Cold War Containment

The Cold War is a very significant event, and perhaps one of the most important throughout US history. The Cold War shaped American in many aspects like, foreign policy, political ideology (ism’s), economy, the presidency, and lives of American’s. According to APA, (American Psychological Association) the Cold War was, “intense economic, political, military, and ideological rivalry between nations, short of military conflict; sustained hostile political policies and an atmosphere of strain between opposed countries.” The Cold War on foreign policy had to step up against the Soviet Union, the strategy they implemented was called “containment”. Containment was a policy used by the US using strategies to prevent the spread of communism overseas

Board of Education, in the 1950’s a small young African American girl named Linda brown could not attend a white school just a few blocks from her home. In the 1950’s the segregation laws in several states had prohibited African American children and white children from attending the same schools. Brown V. Broad of Education was the case of four cases arising in separate states in relation from segregation of public schools on the foundation of race. According to US courts, “Linda Brown’s father and several parents from her school filed suit against the Board of Education of the City of Topeka, Kansas in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. He argued that separate schools were unconstitutional because they violated equal protection guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.” The accusers were denied relief based on the example by Plessy V. Ferguson, which case established the, “separate but equal” policy. According to Oyez it had stated,” separate facilities for the races was constitutional as long as the facilities were “substantially equal.” The decision ruled unanimously segregation unconstitutional, the courts stated, “separate is not equal”, and that segregation had violated the Equal Protection Clause of the fourteenth amendment. The decision had impacted many African American’s; the case had opened many doors of the higher education for African American. The breakthrough decision had also led an increased enrollment of African American

Several burglars broke into the DC office of the democratic national committee at the Watergate office. The intruders were found to be in connection to President Nixon’s re-election campaign, they had happened to be caught while attempting to wiretap phones and steal secret documents. According to History, “Nixon took steps to cover it up afterwards, raising “hush money” for the burglars, trying to stop the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from investigating the crime, destroying evidence and firing uncooperative staff members.” Overall it had come to surface that Nixon was not being truthful. For instance, he put together “hush money” for the burglars, tried to hamper the FBI’s investigation of the crime through the CIA, and over used his presidential power. According to History, “seven conspirators were indicted on charges related to the Watergate affair. At the urging of Nixon’s aides, five pleaded guilty and avoided trial; the other two were convicted in January 1973.” The impact of the Watergate scandal had changed American politics eternally, indicating many American’s to question their leadership, and also questioning upcoming presidencies. Congress as well in doubt had passed several laws for campaigning, government ethics, and freedom of information trying to cover a loop holes for future president