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Chapter 27: America at Midcentury

Chapter 27: America at Midcentury. American Communities. Rock’ N’ Roll and society Pro’s and con’s Loved by teenagers Had consumer power Celebration of being young Independent and rebellion Generational shift. 27.1 : American Society @ Midcentury. A. Galbraith’s Affluent Society.

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Chapter 27: America at Midcentury

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  1. Chapter 27:America at Midcentury

  2. American Communities Rock’ N’ Roll and society Pro’s and con’s Loved by teenagers Had consumer power Celebration of being young Independent and rebellion Generational shift

  3. 27.1 : American Society @ Midcentury

  4. A. Galbraith’s Affluent Society Economist who theorized that the economy was good due to personal consumption “Good life” Sense that prosperity would never end

  5. Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) Adlai Stevenson (D) B. 1952 Election

  6. 1. Political Philosophy: Conservative run country like a business Cooperation, not regulation between gov’t and business self-restraint and public service Appt. businessmen to cabinet No deficit spending Created Dept. of Health, Edu and Welfare; felt gov’t resp. for social welfare of citizens B. “Middle of the Road” Eisenhower(1952-1960)

  7. C. Subsidizing Prosperity Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loans backed by federal gov’t Long term effect? Downside? Racism/”retain stability” Impact of the GI Bill…

  8. 3. Levittown Mass produced homes using assembly line process 16 minutes to build < $8,000 Concept of “suburb” increased

  9. Prewar kitchen

  10. Postwar kitchen

  11. Postwar

  12. 4. Federal Highway Act 1956 • Long term impact/tricke effect… • Increase: jobs, suburbia, auto industry, food chains, etc. • Decreased mass transit

  13. 5. National Defense Education Act Why? Sputnik Funds for math, science, technology Low interest rate student loans

  14. D. Suburban Life Women’s happiness based on taking care of home and family! Not! Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique: women unhappy with domesticated roles Suburbia focused on conformity, security, and status

  15. Can you say “Conformity?”

  16. E. Labor Unions Eisenhower anti-union AFL-CIO merged to keep gains made during WWII Within service sector membership grew; decreased in the general workforce

  17. F. Expansion of Higher Education GI Bill and NDEA – subsidize edu for students R & D for defense related project Turn to businessmen to run schools; on board of trustees

  18. G. Health and Medicine NIH = better tech and tx Jonas Salk = cure for polio; viral Problem? Not all Americans had same access to health care; too expensive AMA against “socialized medicine;”- can you say “Obamaplan?”

  19. 27.2:Youth Culture

  20. A. Youth Culture/Market Easy target Influence large family purchases School a commonality Influenced media and teen publications http://boomers-fifties-pinups.com/photos_1950s.html

  21. B. “Hail to the King” Rebellious Reinvented popular music/RNR accepted Revitalized popular culture/crossed cultures and styles

  22. C. Almost Grown Driving Clothes and make-up Periods earlier Marrying earlier Working Going “steady” in H.S.

  23. D. Deviance and Delinquency R’N”R to blame Increase crime Exaggerated by media Censor media Senate subcommittee

  24. 27.3:Mass Culture and Discontent

  25. A. Discontent & Television 1. Advertising changed from that of radio-commercials 2. Went from live to taped; more lucrative on reruns 3. Programming did not deal with real issues of the times 4. Beats/Beatniks dissenters from conformity, material gains/ mass consumption, militarism, technology

  26. 27.5:JFK and the New Frontier

  27. 1. John F. Kennedy (D) 43 yrs. old? Catholic? Wealthy family? Civil Rights issues Martin Luther King supporter = good with/for the AA community A. Election of 1960

  28. 2. Richard M. Nixon (R) Experienced Sweaty and nervous Not able to work the camera 3. What if the debate was over the radio? Would the election results have been the same? A. Election of 1960

  29. B. Television & Politics Programming superficial; not dealing with “issues” until… 30 min. news 1963 Exposed politicians Helped political candidates with their “image”

  30. B. New Frontier Agenda • Education • Medicare • Dept. of Urban Affairs Today: Dept. of Housing and Urban Development – increase homeownership, urban development, affordable housing free from discrimination • Increase minimum wage • Increase social security benefits

  31. 1. Successes Created jobs through deficit spending Decreased business taxes Jobs via space program Asked co. to keep prices down Asked union to not ask for raises Increase minimum wage Developing housing 2. Failures Tax cut for middle class No health ins for elderly Minimal federal aid for education C. How well did he do?

  32. D. Kennedy and Vietnam • 1960: JFK now in office; continues to support Diem, as did Eisenhower • Diem is corrupt but nationalist, not communist; cancels election of 1956 • Repressed Buddhist practices = Ngo Diem Nationalist

  33. Buddhist who sets himself aflame to protest Diem’s repression. Diem was a Catholic.

  34. 1. Cuban Dilemma 1959- overthrew Batista Supported by Cubans; promised democracy What they got; dictatorship and communism Takes over American & British owned oil refineries, mines, sugar plantations US places embargo on Cuban sugar Soviets befriend him Cubans exiled to Miami E. Cuban Crises & Fidel Castro

  35. 2. Bay of Pigs April 1961 • US to train Cuban exiles • Goal: to overthrow Castro • Success or failure? • Plan failed on several counts (air strike on Cuban air force failed, special forces did not land on time; Cuban forces waiting for them backed by Soviets, taken hostage) • Public relations success for Castro i. US and JFK humiliated ii. JFK considered incompetent. After this is the time period, Cuban Americans vote Republican instead of Democrat. iii. US provides $53 million in food and medical supplies for release of American soldiers.

  36. Alliance between Cuba & SU Soviet Union/Khrushchev sets nuclear missiles in Cuba American U-2 planes confirm missile bases Attack from Cuba = attack on Soviet Union US quarantines Cuba = SU ships do not pass Khrushchev & Kennedy make agreement: US removes missiles from Turkey; we promise not to attack Cuba SU removes missiles from Cuba 3. Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

  37. a. Kennedy Used brinksmanship not negotiations Missed opportunity to overthrow Castro Cuba had many more missiles than US thought Amer. Cuban go Republican b. Khrushchev Lost face in SU & worldwide 4. Fallout of Agreement between Khrushchev & JFK

  38. 5. Trying to ease tensions • Hotline- direct telephonic line between the White House and the Kremlin (1963) • Limited Test Ban Treaty- stopped nuclear testing in the atmosphere (1963)

  39. F. Kennedy’s “Flexible response” • Preparing for a variety of military responses rather than just focusing on nuclear weapons • Kennedy built up all branches of military • Special Forces AKA Green Berets

  40. 1. Berlin Crisis (West Berlin) West Berlin was thriving. Why? 20% of East Berliners migrating Khrushchev builds “Berlin Wall” i. August 1961 ii. Ended crisis but tensions remained iii. Wall symbolized communist oppression G. Cold War Continues

  41. Building of the “Death Strip”

  42. Death Strip

  43. Wall Falls November 1989

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