1. Unit 6: The Cold War
This unit will cover the 1950s to the 1990s. We will break up this unit by decades and chapters.
Chapters 18, 19, 21, & 22.

2. Curriculum Standards The Cold War
Analyze the effects of the (second) Red Scare on domestic United States policy.
Describe the rationale for the formation of the United Nations, including the contribution of Mary McLeod Bethune.
1950’s
Examine the causes, course, and consequences of the early years of the Cold War (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, NATO, Warsaw Pact).
Examine the controversy surrounding the proliferation of nuclear technology in the United States and the world.
Examine the causes, course, and consequences of the Korean War.
Analyze significant foreign policy events during the Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations.

3. Start of the Cold War (Chapter 18)

4. How did U.S. leaders respond to the threat of Soviet expansion in Europe?
World War II convinced U.S. leaders that the policies of isolationism and appeasement had been mistakes.
To counter the growing Soviet threat, U.S. leaders sought new ways to keep the United States safe and protect its interests abroad.

5. Despite their alliance during World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union had little in common.
The United States was a capitalist democracy. The American people valued freedom and individual rights.
The Soviet Union was a dictatorship. Stalin and the Communist Party wielded total control over the lives of the Soviet people.

6. These differences were apparent as the Allies made decisions about the future of postwar Europe.
Postwar Goals
U.S. and Britain
U.S.S.R.
Strong, united Germany
Weak, divided Germany
Independence for nations of Eastern Europe
Maintain Soviet control of Eastern Europe

7. Chapter 18, Section 1: The Cold War Begins (Page 590-96)
A – Roots of the Cold War
Question: How did the goals of U.S. and Soviet foreign policy differ after World War II?
B – Meeting the Soviet Challenge
Question: What events caused President Truman to propose what became known as the Truman Doctrine?
C – Containing Soviet Expansion
Question: Why did George Kennan think that containment would work against Soviet Expansion?
D– The Cold War Heats Up
Question: How did the United States and its allies apply the containment policy in Europe?
First, read your section in your group (A-D) & take about 3 to 4 main points (detailed) summarizing your section and answer your focus question (15 mins).
Then, your teams will change (1-4), each member gets a few minutes to explain their section of the text to their new members while the others take notes (15 mins). There will be an exit ticket containing questions from each section of the text.

8. Focus Question Answers:
A. The Soviet Union sought to increase its influence and extend communism. The U.S. wanted to limit communism and rebuild the defeated nations in Europe.
B. The Greek and Turkish governments were trying to keep communists from taking over. Truman wanted the U.S. to send money to support the anticommunist efforts.
C. Kennan did not believe that the Soviets would go so far as to put their own country in danger of war, so if the United States was patient in containing the Soviet expansion, it would win in the end.
D. America supported governments that resisted communism, and it formed NATO, whose goal was to counter Soviet expansion.

9. Individual Exit Ticket – worth 10 formative points:
What year did the Soviet, British, and U.S. leaders meet at Potsdam?
a b. 1948
c d. 1950
2. Who first spoke of the “iron curtain”?
a. George Kennan b. Joseph Stalin
c. Winston Churchill d. Harry Truman
3. One goal of the Marshall Plan was to
a. make Germany pay costs for all the destruction it had caused in Europe.
b. send troops to help European countries fight communism
c. make European countries strong enough to start buying American goods.
4. NATO and the Warsaw Pact were examples of
a. military aggression during the Cold War.
b. failed attempts to make peace.
c. military alliances made for “collective security”.

10. The Big Three alliance crumbled.
When the Big Three met at Yalta in February 1945, Stalin agreed to allow free elections in Eastern Europe, yet free elections were not held.
When the Big Three met again at Potsdam in the spring of 1945, the United States and Britain pressed Stalin to confirm his commitment to free elections; Stalin refused.
The Big Three alliance crumbled.

11. Satellite states and the “Iron curtain.”
Cold War Europe, 1949
Satellite states and the “Iron curtain.”

12. Containing communist expansion became the top priority of the US.
After the Big Three split at Potsdam, the Cold War struggle between the world’s two superpowers began.
Containing communist expansion became the top priority of the US.

13. With the Truman Doctrine, the United States promised to support nations struggling against communist movements.
Greece and Turkey were fighting communist movements. Money was sent to these countries to provide aid to people who needed it.

14. The United States also sent about $13 billion to Western Europe under the Marshall Plan.

15. After the war, Germany was divided into four zones.
Can you remember the name of the conference where this occurred?
Potsdam
East Germany and East Berlin = Soviet Union
West Germany and West Berlin = UK, US, and France

16. West Berlin was controlled by the Allies.
The prosperity and freedoms there stood in stark contrast to the bleak life in communist East Berlin.
Determined to capture West Berlin, Stalin blockaded the city in 1948, cutting off supplies.
In response, the United States and Britain sent aid to West Berlin through a massive airlift.

