Cold War Influences on American Culture, Politics, and...

Following World War II, Europe was in ruins. Between bomb damage, economic downturn, and natural disasters such as droughts and blizzards it seemed nearly impossible to restore Europe to its prior greatness. America facilitated the recovery of Europe with military and financial aid and helped prevent the spread of communism. This aid crushed the Soviet dream of a communist Europe and started the Cold War. Over the next 45 years, the United States and the Soviet Union would resemble two angry women, avoiding each other at all costs and exploding into a furious rage at the first sight of the other. Many events contributed to and were derived from the Cold War such as the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, the Civil Rights movement, the Space†¦show more content†¦Unlike the Monroe Doctrine and its Roosevelt Corollary, which focused on the Western Hemisphere, Truman’s policy was global in scope. Beyond Greece and Turkey, it underpinned an array of Cold War initiatives: th e $12 billion Marshall Plan for European reconstruction, the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and an unprecedented military buildup in the wake of the Korean War. Indeed it guided America’s Cold War policies for four decades – from Berlin and Cuba to Vietnam and Afghanistan. Earlier in the article, Merrill defines modernity as â€Å"a worldwide cultural revolution, a state of consciousness that elevates science, mastery over nature, mass production, mass consumption, and social engineering.† Though the Truman Doctrine lacked a strategic vision, it gave the world purpose and identity with each other in areas that were already similar to the culture of the United States. Most of these countries were in Western Europe, but Japan was included also because its economic and technological life was so similar to that of the United States (Merrill). Throughout the Cold War Era, societies developed from economically deficient to well-rounded, thriving cultures. The Cold War encouraged this worldwide cultural revolution; around the globe, societies were moving away from the economic woes of the Great Depression and into the forward-thinking decadesShow MoreRelatedThe War Of World War II1638 Words   |  7 PagesWorld War II was the most widespread war in hi story and it directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. This war lasted from 1939 to 1945. The war pinned the Axis nations which were Germany, Italy, Japan versus the Allied nations which were led by Britain and its Commonwealth nation, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States. The Allies were victorious in the War. It was one of the most significant periods of time in the 20th century. The war resultedRead More Clash Of Civilizations Essay examples1587 Words   |  7 PagesHuntington is the Albert J. 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