paranoia (in govt. and in public), censorship/violation of freedom of speech (ironic in comparison to USSR, gaddis), pop. culture reflected common sentiment (ads, movies songs, etc...), "soft" on communism became a part of political rhetoric, groups targeted as a result → african americans, lavender scare → scapegoating, targeting of minorities in suspicion of communism, religion revivalism - communism seen as atheistic therefore the US introduced the words "under god" to the pledge of allegiance etc...
context = when mao and chinese communist party (CCP) rose to power - US did not recognize it and continued to back Chinese Nationalists (ideologically driven). taiwan became a point of dispute between US and China (where nationalists resided).
the US believed PRC was an expansionist state, fueled by the fear of the domino effect (Taiwan). Therefore, US pursued trade embargo, obstruction
of PRC entry to UN, economic and military aid to Taiwan, instigation of a regional containment bloc - SEATO.
shift towards detente = a US table tennis team is invited to play in China; this is a cover for diplomacy talks between Kissinger & Zhou, US eases trade restrictions + border patrols, treats the PRC differently.
us causes - vietnam causes the US to realize that containment is not possible, us population wanted to avoid another Vietnam War, strengthens their position against USSR (common ally),PRC develops ICBMs (MAD)
china causes - USSR was already a PRC rival, so reducing tensions with the US would ease some pressure, foreign policy gains + access UN membership, alter the PRC stance in the developing world meant changing its perspective on the west
socio-economic:
- castro's social policy as per moncada programme (agrarian reform, nationalization of healthcare/education etc...) = consistently viewed with suspicion
by the USA because of cold war politics. this led the USA to impose economic embargoes including quotas on sugar imports + bans on weapon as well as eventual moral embargo.
- castro = "comm of convenience," US policies turned Cuba towards the USSR: bought sugar, delivered crude oil etc..., USSR saw cuba as a way to impose pressure on the U.S. offered ample economic aid
- cuba attempted to adopt soviet command economy (impact of superpower rivalry = USSR willing to support Cuba: consistent
aid, increases in sugar prices, investment, repeated postponement of debt etc...)
- fall of USSR = fall of cuban econ., fall of living standard (seen through "special period = gas, oil, electricity, water rationing, castro permitted self-employment, return to self-employment allowed etc..."
political:
- castro = able to gain power/control due to cold war, used the threat of imperialism (ie. overt operations/bay of pigs and covert operations/op. Mongoose) to appeal to nationalism + unite
the country.
- Cold War → dictated his own foreign policy approach. wanted to export his revolution elsewhere "national wars of liberation" creation of "many Vietnams" → aid movements attempting to resist higher powers.
- cuba trained + helped arm revolutionary groups in Latin America (rise of the sandinistas in Nicaragua, aid to Grenada etc...)
- though these efforts were often thwarted by U.S. military force, demonstrate the extent to which the Cold War impacted Castro's foreign
policy
- also contributed greatly to spreading similar ideals in Africa (aid to ethiopia + angola → became pro-soviet republics)
socio-economic:
division was meant to be temporary, however areas were treated differently from the beginning due to their association with the US/USSR (ie. WG = marshall plan + Deutsche Mark) → culminated in tensions and the Berlin Blockade that led to the political, social, economic division of Germany into two states.
generally, highly effective economy as a result of the Cold War:
- Marshall Plan = support from US post war
- Korean War = demand for steel + other materials → boosted econ
- not allowed a military force, prioritized economic restructuring + rehabilitation
- specialization due to brain drain (negative living conditions of EG → eflux of immigrants towards the West prior to and even after the construction of the Berlin Wall.)
political:
- conflict in Germany (Berlin Blockade
after Bizonia/Trizonia and circulation of the Deutsche Mark) led to separate states until the dissolution of the USSR and the reunification of the blocs. WG served as a center of conflict throughout the Cold War (berlin 1 and berlin 2) symbolic of Western bloc within Eastern/Western division.
- guided by the U.S. into liberal democracy (U.S. type political structure)→ parties like the SPD, CSU, CDU had differing political agendas giving the German People voice *separate political affiliations
than the U.S..
- generally contrasted heavily with the repressive government of east germany (reason in part for brain drain)
- politics shifted depending on the phases of the Cold War:
1. warsaw Pact + NATO/SEATO = Hallstein Doctrine/ policy of non-recognition, WG would not recognize any country linked to EG
2. ostpolitik = due to shift towards detente, the two states choose to coexist, exchange "representatives" etc...
3. Second Cold War = missiles set up by USSR in Europe
→ missiles brought to WG
4. when Berlin Wall fell - plan for reunification began (officially occurring in 1990)