17. Berlin Airlift
Blockade of Berlin lasted from June 24, 1948 to May 12,1949.
Goal of USSR was to force the western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food and fuel = Soviets wanted control over the entire city.
Western allies flew over 200,000 flights and delivered up to 4700 tons of daily necessities such as fuel and food.
Soviets, embarrassed by success of airlift, removed blockade.
The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) split up Berlin.

18. The Berlin airlift saved West Berlin and underscored the U. S
The Berlin airlift saved West Berlin and underscored the U.S. commitment to contain communism.

19. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) provided the military alliance to counter Soviet Expansion.
In response, the Soviet Union and its allies formed a military alliance—the Warsaw Pact.
The Berlin airlift demonstrated that communism could be contained if Western nations took forceful action.

21. NATO Warsaw Pact Belgium Netherlands Canada Norway Denmark Portugal
France Turkey
Greece United Kingdom
Iceland United States
Italy West Germany
Luxembourg
Albania
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
East Germany
Hungary
Poland
Romania
Soviet Union

22. The Cold War in China and Korea

23. Chapter 18, Section 2: The Korean War (Page 598-603)
A – Communists Gain Control of China
Question: Why were the communists able to win the Chinese Civil War?
B – Americans Fight in Korea (page 599)
Question: How did President Truman react to the North Korean invasion of South Korea?
C – Americans Fight in Korea (page 600 – 602)
Question: Map Skills – Describe the movement of communist troops after November 1950.
D – The Korean War Has Lasting Effects
Question: What were the most important results of U.S. participation in the Korean War?
E – Summary of Section
Question: How did President Truman use the power of the presidency to limit the spread of communism in East Asia?
First, read your section in your group (A-E). Define any key terms in your section, take about 3 to 4 main points (detailed) summarizing your section and answer your focus question (20 mins).
Then, your teams will change (1-5), each member gets a few minutes to explain their section of the text to their new members while the others take notes (20 mins). There will be an exit ticket containing questions from each section of the text. (5 mins)

24. Focus Question Answers:
A. Chinese communists were able to win because they had the support of the majority of the Chinese people?
B. He ordered U.S. troops to South Korea and obtained the support of the United Nations for a counterattack.
C. After November 1950, communist troops advanced south to the 37th parallel, but at the end of the war they had retreated to about the 38th parallel.
D. North Korea remained communist; South Korea remained democratic; the U.S. presidency enlarged its powers to commit troops to war.
E. President Truman committed troops without authorization by Congress, gained support from the United Nations, and fired General MacArthur.

25. Individual Exit Ticket – worth 10 formative points:
What year did Japan invade China?
a b. 1936
c d. 1938
2. What was the dividing line between North and South Korea called?
a. 36th Parallel b. 37th Parallel
c. 38th Parallel d. 39th Parallel
3. What percent of the peninsula does South Korea control (as of 1951)?
a. 13% b. 50%
c. 75% d. 90%
4. Which of the following was NOT a result of the Korean War?
a. U.S. troops can battle without a congressional declaration of war b. increased military spending – half the federal budget (1960)
c. millions of soldiers stationed around the world
d. N/A – all of the following are results of the Korean War

26. Curriculum Standards:
Please write at least eight complete sentences on each of the following topics based on your list of standards for this unit – a total of three paragraphs and twenty-four sentences using your textbook (but in your own words!!!). If you copy directly from the book, you won’t get any credit. This due at the end of the period in the in-box. We will go over them on Friday.
Analyze the effects of the (second) Red Scare on domestic United States policy.
Examine the causes, course, and consequences of the early years of the Cold War (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, NATO, Warsaw Pact).
Examine the causes, course, and consequences of the Korean War.

27. Objectives
Explain how Mao Zedong and the communists gained power in China.
Describe the causes and progress of the war in Korea.
Identify the long-term effects of the Korean War.

28. How did President Truman use the power of the presidency to limit the spread of communism in East Asia?
In the early 1950s, Cold War tensions erupted in East Asia, where communist and noncommunist forces struggled for control of Korea.

29. Before World War II, China had been torn apart by a brutal civil war.
Jiang Jieshi
(Chiang Kai Shek)
Mao Zedong

30. Once the war ended, however, civil war broke out once again, with renewed fury.
During World War II, the two sides formed an uneasy alliance to fight Japan.
The U.S. sent several billion in aid.
Jiang’s government fell.
Nationalist generals were reluctant to fight.
Corruption was rampant.

