The Cold War On American Culture Essay - 1489 Words

The Cold War was a pivotal time in American history. To a greater degree than most other wars, the Cold War affected American society in unfathomable and profound ways. More specifically, American culture transformed immensely during this time. From a constant state of anxiety, to changes in media and the arts, to McCarthyism; the Cold War fervently affected the quality of life, personal expression, and American politics. Predominantly, the Cold War inflicted fear and apprehension within the American people that was so overpowering that it affected every aspect of their lives and overall American culture. The biggest and most fervent effect of the Cold War on American culture was the state of anxiety that swept the nation. Americans have always harboured a fear of radicalism entering the country and destroying any parts of the government that give power to the people, but when the Cold War begun, this fear was immensely heightened. This time period became known as the â€Å"age of a nxiety†. During this time, Americans focused most of their fears on communist subversion throughout the country and the possible threat of an atomic war with the detonation of the Soviet Union s first atomic bomb in 1949. There was a constant unease within the people that made it extremely difficult to trust one another without the suspicion that they supported the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) or had some sort of communist ties. The nationwide suspicion led to surveillance and exposureShow MoreRelatedCold War Influences on American Culture, Politics, and Economics2221 Words   |  9 PagesFollowing 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 t he Cold War. Over the next 45 years, the United States and the Soviet Union would resemble two angry womenRead MoreTelevision Role in Preserving American Values During the Cold War1715 Words   |  7 PagesPreserving American Values During The Cold War After World War II, technology was advancing and converting from military orientation to more consumer based companies. One of the new technology devices that were introduced to American consumers was television. American television in the 1940’s and 1950’s became a link marvel between Americans, podcasting news, shows, and movies. American television during the 1940’s and the 1950’s played a major rule in preserving American social valuesRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War1221 Words   |  5 Pageschange. Fresh off of the economic and political victory that was World War II for the United States, The Soviet Union sent a challenge to the U.S that set up one of the biggest, and potentially apocalyptic stand-offs in history. The Cold War, the great stand off between the Americans and the Soviets lasted from 1947 to about 1991 according to Major Problems in American History Since 1945. This Cold War would change the culture in the United States fo rever, stamping it’s air of alertness and terrorRead MoreCommunism and Popular Culture Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesTTP9 Pop Culture as History: The War Comes Home After World War II, the United States faced a malevolent philosophical dispute that had spread from within itself. Chapter nine in Thinking Through the Past is titled â€Å"Pop Culture as History: The War Comes Home† because it identifies America’s disposition over the subject of communism during the Cold War era. Historian Stephen J. Whitfield writes his secondary source entitled, â€Å"The Culture of the Cold War† which presents a detailed analysis pertainingRead MoreThe Cold War Era During World War II1349 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cold War Era that followed the end of World War II was unlike any Americans had seen before. After defeating Germany and its allies in the war, the United States faced a change on the home front: young Americans rushed into marriage and parenthood in unprecedented numbers. In Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era, Elaine Tyler May describes these changes from the end of the war through the early 1960s. The author m akes a compelling range of arguments about the changes that affectedRead MoreThe Cold War On Europe1282 Words   |  6 PagesTHE COLD WAR IN EUROPE Soon after the end of the World War Two (WW II), a new period of tensions began in the world with once again Europe at the very heart of the tensions. It was the Cold War. It â€Å"was a state of political and military tension between powers in the Western Bloc (the United States, its NATO allies and others) and powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its allies in the Warsaw Pact). It â€Å"split the temporary wartime alliance against Nazi Germany, leaving the Union of SovietRead MoreThe Cold War Between The United States And The Soviet Union861 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the early stages of the cold war, there was a great fear of the communist regime. Tension between the United States and the Soviet Union were rising well into the 1950s. Many would wonder how the cold war between the two sides would end. The threat of nuclear war between the two was fearful and could mean destruction. The various uprisings and wars in Asia especially China and Korea brought up variou s forms of tension and fear among the American populous. In the times around the EisenhowerRead MoreThe Cold War And Postmodern Eras1579 Words   |  7 Pagesoften said to envelop in culture of fear. American elites have established this supremacy by the means of propaganda. From the Cold War to the War on Terror, these elites have maintained power along with the American Government to make sure they have control of their consumers. This has been accomplished with the establishment of an American foreign policy that has helped create a bipolar world. It allows America to focus on its interest and create a myth that the American people have a destiny toRead Moredoc 11148 Words   |  5 Pages The Cold War Era was a time in history where there was hostility between many different countries. The one most notable was the hostility between the Soviet Union and United States, the fight between Communism and Capitalism. As the most dominant country the U.S. offered assistance to countries threatened by Communism. They felt that Communism was wrong and was not the right way to run a government. Between the years 1945 and 1980 the United States and Soviet Union’s relationship was ruined, whichRead MoreTaking a Look at the Cold War1237 Words   |  5 Pagescovering is the Cold War and question number six. The Roosevelt Administration was determined to avoid a retreat like the one that followed WWI. The United States itself had sole possession of the atomic bomb. The United States goal was to expand democracy. America saw that there needed to be global economic reconstruction. The Soviets looked to model the rest of the world after their own values and origins. It indeed had to do with Soviet Expansion. The Russians didn’t want to go to war with the United