The post war era

With the allied victory in WW2, there was a large divide of power and influence between the two leading rival powers, the United states on one hand, and the USSR on the other.  With the US's advance via nuclear weapon stymied by the Soviets development of it, an arms race was started in order to maintain supremacy of each nation.  Eisenhower saw this as a necessary evil, one that may disappear in a later time.  The rise of the red scare, fueled by right wing xenophobes, gave rise to a great conservative movement.  Barry Goldwater and McCarthy both took advantage to this, and gained power with fear as a base.