2. THE 1950s: Chapter 29 THE 1950s: Chapter 29 “ Anxiety, Alienation, and Social Unrest ” ?? “ Conservatism, Complacency, and Contentment ” OROR

3. The Eisenhower Presidency Grandfatherly war hero Like after World War I, Americans seek a return to normal life

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

5. Suburban Living: The New “American Dream” k 1 story high  12 ’ x19 ’ living room k 2 bedrooms k tiled bathroom k garage k small backyard k front lawn By 1960  1/3 of the U. S. population in the suburbs.

6. Federal Housing Administration Low down payment – low interest loans Bias toward suburban middle class Favored a policy segregating social and racial classes

7. Suburban Living: The Typical TV Suburban Families The Donna Reed Show 1958-1966 Leave It to Beaver 1957-1963 Father Knows Best 1954-1958 The Ozzie & Harriet Show 1952-1966

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.

9. Religious Revival Hollywood: 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 Robe The Ten Commandments Ben Hur 1953 1956 1959

10. Well-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.

11. Well-Defined Gender Roles Changing Sexual Behavior: Alfred Kinsey: 1948  Sexual Behavior in the Human Male 1953  Sexual Behavior in the Human Female v Premarital sex was common. v Extramarital affairs were frequent among married couples. Kinsey ’ s results are an assault on the family as a basic unit of society, a negation of moral law, and a celebration of licentiousness. -- Life magazine, early 1950s

12. 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.

13. A Changing Workplace New Corporate Culture: “ The Company Man ” 1956  Sloan Wilson ’ s The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit 1956  Sloan Wilson ’ s The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit Labor unions – shift to service economy – not just for industry as government employees join

14. The Expansion of Higher Education Colleges & Universities –Faculty research = government grants –Businessmen join boards of trustees –Led to more businesslike practices –GI Bill and NDEA subsidized costs

15. Progress Through Science 1951 -- First IBM Mainframe Computer 1952 -- Hydrogen Bomb Test 1953 -- DNA Structure Discovered 1954 -- Salk Vaccine Tested for Polio 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. Nuclear Power Plant 1958 -- NASA Created 1959 -- Press Conference of the First 7 American Astronauts

16. Health & Medicine New developments – vaccines, antibiotics, well-child care (Dr. Benjamin Spock) Health care – many could not afford the latest treatments

17. 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

18. Baby Boom Dr. Benjamin Spock and the Anderson Quintuplets

19. Conformity & Consumption 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)

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

21. The Culture of the Car First McDonald ’ s (1955) America became a more homogeneous nation because of the automobile.America became a more homogeneous nation because of the automobile. Federal Highway Act leads to decline in mass transitFederal Highway Act leads to decline in mass transit Drive-In Movies Howard Johnson ’ s

22. The Culture of the Car 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

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

24. Teen Culture Teenagers try to act like adults –Social climate of junior high schools –Availability of cars –Getting married at younger ages –Menstruation starts occurring at an earlier age –Mass media & teen publications develop –Become a unique consumer market –Influenced family purchasing decisions –Had common experience fostered by public schools

25. Teen Culture 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!!!

26. Teen Culture “ Juvenile Delinquency ” ??? Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953) James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) 1951  J. D. Salinger ’ s A Catcher in the Rye

27. Deviance & Delinquency Crime statistics backed up rise – especially in suburbs Efforts were made to censor and regulate media U.S. Senate was even concerned about it Widespread media coverage made it seem like a crisis

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

29. Television – The Western Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier The Lone Ranger (and his faithful sidekick, Tonto): Who is that masked man?? Sheriff Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke

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

31. The Beats The “ Beat ” Generation : Jack Kerouac  On The Road Allen Ginsberg  poem, “ Howl ” Neal Cassady William S. Burroughs “ Beatnik ” “ Clean ” Teen Objections: Conformity Technology Materialism Militarism

32. Robin Hood, banned from many schools because of its “ communist ” ideas

33. Truman vs. Eisenhower 1.Marshall Plan 2.Truman Doctrine 3.Berlin Airlift 4.NATO 5.NSC #68 6.Korean War 1.Marshall Plan 2.Truman Doctrine 3.Berlin Airlift 4.NATO 5.NSC #68 6.Korean War 1.Mutual security agreements. 2.Massive retaliation. 3.M. A. D. 4.“ Domino Theory ” 5.CIA & covert operations 6.Eisenhower Doctrine 7.“ $ Diplomacy ” – Part II 1.Mutual security agreements. 2.Massive retaliation. 3.M. A. D. 4.“ Domino Theory ” 5.CIA & covert operations 6.Eisenhower Doctrine 7.“ $ Diplomacy ” – Part II “ Containment ” [George Kennan] “ Brinksmanship ” [John Foster Dulles]

35. John Foster Dulles – Very righteous, missionary-like approach to job

36. "If a Nation would dare to attack us, or perchance one of our allies, with a force of X, it would become incumbent upon us to respond with a force of 2X. Needless to say, we would retaliate at a time of our choosing, in a place of our choosing, and in a method of our choosing. This is what we would like to call 'Massive Retaliation'." John Foster Dulles

37. The Hungarian Uprising: 1956 Imre Nagy, Hungarian Prime Minister }Promised free elections. }This could lead to the end of communist rule in Hungary.

