After the atomic bomb ended World War II, U.S. troops began to return from abroad, and President Truman was tasked with rebuilding the nation. As Truman installed a variety of new programs specifically designed to provide employment opportunities to the American people, the USSR continued to consolidate its power in Eastern Europe and forge new alliances with emerging Communist governments---relationships that would spark the beginning of the Cold War. Meanwhile, as the Korean War and Mao Zedong captivated Asia, the United States was experiencing the beginnings of rock `n' roll, the civil rights movement, television, and a race to explore space. The Cold War and Postwar America examines a time that saw the United States gain its superpower status and engage in a decadeslong cold war with the Communist powers of the world.

Discovering U.S. History spans the complex and dramatic history of the United States from prehistoric times to the present day. Through a compelling narrative, thought-provoking boxed insets, and lively illustrations, each volume brings to life the people and events that have shaped the nation.