Post War America Domestic Events 1945 1963 Not

Post War America Domestic Events 1945 – 1963 (Not including Civil Rights)

Harry Truman and the Fair Deal

After the War: Will Depression Return? Demobilization: 15 million soldiers p G. I. Bill (Serviceman’s Readjustment Act): education paid for, loans for homes and businesses p Pent-up demand for consumer goods p Baby-boom generation: 1945 -1960 p Growth of suburbia: Levittown p Move to the “Sunbelt” – Florida to Cali p

THE “BABY BOOM” BIRTHS IN THE UNITED STATES y Bab ers m Boo

The Baby Boom created a need for Services, such as Schools

Harry Truman and the Fair Deal (1946 – 1952)

Economic Policies p Debate over inflation: Truman: keep price controls; Congress: relax them. n p Result 25% inflation Workers & unions want better wages Strikes, threat to order. n Truman seized the mines until United Mine Workers call off strike; steel: “ draft them” (Congress: “no”) 1946: Congress elections: Republican victory: cut taxes, reduce spending, ignore Truman’s call for social programs n

Economic Policies (cont. ) p Employment Act of 1946 (cont. New Deal tradition): n n Wanted: nat’l health plan, increase min. wage, plan for full employment All he gets is: Council of Economic Advisors to advise Pres. & Congress 22 nd Amendment (1951): two terms p Taft Hartley Act: curb labor’s power p n n Over Truman’s veto No closed shop, no secondary boycotts, 80 cooling off period before strike (if dangerous to safety), take oath

Truman attempts to help A-A p 1948 n n n End discrimination in Fed Gov’t Desegregate military Wants Fair Employment Practices Commission – S. Dems block

Truman Losing Support in ‘ 48 p Losing support of: n n n Liberal Dems – too aggressive in foreign policy = Progressives Southern Dems – Dixiecrats led by Strom Thurmond Rep– Thomas Dewey (Gov. NY) should win easily

Truman’s Fair Deal Congress approved the following measures: üAn increase in the minimum wage from 40 cents an hour to 75 cents üAn extension of Social Security benefits to 10 million people not covered under the original law üFederal funds for the construction of low-income housing and slum clearance üIncreased federal funds for flood control, irrigation projects and electric-power projects

Truman’s Fair Deal (Con’t. ) Congress rejected these measures: q. A national health insurance plan q. Federal aid to education q. A law protecting the civil rights of African-Americans 1) Abolish the Poll tax 2) Punish those guilty of lynching African. Americans

1952 Election Republicans: Eisenhower (“I like Ike”), R. Nixon as VP (fame: Alger Hiss case) p Democrats: Adlai Stevenson p Eisenhower pledged to go to Korea & end war p

Eisenhower’s Presidency p p p Style: delegate, trust Fiscal conservative: balance budget, curb spending Also: practical: Expand New Deal programs: min. wage, public housing, expand Soc. Sec. Opposed federal aid to education & federal health care “Balanced” approach: modern Republicanism

1956 Highway Act p p 42, 000 miles of roads, link all major cities Created jobs, helped trucking industry, expand suburbs, common culture Integrated roads for movement of troops & tanks Hurt railroads, public transportation and environment

Popular Culture TV: 1961: 55 million t. v. ’s, 3 networks: comedies, westerns, quiz shows p Advertising: promote name brands, franchises (Mc. Donald’s) p Expansion of corporate America: teamwork, conformity, conservative p Women: home & family, homemaking was the job (best-seller: “Baby & Child Care”) p Beatniks: writers & intellectuals (Jack Kerouac: “On the Road”): be different, be a rebel p

John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35 th President p 1961 – 1963 p n Camelot 1 st Catholic p “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” p Assassinated in office p

Kennedy Nixon Debates

New Frontier Continues in FDR’s shoes p Aid to: p n n p Schools, preservation, mass transit Medical insurance for elderly - SS Federal government should be active, strong and visible in people’s life

JFK’S “NEW FRONTIER” p. U. S. space program: n. Man p. Peace on moon by 1969 Corps: n America’s “good will ambassadors”

Assassination Kennedy Assassination p You. Tube - Lee Harvey Oswald Assassination p