Cold War Dbq

The twentieth century in America was a time of significant transformation and progress, marked by a series of important social, cultural, and political changes. At the beginning of the century, the United States was a relatively young nation, and many of the issues that would come to define the century were still in their infancy. Throughout the twentieth century, however, there were several key drivers that helped shape the country's history. The Civil Rights Movement, Feminism, and the Cold War were three of the most significant drivers of change during this period. The Civil Rights Movement played a crucial role in ending legalized segregation and discrimination against African Americans, while the Feminist Movement challenged traditional

The Cold War had a huge impact on America’s foreign policy, this in turn changed how America was able to shape their relationship with other nations, as well as influencing military and economic strategies. The effects that The Cold War had on American foreign policy can be seen in The Truman Doctrine. In The Truman Doctrine, President Truman states, "I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”. Truman is expressing his belief that it is the responsibility of the United States to provide assistance and support to any country or group that is facing threats to its freedom and independence, whether from internal or external forces. The Cold War also had an effect on domestic politics in American society. One of the ways in which the Cold War had an effect on domestic politics was through the Red Scare and the fear of communism. In 1947, President Truman made an executive order to set up loyalty boards to look into government employees who were suspected of being disloyal. This led to a climate of suspicion and paranoia, with many Americans fearing that communists had infiltrated all levels of society. This led to The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) being established in 1938. The purpose of HUAC was to investigate fascist and Nazi activities in the United States; this became an important tool in the fight against communism in the postwar years. Lillian Hellman, in a letter to the House Un-American Activities Committee in May 1952, stated that the Cold War had a significant impact on domestic politics in America, leading to a culture of suspicion and fear. She stated that, "the fact that we are being criticized and attacked for the things we have written makes us all feel more