Chapter 32 - Western Society and Eastern Europe in the Decades of the Cold War

Chapter 32
Western Society and Eastern Europe in the Decades of the Cold War

1. Introduction
   1. After World War II
      1. Soviets create an empire that dominates Eastern Europe
      2. Western Europe recovers, but not totally dominant
      3. US breaks from isolationist and turns international
   2. Cold War - democratic capitalism vs. communism
      1. Led to alliances and arms race
   3. Western Europe
      1. Turned to service based economy
      2. Social transformation > more roles for women
      3. Democracy had firm roots - unlike decades before
      4. Europe started to work together not as indepedent nationalistic nations
   4. Soviet Union turns industrialist
      1. New world role
      2. Science exploration and sports achievement
2. After World War II: International Setting for the West
   1. Introduction
      1. Infrastructure of Europe destroyed - bombings
      2. Boundary changes + forced labor = refugees
      3. USSR and USA size/industrial strength dwarf European nation-states
   2. Europe and Its Colonies
      1. Two major changes - decolonization and cold war
         1. Colonies
            1. Only maintainable at a high cost
            2. French finally give up Vietnam in 1954 - costly defeats
            3. French finally give up Algeria in 1962 - almost civil war
            4. Most independence achieved peacefully
               1. France/Belgium actually intervened/helped later
            5. West continues to economically exploit Africa
      2. Decolonization's Effect on Europe
         1. Returning settlers ticked off
         2. Europe's role in world affairs minimal
            1. Suez Canal crisis of 1956 symbolic shift
            2. War ends only after US and USSR end it
            3. Europe goes on without colonies
         3. The Cold War
            1. Lines drawn immediately after WWII
               1. Eastern bloc emerges
                  1. Soviet troops remained
                  2. Communist governments amazingly elected
                  3. USSR gets more Western lands
                  4. Having base in East Berlin - Soviets in heart of W. Europe
               2. US and Britain respond
                  1. Churchill claims iron curtain has descended - free/repressed
                     1. Britain no power to defend views
                  2. US takes more active stance - having bomb helps
                     1. Refuses loans to rebuild eastern Europe
                     2. Gives money to Iran, Turkey, Greece to avoid communism
                     3. Marshall Plan - tons of money to W. Europe
                        1. US now has tons of influence
            2. Focal point in early years - Germany
               1. US wants to build economically successful W. Germany - combat commies
               2. US tries to stabilize German currency - USSR bitter at US for being nice
                  1. Cuts off all roads into Berlin - even West Berlin
                  2. US responds with Berlin Airlift
            3. NATO created - W. Europe plus Canada
               1. Military alliance
               2. Rearms W. Germany
               3. Goal - combatting communism
            4. USSR responds with Warsaw Pact and gets the bomb
            5. Cold War effects on W. Europe
               1. US influences policy of Europe
                  1. Larger military budgets for France/Britain
                  2. Rearm W. Germany
               2. Why would they listen to US?
                  1. Hold rebuilding money
                  2. Stationed troops throughout Europe
                  3. Protected by nuclear umbrella
               3. USSR scared the bejeepers out of W. Europe
                  1. Even sent money to forment communist movements
               4. Cold War issues move to Middle East and East Asia after 1950s
                  1. France pulls out of NATO - looks like Britain/US calling all the shots
                  2. W. Germany wants to reopen trade with Eastern bloc in 1970s
               5. US military power increases, allowing Europe to devalue military
                  1. Europe puts values on civilian values/goals - sure...US paying the tab
3. The Resurgence of Western Europe
   1. Introduction
      1. Europe made progress post WWII
         1. Exentending democratic systems
         2. Modifying nation-state rivalries
         3. Rapid economic growth
            1. Took care of many gender/social problems
   2. The Spread of Liberal Democracy
      1. Notion of revolution faded
         1. Fascism proved a failure
         2. Communists started working within the system
      2. Focus became government planning for welfare
      3. New West Germany - Federal Republic of Germany
         1. Combined 3 zones
         2. New gov't outlawed extremist political movements
      4. New European gov'ts had universal suffrage - and women
         1. Remain stable
