The Postwar Boom in America

1. The Postwar Boom in America Essential Question: In what ways did the Cold War contribute to postwar prosperity in the US?

2. First, some review • Following WWII, the United States established long-term military presence in West Germany in an effort to do what? • Stop communist expansion • What was the Berlin Airlift? • The Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Berlin Airlift, and Korean War were all attempts by US to do what foreign policy term that means to stop communism from spreading? • Containment • When Sec. of State Dulles suggested that the US massively retaliate against the Soviets or China if either invaded was called what? • Brinkmanship

3. More Review • What does the term McCarthyism mean? • Reckless accusation with little or no evidence • Government officials resorted to conformity during the Red Scare because they were afraid to be accused of being a what? • Communist • The successful launch of Sputnik in 1957 by the Soviets was the beginning of the what? • Space Race • What was the intent of the Truman Doctrine? • To rebuild European Cities • What caused so many Americans to believe communists were infiltrating the government? • FEAR

4. Readjustment & Recovery • By summer 1946, 10 million men and women were released from armed services – they were ready to settle • The GI Bill (1944) – was created to help ease the veterans back into society and provide them with economic aid • Encouraged veterans to get higher education by paying part of their tuition • Guaranteed a years worth of unemployment benefits while job hunting • Offered low-interest, federally granted loans – which many young couples used to buy homes and farms

6. Housing Crisis • Veterans returning home faced a severe housing shortage • Many lived with relatives or in cramped apartments • William Levitt produced houses in an assembly line style. • He boasted that he could build a house in 16 minutes • He offered his homes in small residential communities called suburbs, for less than $7,000 • His first group of standardized homes built on a treeless lot was located on Long Island which he called Levittown

8. Redefining the Family • Tension created by changes in men’s and women’s roles after the war lead to a higher divorce rate • Traditionally, men were the bread winners, while the women were Susie-home-makers • During the War, 75% of married women joined the workforce • Many were reluctant to go back because they liked the independence the change had brought them • Many did return home, but by 1950 more than 1 million war marriages had ended in divorce

10. The Feminine Mystique • Betty Frieden was an influential woman who wrote a book entitled The Feminine Mystique • Read through the excerpt to determine what you think the purpose of this book was • It energized a new type of women’s rights movement that empowered women to be more independent and seek a live that was what they wanted, not what was expected of them

11. Economic Readjustment • US converted from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy • Because the war ended, jobs were cut that involved military equipment production • Result: By March 1946, 3 million people were without jobs • Also prices of goods increased by 25% due to the ending of OPA’s inflation control • Americans were also getting paid less than they had before

12. Truman’s Sudden Presidency • Franklin D. Roosevelt died in 1945, launching Harry S. Truman into immediate presidency • Truman asked Eleanor if there was anything he could do for her • She replied “Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now.” • What did she mean???

13. Harry S. Truman I don’t know whether you fellows ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me yesterday what had happened (Roosevelt’s death), I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.

14. Meeting Economic Challenges • President Truman’s Inheritance • When President Truman inherited the presidency, not only did he inherit the Cold War . . . • He also inherited the responsibility in restoring the American economy to a strong footing after the war’s end • Truman Faces Strikes • Because of lower wages following the war, 4.5 million men went on strike in 1946 • Truman threatens to draft all strikers in the military, and take control of the RR and mines • The Unions gave in

15. Remarkable Recovery • Most economists predicted a post-war depression • Why didn’t it happen? • Remember the war bonds the gov’t urged Americans to get? And the rationing? • People finally had money and had been without certain goods for so long, they were ready to spend their money on goods, regardless of the price. • The demands for goods forced production to increase, which created jobs – and the cycle continues

17. Social Unrest Persists • A wave of racial violence erupts in the south • Truman Supports Civil Rights • Asks for a federal anti-lynching law • A ban on the poll tax as a voting requirement • And a permanent civil rights commission • Congress refuses to pass any of theses, nor do they agree to integration in the military • To rebut, he issues an executive order for military integration, an end to racial discrimination in hiring, and permission of African Americans in neighborhoods

18. The 1948 Election • Despite the fact that Americans blamed Truman for increased inflation, the democrats nominated him for re-election • Dixiecrats: • Southern Democrats who were opposed to Truman’s pro-civil rights stance • Sought to nominate their own democratic candidate who was anti-civil rights • Governor J. Strom Thurmond of North Carolina • The Republicans nominated Governor Thomas E. Dewey

19. Scandalous History • Strom Thurmond had an illegitimate biracial daughter who he kept a secret!!!! • Essie Mae Washington-Williams • He represented a political party that did not want civil rights for blacks!!!! • SCANDALOUS!

20. The 1948 Election • Truman’s “Give ‘em Hell, Harry” campaign worked • He won in a political upset (Dixiecrats)

21. The Fair Deal • Truman’s extension of FDR’s New Deal • Included proposals for a nationwide system of compulsory health insurance and a crop-subsidy system to provide a steady income for farmers • But the Republicans and Dixiecrats in Congress refused both of these • But. . . Congress did raise the minimum wage from 40 c to 75 c, extended Social Security to 10 million more people, and built 810,000 housing units for low-income areas

22. Republicans Take the Middle Road • Truman’s approval rating sank, what with all the radical racial and equality ideas • In addition, the Korean War was a bust (as we saw), and McCarthyism was priming Americans with fear • President Eisenhower takes the next election • Won 55% of the popular vote and majority of the electoral college • Nixon was his running mate and became VP

24. Walking the Middle Road • Eisenhower asks congress to be conservative when it comes to money and liberal when it comes to human beings • He took a middle-of-the-road course avoiding many controversial issues • But he had a hard time side-stepping civil rights • In 1945, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Educationthat public schools must be racially integrated – this lead to more civil rights actions

25. Early Civil Rights Movement • A year after the Supreme Court ruled that public schools must be racially integrated, a seamstress named Rosa Barks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man • Her arrest sparked major news and a boycott on the Montgomery, AL bus system

26. The Postwar Boom in America Answer the Essential Question: In what ways did the Cold War contribute to postwar prosperity in the US? The Story of Us: Boom