Fifteen Years of Fear

An Introductory History to the Opening Chapter of America’s Cold War Story

The era immediately following World War II is usually remembered as an idyllic period in the United States of America. Most people look back at that time as an era of malt shops, school dances, and innocence. In reality, the fifteen years following WWII were some of the most dangerous the nation ever faced. Lurking in minds of all Americans was the constant fear of a surprise attack from the Soviet Union. War with the communist nations of the world appeared to be imminent. At this time, a new class of leaders emerged to guide the United States. The Cold War struggle brought out the best in some and the worst in others. Men like Truman, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Nixon, McCarthy, and Kennedy dominated the headlines and the political landscape. This is the story of the opening chapter of the American Cold War story and the men who piloted the ship of state during that most dangerous of times.