Effects of the Cold War on the United States

Effects of the Cold War on the United States
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Effects of the Cold War on the United States
Soviet communism posed a threat to the United States after the Second World War based on their leader’s authoritarian rule. Thus, the spread of communism would ultimately pose a risk to American interests worldwide, hence the development of the rivalry between the two powers. The Cold War thus culminated in the differences in political ideologies with the United States supporting the spread of democracy and liberal thinking, while the Soviet Union opposed such movements and promoted the spread of communism. With the growing sense of hostility and mistrust, the Cold War threatened global peace leading to the atomic age that marked the period. As a result, the Cold War played a huge role in the changing domestic and international issues in America, leading to a significant shift in foreign policy, domestic politics, gender and sexuality, and civil rights.
Effect on Foreign Policy
The United States' foreign policy during the cold war was based on the containment of the communist expansion plan. This means that there was a consensus that there could not be a possible agreement between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. As a result, the United States decided to patiently but firmly contain any Russian tendencies to expand. Consequently, the U.S. would do anything within its power, including intervening, to prevent the forceful spread of communism across the globe. Additionally, it became policy the U.S. would support the will of the people who resisted any attempts of subjugation by outside pressures (Lecture 4). This was directly aimed at Russia to highlight the possible conflicts that would arise in the case that it interfered with foreign governments affecting the democratic right of its citizens.
As a result, America expanded its arms build-up in preparation for military intervention. This would be triggered in instances where communist expansionism occurred, forcing the U.S. to deploy its military forces. As a result, it culminated in an arms race that led to the development of the atomic bomb, which the Soviets copied. This further led to the creation of the more lethal hydrogen bomb to serve as a deterrence to the Russian threat (Lecture 4). The continued show of force thus reached a mutually destructive phase that plagued the Cold War era.
Domestic Politics
President Truman wanted to show his support to American Nationalism and loyalty while rejecting communism by all means. As a result, he created a policy that required all federal employees to sign and adhere to loyalty oaths (Lecture 4). This means that the employees had to swear allegiance to the United States and protect its interests while denouncing any type of support for communism and the Soviet Union. This further expanded to all states in America hence becoming the political culture when individuals looked for employment in government and private entities at the time. For instance, California developed the most extensive loyalty programs in the country. This requirement was further taken up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that vetted each individual who signed to ensure that t...