The USA, 1945-2001: From Hiroshima to 9/11

This course is for students with an interest in history in general and US and world history in particular

For the first session students will need an interest in history, an open mind, a desire to learn and a willingness to enquire and question

Additional Costs: None

The course aims: The course aims to give an overview of political, social, economic and military developments in the USA between the final days of World War II and the collapse of the Twin Towers in 2001

The course will cover:

Insights on the role and influence of each of the presidents from this period with a focus on key events and turning points from the era, focusing on the national and international issues that were shaped by the USAs role as a Superpower during the time of the Cold War and in the decade following the fall of the USSR

Key topics will include:

Summaries of the roles and achievements of each president from Harry Truman to George W. Bush

• The USAs role in creating the post-war world, including the Bretton Woods Agreement and Marshall Aid
• Leading the Free World: The policies, people and events that shaped the Cold War, including the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race and the Vietnam War
• The Power of Fear: The rise and fall of McCarthyism
• Equality: Campaigns including Civil Rights and Women’s Rights
• The USA’s Economic Miracle: causes and consequences
• United Fruit Company: The CIA and interference in foreign affairs, including Italy, Guatemala and Chile
• Supreme Court: Key figures and decisions
• More than Kennedy and Man on the Moon: people, events, successes and cover-ups that shaped the USA

 By the end of the course students will have a deeper understanding of the most profound factors and significant events that shaped the USA in these decades

 

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