The Cold War and the 1950s

1. The Cold War and the 1950s

2. The Cold War 1945-1991:And Ideological Struggle • Soviet and Eastern Bloc Nations • [Iron Curtain] • GOAL: spread Communism around the world • US and Western Europe • GOAL: “Containment” of Communism and the eventual collapse of the Communist world [George Kennan]

3. Methodologies • 1. Espionage [KGB vs. CIA] • 2. Arms Race [nuclear escalation] • 3. Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Democracy v. Communism] • 4. Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]

4. United States v. Soviet Aims for Europe United States Soviet Union • All nations have self-determination • Access to raw materials & markets • Rebuild European governments to ensure stability and to create markets for American goods • Reunite Germany to ensure European stability • Encouragement of Communism as part of the worldwide struggle between the workers and the wealthy • Use Eastern Europe equipment and raw materials to rebuild the war ravaged economy • Control Eastern Europe and control U.S. influence in Western Europe • Keep Germany divided and weak so it can never attack the Soviet Union again.

5. Harry S. Truman becomes President • The Death of Roosevelt • Qualifications • Doubts surrounding his abilities • Domestic policies • Foreign policies

6. Beginnings of Conflict • Communism v. Capitalism • The United Nations • The Potsdam Conference

7. Why is there so much tension? • The Soviets move into eastern Europe • Containment Policy • Truman Doctrine • Marshall Plan

8. Berlin Airlift

9. George Kennan [ “X Article”]Containment

10. National Defense Budget [1940-1964]

11. The NATO Alliance • Established 1949 • Purpose

12. The Cold War Heats Up

13. Project – The Berlin Airlift • Movie • Activity

14. Communism in China Nationalist Party Communist Party • Chiang Kai-Shek • U.S. backed • U.S. gives 3 billion in aid • Found in Southern and Eastern China • Weaknesses: • Struggled with inflation and a failing economy • Poor morale and weak leadership • Mao Zedong • Chinese peasants backed • Soviet Union gives aid • Mostly in Northern China • Focused on reform and food production • Strengths • Highly motivated army • Strong peasant support

15. Civil War in China • When Japanese leave, tensions between the two parties escalated • Nationalist army v. Communist army • United States reacts to the takeover

16. The Korean War (1950-1953) • Japan loses Korea 1945 • Soviet Union attempts to take over the whole peninsula • The Korean War begins June 25, 1950

17. U.S. involvement in Korea • General MacArthur and the Soviets • The Chinese send support to North Korea

18. Truman v. MacArthur • MacArthur suggests that the U.S. invade China • Truman does not want to bring the U.S. into another major war • MacArthur is fired on April 1, 1951

19. Stalemate, 1953 • Soviet Union asks for a cease fire on June 23, 1951 • Agreements • 1. • 2. • 3. • July, 1953: Official end to the Korean War • Effects of the War: • 1. • 2. • 3. • 4.

20. McCarthyism and the War at Home

21. McCarthyism • Movie • Activity

22. The United States and Russia on Edge

23. The Race for the H-Bomb • Movie • Project

24. Eisenhower’s Presidency From Bust to Boom!

25. Under Truman: Economic Challenges in the U.S. • Millions of defense workers laid off • High inflation • Scarcity of products • Funding war against Communism • Strikes • Efforts to boost economy • Marshall Plan • Giving back war bonds • Increasing production • Fair Deal

26. The Election of 1948 • Truman v. Dewey • Had Enough? – Campaign slogan of 1948 • Emergence of the Dixiecrat – gives Dewey an edge • Despite the headlines, Truman emerges as the winner

27. The Election of 1952 • Dwight D. Eisenhower wins 55% of popular vote • Middle of the Road

28. President 1952-1960 • “Modern Republicanism” • Civil Rights • “The New Look” • A general sense of prosperity

29. The 1950s: Conservatism, Complacency and Contentment OR: Anxiety Alienation and Social Unrest??

30. Baby Boom It seems to me that every other young housewife I see is pregnant. -- British visitor to America, 1958 1957  1 baby born every 7 seconds

31. Dr. Benjamin Spock

32. 2. Suburban Living Levittown, L. I.: “The American Dream” 1949 William Levitt produced 150 houses per week. $7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.

