IB History Social Impact of Cold War Notes

Social Impact of the Cold War on the United States

McCarthyism and the Red Scare

1. The Second Red Scare (1947-1957) created a climate of fear and suspicion that permeated every level of American society.
2. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated suspected communists in government, universities, labour unions, and the entertainment industry.
3. Senator Joseph McCarthy exploited anti-communist fears by claiming to possess lists of communists in the State Department, launching witch-hunts that destroyed careers.
4. Blacklists were used across industries - workers suspected of communist sympathies were fired from government, education, and private sector jobs.
5. The Rosenberg case (1953) - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for passing nuclear secrets to the Soviets, a case that divided American opinion on justice vs security.
6. Loyalty oaths were required for government employees, teachers, and even university professors - refusal to sign could result in dismissal.
7. McCarthyism created a culture of self-censorship and conformity - Americans avoided expressing political opinions that might be seen as sympathetic to the left.

Nuclear Anxiety and Civil Defence

1. The Soviet Union's first atomic test (1949) shattered America's nuclear monopoly and initiated widespread public fear of nuclear attack.
2. Duck-and-cover drills became standard in American schools - children practised hiding under desks, a ritual that normalised the threat of nuclear war.
3. The government promoted fallout shelter construction - by 1961, a national shelter programme encouraged families to build backyard shelters stocked with supplies.
4. The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) represented the peak of nuclear anxiety - for 13 days, Americans genuinely feared imminent nuclear war.
5. Nuclear anxiety produced lasting psychological effects - studies showed that children growing up during the Cold War experienced higher levels of anxiety about the future.

Civil Rights and the Cold War Connection