31. Mao built support by promising food to the starving population
Mao built support by promising food to the starving population. Communist forces soon dominated.
Jiang fled to Taiwan in 1949.
Mao took control of the mainland, renaming it the People’s Republic of China.

32. Mao’s victory deeply shocked Americans.
Communists seemed to be winning everywhere, extending their reach throughout the world.
Communist regimes now controlled:
One fourth of the world’s landmass
One third of the world’s population

33. The next battleground was on the Korean peninsula.
Once controlled by Japan, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel into two countries after World War II.

34. The crisis began in June 1950.
North Korean troops, armed with Soviet equipment, crossed the 38th parallel and attacked South Korea.
Communist forces advanced far into the South, taking over much of the peninsula.

35. Forces from the United States and other UN countries arrived to help their South Korean allies.
They halted their retreat near Pusan.

36. American troops in South Korea were led by World War II hero Douglas MacArthur.
MacArthur devised a bold counterattack designed to drive the invaders from South Korea. 36

37. MacArthur’s plan worked.
In the fall of 1950, a surprise landing at Inchon helped UN forces push the North Koreans to the Chinese border.

39. The situation worsened when China entered the war, sending 300,000 troops across the border into North Korea.
The Chinese attacked U.S. and South Korean positions.
UN troops, badly outnumbered, were forced to retreat.

40. During the winter of 1950 and 1951, communist forces pushed UN troops to the 37th parallel.

41. MacArthur favored invading China to win a total victory.
The United States now faced the possibility of all-out war against the world’s most populous nation.
Truman refused. He favored a limited war to help stabilize South Korea.
MacArthur favored invading China to win a total victory. 41

42. By the spring of 1951, UN forces secured their position near the 38th parallel, and a tense stalemate began.

43. In 1953, the two sides agreed to a cease-fire
In 1953, the two sides agreed to a cease-fire. This agreement remains in effect today.
Military spending increased.
Military commitments increased worldwide.
SEATO contained communism in Asia.
Future Presidents sent the military into combat without Congressional approval.
There was no clear winner in the Korean War, but the conflict had lasting effects in the United States.

44. Global Cold War through 1960
Standard: Examine the controversy surrounding the proliferation of nuclear technology in the United States and the world.

45. Chapter 18, Section 3: The Cold War Expands (Page 604 - 609)
A – The Arms Race Heightens Tensions
Q: Why did the United States government decide to build a hydrogen bomb?
B – Eisenhower Introduces New Policies
Q: How was Eisenhower’s approach to foreign affairs different from that of Truman?
C – The Cold War Goes Global
Q: How did military technology indirectly affect the way of life in American homes? (page 606)
D – Eisenhower Promises Strong Action (Red, page 608)
Q: How did the Hungarian and Suez crisis of 1956 raise Cold War tensions?
E – Summary of Section
Q: What methods did the United States use in its global struggle against the Soviet Union?
First, read your section in your group (A-E). Define any key terms in your section, take about 3 to 4 main points (detailed) summarizing your section and answer your focus question (15 mins).
Then, your teams will change (1-5), each member gets a few minutes to explain their section of the text to their new members while the others take notes (15 mins). There will be an exit ticket containing questions from each section of the text. (5 mins)

46. Focus Question Answers:
A. It would be more powerful than the atomic bomb and might give the United States a nuclear advantage over the Soviet Union.
B. Truman believed in using controversial weapons to stop communist aggression. Eisenhower believed that money should be spent on the nuclear arsenal instead.
C. Military technology spun off new inventions that were useful in households, from microwave ovens to smoke detectors.
D. Americans and their allies were horrified by Soviet brutality toward the Hungarians, and Egypt’s nationalization of the Suez canal and its recognition of communist China provoked fears about losing oil supplies.
E. During the Cold War, the United States agreed with the policy of mutually assured destruction, in which it promised to retaliate fully if attacked by nuclear weapons. It used the policy of brinkmanship to protect allies and discourage communist aggression. Under the Eisenhower Doctrine, the United States agreed to use force to help any nation threatened by communism.

47. Individual Exit Ticket – worth 10 formative points:
The new Hydrogen Bomb (H-Bomb) would be how many times as powerful as an atomic bomb?
a. 10 times b. 100 times
c. 1,000 times d. 10,000 times
2. Compared to 1953, the defense budget in 1955: (due to Ike’s “bigger bang for the buck”)
a. increased b. decreased
c. stayed the same d. stopped
3. President Eisenhower supported France and Britain’s actions to seize control of the Suez Canal.
a. True b. False
4. How did the United States respond to the Soviet Union sending Sputnik I (satellite) into space (1957)?
a. Eisenhower funded a satellite to be spent to space with a dog b. Congress created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
c. Congress responded by creating the Central Intelligence Agency
d. All of the following were responses to Sputnik I

48. Global Cold War through 1960 (18.3)
Standard: Examine the controversy surrounding the proliferation of nuclear technology in the United States and the world.