            1. Only France gets new constitution - 1958
         2. Spain/Portugal democratize when dictators die
      5. Most similar government systems in history of Europe
   3. The Welfare State
      1. Shift leftward in political spectrum
      2. New parties after WWII push for welfare
         1. Britain - Labour Party
         2. France/Italy - Christian Democrats
         3. US tentative to adopt welfare wholesale
            1. Added to Roosevelt's New Deal - Great Society
      3. Welfare programs
         1. Unemployment insurance
         2. Medical care - state funded insurance
            1. State run medical facilities
         3. Family assistance - $ if you have children
         4. Public housing
            1. Britain - "council housing" - mixes classes
      4. What does welfare state change?
         1. Citizens don't have to worry about huge expenses
         2. Improved health
         3. Poor can still make purchases
         4. Interaction between govt and individual
      5. Government bureaucracy gets huge/expensive
         1. Technocrat - engineering/economics trained civil servant
         2. Military spending goes down
      6. Governments gain more control of economy
         1. Create long term/short term economic plans
         2. Decided where money went from state banks
         3. Helped determine path of agriculture
4. Political Stability and the Question Marks
   1. Introduction
      1. 1960s had massive demonstrations - race/student
         1. Materialism
         2. Civil rights legislation + police repression
            1. Almost revolution in France
         3. Feminism - economic equality and dignity
         4. Green movement
            1. Hostile to uncontrolled economic growth
      2. Economic growth slowed - leads to new governments
         1. Margaret Thatcher/Ronald Reagan cut back welfare
   2. The Diplomatic Context
      1. Europe tried to deal with traditional problems
         1. French-German hatred/tension
         2. Christian-Democrat movement - push for harmony
      2. US Marshall Plan encourages Europe to reconsider tariffs
      3. France/Germany begin discussing linking up
         1. Tie Germany's economy internationally - they won't fight
         2. 1958 W. Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxemb, Netherlands
            1. European Economic Community, Common Market
               1. Today called European Union
            2. Tariffs reduced for interstate trade
            3. Uniform tariff policy for outside Europe
            4. Court system in Brussels, Belgium to solve disputes
            5. Economic fund to encourage financial growth
         3. Failed attempts to have single government - wouldn't that be strange
         4. Arguments sometimes over agricultural policy
         5. 2001 - single currency - Euro
         6. Other nations gradually join - even proud British
      4. Nationalistic tensions die off - currently in longest periods of peace
   3. Economic Expansion
      1. Long period of economic expansion
         1. Welfare state gives more purchasing power
         2. Agricultural product becomes extremely efficient - technocrat driven
            1. N. America farming still more efficient > high tariffs
         3. Weapons, appliances, automobiles
         4. GNP growth surpasses US
         5. Based on technological change
      2. Changing workforce
         1. Less industrial jobs - turns post-industrial
         2. Service-based jobs
            1. teachers, clerks, medical personnel
            2. insurance, bank workers, performers
            3. "leisure industry" personnel
         3. Low unemployment - single digits
         4. Demand for low-skilled labor comes from immigrants
      3. Per capita disposable income increases
         1. Household appliances, TVs, shopping malls
         2. Efficient, huge stores replace traditional specialty shops
      4. Advertisement huge in US
         1. TV advertising - commercial based
            1. Vs. Europe...fewer commercials - state-owned
      5. Goal becomes combining efficient work with indulgent leisure
      6. Negatives of expansion
         1. Inflation - demand outstrips production
         2. Immigrants - "guest workers" living on subsistence wages
         3. Economic inequality - income gap increases
      7. Europe's economic success = social reform + global involvement
5. Cold War Allies: The United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
   1. Introduction
      1. Less social innovation because less crisis from first half of century
      2. US takes dominant military lead in alliances
      3. Other nations - Canada, Australia, New Zealand attach selves
   2. The Former Dominions
      1. Canada begins to worry about US investments/dominance of resources
         1. 1988 - sign a free trade agreement
         2. Quebec wants regional autonomy, limited English
         3. 1982 - new constitution - more power to provinces
      2. Australia/New Zealand
