Post War America

1. Post War America The US in the 1950s

3. Post War America • Marked post-WWII economic boom. • Low crime rate • A fear of Communism and the Russians created a politically conservative environment. • Link to novel Sputnik Sweetheart:Launch of Sputnik (first artificial earth satellite) by Soviet Union, which triggered the Space Race.

4. Capitalism and Consumerism • Due to economic boom: Large-scale expansion of middle class – white picket fence. • Politics moderate due to atrocities of WW2 • The need to have more emerged rapidly, ie. bigger houses, time-saving appliances, cars, etc. • Buying trend influenced by TV, cars, new credit from banks – the idea that anyone could have anything they wanted – on credit.

5. Race • Segregation in US (and other countries) • Civil Rights movement began in earnest in 1954 with case of Brown vs, Board of Education – which declared the establishment of separate schools for black and white students unconstitutional.

6. The Media and Pop Culture • Popularity of TV steeply rose – 77% of households bought their first TV in the ‘50s. • Many advertisers relied on TV. • Strong taboos regarding sexual behaviour reflected in media. • Sitcoms offered romanticised view of middle class American life • Marketers needed to continue demand for products once consumers had purchased the “necessities of life” – so offered new and updated products – creating “consumption anxiety” • Setting of Truman’s world a representation of the 1950s as conveyed by the media