PostWar America How did Americans adjust to the

Post-War America How did Americans adjust to the post-war period?

GI Bill

GI Bill • The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 provided a range of benefits for returning World War II veterans. Benefits included low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business, cash payments of tuition and living expenses to attend college, high school or vocational education, as well as one year of unemployment compensation.

Baby Boom

The Baby Boom • Earlier marriages and rising income fuel increase in birthrate • Large families reinforce domestic focus of women • Lasted from 1946 -1964 – defined a generation • Over 75 million born

The Baby Boom • 78. 2 million Estimated number of baby boomers, as of July 1, 2005. http: //www. census. gov/popest/national/ • 7, 918 Number of people turning 60 each day in 2006, according to projections. That amounts to 330 every hour. http: //www. census. gov/ipc/www/usinterimproj/ • James & Mary The most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively, in 1946. Today, the names Jacob and Emily lead the list; James ranks 17 th among boys and Mary is 63 rd among girls. (Source: Social Security Administration, at <http: //www. ssa. gov/OACT/babynames/index. html>)

The Post-War Economy • Post-War inflation • Jobs initially scarce as economy transforms back to peace time economy • Women forced to return to domestic sphere • Military-Industrial economy helps grow the economy • GI Bill provided a comprehensive social benefit package • Low cost mortgages, creates VA, education

The 1948 Election • Henry Wallace (Progressive) challenged Truman • campaign effectively quashed by red -baiting • The Democrats split again over civil rights when segregationists ran Strom Thurmond for president. • Truman managed to hold on to the New Deal coalition and won re-election.

Challenging “Creeping Socialism” • Fair Deal – Truman’s proposals for national health care, public housing, education, and works projects In 1946, Republicans gained control of Congress and started to undo the New Deal. • Over Truman’s veto, Republicans passed the Taft. Hartley bill that curtailed the power of labor. Taft-Hartley Act (1947) – Law that abolished the closed shop, banned so-called sympathy boycotts, and required that all union officers sign affidavits certifying that they were not members of the Communist Party 9 Visions of America, A History of the United States

Fear of Communist Influence • In climate of Cold War, Americans feared that members of the Communist party would be loyal to the Soviets • Smith Act (1940) - made it a criminal offense to advocate violent overthrow of the government or to organize or be a member of any group or society devoted to such advocacy • Truman established the Federal Employees Loyalty and Security Program • House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) – Congressional committee that investigated possible Communist influence • Targeted Hollywood, fearing movies would spread Communist propaganda • Actors suspected of being Communist were blacklisted • Mc. Carran Act – required the registration of Communist organizations with the United States; investigated persons suspected of engaging in subversive activities or otherwise promoting the establishment of a "totalitarian dictatorship, " fascist or communist. • Famous spy cases: • Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs (the latter were convicted and executed for selling atomic secrets to the Soviets)

Senator Joseph Mc. Carthy Launches “Witch Hunt” • “He may be a Communist…” • Needed a popular issue to help him win 1952 re-election – took advantage of people’s concerns about Communism • Made accusations that there were hundreds of Communists in the State Department – he never produced a single name or any evidence • Techniques became known as Mc. Carthyism • When challenged, he would respond with another accusation • Mc. Carthy’s 1954 downfall: • • Made accusations against U. S. Army, resulting in televised hearings His bullying of witnesses caused Senate to condemn him for improper conduct Became an alcoholic and died three years later Mc. Carthy Interview

Rise of the Middle Class • Per capita consumption rose 50% • Wages increased 1/3 • Unemployment averaged 4. 6% • By 1960, 60% classified as middle class • Capitalism over communism or conspicuous consumption?

The Move to the Suburbs Levittowns – Planned suburban communities where developers standardized every part of the construction process Baby Boom Generation – The 76. 4 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 13 Visions of America, A History of the United States

The Growth of the Suburbs • By 1960, more people lived in suburbs than cities • William J. Levitt applies mass-production techniques • Changing payment structure • Restrictive Covenants • Relied on automobile • Population shifts to “sun belt” (south and west)

Suburbia http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=i 8 St. RAJCork Study Calls L. I. Most Segregated Suburb http: //www. longislandindexmaps. org/

The Organization Man • Conglomerates, multinational corporations • Lifetime employment, lifetime loyalty • Critics claimed it stifled creativity • “When white–collar people get jobs, they sell not only their time and energy but their personalities as well- C. Wright Mills”

A crowded commuter train

Lonely Crowds and Organizational Men • Critics found the suburbs as dull and conformist— obscuring the real class and ethnic differences • David Reisman (The Lonely Crowd, 1950) • Americans had become overly conforming, less individualistic, more peer-oriented • William Whyte (Organization Man, 1956) • culture of conformity • C. Wright Mills • argued that a small, interconnected power elite was emerging

The Automobile • American car ownership triples from 25 mil – 75 mil between 1945 and 1965 • Eisenhower advocates for new interstate highway system • Reroutes traffic away from small towns

The Birth of Television • 7, 000 tv sets in 1947 • By 1960, 87% of homes had a tv • Content emphasized nuclear families, suburbs, middle class and Anglo-Saxon America • Growth of advertising • FCC Commissioner – “TV a vast wasteland” A growing chorus of critics • Intellectual critics bemoaned the great “Middlebrow Culture” that was driving out high culture.

Television: Tube of Plenty • By the late 1950 s, situation comedies featured idealized, white suburban families. • Television also created overnight fads and sensations. • Fess Parker and Disney’s Davy Crocket show capitalized on the power of television, selling $300 million in shirts, dolls, toys and coonskin caps. • Prime-time shows made no references to contemporary political issues and avoided being tainted with communist influence.

Culture Critics • A growing chorus of critics • The Beats articulated some of the sharpest dissents from conformity, celebrating spontaneity, jazz, open sexuality, drug use, and American outcasts. • Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” • The Beats foreshadowed the mass youth rebellion of the 1960 s.

The Beat Poets • Group of writers and poets • Disdained middle class conformity • Glorified spontaneity, sexual adventure, and drug use • Allen Ginsberg poem, “Howl” • Jack Kerouac, “On the Road” – quest for meaningful life away from conformity

Rock and Roll • Part of the larger “youth culture” • Elvis Presley personified the era • Inspired in large part by black rhythm and blues • “American Bandstand” • Rock ‘n’ roll united teenagers and gave them the feeling that it was their music (and misunderstood by adults).

Signs designating “White” and “Colored” rest rooms

An Age of Conformity? • “Keeping up w/ the Jones” Suburbs Cookie-Cutter Houses Baby Boom Automobile Television Business – Organization Man • Mc. Carthyism • • Pre-cursor to the counterculture • • Beat Poets Rock and Roll Growth of Feminism Civil Rights Movement

1950 s Culture: Conformity and Rebellion • Consensus and Conformity • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=i. Rh 5 qy 09 n. Nw • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=c. KT 9 -vz 01 e. U • Television and Mass Culture • http: //youtu. be/ULK_PNa. S 6 d 0 • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Hnb. Nc. Qlz. V-4 • Rock and Roll rebellion • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=tpz. V_0 l 5 ILI • Art and Literature challenge social norms • Salinger, Heller, Kerouac, and Ginsberg • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=t. EUj. Tpy. Bh. Oo