33. The New American Dream • 1 story high • 12’x19’ living room • 2 bedrooms • tiled bathroom • garage • small backyard • front lawn By 1960  1/3 of the U. S. population in the suburbs.

34. SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, 1940-1970 1940195019601970 Central Cities 31.6% 32.3% 32.6% 32.0% Suburbs 19.5% 23.8% 30.7% 41.6% Rural Areas/ 48.9% 43.9% 36.7% 26.4% Small Towns U. S. Bureau of the Census.

35. 2c. Suburban Living:The Typical TV Suburban Families The Donna Reed Show1958-1966 Leave It to Beaver1957-1963 Father Knows Best1954-1958 The Ozzie & Harriet Show1952-1966

36. 3. Consumerism 1950  Introduction of the Diner’s Card All babies were potential consumers who spearheaded a brand-new market for food, clothing, and shelter. -- Life Magazine (May, 1958)

38. A Changing Workplace Automation: 1947-1957  factory workers decreased by 4.3%, eliminating 1.5 million blue-collar jobs. By 1956  more white-collar than blue-collar jobs in the U. S. Computers Mark I (1944). First IBM mainframe computer (1951). Corporate Consolidation: By 1960  600 corporations (1/2% of all U. S. companies) accounted for 53% of total corporate income. WHY?? Cold War military buildup.

39. New Corporate Culture:“The Company Man” 1956 Sloan Wilson’sThe Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

40. 5. The Culture of the Car Car registrations: 1945  25,000,000 1960  60,000,000 2-family cars doubles from 1951-1958 1958 Pink Cadillac 1959 Chevy Corvette • 1956 Interstate Highway Act largest public works project in American history! • Cost $32 billion. • 41,000 miles of new highways built.

41. America became a more homogeneous nation because of the automobile. Drive-In Movies First McDonald’s (1955) Howard Johnson’s

42. The U. S. population was on the move in the 1950s. NE & Mid-W  S & SW (“Sunbelt” states) 1955  Disneyland opened in Southern California. (40% of the guests came from outside California, most by car.) Frontier Land Main Street Tomorrow Land

43. Television 1946  7,000 TV sets in the U. S.1950  50,000,000 TV sets in the U. S. Television is a vast wasteland. Newton Minnow, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, 1961 Mass Audience  TV celebrated traditionalAmerican values. Truth, Justice, and the American way!

44. Davy CrockettKing of the Wild Frontier Sheriff Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke The Lone Ranger(and his faithfulsidekick, Tonto): Who is that masked man??

45. Glossy view of mostly middle-class suburban life. But... I Love Lucy The Honeymooners Social Winners?... AND… Losers?

46. 7. Teen Culture In the 1950s  the word “teenager” entered the American language. By 1956  13 mil. teens with $7 bil. to spend a year. 1951 “race music” “ROCK ‘N ROLL” Elvis Presley “The King”

47. “Juvenile Delinquency” ??? 1951 J. D. Salinger’sA Catcher in the Rye James Dean inRebel Without a Cause (1955) Marlon Brando inThe Wild One (1953)

48. The “Beat” Generation: • Jack Kerouac On The Road • Allen Ginsberg  poem, “Howl” • Neal Cassady • William S. Burroughs “Beatnik” “Clean” Teen

49. Behavioral Rules of the 1950s: • Obey Authority. • Control Your Emotions. • Don’t Make Waves  Fit in with the Group. • Don’t Even Think About Sex!!!

50. 8. Religious Revival Today in the U. S., the Christian faith is back in the center of things. -- Time magazine, 1954 Church membership: 1940  64,000,000 1960  114,000,000 Television Preachers: 1. Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen “Life is Worth Living” 2. Methodist Minister Norman Vincent PealeThe Power of Positive Thinking 3. Reverend Billy Graham ecumenical message; warned against the evils of Communism.