Both Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower implemented domestic and foreign policies that explained the importance of the Cold War. There is a shift in domestic and foreign policies as the Cold War was occurring. Many of Truman’s domestic policies explained the importance of the Cold War. While the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was originally created in 1938, it took off during the Cold War. Congress would investigate people to see if they were communists. The accused were guilty until proven innocent. Getting called before HUAC could ruin a person’s life and cause ostracism throughout society. Among those who were called in front of HUAC, were many Hollywood stars. The “Hollywood 10” refused to answer questions in front …show more content…
The Interstate Highway Act built interstates and was enacted in 1956. This was made possible by the Cold War because Eisenhower liked that Hitler had built the Autobahn in Germany and recognized that military supplies could be moved quickly on an interstate. Although the Interstate Highway Act was the largest domestic spending in America’s history, it also improved American infrastructure and stimulated the economy (Lecture notes, 9/15). The beginning of the Civil Rights Movement was fought in the courtroom during the Eisenhower administration. Brown v. Board of Education was a huge victory because it was a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court to reverse Plessey v. Ferguson, making segregation in public schools unconstitutional. While Eisenhower did not personally agree with the outcome, he did believe in upholding the Constitution. Following the Brown v. Board decision, there was a rebirth of the KKK, a rise of White Citizens Councils, and massive resistance from southern states (Lecture notes, 9/24). In 1957, Little Rock Central High School was forced to integrate. Eisenhower had to put the Arkansas National Guard under federal control, send in members of 101 Airborne to help bring about order, and provide military escorts for nine African American students to go to school. Southern States finally had to back down and give up the Southern Manifesto, which stated that southern states would ignore the Supreme Court (Lecture notes,