HW4.5

Did Reagan's policies fit the conservative "brand"?

INCREASED GOVERNMENT DEFICIT DID NOT FIT REAGAN'S "BRAND", BUT POWER DEVOLUTION WAS A POLICY WHICH FIT THE CONSERVATIVE "BRAND".

One of Reagan's "brand" was to reduce government spending, since the US had "piled deficit upon deficit" (Reagan's First Inaugural Address 1981), but he didn't fulfill his promise. Before Reagan, the budget deficit was below $75 billion, but by 1986, the deficit reached $221 billion, largely due to 85% increase in military spending.

Devolving power of federal government was one of Reagan's "brand" which he did fulfill. He promised to "curb the size and influence of the Federal establishment" (Reagan's First Inaugural Address 1981). Thus, he supported Nixon's New Federalism and issued block grants, allowing states to spend money on social programs as they saw fit.

HW4.4

"Who is to blame for America's trend toward high divorce rates, starting in the 1970s?"

THE HIGH DIVORCE RATES STARTING IN THE 1970s ARE THE RESULT OF THE ACTIONS OF RICH MIDDLE-AGED MEN AND FEMINISTS WHO FOUGHT FOR NO-FAULT DIVORCE.

Rich middle-aged men who desired younger women were partly to blame. Caught up in "Jennifer Fever", many like Eugene McCathy and Wayne Hays in 1970s divorced their wives of many years and attracted younger women with their wealth. According to Wolfe, it became "normal behavior", and divorce rates rose rapidly.

The "me" attitude of wealthy, middle-aged men partly contributed to high divorce rates. Instead of being dutiful dads and husbands, many men said, "I've got only one life, let me live it as a..." According to Wolfe, wealthy middle-aged men "took [their] money and ran", contributing to high divorce rates.

Feminists who fought for no-fault divorce were partly responsible. Feminist groups like the National Organization for Women beginning in 1960s, pushed for no-fault divorce. But no-fault divorce became a "remarkable gift" to men. As getting divorces became easy and inexpensive, it contributed to more than 1.1 million divorces in 1979.

1970s TV programs show society was changing and feminists didn't need changes in divorce laws. In "All in the Family", the college-educated daughter got a job. This shows women's role outside home was already increasing in society. Thus, changes in divorce laws were unneeded. As daughter said, "Times have changed."

HW4.3

"Who is to blame for America's trend toward high divorce rates, starting in the 1970s?"

THE HIGH DIVORCE RATES STARTING IN THE 1970s ARE THE RESULT OF THE ACTIONS OF RICH MIDDLE-AGED MEN AND FEMINISTS WHO FOUGHT FOR NO-FAULT DIVORCE.

Firstly, rich middle-aged men in the 1970s were caught up in "Jennifer Fever". Instead of staying home, they divorced their wives of many years in search of young women. With their wealth, they easily attracted these women. This resulted in the rising divorce rates.

These men were also immersed in the selfish thinking of the "Me" movement. Instead of being dutiful dads and husbands, they said, "I've got only one life, let me live it as a..." As Tom Wolfe said, wealthy middle-aged men "took [their] money and ran", resulting in high divorce rates.

Feminists who fought for no-fault divorce were also partly responsible. With their fervent protesting, no-fault was established, but it allowed men to free themselves from marriage without any legal consequences. As a result, from 1975 to 1983, the number of divorced women rose by 28% to more than 3 million.

HW4.2

"Who is to blame for America's trend toward high divorce rates, starting in the 1970s?"

THE HIGH DIVORCE RATES STARTING IN THE 1970s ARE THE RESULT OF THE ACTIONS OF RICH MIDDLE-AGED MEN AND WOMEN WHO FOUGHT FOR NO-FAULT DIVORCE.

Firstly, rich middle-aged men in the 1970s were caught up in "Jennifer Fever". Instead of staying home, they divorced their wives of many years in search of young women. With their wealth, they easily attracted these women. This resulted in the rising divorce rates.

These men were also immersed in the selfish thinking of the "Me" movement. Instead of being dutiful dads and husbands, they said, "I've got only one life, let me live it as a..." Wealthy middle-aged men began chasing after their own dreams, leaving their wives, resulting in high divorce rates.

Women who fought for no-fault divorce were also partly responsible. With their fervent protesting, no-fault was finally established, but it allowed men a way to free themselves from marriage without any legal consequences. Men quickly took up this advantage and used it to its full potential. Thus, divorce rates skyrocketed.

HW8

"Nonviolent resistance to injustice was a good strategy for southern civil rights leaders."

AGREE and DISAGREE (one paragraph each)

AGREE:

The Birmingham campaign in 1963 is an example of an effective nonviolent resistance to injustice. The Birmingham police's attacks on peaceful African American protesters shocked many Americans, drawing national attention to the injustice of segregation. As a result, desegregation of public facilities in Birmingham was achieved, without using violence.

DISAGREE:

Freedom Summer in Mississippi 1964 is an example where nonviolent resistance was a bad strategy. People in Freedom Summer used peaceful means to help African Americans participate in the government, but many were attacked and killed by the opposition. Sadly, these crimes went unpunished, showing the ineffectiveness of nonviolent resistance.