         1. Moved away from Britain, toward US militarily
            1. Supported Korean War/Vietnam War
            2. Mainly for Cold War, anti-communist purposes
         2. 1980s/1990s move away
      3. Investment/trade focused around Pacific
      4. Increasing immigration from Asian countries
         1. Against Asians at first, white-only immigration
   3. The "U.S. Century"?
      1. US steps up to dominate internationally
         1. Britain unable to defend militarily
         2. USSR expansion
         3. Truman Doctrine - America protect peoples from Communism
         4. Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe
         5. Both parties agreed to this policy initially
      2. US policy changes
         1. Red scare in 1950s
         2. Defense Department - 1947 - increased budget
         3. CIA worldwide information gathering - aka - spies
      3. Containment policy - let Communism go no further
         1. Sets up alliances with various Middle Eastern/Asian nations
         2. US supports non-communist regimes
            1. Even when sometimes they're bad guys
               1. Military regimes or dictators
         3. Attempted to keep Vietnam from going Communist
            1. But...after tons of bombs and dead people - still communist
      4. New policies after Vietnam
         1. Can guerilla's stalemate US military?
      5. Reagan/Bush reemphasizes weapons/military - interventionist policy
         1. Involved in Grenada, Middle East terrorists, Saddam Hussein
      6. Some resented America's huge military/economic role, but what is option B?
6. Culture and Society in the West
   1. Social Structure
      1. Workers, propertyless, but have more buying power
      2. Social mobility possible – white-collar jobs possible
      3. Unskilled labor goes to immigrants
      4. Peasants became commercial
      5. But…tensions still exist
         1. Middle class have more leisure options
         2. Crime rate goes up
         3. Race/immigrant riots increase
   2. The Women's Revolution
      1. Family relations changed
         1. Leisure activities increase
         2. Telephone/automobile – new contacts with extended family
         3. Importance of parents declines – peers become more important
      2. Women take on new role in working world
         1. Service jobs available to men/women – strength irrelevant
         2. Entry into workforce to buy consumer goods
         3. New trend – women sphere separate from work sphere not possible
      3. Gains in higher education – women stay away from science/math
      4. Gains in right to vote
      5. Women can regulate birth rate – the pill, abortion
      6. Demographic shifts
         1. Brief baby boom after WWII, then decline in birth rate
         2. Want income for higher consumer purchases
         3. Children go to day care at earlier age
      7. Family satisfaction not kid centered, but marriage centered
      8. Divorce rates grow higher – women’s work, legal freedom, changing roles
         1. Led to impoverished women that combine work with child care
      9. New Feminism
         1. Want literal equality, no specific domain, roles
         2. Some value family, some not…main point is they want choice
   3. Western Culture
      1. Cultural focus shifts to the US
         1. “Brain drain” – top scientists lured to facilities, salaries of US
         2. Money related to art – US has more money to blow on art
      2. Europe still has role
         1. DNA and human genome work
         2. Nuclear research
         3. Space research w/ resulting satellites
      3. Modern art
         1. Public begins to gradually accept this new art, though they prefer old
         2. New forms of sculpture – abstract
         3. New art – combining consumer culture w/ art
         4. Art films more from Europe
      4. New research
         1. America takes lead in economics
         2. Social history – history from the eyes of civil society institutions
   4. A Lively Popular Culture
      1. “Coca-cola-nization” of Europe – spread clothes, food, films
      2. US TV far more attractive – has a ton more money to make quality TV
      3. British music comes to dominate – Beattles
         1. Unconventional color/cut – punk styles
      4. Relaxed views of sexuality
         1. Sex shops
         2. Premarital sex more common
      5. Some negative reaction – pop culture dulls senses, forget real problems
         1. But nothing like Nazi book burning, ultra conservative
      6. Increased Western influence of the world
7. Eastern Europe After World War II: A Soviet Empire
   1. The Soviet Union as Superpower
   2. The New Soviet Empire in Eastern Europe
   3. Evolution of Domestic Policies
8. Soviet Culture: Promoting New Beliefs and Institutions
   1. Introduction
      1. New policies of Soviet Union
         1. Focused on industrialization
         2. Reached out for direct loyalty of people
         3. More culturally focused than under church-state tsar situation
