The United States and the Cold War
...construction of Western Europe, thereby keeping the Soviet Union from expanding its influence further into the world. For instance, Congress approved the creation of the Economic Cooperation Administration, which channeled over $12 billion in aid into Europe, helping to spark a substantial economic revival (Brinkley, 757). Furthermore, European industrial production began to rise, communist strength began to decline, and opportunities for American trade began to revive. Finally, the U.S. was also moving to strengthen the military capabilities of Western Europe. In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established. The NATO countries would, moreover, maintain a standing military force in Europe to defend against what many believed was the threat of a Soviet invasion (Brinkley, 758). However, after Russia tested its first atomic bomb and China fell to communism, a National Security report, NSC-68, outlined a shift in America’s foreign policy (Brinkley, 761). The document argued that the U.S. could no longer rely on other nations to take the initiative in resisting communism. As a result, America must go on its own to stop communist expansion virtually anywhere it occurred, regardless of the strategic or economic value of the lands in question. On the other hand, Wilson asserted that the Cold War undermined the freedom of education. After the NSC-68 report, the U.S. created the National Defense Education Act. The purpose as University of California President Clark Keer envisioned it was to construct Cold War institutions, serving the governments needs. For example, the U.C. would master agriculture and technology, thus creating an image of the U.C. as a Cold War government. In effect, colleges became more elitist institutions and strict limitations on speech on expression were harshly enforced. In addition, Wilson argued that the U.S. turned a blind eye when it came to the importance of funding education. From underpaid teachers striking for a raise to illiterate city children who live in a world of gang warfare, he believed that education was the most pressing need of the United States. Furthermore, education was assigned to a minor concern while a “manned landing on the moon” was played up and given “top priority,” suggested that “this spectacular exploit was more attractive than better facilities for education” (Wilson, 51). Warren Weaver, writer in the Saturday Review, pointed out that the U.S. space program would cost about $30 billion, which could be channeled to improving education (Wilson, 51). For example, a 10% raise for all teachers, funding for smaller colleges, fellowships, creation of new medical schools, and modernizing existing colleges (Wilson, 51) would have been excellent alternatives. Most importantly, the Cold War diverted money away from important social programs like education to continue its perpetual war with Russia and disillusioned Americans feared that aid to education was the first step toward federal control of the schools. The government’s constant discourse of the fear of the nuclear bomb illustrated the loss of freedom of safety. ...