49. Objectives 18.3
Describe the causes and results of the arms race between the United States and Soviet Union.
Explain how Eisenhower’s response to communism differed from that of Truman.
Analyze worldwide Cold War conflicts that erupted in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and other places.
Discuss the effects of Soviet efforts in space exploration.

50. What methods did the United States use in its global struggle against the Soviet Union?
By 1950, the United States and the Soviet Union were world superpowers.
Tensions ran high as each stockpiled weapons and struggled for influence around the globe.

51. On September 2, 1949, the balance of power between the U. S
On September 2, 1949, the balance of power between the U.S. and the Soviet Union changed forever.
That day, the Soviet Union tested an atomic bomb.
The threat of nuclear war suddenly became very real.

52. In response, Truman ordered scientists to produce a hydrogen bomb—a bomb 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb.
In 1952, the U.S. tested the first
H-bomb.
The next year, the Soviets tested their own H-bomb.
The arms race had begun.

53. In time, the United States and the Soviet Union would build enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other many times over.
Both sides hoped that this program of mutually assured destruction would serve as a deterrent.

54. Nuclear Warhead Proliferation
For many, however, the existence of so many weapons was a further threat to peace.
Nuclear Warhead Proliferation
Year
U.S.
USSR
Britain
France
China
1945 6
1950
369 5
1955
3,057
200 10
1960
20,434
1,605 30
1965
31,642
6,129
310 4 1

55. Americans reacted to the nuclear threat by following civil defense guidelines.
Families built bomb shelters in backyards.
Students practiced “duck and cover” drills at school.

56. Massive Retaliation = If you attack us, we will nuke you.
Instead, he and his secretary of state John Foster Dulles focused on stockpiling nuclear weapons.
Unlike Truman, Eisenhower was not interested in fighting communism by building conventional forces.
They believed that by meeting communist threats with U.S. threats of massive retaliation and brinkmanship they could prevent war.
Massive Retaliation = If you attack us, we will nuke you.
Brinkmanship = an escalation of threats in order to achieve one's aims (even if threat is not completely true)

57. Joseph Stalin died in 1953.
After a brief power struggle, he was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev.
Cold War hostilities eased for a time, with the new leader speaking of “peaceful coexistence.”

58. Nuclear weapons would not be used in the world’s “hot spots.”
Global Cold War, 1946−1956

59. Other methods, however, would be used to help nations threatened by communism.
Eisenhower used the Eisenhower Doctrine to justify sending troops to quell conflicts.
He also approved secret CIA operations to promote American interests abroad.

60. The arms race was now joined by a space race.
While the United States worked to contain communism on the ground, they suffered a serious setback in space.
In 1957, the Soviets launched the Sputnik I satellite into orbit around Earth.
Fearing Soviet dominance of space, Congress approved funding to create NASA.
The arms race was now joined by a space race. 60

61. Please complete page 153 in your workbook.

62. Suez Crisis
Egypt recognized communist China - US pulled its offer to fund the building of a dam on the Nile River.
Egyptian president threatened to nationalize canal, cutting off the flow of oil to Europe.
The canal had been managed by a British–French company. These two nations used this as an excuse to seize control of the canal. 62

63. The Cold War at Home

64. Objectives
Describe the efforts of President Truman and the House of Representatives to fight communism at home.
Explain how domestic spy cases increased fears of communist influence in the U.S. government.
Analyze the rise and fall of Senator Joseph McCarthy and the methods of McCarthyism.

65. How did fear of domestic communism affect American society during the Cold War?
As Cold War tensions mounted, the United States became gripped by a Red Scare.
Many feared that communists were infiltrating the country, attempting to destroy the American way of life.

66. During the Cold War, it seemed to many Americans that communism was spreading everywhere—in Europe, in Asia, even into outer space.
Some suspected that communists were already in the country, plotting revolution.
Red Scare fears led President Truman to take action.
Many feared the United States was next.

67. Fighting Communism at Home
Act
Date
Provisions
Smith Act
1940
Made it unlawful to teach about or advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S. government
Federal Employee Loyalty Program
1947
Allowed the FBI to screen federal employees for signs of disloyalty
Allowed the Attorney General to compile a list of subversive organizations in the United States

68. Congress joined in the search for communists.
The House Un-American Activities Committee held hearings to investigate communist influence in American society, including
The government
The armed forces
Labor unions
Education
Newspapers
The movie industry

69. HUAC hearings were highly charged and widely publicized.
The Hollywood Ten refused to testify and eventually were jailed.
What are Blacklists?

