The 1950s

“I like Ike” Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) won the presidential election in President until WWII general, very popular Wanted smaller federal government, back away from the New Deal Hard worker, mixed political record

Eisenhower's Domestic Policies – Dynamic Conservatism Eisenhower named his politics Dynamic Conservatism (different from the laissez-faire conservatism of the early 20 th century)  Reduce size of the federal government  Balance the budget  Cut taxes & spending  Became standard Republican platform

The Reality of Dynamic Conservatism Reduce the size of the federal government Balance the Budget Cut taxes and spending Federal government increased in size Budget was not balanced Taxes decreased, but spending increased

Highway Act of 1956 Established a modern highway system 40,000 miles of highway Funded by gas tax Most expensive and largest public works program in US history Importance?

Rise of the CIA CIA established in Came out of the WWII Office of Strategic Services Collects information on foreign nations, companies, and people to advise the federal government Became a key tool in fighting/containing Communism Why?

CIA Involvement in the 1950s Allen Dulles head of CIA Overthrew Mossadegh in Iran (readings) Overthrew Guzman in Guatemala with Dictator Armas Sent operatives into Vietnam in 1956 Eisenhower proposes the “Domino Theory”

Russian Tensions, again In the early 1950s it seemed that tensions would calm Stalin died, Khrushchev became Soviet Premier Civil War in Hungary and riots in Poland America sent no aid, but tensions remained high

Sputnik October 4, 1957 the USSR launched Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite Then in November Sputnik II which had a dog (Laika) inside American disbelief and confidence The Soviet displays made it seem as if the USSR was ahead in education and in military might “Military-Industrial Complex Speech,”

Nixon, Khrushchev, & U-2 VP Richard Nixon visited the Soviet Union in 1959 & Khrushchev visited the US a few weeks later Summit to discuss nuclear disarmament and Berlin Gary Powers & the U-2 Incident

1950s Culture and Society

The Birth of Couch Potatoes? The Rise of Television There were a grand total of 17 TV's in the US after WWII. By 1960 nearly 50 million households had at least one TV TV production became big business- I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, The Honeymooners, Ed Sullivan Average person watched 5 hours of TV a day

Affluence and Youth Rebellion As the country gained wealth, teenagers had more money. Needed something distinctly “teenager” to sell. The “birth” of Rock 'n' Roll

Elvis and Chuck Berry

Beatniks The Beat movement was a reaction to mainstream extravagance, standards, and customs Mainly literary movement but also represented a lifestyle Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg

The 1960 Election Nixon (Rep.) v. John F. Kennedy (Dem.) One of the closest elections in US history Kennedy wins Sputnik & TV audiences

What do they have in common?

1950s in Review Certainly a time of growth and affluence in the US Tensions in the Cold War increased, however. Korea and the beginnings of America's involvement in Vietnam Anti-Communism in the US. McCarthy, HUAC Mass communication and cultural explosion, particularly with the youth of America Civil Rights Movement really takes shape