What were America’s fears during the Cold War?

There were many fears of the Cold War that the American people feared in the aftermath of the Second World War, which is stated in Document A. The American people feared the Soviet for two reasons. One reason was why the American people feared the Soviet was because the Soviet had nuclear bombs. The other reason was that the Soviet was the first to put up an orbiting satellite, which was Sputnik. However, as in stated in Document B, the American people greatest fear was communism. Because China turned Communist and allegations were made about the United States having communism here in their own homes made the American people fears worsen. However, the administration of President Eisenhower addressed these fears with caution with an open-mind sense of understanding. Eisenhower’s administration used consensus decision-making, which was a management style based on group efforts to solve problem. Therefore, Eisenhower’s administration made mostly great decisions. Eisenhower and his administration greatest decision was how they addressed Communism.

There could have been no better way to handle communism than the way Eisenhower and his administration handled it. Eisenhower and his administration developed a new containment policy. These new policy was called massive retaliation. This policy was developed from Eisenhower’s new program called the “New Look.”

Massive retaliation was the threat of using nuclear weapons that made the enemy thinks twice before attack. The policy, however, had two dangerous results. First, it gave the United States only two extreme ways of responding to a Communist attack: either fight a nuclear war or do nothing. Secondly, it gave the Soviet no choice but to better their research, which can be seen in Document E. With the “New Look” and massive retaliation, Eisenhower and his administration would be ready for communism when communism comes. However, the fear of the Soviet’s nuclear weapon greatens.

When word got out to the public that the Soviet had atomic bombs and that an explosion occurred in the Soviet, the American people thought that another World War was about to be created. To calm the people down, the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) stated that the American people could survive a nuclear bombing- if they were prepared. The question was then, “How should we prepare?” The answer was to build some kind of underground bomb shelter, which is the picture in Document C. However, many people believed that the United States was fallen behind because the Soviet almost seemed to have a step in front of the United States. For example, when the Soviet’s satellite, Sputnik, went up in space.

When Sputnik went, the American people were in shock. They believed that the United States government had fallen behind in the survival race. Less than four months later, the U.S. put up the Explorer I. Eisenhower also increased the funding for missile development. He then launched the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which closed the missile gap of the Soviet’s. To make sure that the United States would not be caught short again, the government poured money into education to train scientist and engineers, as stated in Document G. However the U.S could not forget about communism

When China turned communist, Eisenhower and his administration had to think of a way to end the Korean War. Eisenhower took a trip to Korea just weeks after the election. He took time to review his options in which he was thinking. Later, he made his decision by demanding a peace talk with the threat of use nuclear weapons (massive retaliation). Because of the death of Stalin left China and North Korea no help from the Soviet; nor could they tell if Eisenhower was bluffing or not, the United Nations and Communist signed an agreement dividing Korea into two parts at the truce line.

President Eisenhower and his administration basically had a solution for every fear that the American people had. Eisenhower and his administration did everything they possibly could to help the American overcome their fears. From attacking communism to increasing airmen in the air force to develop the Interstate System, which is stated in Document D. Eisenhower accomplished many things during his presidency and made the American people life fearless. That is why many people “Liked Ike.”