70. As fears of disloyalty rose, Americans became riveted to two spy trials.
Defendants
Year
Charges
Outcome
Alger Hiss
1948
Accused by a former Soviet spy of being a communist agent
Convicted of perjury and jailed
Julius Rosenberg
Ethel Rosenberg
1950
Accused of passing atomic secrets to Soviet agents
Found guilty and executed

71. The Rosenberg case, which focused on atomic secrets, heightened fears of a nuclear disaster.

72. Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that communist agents had infiltrated the highest levels of government.
He claimed to have lists of Americans who were secretly communists and had betrayed their country.

73. He consolidated power by making baseless allegations and opening endless investigations.
Few protested, for fear they would be accused.

74. In 1954, McCarthy claimed that the army, too, was filled with communists.
The Army-McCarthy hearings were televised, and Americans saw McCarthy’s tactics firsthand.

75. The public was horrified to see McCarthy bullying witnesses, making reckless accusations, and twisting the truth.
Today, such irresponsible actions are known as McCarthyism.
By the time the hearings ended, McCarthy had lost much of his support, and he was formally censured by the Senate.

76. McCarthy’s downfall marked the decline of the Red Scare.
How does the US still struggle with balancing the nation’s security with the civil liberties of its citizens?

77. Chapter Summary Section 1: The Cold War Begins
The wartime alliance between the U.S. and Soviet Union crumbled as Stalin expanded communism in Eastern Europe. Truman focused on containment with aid programs including the Marshall Plan. An airlift saved West Berlin, but tensions mounted as new alliances formed.
Section 2: The Korean War
Mao Zedong and the communists gained power in China. North Korea attacked South Korea, setting up a clash between communist and noncommunist powers. Heavy fighting ended in a stalemate. The U.S. increased military spending and global commitments. 77

78. Chapter Summary (continued)
Section 3: The Cold War Expands
The Soviets developed the atomic bomb and the arms race began. Eisenhower stockpiled nuclear weapons, but they were useless during the Hungarian uprising. Troops and the CIA proved effective in other crises. The Soviets launched Sputnik and the U.S. formed NASA.
Section 4: The Cold War at Home
Cold War fears led to suspicions of communist infiltration in the United States. Truman and Congress worked to expose communist sympathizers. Highly charged HUAC hearings and spy trials attracted wide attention. The Red Scare led to the reckless tactics of Joseph McCarthy. 78

79. 1950s Economy

80. Objectives
Describe how the United States made the transformation to a peacetime economy.
Discuss the accomplishments of Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower.
Analyze the 1950s economic boom.

81. How did the nation experience recovery and economic prosperity after World War II?
The GI Bill of Rights and a strong demand for consumer goods – coupled with defense spending on the Korean War and increased foreign demand for U.S. goods – greatly improved the U.S. economy after World War II.
The U.S became the richest country in the world.

82. After World War II, many citizens and economists feared the country would fall into a widespread depression.
Truman started demobilization, and millions of soldiers came home and searched for work.
Contracts to produce military goods were cancelled and millions of defense workers lost their jobs.
An end to rationing and price controls – plus a demand for goods – fueled inflation.

83. The most painful was skyrocketing prices.
The post-war U.S. did not experience unemployment or a renewed depression, but it did have serious economic problems.
The most painful was skyrocketing prices.
Prices rose about 18 percent in 1946, and the prices of some products doubled. 83

84. To help veterans, the federal government enacted the GI Bill of Rights.
Benefit
Results
The bill provided one year of unemployment pay for veterans unable to find work.
The pay helped veterans support themselves and their families.
The bill provided financial aid to attend college.
Eight million veterans entered or returned to college.
The bill entitled veterans to loans for buying homes and starting businesses.
There was an upsurge in home construction, which led to explosive growth in suburban areas. 84

85. Marriage rate drastically increases as soldiers return.85

86. Baby Boom - U.S. Population grows 27 percent from about 130 to about 165 million between 1940 and 1955. 86

87. When wartime restrictions ended, demand for consumer goods soared
When wartime restrictions ended, demand for consumer goods soared. Businesses employed more people to produce goods.
This created a cycle in which people bought new goods, leading business to hire more workers, who in turn bought more goods.
During the next two decades, the U.S. became the richest country in the world. 87

88. During the postwar period, the U. S
During the postwar period, the U.S. economy also benefitted from technological advances, such as atomic power, computers, and plastics.
Worker productivity continued to improve, largely because of new technology.
The economy also got a boost from federal defense spending for the Korean War and from foreign demand for U.S. goods caused by the Marshall Plan. 88

89. Between 1945 and 1960, the nation’s gross national product (GNP) more than doubled.

90. The U.S. faced inflation and labor unrest at home.
Despite the economic growth, the U.S. faced challenges during after World War II. President Harry Truman faced the following issues.
The Cold War was beginning and there were communist takeovers in Europe and Asia.
The U.S. faced inflation and labor unrest at home. 90

91. Employers refused to meet labor’s demands.
Trade unionists demanded pay increases to keep up with inflation.
Millions of steel, coal, railroad, and automotive workers went on strike, prompting Congress to enact the Taft-Hartley Act over Truman’s veto.