HW7

Find two historians who disagree with each other about the answer to your question.

"How important was Joan of Arc to the successful ascension of Charles VII to the French throne in the 1430s?"

Joan of Arc is important to King Charles VII’s successful ascension. She brought about his coronation at Rheims, which dealt a heavy blow to England’s claim to the French throne, and she was Charles VII’s source of courage as he continued fighting for the throne after her death.

(Patterson, Gail. Joan of Arc: Historical Overview and Bibliography. Nova Publishers, 2002. Print.)

However, in another point of view, Joan was not very important. Even without Joan, Charles VII, who was still wealthy and supported by a large part of France, would have slowly recaptured French territories under English control. Charles’ men were not too successful in battle, but they were still fighting.

(Neillands, Robin. The Hundred Years War. Routledge, 1990.)

REPAIR

"How real was the threat of Communist spies within the US?"

In 1950, US State Department official Algar Hiss was accused of passing information to the USSR. Hiss denied it, but in 1995 documents were revealed, indicating that Hiss was indeed a Communist spy. Therefore, the Algar Hiss Case in 1950 shows that the threat of Communist spies was real.

It was known that spies had passed helpful information about the atomic bomb to the USSR. In 1951, it was found that two Americans, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, was responsible for passing the atomic secrets. Thus, this shows that the threat of communist spies in the US was real.

From 1952 to 1954, Joseph McCarthy accused many people for supporting communism. However, his accusations were backed with no evidence, and he never managed to find a communist spy. Therefore, McCarthy's actions, or McCarthyism, is an example of the how the threat of communist spies in the US was unreal.

The threat of Communist spies was unreal because the US government was at fault for increasing the public's fear. Truman's Executive Order 9835 was a program designed to weed out any disloyal persons, but, sadly, it was "in large measure responsible for creating...hysteria" (Zinn 157).

"Is it fair to say that the anxiety caused in the US due to nuclear threat, was useful and 'healthy'?" (security of the nation = health)

The FCDA's Operation Alert, a civil defense drill, was inspired by the heightened state of fear for nuclear attacks. But, most Americans ignored the drill, rendering the FCDA's efforts useless. Therefore, the anxiety caused by nuclear threat was far from useful in the US.

The anxiety caused by nuclear threat was useful and healthy because it led to the growth of businesses in the 1950s. Atomic power fascinated people, and many businesses saw the potential of atomic power, as evident in the production of "fallout shelters", atomic tourism, and "atomic lunch-boxes".

Sem2.HW6

What arguments could be made FOR and AGAINST this statment: "America's poor, in the mid 20th century, were mostly responsible for their own problems."

America's poor were not entirely responsible for their problems. Congress' termination policy in 1953 ended government aid to native Americans, forcing many natives to sell their land. As a result, poverty increased. The government's actions had made them even poorer.

Another argument against this statement is the Housing Act of 1949, which included the urban renewal plan. The government demolished slums and built apartments but hundreds of thousands of poor people lost their homes. In the end, poverty increased and the government had simply worsened the poor's situation.

An argument for this statement is the massive migration of 5 million African Americans from 1945 to 1960 to northern cities. They were looking for manufacturing jobs, but industries had already relocated to the suburbs. Without jobs, poverty increased. If the African Americans hadn't migrated, their situation wouldn't have worsened.

Sem2.HW5

"How real was the threat of Communist spies within the US?"

The Algar Hiss Case in 1950 shows that the threat of Communist spies in the US was real. State Department official Algar Hiss was accused of passing information to the USSR. Although Hiss denied it, in 1995 documents were revealed, indicating that Hiss was indeed a Communist spy.

McCarthyism is an example of the unrealistic threat of Communist subversion within the US. From 1952 to 1954, McCarthy accused innocent people for supporting Communism, increasing the public's fear of Communist spies. But his charges were backed with no evidence, and he never made a solid case against anyone.

The threat of Communist spies was unreal because the US government was at fault for increasing the public's fear. Truman's Executive Order 9835 was a program designed to weed out any disloyal persons, but, sadly, it was "in large measure responsible for creating...hysteria" (Zinn 157).

"Is it fair to say that the anxiety caused in the US due to nuclear threat, was useful and 'healthy'?" (security of the nation = health)

It is not fair to say that the anxiety caused by nuclear threat in the US was useful and "healthy". The Federal Civil Defense Administration was established to prepare civilians to survive nuclear attacks, but as the arms race continued, the FCDA's methods turned out to be useless and ineffective.

The anxiety caused by nuclear threat was useful and healthy because it led to the growth of businesses in the 1950s. Atomic power fascinated people, and many businesses saw the potential of atomic power, as evident in the production of "fallout shelters", atomic tourism, and "atomic lunch-boxes".

Sem2.HW4

"How does the CIA's activities in Iran show that the US behaves undemocratically in its foreign policy?"

The CIA’s use of bribery and corruption in the 1950s is an example of the US behaving undemocratically in its foreign policy. Instead of respecting the Iranians’ support for Mossadeq, the CIA buys off influential Iranian officials, religious leaders, and local gangs to undermine Mossadeq’s support and his power.

