McCarthyism, or the Second Red Scare, is the time period that immediately followed the Second World War. The biggest threats to American security (Japan and Germany) had both been defeated. Now, America must focus its energy on a familiar foe - Left wing Ideology. Lets examine how credible a threat the "reds" truly were within the US. Lets also take a look at how these early cold war tensions shaped American society and culture by surrounding it by an aura of fear and anxiety - which caused many Americans to sacrifice their most basic liberties.
After the emergence of the PRC in 1949 all eyes were now focused on Asia. As North Vietnam initiated their invasion of the South, Truman needed to take a stand and validate his containment policy. Lets examine how this UN conflict progressed, NSC-68, and the role of Douglas MaCarthur. This might be labeled as the "Forgotten War" in US history, but its impact on both the cold war and the region are profound.
Eisenhower runs for President with the Promise to get out of Korea and be harder on the communists than Truman was. While staying true to the basis of the New American foreign policies, he gave provided his own outlook on how they should be implemented. These changes are called the New Look. Lets examine the domestic effects this new look is going to have while being mindful of how impactful it was towards Latin America and the Middle East.
We already know about the war for Independence in Indochina and Uncle Ho. That concluded with a Vietnamese victory during the battle of Dien Bein Phu. However, that was truly only the beginning of the conflicts that would occur in the region. After the fall of the French, the United States stepped in as the "protector" of South Vietnam and by the 60s, the US was involved in a full scale military engagement. This "war" saw several phases from a military perspective - but with each passing phase the outcry on the homefront intensified. Lets examine how and why this " war" progressed. Lets examine why I am typing war in quotes. And lets set up the battles that occurred on the homefront - which will set up our unit on Youth Movements.