92. Truman also established a special committee on civil rights to investigate race relations.
The committee made several recommendations for reforms, but Congress rejected them all.
Truman desegregated the military, which did not need Congressional approval. 92

93. By spring 1948, Truman’s standing had sunk so low that few thought he could win election that fall.
However, Truman managed the political upset of the century, beating three other candidates, two of them from new political parties.

94. But Congress rejected most of Truman’s Fair Deal proposals.
Shortly after the election, Truman announced a far-ranging legislative program he called the Fair Deal.
The Fair Deal was meant to strengthen existing New Deal reforms and establish new programs, such as national health insurance.
But Congress rejected most of Truman’s Fair Deal proposals. 94

95. Legislative failure and a stalled war in Korea contributed to Truman’s loss of popularity, and he did not seek reelection in 1952.
Popular, charming Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower won the presidency that year, beating Democrat Adlai Stevenson.
The public believed that Eisenhower would walk the line between liberal and conservative political positions, and he did not disappoint. 95

96. Eisenhower created an interstate highway system and spent more money on education.
The strong U.S economy went a long way toward making his presidency one of the most prosperous, peaceful, and politically tranquil in the 20th century. 96

97. 1950s Society

98. Objectives
Examine the rise of the suburbs and the growth of the Sunbelt.
Describe changes in the U.S. economy and education in the postwar period.

99. What social and economic factors changed American life during the 1950s?
After World War II, many Americans migrated to the Sunbelt states and to newly built suburbs.
White-collar jobs began to replace blue-collar jobs in the U.S. economy, more women joined the workforce, and franchise businesses and multinational corporations were on the rise.

100. Between 1940 and 1960, 40 million Americans moved to the suburbs, one of the largest mass migrations in history.
Because few houses were built during the war, the United States had a severe shortage of urban housing.
Newly married veterans who needed housing looked to the suburbs.

101. Rural regions and older industrial cities suffered dramatic declines in population.

102. At this time of peak demand, developers began to quickly build affordable housing.
William Levitt built three Levittowns—in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—which became blueprints for other suburbs soon springing up across the country.

103. New home buyers received low-interest home loans courtesy of the GI Bill of Rights and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).
As populations increased, suburbs became self-contained communities with shops, schools, and police departments.
Some suburbanites used public transportation, but many needed cars to commute to work and to shop at suburban shopping malls.
103

104. The number of registered automobiles jumped from 26 million in 1945 to 60 million in 1960.

105. To support the growing “car culture,” in 1953 President Eisenhower authorized funding to build the interstate highway system.
In 1956, Congress passed the Interstate Highway Act, the biggest expenditure on public works in history.
Fast-food restaurants, drive-in movie theaters, and the travel and vacation industries all benefited from the new roads.
105

106. Another crucial trend of the postwar era was the growth of the Sunbelt.
Factors that drew people to the Sunbelt included its warm, appealing climate and new jobs in the defense, aerospace, electronics, and petrochemical industries.
Migration Patterns 1950–2010

107. As Americans moved to the suburbs and the Sunbelt, these areas
gained political power with increased congressional representation
faced more environmental concerns such as air pollution and water shortages
107

108. Population shifts were accompanied by equally ground-breaking structural changes in the American economy.
For the first time in American history, more people found employment in the service sector than in the manufacturing sector.

109. The information industries often used computers.
The new white-collar workforce included many who worked in information industries.
The information industries often used computers.
By the 1960s, the government and private industry had found many uses for the computer.
109

110. Other Changes in the Economy
Women in the Workforce
The number of women in the workforce doubled between 1940 and 1960.
Many worked part-time and were underpaid, but their jobs helped keep their families in the middle class.
The Decline of Family Farms and the Rise of Technology
Both the number and percentage of Americans who made a living farming continued to decline.
At the same time, improvements in technology made farming more productive with fewer workers.

