AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Cold War Expansion of Federal Power (Day 260/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about Cold War Expansion of Federal Power as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Balance of Power, Project on Government Oversight

During the Cold War, the United States experienced a significant expansion of federal power, particularly in matters related to national security and foreign policy. 

Timeline of Department of Defense Spending, Statista

The communist threat spurred higher military spending, fueling the growth of a vast military-industrial complex that facilitated collaboration between the government and defense contractors, driving expansions in military budgets and advanced weapons development.

Seal of the Central Intelligence Agency, Wikimedia Commons

The CIA gained prominence in conducting covert operations abroad to counter Soviet influence, exemplifying the extension of federal power into the realm of intelligence and espionage.

Photograph taken from the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Maddox (DD-731) during her engagement with three North Vietnamese motor torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin, Wikimedia Commons

In Vietnam, the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, where North Vietnamese forces allegedly attacked U.S. Navy ships spurred President Lyndon B. Johnson to expand military involvement without a formal declaration of war.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Wikimedia Commons

With the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the president was granted broad authority to escalate U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War including the increase in troops, war materials, and financial support with little oversight from Congress.

Throughout the Cold War, federal power, especially in the executive department, grew substantially, as the U.S. attempted to contain the threat of communism.

Join me tomorrow as I explain Intensification of the Vietnam War in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!