingrad in the East, and Mussolini was ousted from the south in July of 1943. This removed the Italian threat, leaving only Hitler’s Nazis around the Mediterranean. Just as Britain had dealt with nighttime bombings and blitzkrieg tactics by Germany, by 1943, Germany was dealing with air raids from American and British bombers, and 1944 saw a considerable drop in Allied casualty rates. The war had changed course. Now the Axis powers were fighting a two-front war and scrambling to keep their reclaimed territories throughout Europe. It was now time for the Allies to retake the conquered lands, starting with France. On June 6, 1944, Eisenhower commanded Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day. This was a multi-point amphibious attack on the German-occupied coast of northern France, taken to open up the ports between Britain and France that were necessary to allow for a last, full-scale invasion. This was just the first in a series of pivotal and deciding battles across Europe: Paris was reclaimed on August 25th, the Battle of the Bulge took place on December 16th, and the Allies made their final push into Germany itself. On May 7, 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered. Hitler, no longer able to visualize his dream, had taken his own life only a week prior, and the Third Reich collapsed. With both Italy and Germany out of the fight, Europe began to rebuild. The United States and U.S.S.R. switched their focus to Japan. FDR, in his fourth term in office, died from a stroke on April 12, 1945. He had seen America through some of its toughest times and prevailed through the waves of criticism, doubt, and bloodshed that the world continued to offer. As the war entered its final stage, a fresh leader would have to make two of the most significant and difficult choices in American military history. FDR’s successor, Harry S. Truman, wanted to end the war swiftly and mightily. Japan expected invasion, from the Soviets if not the Americans, and had its troops prepared for a defense of the island nation. What it did not expect was for America to finish the war with an attack of unprecedented size and impact. HY 1120, American History II 6 Fearing for the possibility of hundreds of thousands more American casualtiesUNIT if thexwar continued, Truman STUDY GUIDE believed it was time to demand Japan’s surrender. On August 6, 1945, following Japan’s failure to respond to Title Truman’s demands, the industrial city of Hiroshima, heavily populated and still relatively intact from the war, became the site of the first nuclear bomb, which wiped it from the map in a matter of moments. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, an important Japanese port city. Japan saw the might of American technology and knew that the Soviet Union was primed for invasion. On August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered unconditionally, and the war was over. Firestorm cloud over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 (U.S. Army, 1945) The Cold War With men home from war, new families quickly grew into what we now call the Baby Boom era, but the same elation felt after the Great War was not present. While hostilities had ended, much of the world was in ruins, and through the rubble, there remained two big powers: the United States and the Soviet Union. While FDR, Churchill, and Stalin had worked well enough together to mutually benefit from the destruction of the Nazi regime, the Communist power that had previously toppled Nicholas II was still not tolerant of capitalist nations. Stalin was now the supreme commander of much of Eastern Europe, specifically the lands that his army had liberated and occupied, including half of all former German lands and half of its capital city, Berlin. This began the period of uneasy calm and warnings, most often called the Cold War. By 1947, only 2 years after Japan’s surrender, America was again on high alert, this time partially due to its own actions. The bombs that leveled Hiroshima and Nagasaki were worldwide news. With two remaining superpowers, what emerged was a series of philosophical differences and an eventual arms race. The Allied Powers sought to rebuild the world they had helped destroy to avoid repeating the same mistakes made following the Great War, including the consequential punitive reparations that delivered Germany to Hitler. This included rebuilding Germany to its former economic power, while still imposing strict military sanctions. HY 1120, American History II 7 Stalin, however, saw weakness, and in that weakness, opportunity. His philosophy to spread the Soviet UNIT was x STUDY GUIDE influence as far as it would go, which would include economic equality and forced Titlereparations on the Axis nations to rebuild the Soviet lands devastated by the fighting. Truman, sensing potential conflict down the road, committed the U.S. intervention to support nations under oppression from internal or external pressures. This Truman Doctrine, in conjunction with the Marshall Plan, which pledged $13 billion to European rebuilding aid, set the scene for the U.S. presence in the world for the next 50 years. In 1949, the United States and her Western European allies would create a new pact, known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), to prepare for potential Soviet conflict. In addition, a new intelligence program, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), would emerge with a focus on international espionage. Though World War II (WWII) was over, the peace process would also include a fair amount of military action, the first of which would be the still-controversial creation of an Israeli State within Palestine. On one side, the new inhabitants claimed the land as ancestral homelands taken by force; on the other, the current residents claimed that the land had been abandoned and was now occupied. Needless to say, this separation in views would only continue to fester into greater issues, some still appearing in our contemporary headlines. In Asia, Communism quickly spread among the poorer nations. China, for example, would rally behind Mao Zedong (Tse-Tung), who would eventually craft the second most powerful Communist power in the world. At home, the end of the war also meant the end of wartime production. Many women lost their positions or lost a significant percentage of their wages with the return of the men from war. In addition, unions, fearing the loss of their workers’ wages, strategically worked to keep new measures implemented by Truman, such as the fallout from the Employment Act of 1946, from taking the jobs of established workers. Also apparent was the continued segregation at home. Once again, a full generation of men from all races went to war only to find their treatment better abroad than at home, including African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Japanese Americans, many of whom came home only to find that their families had been taken forcefully to camps while neighbors and opportunists took the chance to steal or destroy their personal effects. Arguably, Truman’s most effective measure was geared toward the poor, as his Housing Act of 1949 succeeded in increasing government housing, although it proved to only be a patch on a growing wound. The Cold War was also not simply a conflict on the international scale; the Communist threat would weave itself into almost every part of daily life. Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy would become the face of a revived Red Scare during these drastic federal changes. McCarthy, noteworthy for his national following and common theme of anti-Communist messages, would prompt an internal investigation into almost everything American, including cinema, media, government, and even lifestyles. Under the cape of McCarthyism, simply to be considered un-American was traitorous. For many, even previous associations such as school groups or connections with known Communists at any time could result in life as an outcast, loss of jobs and homes, or even incarceration. This high state of alert would mean keeping close eyes on the spread of communism into new nations. Soon, it would usher in a new period of American action: the Korean War. Looking back, this was a time of high alert for many. The war had been a blessing and a curse for Americans. It resurrected the economy, but only led to greater issues back home, and the fallout of the war would lead directly into a new period of fear and violence. Considering the times, it is important to reflect on some of the actions taken at home and abroad. What may have possessed so many to willingly give these fascist leaders almost unlimited political control? Why did Americans allow the government to incarcerate neighbors? Finally, was Europe arguably any less in danger with the rise of Communism in the Soviet Union and China? References Pahl, G. (1930). Weimar, Aufmarsch der Nationalsozialisten [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_10210541,_Weimar,_Aufmarsch_der_Nationalsozialisten.jpg U.S. Army. (1945). Firestorm cloud over Hiroshima [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Firestorm_cloud_over_Hiroshima.jpg HY 1120, American History II 8 U.S. Navy. (1941). US Shaw exploding in Pearl Harbor [Photograph]. Retrieved fromx STUDY GUIDE UNIT https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Shaw_exploding_in_Pearl_Harbor.jpg Title HY 1120, American History II 9
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MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
HAVE YOU BEEN RESOLUTE ABOUT A SITUATION/PURPOSE?
Thesis: Resolute determination provides one with a path to freedom in three simple steps.
Purpose: To educate the audience on resolute determination in decision making in life. Martin
Luther King Junior life is relevant because it symbolizes the African-American struggle for
equality and social justice.
Introduction:
1. Have you been displeased with something that you want out? Martin Lut...


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