111. Multinational corporations expanded.
The postwar period saw changes in types of businesses and in the labor movement.
Franchise businesses were attractive to consumers craving quality and consistency.
Multinational corporations expanded.
Although many new white-collar workers did not join unions and labor’s image was tarnished by a corruption scandal, the AFL-CIO still had a great deal of political clout.
111

112. After the war, more people were able to complete high school and attend college. A more educated workforce boosted productivity.
Local and state governments provided most of the funding for education.
But after the Soviets launched Sputnik 1 in 1957, Congress approved the $1 billion National Defense Education Act, aimed at producing more scientists and science teachers.
112

113. Education is “Democratized”
Accessibility
More states built or expanded their college systems.
Many states gave funds to make it easier for ordinary Americans to attend college, using the California Master Plan as a model.
The End of Segregation in Schools
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that segregated schools were unconstitutional.
However, it would be years before many schools were integrated.
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114. 1950s Culture and Family Life

115. Objectives Explain why consumer spending increased.
Discuss postwar changes in family life.
Describe the rise of new forms of mass culture.

116. How did popular culture and family life change during the 1950s?
During the 1950s, the ideal family consisted of a “breadwinning” father and a mother who stayed home to raise children.
The growing influence of television and radio helped reinforce this view and shaped the culture in other ways.

117. Companies introduced credit cards and encouraged buying on credit.
As the U.S. economy began to boom in the postwar era, Americans were caught up in a wave of consumerism.
During the 1950s, median family income rose, so Americans had more money to spend.
Companies introduced credit cards and encouraged buying on credit.
Supermarkets and shopping centers sprouted, and shopping became a new pastime.
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118. Home appliances topped the list of the goods that Americans bought.
Washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, and stoves transformed housework by lessening its physical demands.
Americans bought televisions in record numbers, and by the end of the 1950s, 90 percent of all U.S. households owned one.
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119. Family life was emphasized in the 1950s.
During World War II, many women— including married women with children— had worked in factories.
But when the war ended, most women returned to being homemakers, which is what society expected of them at that time.
Women who wanted a career outside the home faced social pressure to rethink their decision.

120. Society stressed the importance of the nuclear family.
Magazines, TV shows, and movies reinforced the image of the “ideal” American homemaker.

121. But as the 1950s progressed, more women were willing to challenge the view that women should not have careers outside the home.
By 1960, women held one third of the nation’s jobs, and half of these women workers were married.
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122. More so than in the past, family life revolved around children.
The best-selling book of the era was Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, which stressed nurturing.
Parents spent a great deal of money on clothes, toys, and other items for their children.
Baby-boomer teens had an even greater impact on the economy.
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123. By 1960, the widespread distribution of Dr
By 1960, the widespread distribution of Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine had nearly eliminated the disease.
These medical advances, plus a better diet, increased children’s life expectancy.
At the same time, antibiotics came into wide use, helping to control numerous infectious diseases.
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124. The 1950s also saw a revival of religion in the United States.
Religious Groups and Churches
Organized religious groups became more powerful, more churches were built, and evangelists attracted large live and TV audiences.
Regular church attendance rose.
Acts of Congress
Congress added “In God We Trust” to the dollar bill and “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance to underscore the contrast between America and atheist communist societies.
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125. Sales of televisions skyrocketed during the 1950s.
Children’s shows had huge followings, and baby boomers became the first generation to grow up watching TV.
Sitcoms, which reflected 1950s ideals, told the stories of happy families with few real-life problems.
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126. Television, along with radio and movies, helped shape a mass national culture.
Because Americans were exposed to the same shows and advertisements, the media helped erode distinct regional and ethnic cultures.
Starting with the presidential campaign, television changed political campaigns by allowing citizens to see the candidates in action.
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127. He planted the seed for a cultural revolution.
In 1951, a white disc jockey named Alan Freed began broadcasting what had been called “race music” to his Midwestern listeners.
Freed renamed the music rock-and-roll.
He planted the seed for a cultural revolution.
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128. Rock music originated in the rhythm and blues music traditions of African Americans.
Whites did not hear many live performances of rhythm and blues because of Jim Crow laws in the South and subtle segregation in the North.
Through the radio, the music attracted a wider audience in the postwar era.
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129. In the early 1950s, Sam Phillips set up a recording studio in Memphis to record African American blues performers.
Phillips signed Elvis Presley, who became the first rock-and-roll idol, sold millions of records, and set off the new rock craze.

130. Congress held hearings on the subversive nature of rock music.
Although rock-and-roll came to symbolize youth culture, not everyone liked the music.
Elvis Presley’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show shocked many adults.
Ministers complained about the passions rock music seemed to unleash among teens.
Congress held hearings on the subversive nature of rock music.
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131. 1950s Social Issues

132. Objectives
Summarize the arguments made by critics who rejected the culture of the fifties.
Describe the causes and effects of urban and rural poverty.
Explain the problems that many minority group members faced in the postwar era.