38. Sputnik I (1957) The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the technological edge! Creation of NASA NDEA – funding for education in math & science Accelerated arms race Demand for national program to build fallout shelters

39. Progress Through Science UFO Sightings skyrocketed in the 1950s. War of the Worlds Hollywood used aliens as a metaphor for whom ??

40. The 50s Come to a Close 1959  Nixon-Khrushchev “ Kitchen Debate ” Cold War -----> Tensions <----- Technology & Affluence

41. U-2 Spy Incident (1960) Col. Francis Gary Powers ’ plane was shot down over Soviet airspace.

43. Iran Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossadegh overthown with help from CIA –He had nationalized Britain’s Anglo-Iranian Oil Company –Replaced with the Shah of Iran – loyal to U.S. and renegotiated oil contracts so Americans got 40% of Iran’s oil concessions

44. Israel 1948 – Israel fights off attack by Arab neighbors –Drove thousands of Palestinians from their homes –Occupied territory where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had fled –Seized lands far in excess of the terms of the United Nations agreement –Arab states refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist and put in place a boycott –Palestinians in refugee camps

45. The Suez Crisis: 1956-1957

46. Egypt President Nasser looks to U.S. and Britain for economic aid Wanted to build a dam on the Nile for electricity and irrigation Nasser announced plans to nationalize the Suez Canal and turns to Soviet Union for aid Eisenhower refuses to intervene and help return canal to British control French, British, Israeli forces attack Egypt – UN and US call for cease-fire and withdrawal of troops After Soviets threaten to intervene of behalf of Egypt and troops leave

47. Foreign Policy “Hot Spots” 1.1948  O. A. S. [Organization of American States] was created during Truman ’ s administration. 2.1954  CIA covert ops. in Guatemala. 3.1950s  Puerto Rican independence movement. 4.1959  Castro ’ s Communist Revolution in Cuba. 1.1948  O. A. S. [Organization of American States] was created during Truman ’ s administration. 2.1954  CIA covert ops. in Guatemala. 3.1950s  Puerto Rican independence movement. 4.1959  Castro ’ s Communist Revolution in Cuba. Latin America:

48. Guatemala New democracy – attempted land reform & unionization Challenged long-standing dominance of U.S. based United Fruit Company – take over land they were not using to give to landless peasants Company lobbies –Land reform = communism –CIA trains antigovernment dissidents based in Honduras

49. Guatemala U.S. Navy stopped ships bound for Guatemala and seized the cargos U.S. military-sponsored invasion – Air Force bombing support Guatemalan citizen seize United Fruit buildings & appeal to UN Eisenhower denies knowledge of CIA activities – really big “black eye” for U.S. as photos of victims published Decades long civil war ensues

50. Indochina Under French control but wants independence U.S. fears communism –Pours in $2.6 billion to aid French –Vietminh, Ho Chi Minh, defeat the French in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu –Fear domino theory –Geneva Accord – divides country at 17 th parallel – Ho Chi Minh controls north and Ngo Dihn Diem controls south –Diem, former Japanese collaborator, Catholic (90% Buddhist population), corrupt and repressive policies –U.S. & UN refuse to hold elections in 1956 – by 1959 South was facing civil war; guerrilla forces

51. Independent Vietnam U.S. actions 1954-1960 –Covert CIA activity –Support Diem –SEATO – collective security agreement for Southeast Asia – like NATO – U.S., Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines, Pakistan –Vietnam is in civil war when Kennedy takes office

52. Military-Industrial Complex Total influence – “economic, political, even spiritual is felt in every statehouse, every office of the federal government.” “The potential for disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.”

53. Election of 1960 Nixon vs. Kennedy Just over 100,000 votes from 69 million votes cast - margin of victory Importance of African-American vote Importance of television in electoral politics Camelot

54. New Frontier Liberalism “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Funded programs to help rural Appalachia Peace Corps

55. Kennedy & the Cold War As President, Kennedy gave more decision-making power to the White House staff Alliance for Progress – like Marshall Plan for Latin America –Increased agricultural productivity but effected little social change

56. Paris, 1961 Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks that JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be rolled.

57. The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961) Checkpoint Charlie

58. Ich bin ein Berliner! (1963) President Kennedy tells Berliners that the West is with them!

59. Khruschev Embraces Castro, 1961

60. Bay of Pigs Debacle (1961) Showed Castro had the support of the Cuban people

61. Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

63. We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked!

64. The Missile Crisis Kennedy favored peaceful coexistence “hot line” set up between Washington & Moscow Negotiation of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Pledge the U.S. would not invade Cuba

65. Assassination of JFK