the post war us. truman shocks the nation election of 1948- harry truman defeats thomas dewey. most...
TRANSCRIPT
The Post War US
Truman Shocks the Nation
• Election of 1948- Harry Truman defeats Thomas Dewey.
• Most believed Truman would not win, some news papers already made headlines before the results came in.
Truman
• Inaugural addresses, announced the Fair Deal
• Fair Deal- vast social reforms
• Fair Deal- extends social security benefits, increases in minimum wage, and funds for construction of low income housing.
The GI Bill
• Intended to help war vets readjust to life back home
• GI Bill or Servicemen’s Adjustment Act
• Provides vets with job priorities, money for school, job training, and loans for purchasing homes and property.
The Effects of the GI Bill
• GI Bill- helps start a social revolution
• “Common” people can now afford houses
• Developers start create communities of houses
• The will result in an increase in suburban housing
The Baby Boom
• Population explosion known as the Baby Boom
• Baby Boomers- members of the generation born within the first few years after WWII
Education • Prior to the war- working
class people did not go to college
• GI Bill- allows war vets • US population is now more
educated• Middle class grows• College degrees allow for
high paying jobs• High paying jobs allow
families to put their kids into college.
Exclusion for African Americans • African Americans do
not get advances in education.
• Colleges still segregated• Limited number of
spaces means African American war vets didn’t get to go to college.
• Many also lacked formal education prior to war, which hurt their chances
Cold War’s Impact on Education
• 1958-National Defense Act• Aid for education and was
geared towards boosting the study of science, math, and foreign languages.
• Intended to help the US get ahead of Soviets in the space race and nuclear arms race.
Consumerism
• Availability of jobs and boom in production means citizens have money.
• But rationing programs meant people couldn’t spend.
• The war ends- the late 1940’s and 1950’s, the US is back to a consumer society.
New Invention
• 1950’s the TV becomes popular
• Automobile industry takes off.
• People need cars to get them from the suburbs to the city
Advertisements
• One’s status is now judged on what they own.
• Credit Cards- buy now, then pay over time with interest.
• People stop saving money, debts increase.
• Shopping centers become very popular.
Women of the 1950s
• Woman’s place widely believed to be the housewife.
• Purpose is to raise kids, clean the house, cook the meals, devoted to husband
Women of 1950s
• Books publish “scientific” evidence that women can only achieve happiness through the role of wife and mother.
• House wife image is reinforced by advertisements and TV
• After the 1950’s a new group of women will emerge to challenge this idea.
African Americans Migrate North
• 1944- mechanical cotton picker comes out
• This and other factors led to urban migration of many African Americans
• Hoped to find better jobs and escape racial problems.
African Americans Migrate North
• Many find crooked landlords, employers that will not hire them, labor unions would not welcome them, and racial violence.
• Cities respond by making all black housing units
• Poor conditions lead to urban ghettos
• Poor housing and lack of education make these ghettos hotbeds for crimes, slum housing, welfare dependency, and gang violence.
• Some African Americans rise to middle and upper classes, but most remain in urban poverty.
Re-Emergence of Religion
• More people join churches
• Cold War, Soviet Union Communism advocates atheism – not believing in god.
• Thus being patriotic means being religious.
Re-Emergence of Religion
• 1954- Congress approves addition of “one nation under god” to pledge
• 1955- “in god we trust” put on all currency.
Mass Media and Religion
• Churches now advertise to people to get them to attend churches
• Billy Graham- evangelist • Preached messages of
positive thinking, assurance that a comfortable life is God’s will
Mass Media and Religion
• Preaching comfort helps push consumerism.
• Some believe that this approach is misleading giving the social injustices in the US, as well as the pending nuclear arms race.
Nuclear Threat and a New Red Scare
• Despite prosperity, citizens are worried about a nuclear attack
• Nuclear Arms Race provides for possibility of massive retaliation- responding to attack of nuclear weapon.
Nuclear Threat and a New Red Scare
• Schools practice nuclear attack drills, students are to duck and cover
• Bomb shelters are sold to average families.
The New Red Scare• During the great
depression many Americans joined communist party, because it offered economic relief.
• Economic prosperity, and Stalin make Americans hate Communism
• 1950’s Government harasses anybody with ties to Communism.
• This is known as the 2nd red scare.
The Government Deals with Communism
• 1947 National Security Act –Creates department of defense and secretary of defense.
• National Security Council- to coordinate national security policies
The Government Deals with Communism
• CIA- Central Intelligence Agency- responsible for covert (secret) operations to ensure national security.
• Top mission of the time was to spy on USSR.
HUAC
• House Un American Activities Committee – responsible for rooting out Communists in government and society
• 1950-Alger Hiss- convicted of perjury and sent to prison
Rosenberg Trial
• Julius and Ethel- accused of passing secrets about atomic bomb to Soviets.
• Controversial Trial• Guilty of espionage
and sentenced to death.
Hollywood Ten
• HUAC charges many in movie making industry having communists links.
• 10 refused to show up in court, believed it violated their civil rights.
• Some jailed for contempt for up to a year.
Hollywood blacklist
• Paranoid movie executives denounce Hollywood ten and developed Hollywood blacklist.
• List consisted of movie industry workers who had Communists ties.
Josephy McCarthy • Wisconsin Senator• Believed Communists
had been in high levels of government and military.
• At first popular, near the end most believe he was paranoid and crazy
• McCarthyism- ideas and fears of communism voiced by McCarthy and supporters.
Preparing for a possible war
• 1951- Selective Service Act- government can draft men ages 18-26
• National Highway Act of 1956
• Called for the construction of the interstate highway system
Interstate Highway System
• Improves mobility for citizens
• Also has military purpose.
• Improved roads allow military troops and personnel quicker, cities can be evacuated incase of nuclear attacks.
Military Industrial Complex • Military Industrial
Complex- link between US military, the Congress (which allocates money for military spending), and the civilian industry that produces needed military goods.
• MIC- becomes very important during the cold war
A New Youth Culture
• Kids, never experienced a depression, or world war.
• Teens have more economic advantages than their parents.
A New Youth Culture
• Radios greatly improve• Rock star= Elvis Presley • British Invasion= long
haired bands like Beatles and Rolling Stones.
• These will develop to the growth of the counter culture- youth that rejects the traditional way of life.