133. Why were some groups of Americans dissatisfied with conditions in postwar America?
Poverty and discrimination plagued some Americans, while others criticized the conformity of middle-class life.
The discontents of the 1950s would manifest the first signs of the dissent that would dominate the 1960s.

134. They also criticized the power of advertising to mold public tastes.
Some Americans believed that while material conditions were better in the 1950s, the quality of life had not improved.
Many social critics complained about the emphasis on conformity in 1950s America.
They also criticized the power of advertising to mold public tastes.
The theme of alienation dominated a number of popular books of the era.
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135. Important Books of the Postwar Era
Title
Author(s)
Subject
The Lonely Crowd
David Riesman and Nathan Glazer
Americans’ sacrifice of individuality
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
Sloan Wilson
a World War II veteran who could not find meaning in life
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
the phoniness of adult life
The Feminine Mystique
Betty Friedan
the plight of the 1950s suburban housewife
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136. Many Americans were outraged by their behavior.
The beatniks, or beats, insisted that conformity stifled individualism.
The beats lambasted what they saw as the crass materialism and conformity of the American middle class.
Important beat literature included Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” and Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road.
Many Americans were outraged by their behavior.
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137. Beyond the suburbs was a very different America.
It was a nation of urban slums, desperate rural poverty, and discrimination.
People who were poor and dispossessed were well hidden.

138. In the influential 1962 book The Other America, Michael Harrington shocked many Americans by claiming that 50 million Americans—one fourth of the nation—lived in poverty.
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139. Population shifts affected the standard of living in many cities.
In the postwar years, many African Americans and other minorities moved to the cities in search of jobs.
At the same time, many middle-class white families left the cities for the thriving suburbs.
Population shifts affected the standard of living in many cities.
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140. The loss of the middle class hurt cities economically and politically.
The middle class paid a large share of the taxes, so without them, cities were poorer.
When much of the middle class moved to the suburbs, they took their congressional representatives with them.
City services declined with the loss of economic and political power.
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141. As conditions worsened and crime increased in what was now called the inner city, more of the middle class moved to the suburbs.
Government leaders tried to revitalize American cities by developing urban renewal projects.
But urban renewal drove people from their homes to make room for the new projects and highways.
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142. The federal government tried to ease the housing shortage by building public housing.
At first, public housing residents were happy with their new homes.
But in time, such projects led to an even greater concentration of poverty, which led to other problems, such as crime.

143. Many rural people also lived in poverty.
The economic situation of Mississippi Delta sharecroppers, Appalachian coal miners, and farmers in remote areas got worse as time passed.

144. A major transformation in farming was taking place, as corporations and large-farm owners came to dominate farm production.
Small-farm owners found it hard to compete, and they slipped into poverty.
Many farmers left rural areas and moved to the cities, while others stayed behind, hoping for economic improvement.
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145. African Americans and other minorities faced housing and employment discrimination in the urban north and west.
Puerto Rican migrants to New York City were grouped in inner city neighborhoods where discrimination limited their job opportunities.
Because English was not their native language, they had little political power and received little help from city governments.
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146. By 1964, 3 million Mexicans had worked in the United States under the bracero program, most of them as farm laborers.
Many were exploited and cheated by their employers, but they did not complain because they feared deportation.
One champion of the rights of Mexican migrant workers, Ernesto Galarza, joined the effort to organize unions for Mexican farm laborers.
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147. In 1953, the federal government enacted the termination policy, which sought to end Native American tribal government.
The policy sought to relocate Native Americans to cities and ended federal responsibility for them.
Proponents of the policy argued that it would free Native Americans to assimilate into U.S. society, but in reality, it made conditions worse for them.
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148. Chapter Summary Section 1: An Economic Boom
The economy boomed as soldiers returned from the war, married, and started families. The GI Bill helped millions with home loans and education. Truman faced labor difficulties and addressed discrimination. Eisenhower presided over a time of prosperity.
Section 2: A Society on the Move
Americans moved to the suburbs. A “car culture” developed, leading to funding for the interstate highway system. The Sunbelt offered new jobs as the economy shifted focus to the service sector. Educational opportunities expanded, making college more accessible.

149. Chapter Summary (continued)
Section 3: Mass Culture and Family Life
Consumer spending soared as incomes rose and businesses offered payment plans and credit cards. A more traditional view of family life took hold. Television and rock-and-roll shaped the emerging national culture.
Section 4: Dissent and Discontent
Social critics rejected the conformity of middle-class suburban society. Cities declined as middle-class families moved to the suburbs, taking tax dollars and political clout with them. Urban and rural poverty threatened many. Minorities faced discrimination in housing and employment.
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