In Eisenhower's "The Chance for Peace" speech, he states that "any nation's attempt to dictate to other nations their form of government is indefensible." But in 1953, the CIA overthrows Mossadeq, the popular prime minister, reinstating the Iranian monarch. This shows the US's undemocratic behavior in its foreign policy.

SAVAK, an Iranian secret police trained and equipped by the CIA, is an example of the US's undemocratic behavior in its foreign policy. SAVAK consolidated and enforced the shah's rule. Instead of replacing Mossadeq with a democracy, the US had brought a dictator, an undemocratic demonstration during the Cold War.

Sem2.HW3

How convincing was America's attempts to influence other parts of the world to side with them in the Cold War?

US's attempt to use foreign aid to gain other nations' support in the Cold War, like in Nicaragua and Haiti, was ineffective. The US gave aid to anticommunist dictators which used it to consolidate their power, oppressing the people. This promoted resentment towards the US among citizens of those nations.

The US used radio broadcasts in Europe to gain people's support, but these attempts were unconvincing. The 1956 Hungarian revolt against the Soviets was inspired by US-sponsored Radio Free Europe broadcasts. Many Hungarians expected the US's help, but the US was "unwilling to risk war" over a satellite like Hungary.

The US's covert actions in Guatemala in 1954 were unconvincing attempts to gain the support of Third World Countries. With its own interests in mind, the US overthrew the elected Guatemalan president and replaced him with a repressive military dictator. This led many Latin Americans to resent the US.

How wise were America's decisions to produce advanced weapons during the Cold War's first 20 years?

The US's decisions to produce advanced weapons during the Cold War were not wise. In 1954, China shelled Quemoy and Matsu, and to protect its influence in Asia, the US threatened China with nuclear attacks. Mao backed down, but if China didn't, it would've triggered a nuclear war, affecting millions.

US's unwise decision to produce advanced weapons instigated the USSR to do the same, taking the two nations to the brink of nuclear war. The 1950 US National Security Policy in the Cold War even stated that "development of increasingly terrifying weapons of...destruction [poses] the...possibility of annihilation..."

The Role of Taiwan in the Early Cold War

Where are the islands of Quemoy and Matsu?

These islands are off the coast of mainland China.

Who is CKS and why did he come to Taiwan?

Chiang Kai-Shek is the leader of the Nationalists (KMT) who fought against the Communists led by Mao Ze-Dong. CKS fled mainland China after Mao and his Communists took over the nation in October of 1949, and he ended up here, in Taiwan.

Was CKS's move to Taiwan a sign that he and the KMT had decided to give up the fight against Mao and the Communists?

Why does the US change its mind about defending Taiwan?

Why doesn't Mao finish the Chinese Civil War by invading Taiwan in 1950?

Mao does not invade Taiwan and completely destroy any possibility of Nationalist uprisings on the island because his first priority was "to assist the [North] Koreans". Perhaps Mao believed that the issue of Taiwan could be dealt with later, since it really is a tiny island.

In what ways can we say that smaller allies like China and Taiwan were able to make the superpowers (the US and USSR) do things they did not want to?

Both China and Taiwan, represented respectively by Mao and Chiang, were using islands such as Quemoy and Matsu to manipulate the actions of the US and the USSR. Chiang was able to obtain a defense treaty which "bound the US to the defense of Taiwan", and later on, force the US to threaten Mao with the use of nuclear weapons to protect the offshore islands.

Sem2.HW2

Were the Methods the US used to contain the spread of Communism justified?

US's use of espionage to contain the spread of Communism is not justified. Instead of having official talks, the US resorted to spying, such as the U-2 incident in 1960, to gather information about the USSR to stop the spread of Soviet Communism. This method to contain Communism is unjustified.

US's political and economic isolation of China in 1950 to contain the spread of Communism is unjustified. The US saw China as wanting to spread Communism like the USSR, but China pursued its own interests and rejected Soviet control. This attempt to stop the spread of Communism is unjustified.

Sem2.HW1

"Could the US and the USSR have avoided the Cold War?"

The Cold War could have been avoided if the Truman administration didn't purposefully establish the USSR as an immediate threat, as evident in the 'Long Telegram', which states "there can be no ... peaceful coexistence [between the US and USSR]." The tension between the two nations could have been resolved.

(from the Cold War Files, George Kennan's Long Telegram)

The Cold War could have been avoided if the US gave up its nuclear weapons, instead of keeping them. According to Soviet delegate Andrei Gromyko, the USSR was willing to negotiate about arms control if the US's atomic weapons were destroyed. The arms race could have been avoided.

If the USSR kept its 1942 agreement to withdraw from Iran in the first place without US's pressure, the Cold War could have been avoided. The US's fear that the USSR was trying to expand its control beyond Eastern Europe would have lessened and the tension resolved.

The Cold War could have been avoided if the US and Britain didn't merge their occupation zones in Germany. This led to the Berlin Blockade in 1948, a high point in the Cold War. If the occupation zones remained separate, the tension between the US and USSR would have lessened.