In the early years of the Cold War, fear of the Soviet Union led some Americans to conclude that Soviet subversion was destroying American society from within. If not actual spies, then certainly enemies — some deliberate apostles of Communism, others unwitting dupes — were everywhere: in the universities, in the entertainment industry, in journalism, … Continued
How you answer “Who started the Cold War?” depends on how you define the Cold War. Some scholars view it as a struggle between two powerful countries for world dominance. Another view holds that U.S. leaders perceived the Soviet Union as a threat to the security of the United States and reacted defensively. A mirror … Continued
McCarthyism and the Red Scare are well known concepts in American history textbooks. But if you’re only teaching about McCarthy’s attack on suspected communists, you’re leaving out half the story. This webinar explores how homosexuals were also considered threats to national security during the Cold War, how they became conflated with communists and subversives in … Continued
The video clip I saw of a young Vietnamese-American woman who opened an art gallery in Vietnam led to my humanities moment. She said that her mother disowned her because of her decision to go back to Vietnam. I could relate this to my personal experience. My mother was very upset when any one of … Continued
I was selected for a two week institute entitled, Contested Territory, in which we took a deep dive into the multiple understandings and misunderstanding surrounding the Vietnam War (or as the Vietnamese refer to it: The American War). I had a basic understanding of this war in that it was a product of the Cold … Continued
I misunderstood the Geneva Accords and the reasons behind American involvement in Vietnam. I knew it was in the context of the Cold War but I did not understand why it had to happen and was I to teach a war or a conflict? After Pierre Asselin spoke on the subject and shared a similar … Continued