chapter 13: postwar confidence and anxiety

Chapter 13: Postwar Confidence and Anxiety

• Demobilization – decreasing the man power in the military by allowing service men and women to return home

• GI Bill of Rights – Federal law that granted benefits to veteran’s1. A year of unemployment benefits if they could not find a job

2. Financial aid for college

3. Government loans for building and starting businesses

• .

1A. Baby Boom1A. Baby BoomIt seems to me that every other young housewife I see is pregnant. -- British visitor to America, 1958

1957 1 baby born every 7 seconds

1B. Baby Boom

1B. Baby Boom

Dr. Benjamin Spock

and the Anderson Quintuplets

Converting War Time Economy

• Inflation most painful economic problem after war• U.S. untouched by war’s devastation

– U.S. produce 50% of world’s output• Technology improves productivity

– Use of computers began in business• Increased military spending leads to new

technologies– Development of plastics and light metal alloys– Marshall Plan increased demand for American goods

The Taft-Hartley Act• Republicans take control of both houses of Congress

in 1946 and seek to return to a conservative government:– Lower taxes– Reduced government regulation– Support for business– Anti-Union – reduce the power of unions to aid business– End price controls passed during the war

• Taft, a conservative Republican Senator sponsored act– Authorized President- 80 day cooling off period for strikes

in essential industries– Banned shops closed to non-union members

Truman Vetoes but is overridden

Truman and Civil Rights

• Supports the trend in post war America against intolerance- Lesson of discrimination of the Nazis- rings loud and clear- Nuremberg Trials began, the truth of Nazi racism comes out

• War was fought for freedom- freedom should be available at home

• Some former soldiers don’t like racism in USA• American society is developing conditions for

change emerge

Incremental Civil Rights for African Americans

• 1946 Morgan v. Virginia- segregation in public interstate travel was unconstitutional

• 1950- Shelley v. Kraemer- restrictive covenants in housing- not selling property to members of certain groups violated the Constitution

Civil Rights

• Truman desegregated the Military and Federal Civil Service

• Big step in the early struggle for an end to discrimination

Election 1948

• Southern Democrats leave national party in response to Truman's support for Civil Rights

• Dixicrats• Strom Thurmond- South Carolina Senator,

runs for president• Dewey runs for the Republicans• Truman appeared to lose- but appeals directly

to the people citing the “Do nothing Republican Congress” and Wins the Election

Fair Deal

• Liberal programs of Truman similar to New Deal– National health insurance

• Limited and refused by Republican Congress 1946

Eisenhower Charts Middle Path

• Eisenhower popular choice for president in 1952 – both parties wanted him!!

• First elected post he ever held was president• Charted middle course

– Agreed government was too big, but did not repeal New Deal programs

– Federal spending increased during his presidency

Automania• Cheap, plentiful gas, easy credit, advertising

increase car sales• No public transit in suburbs; cars necessary

The Car Culture

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Car Culture Takes Over• Depended on cars to get to work• Cars necessary to grocery shop or go to new

suburban shopping malls• Fast food restaurants and drive-in movies

capitalize on car• Towns near highways prosper; those near older,

smaller roads decline

Mobility Takes Its Toll• Cars create social, environmental

problems—e.g. accidents, pollution

• Upper-, middle-class whites leave cities; jobs, businesses follow

• Economic gulf widens between suburban and urban- also widens gap between middle class and the poor

continued The Car Culture

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• Interstate Highway Act

1. $$$ to build 41,000 miles of highway consisting of multilane expressways that would connect the nation’s major cities

2. Biggest public works expenditure in history

3. Modeled after the German Autobahn that Hitler built

4. Ike’s plan for rapid mobilization in times of international crisis.

5. In 1990, became known as the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways


• Sunbelt – Name given to southern and western states during the migration of the U.S population from eastern and northern cities

• Houston, TX - Benefited from boom in petrochemical and

aerospace business • Migration had a heavy impact on the shift of

representative power in Congress• California and Texas are now players in the Electoral

College game • Factors in move

– Climate– Large number of jobs (especially defense industries)– Air conditioning– Influx of Latino populations

The Organization and the Organization Man

Employment in the U.S.• By 1956, majority of Americans not in blue-collar

(industrial) jobs• More in higher-paying, white-collar (office,

professional) positions• Many in services, like sales, advertising,

insurance, communications (service sector)

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Conglomerates• Conglomerates—corporation that owns

smaller, unrelated companies• Diversify to protect from downturns in individual

industries

The Organization and the Organization Man

Franchises• Franchise—company offers similar products,

services in many places- also the right to use company name and system

• Fast-food restaurants among first, most successful franchises

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Social Conformity• Many employees with well-paid, secure jobs

lose individuality• Personality tests see if job candidates fit in

company culture• Companies reward teamwork, loyalty, encourage

conformity


• Multinational Corporation - Companies that produced and sold their goods and services all over the world and established branches abroad.

