How did the government attempt to shape public opinion during the cold war? .

It was mostly done through fear tactics during the McCarthy age and through advertising of a positive lifestyle later during Reagan years. At first everyone had to be afraid that the Communists were near and could strike at any day which increased the support for the Capitalistic government, while later when it was figured out that it wasn't as bad, then things such as Coke were used to show how America is a rich nation that is a center of popular culture and that nothing can beat its modernity.