Unit 10 WWII & Early Cold War

Chapter 34 The Shadow Of War

Talking Points:

1. What was the significance of the London Conference?

2. Why were more Americans ready in the early 30s – to part with the Philippines?

3. Describe FDR’s policy in Latin America and explain how it was a break in existing policy. How do you account for this?

4. Given the state of the world in the 30s, how do you justify the continuing policy of Isolationism and Neutrality in the US?

5. What was US response to the Spanish Civil War? Was this a mistake? Explain.

6. Explain the policy of appeasement and how it impacted the rise of dictatorships in Europe.

7. Trace the movement of the US away from Neutrality and toward involvement in war.

8. What was the Atlantic Charter and how did it compare with the 14 points of Wilson?

9. With the Battle of the Atlantic heating up, why was this not the reason the US was dragged into war, as in the first world war?

10. How did American opinion come to support involvement in the second World War?

Chapter 35: America in WWII

Talking Points:

1. Given that the attack came from Japan, how do you explain America’s policy of Get Hitler First?

2. What were the reasons for the migration of African Americans in and after WWII?

3. Describe the mobilization of America.

4. What did the US do to support Free China until they were ready to take the offensive in the Pacific?

5. What marks Japan’s High Tide and what victories were theirs to claim up to that point?

6. What was the turning point in the Pacific? What was our strategy after that?

7. What was the argument for a second front? Where did Stalin want it and why? Where did Churchill want it and why?

8. Describe the three turning points of WWII, all in 1942-43

9. Why did Eisenhower stop at the Elbe and let Stalin take Berlin?

10. Why did we drop the atom bomb on Japan?

Chapter 36: Early Cold War

Talking Points:

1. Trace the causes and effects of the post war boom.

2. Did Truman overreact to Russia’s historic need to secure its borders?

3. Was Truman soft on communism?

4. Why did Truman fire MacArthur? Was he justified? Explain.

5. Describe the significance of the major wartime conferences:

a. Atlantic b. Casablanca c. Yalta d. Potsdam

6. Trace the rise and fall of Joseph McCarthy

7. Describe the Alger Hiss case.

8. Trace Truman’s record on Civil Rights and describe the impact on the election of 1948.

9. How much of the Fair Deal program went through? Compare it’s impact to that of the Square Deal and the New Deal.

10. Trace the origins of the Cold War.

Chapter 37:  The Eisenhower Era

Talking Points:
1.  Describe and account for the consumer culture of the 1950s.
2.  How did Eisenhower handle Korea?
3.  Trace the rise and fall of Joseph McCarthy.
4. Describe the efforts at Desegreation during the Eisenhower years, including Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott and the case of Brown v. Board of Ed. of Topeka, Ks.
5.  Describe Eisenhower's dynamic conservatism., positive and negative.
6.  Compare and contrast Eisenhower's New Look with Containment.
7.  How did we become involved with Vietnam?
8.  What was the Spirit of Geneva and why wasn't it enough to save Hungary?
9. How did Eisenhower drawn the line in the sand in the Middle East?
10. Describe the Space Race and account for Rocket Fever. (include U2 and Sputnik)

11. How was the CIA implicated in Guatemala how did Cuba respond?
12. Account for the election of our first Catholic President in 1960. (Describe, explain why Nixon lost)