The Cold War Era
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Table of Contents
This section covers the following topics
Events in the Cold War by President
- Roosevelt
- Truman
- Eisenhower
- Kennedy
- Nixon
- Reagan
Section Summary
The Cold War was a proxy conflict between the US and the USSR. The two powers met three times during the Roosevelt Presidency, and control of Eastern Europe was given over to the USSR, which had occupied the region during WWII. Under Truman, NATO was formed and the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan enacted. The 2nd Red Scare, caused by Communist revolutions (among other things) was aided by Joseph McCarthy’s claims that the government had been infiltrated with spies from the USSR. In addition, the Korean War began.
The Korean War ended under Eisenhower, who also kept the US out of France’s war to keep Vietnam as a colony. After the French defeat, Eisenhower rejected the Geneva Accords and backed Diem as the new leader of southern Vietnam. In addition, SEATO was formed. Under Kennedy, the Space Program and Peace Corps were initiated. Kennedy also had to deal with the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lyndon Johnson began the fight in Vietnam, an unpopular war that became even more unpopular after the Tet Offensive. Unrest in the campus and ghetto further complicated matters. President Nixon pursued the strategy of Vietnamization, but also expanded the war by invading Cambodia. Nixon used presidential power for political goals in the Houston Plan, which was eventually uncovered and referred to as the Watergate Scandal. Finally, Ronald Reagan funded the Star Wars defense program, increased military spending (creating huge budget deficits), participated in the Iran-Contra Affair, invaded Grenada and sent marines to Lebanon. The Cold War finally ended under the presidency of George Bush Sr. with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The Cold War
The Beginning
The Cold War was a series of low-level conflicts between the United States and the USSR. The powers never fought each other... Sign up to continue reading The Cold War Era >
