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How did political and economic life change during the Cold War years in the United States?

After World War II, the United States was one of two superpowers that emerged.  Unfortunately, the other superpower was vastly different in terms of political and economic ideology.  The Soviet Union, a communist state with a party dictatorship, was a nuclear power by 1950 and emerged as America's new enemy.  Politics of the era were dominated with containing communism.  


With the war coming to an end military spending should have decreased. This was not...

After World War II, the United States was one of two superpowers that emerged.  Unfortunately, the other superpower was vastly different in terms of political and economic ideology.  The Soviet Union, a communist state with a party dictatorship, was a nuclear power by 1950 and emerged as America's new enemy.  Politics of the era were dominated with containing communism.  


With the war coming to an end military spending should have decreased. This was not the case, however as American political leaders spent more.  To succeed in politics at the time, you needed to be viewed by the public as a staunch supporter of the effort to destroy communism and the Soviet Union. Also in the political realm, women and minorities fought for and secured a number of rights and freedoms throughout the Cold War years.  


Manufacturing experienced a boom in the United States.  The economy was robust in the early years of the Cold War.  Defense industries benefited from the increases in defense spending.  The strong industrial economy meant a stronger reliance on fossil fuels.  This led to a greater American presence in the Middle East.


The economy also benefited from the emergence of a stronger middle class. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act provided returning soldiers with the opportunity to attend college.  This helped the American economy by providing lower class Americans the opportunity to pursue professions that paid more money.  This led to the rise of a larger middle class during the years of the Cold War.  


Other political and economic themes to consider during the Cold War:


  • The space race and advances in science

  • Involvement in proxy wars (Korea, Vietnam, Granada, Cuba)

  • Construction of Interstate Highway System

  • Cold War politics in sports

  • McCarthyism

  • Levittown and the rise of the suburbs

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