You’ve probably heard of the Cold War, but do you know the foreign policies of the Cold War presidents, what happened during the Cold War in Asia, and how the Cold War affected the American people? Did you know that the Cold War lasted for about 45 years? This AP® US History crash course will give you everything you need to answer Cold War-related multiple choice questions and essays.
As an APUSH student there is a lot to cover on the Cold War, so this review will highlight the essential topics you need to know. Let’s get started!
Cold War Definition
The Cold War was a period of political, military, economic, and ideological tension between Western democratic nations led by the US and Eastern communist countries led by the Soviet Union (USSR) from around 1947 to 1991. War was never officially declared and the US and the USSR never actually physically went to war, but the two superpowers fought by way of the arms race, proxy wars, and the space race. Because of this, the Cold War can be thought of as more of a relationship between two countries than an actual war.
The beginnings of the Cold War
During World War II, the US and Soviet Union were on the same side. But this doesn’t mean they were ever friendly towards each other. They were really only united over a common enemy – Nazi Germany. The two had always had a very distrusting relationship, even as allies.
After the war, that distrust grew even greater. The Soviets, under Joseph Stalin, began violating postwar agreements that had been made at the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, driving out German forces and expanding into Eastern bloc countries. The US, now led by Harry Truman after the recent death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, saw this move as a Soviet step towards Communist world domination.
The Truman administration had no plans to sit idly by and watch this happen, and so, after the Soviet Union invaded Eastern Europe, Truman decided to come up with a strategy to defend against the Soviet threat. Drawing upon the views expressed by diplomat George Kennan in his “long telegram,” the US adopted a policy of “containment.” (It’s important to note that the policy of containment lasted for the next 50 years).
The Truman Doctrine
To enforce his policy of containment, Truman wanted to block the Soviets from expanding into Greece and Turkey. In March of 1947, with this goal in mind, Truman sent $400 million in military and economic aid to the two countries. Defending what is known as the Truman Doctrine, Truman stated that the US should “support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” This doctrine ended the communist threat in Turkey and Greece and set a precedent for foreign policy in the United States.
The Marshall Plan
Another part of Truman’s containment policy included the Marshall Plan (also known as the European Recovery Program, which just happens to be a lot more descriptive!). As you can probably imagine, Western Europe was left in ruin after World War II and the threat of Soviet interference was a constant fear. As a way to help the people of war torn Europe and stop the spread of Communism, Truman offered $13 billion worth in loans, food, machinery, and fuel to revive the economies of European countries.
What else did Truman do?
The NATO Alliance – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed to create a military alliance between the US, Canada, and ten other Western European countries. It’s good to know that this was a stark contrast from the previous US policy of isolationism.
The Berlin Airlift – After the Soviet Union blocked access to West Berlin to try and keep the US and its allies away, Truman exercised his containment policy and had US planes lift supplies, food, and fuel into West Berlin.
Supported South Korea – After North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, Truman condemned North Korea and sought to defend South Korea. He wanted to defend South Korea because after the “fall” of China to the communist People’s Republic of China, Truman needed to redeem himself and restore the American peoples’ trust in his policies.
Integration of the Armed Forces – During the Korean War, President Truman desegregated the Armed Forces and African Americans fought alongside white soldiers for the first time.
National Security Council and Policy Paper Number 68 – In 1949, the Soviet Union tested an atomic bomb. Several months later, Truman issued NSC-68, which was a top-secret paper that stressed the need for military buildup in response to Soviet nuclear weapon buildup. This nuclear arms race brought a lot of tension, not just to political leaders, but also to the American people who lived in constant fear of an all out nuclear war.
McCarthyism
The AP® US History exam has dedicated several questions to McCarthyism in the past, so it’s important to study this section carefully. McCarthyism originated with US Senator Joseph McCarthy, who, without proper evidence, accused over 200 government officials of being Communists. He created fear and paranoia in the nation, as Hollywood actors were “blacklisted” and regular Americans had to undergo aggressive investigations. McCarthy accused both the US State Department and the US Army of being “infested with Communists.” His lack of evidence soon caught up with him, however, and the Senate censured him. He died a few years later, but the impact of McCarthyism is long lasting.
The Domino Effect
For the AP® US History exam, it’s essential that you know about the Domino Effect, sometimes called the Domino Theory. It was first put into words by Dwight D. Eisenhower in a 1954 speech. It’s a pretty simple theory. The US reasoned that if a country fell to communism, nearby countries would soon follow suit. After Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson both put faith in this theory and used it to further their policies of containment.
TheSpace Race
In 1954, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first ever satellite to orbit the Earth. This was seen as a surprise and a loss for the American nation. The US viewed itself as being on the forefront of innovation and exploration, so when the USSR was the first to make such a groundbreaking achievement, America had no choice but to try and one-up the Soviets. In response, Eisenhower launched the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and put America’s first satellite, Explorer I, into space. Congress responded by passing the National Defense Education Act, which funded math and science education.
After several years of what was essentially “one-upping” each other in the race to space, the US finally took the big step and landed the first man on the moon in 1969.
The space race wasn’t just a matter of pride, it was a matter of keeping up in the arms race and preparing for what seemed, at the time, to be an impending nuclear war. For the American people, the space race further cemented the idea that Americans were the ultimate heroes, while the USSR were communist villains.
Other important events to know
The Vietnam War, 1946-1963 – This was the first war to ever be broadcast on television. After North Vietnam came under communist influence, the US took action with their policy of containment. The first part of the war was fought through proxies, meaning neither US soldiers or USSR soldiers physically fought. The US supported South Vietnam and the Soviets supported North Vietnam. However, in the 1960s, US troops were sent to Vietnam under Lyndon B. Johnson. The results were terrifying for the nation, as nearly 60,000 Americans were killed. Because many of the terrors of war were brought into the average American home through TV, distrust in the government grew.
The Bay of Pigs, 1961 – When President John F. Kennedy came into office, he took over Eisenhower’s plan to overthrow the Cuban communist Prime Minister Fidel Castro. The scheme was to invade Cuba with an army of US government backed anti-communist Cuban exiles. The plot was a failure. The rebels were killed or taken hostage and Kennedy refused to rescue them. This drew much criticism from the American people. They saw Kennedy as indecisive and impulsive. The Bay of Pigs flop also contributed to a growing relationship between Cuba and the Soviet Union.
The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 – Fidel Castro’s alliance with the Soviet Union soon led to a dangerous threat for the American nation. After the Bay of Pigs disaster, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev installed missiles sites in Cuba, less than a hundred miles from US shores. To avoid nuclear war, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for Kennedy’s promise not to invade Cuba.
Why is the Cold War important in APUSH?
You might be saying to yourself, “well, okay, I’ve read the information, but why is it important?”
Well, in 2012, a free-response essay question on the exam required test takers to compare and contrast the Cold War foreign policies of two presidents, chosen from Truman, Eisenhower, or Nixon. To answer this question effectively on the APUSH exam, it’s important that you know the facts. Make sure you can recall two or three specific policies for each of the Cold War presidents. Once you’ve written down a few foreign policies or specific events for each president, you can then start to draw some conclusions about the similarities and differences between two of them. From there, it should be no problem to write a really good essay. (A tip that I think is useful for the exam is to memorize the Cold War presidents in order. It helps in creating a timeline of events and policies in your mind).
In AP® US History, it’s important for you to know certain details, but it’s also important for you to know the significance and impact of certain policies, events, and ideas. With all this knowledge in mind, you’re on your way to a great score on the APUSH exam!
By the way, you should check out Albert.io for your AP® US History review. We have hundreds of APUSH practice questions written just for you!