• General Motors, General Electric, International Business Machines, Coca-Cola

• Consumerism – large-scale buying, most of it on credit• Union Gains

– 1955 AFL and CIO combine to form AFL-CIO

• Educational Opportunities– Number of young people attending college increase– Government funds education (science and math)– California Master Plan

New Products• 60% of Americans in middle class; twice as many

as before WW II• Consumerism (buying material goods) equated

with success• Numerous new products appear on market in

response to demand

Consumerism Unbound

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Planned Obsolescence• Planned obsolescence—making products that

get outdated, wear out- makes consumers buy or want to buy new ones

Buy Now, Pay Later• Credit purchases, credit cards, installments

extend payment period• Private debt grows; consumers confident of future

prosperity

continued Consumerism Unbound

The Advertising Age• Most people have satisfied basic needs; ads

encourage extra spending• Psychological appeals in ads lure consumers to

particular products• Ads appear in all media; television emerges as

powerful new tool

ConsumerismConsumerism

Well-Defined Gender RolesWell-Defined Gender Roles

The ideal modern woman married, cooked and cared for her family, and kept herself busy by joining the local PTA and leading a troop of Campfire Girls. She entertained guests in her family’s suburban house and worked out on the trampoline to keep her size 12 figure. -- Life magazine, 1956 Marilyn

Monroe

The ideal 1950s man was the provider, protector, and the boss of the house. -- Life magazine, 1955

1956 William H. Whyte, Jr. The Organization Man

A a middle-class, white suburban male is the ideal.

Religious RevivalReligious 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.

Religious RevivalReligious RevivalHollywood: apex of the biblical

epics.

It’s un-American to be un-religious!

-- The Christian Century, 1954

The Robe The Ten Commandments Ben Hur 1953 1956 1959

The Suburban Lifestyle

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Advances in Medicine and Childcare• New drugs fight, prevent childhood diseases• Dr. Jonas Salk develops vaccine for poliomyelitis• Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock writes popular

guide for parents• Baby boom impacts economy, educational system

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New Era of the Mass Media

The Rise of Television• Mass media—means of communication that reach

large audiences• TV first widely available 1948; in almost 90% of

homes in 1960• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

regulates communications• By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcast• Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows,

children’s shows• Lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine;

TV dinners

Popular Culture

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New Era of the Mass Media

Stereotypes and Gunslingers• Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few

blacks, Latinos• Westerns glorify historical frontier conflicts • Raise concerns about effect of violence on children

Radio and Movies• Television cuts into radio, movie markets• Radio turns to local news, weather, music,

community affairs• Movies capitalize on size, color, sound

advantages; try gimmicks

TelevisionTelevision 1946 7,000 TV sets in the U. S.

1950 50,000,000 TV sets in the U. S.

Mass Audience TV celebrated traditionalAmerican values.

Television is a vast wasteland. Newton Minnow, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, 1961

Truth, Justice, and the American way!

Television – The WesternTelevision – The Western

Davy CrockettKing of the Wild

Frontier

The Lone Ranger(and his faithfulsidekick, Tonto): Who is that masked man??

Sheriff Matt Dillon,

Gunsmoke

Television - Family ShowsTelevision - Family Shows

I Love Lucy

The Honeymooners

Glossy view of mostly middle-class suburban life.

But...

Social Winners?... AND… Loosers?

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Rock ‘n’ Roll• Black musicians add electric instruments to

blues—rhythm and blues• Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues,

country, pop• Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics

about teenage concerns • Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can

buy records• Many adults concerned music will lead to

delinquency, immorality

African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll

Teen CultureTeen CultureIn 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”

Teen CultureTeen Culture

Behavioral Rules of the 1950s:U Obey Authority.

U Control Your Emotions.

U Don’t Make Waves Fit in

with the Group.

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The Beat Movement• Beat movement—writers, artists express social,

literary nonconformity• Poets, writers use free, open form; read works

aloud in coffeehouses• Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention,

students

A Subculture Emerges

The “Beat” Generation:

f Jack Kerouac On The Road

f Allen Ginsberg poem, “Howl”

f Neal Cassady

f William S. Burroughs

“Beatnik”

“Clean” Teen

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The Urban Poor

White Flight• 1962, 25% of Americans below poverty level• Post WW II–1960, 5 million blacks go from rural

South to urban North• White flight results in loss of businesses, tax

payers to cities• Cities can no longer afford to maintain or improve:

- schools, public transportation, police and fire departments

• The Other America by Michael Harrington – documents changes in cities

The Other America

Continued . . .

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The Inner Cities• Poverty grows rapidly in decaying inner cities• Poor economic conditions lead to illness and

terrible conditions

continued The Urban Poor

Urban Renewal• Urban renewal—replace rundown buildings with

new low-income housing• Housing and Urban Development Dept. created

to improve conditions• Not enough housing built for displaced people

Rural Poor

•Plight of rural poor just as bad

•Included Mississippi delta sharecroppers, miners in Appalachia and farmers in remote areas

•Corporations and large farmers dominated farm production, forcing small farmers out of business

•Many left to the urban areas, some remained behind hoping for better economic times

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Mexicans Seek Employment• Many Southwest Mexicans become U.S. citizens

after Mexican War • 1942–47, Mexican braceros, hired hands,

allowed into U.S. to work• After war, many remain illegally; many others

enter to look for work

Poverty Leads to Activism

The Longoria Incident• Undertaker refuses funeral services to Felix

Longoria, WW II veteran• Outraged Mexican-American veterans organize

G.I. Forum • Unity League of CA registers voters, promotes

responsive candidatesContinued . . .

NEXT

Native Americans Continue their Struggle• During Depression, U.S. policy of Native American

autonomy• National Congress of American Indians: civil rights,

maintain customs• U.S. stops family allotments, wages; outsiders take

tribal lands

continued Poverty Leads to Activism

The Termination Policy• Termination policy cuts economic support, gives

land to individuals• Bureau of Indian Affairs helps resettlement in cities• Termination policy is a failure; abandoned in 1963

chapter 13: postwar confidence and anxiety

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