            1. Though they’re cultural focus was anti-religion
               1. No church services to under 18
               2. Schools preached religion as superstition
               3. Anti-semitism still strong
               4. Muslims given most freedom
               5. Only elderly still interested in church
            2. Scientific/Marxist focus
               1. Scientists highly respected
               2. Research heavily funded
               3. Direction/research determined by gov’t – want applied science
               4. Linked to weaponry/aerospace
            3. Art/literature must follow party line
               1. Attack western styles – decadent
               2. Classical arts – rigid standards of excellence
               3. Literature walked line of angering gov’t
                  1. Still discussed patriotism/Russian soul
            4. Education system – technicians, bureaucrats, propaganda state
         4. Fear of cultural pollution material always present
   2. Economy and Society
      1. Rapid industrialization/urbanization
      2. Key features of Eastern Europe
         1. State control of all economic sectors
         2. More heavy industrial goods than consumer goods
            1. Didn’t receive research funding
            2. Consumers had few options
            3. Not enough money to fund military and consumer goods
            4. Common complaints about lack of goods and long lines
         3. Environmental damage
            1. Agricultural mining – ¼ of Russia
            2. Industrialization air/water pollution
         4. Agricultural backwardness
            1. No money for more advanced farm equipment
            2. Weather made it difficult
            3. Constaints + lack of incentive = why work harder
            4. So…larger # of people stay farmers – inefficient
      3. Similarities to Western society
         1. Work rhythm/cycle mirrored West
         2. Incentive systems
         3. Entertainment – sports
            1. But…sports part of political/propaganda program
            2. East Germany/USSR dominated w/ state sponsored programs
         4. Social structure
            1. Urban areas divided by class – workers vs. white collar, middle class
               1. But…wealth divisions not as great
         5. Demographic similarities
            1. Birth rate dropped
               1. Education + more consumer products
               2. Wartime dislocations – where’s my husband
               3. But…some minority groups had high rates - Muslims
            2. Falling infant death rates
         6. Child rearing
            1. Important, but more discipline than West
               1. Emphasis on authority
         7. Women
            1. Still worked, performed heavy tasks
            2. Larger role in medicine
            3. Soviet propaganda champions role of women
   3. De-Stalinization
      1. System held together after Stalin’s death
         1. Bureaucratic experience
         2. Resistance to strike out in radical new direction
         3. Ruling committee replaces Stalin
      2. Nikita Khruschev
         1. Condemned Stalin for dictatorship/arbitrary rule
            1. Treatment of political opponents
            2. Narrow treatment/misunderstanding of Marxism
            3. Poor preparation for WWII
         2. Though it looked like time of change, not must changed
            1. Critics – trials not as server, nor punishments
         3. Downfall
            1. Fails to open Siberia to agriculture
            2. Offends many by insulting Stalin
         4. Cold War policy – “we will bury you”
            1. Tests limits of cold war – Cuban Missile Crisis
            2. Soviet space program threatens US
            3. Cold war tensions go down – tourism/exchanges up
            4. Steady military build-up
      3. After Khruschev things stay mellow
         1. But…agriculture worsens – have to import from US
      4. New foreign policy problems
         1. Frustration with China
         2. Relation with Egypt – friends then foes
         3. Muslims want more control
         4. Afghanistan takeover failed – wanted Muslim puppet regime
      5. Quality of goods, worker incentive dropped
         1. Bureaucratized/centralized plans – feel like you have no power
         2. Increased rates of alcoholism
         3. Youth getting annoyed – want access to Western culture
      6. World didn’t see how bad things were getting
         1. 1980s economy falling apart
            1. Pressure from Reagan
            2. Misplaced priorities
      7. Downfall of USSR leaves huge questions of stability
9. Global Connections: The Cold War and the World
   1. Importance of Cold War
      1. Key role in decolonization and nationalism
      2. Some nations could play US/USSR against each other to gain
   2. Similarities
      1. Both secular
      2. Challenged traditional roles
      3. Sold weapons around the world
      4. Created system of hatred/fear/lack of tolerance of outside world