America in the 1950s 1953-1960                                               

The Election of 1952 Republican Democrats “I like Ike” Adlai Stevenson Eisenhower runs with Nixon on VP ticket Adlai Stevenson Made out to be soft on Communism by Nixon Promises an end to the Korean War Nixon crisis over political gifts “I like Ike”

Eisenhower in Office Moderate President Economic Policy                                             Economic Policy Smaller Federal Gov’t Limiting Gov’t spending Removed price control and transferred financial authority to the states Budget Surplus

Eisenhower Continued… Nation Expands Social Programs Welfare- extended Social Security and unemployment Federal Highway Act- expanded interstate Increased minimum wage and public housing 1959 Alaska and Hawaii added-50 states Created Dept. of Health, Edu. and Welfare (Hobby)

Eisenhower and the Cold War

US and USSR United States and Soviet Rivalry Foreign Policy -Space Race and Sputnik NASA Foreign Policy - Brinksmanship (Dulles) - Arms Race (IRBM ICBM) - Civil Defense Administration- edu. of nuclear attack

Foreign Policy Challenges Middle East -France And Brit. Invade Egypt Israel helps -Tensions high due to Arab attack on Israel in 1948 - Pressure from US and UN results in F/B/I withdrawal. Agree to UN border patrol - US backs Israel - USSR backs Arab States -Fighting erupts over Suez Canal- Egypt Pres. Nationalizes Canal- Brit. feared would cut off oil supply

Foreign Policy Challenges Cont... Hungary Southeast Asia -Student uprisings result in new gov. that demanded Soviet withdrawal VIETNAM- French colony ※ In 1950’s US gave France $$$to fight Vietminh (Communist leader= Ho Chi Minh) -Soviets call in Red Army and crush revolt ※ France trapped and US refused to send troops

Vietnam Geneva Accords -Negotiated with France and Viet. - Withdrawal of French troops “Temporarily” divided Viet. at 17th parallel - Free elections in 1956 - Vietminh = North - “Friendly” Gov’t in South

Domino Theory “You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly” Eisenhower

Troubles in Latin America Communist Challenges in Latin America + CIA helped overthrow Jacobo Arbenz in Guatamala Result= Protest against “Yankee Imperialism” Erode Good Neighbor policy of 1930’s + Fidel Castro takes control in Cuba (1959)- seizes foreign owned property and est. dictatorship. Ties with USSR- 1961 US cut relations with Cuba.

Eisenhower’s Farewell Address- Warns @ arms race Cold War Thaws Nikita Khrushchev –successor to Stalin U2 Incident - An American U2 spy plane is shot down over Soviet Territory (1960) Pilot is captured Geneva Summit - No agreement but hopes for peace friendly talk - Ends Thaw Peaceful Coexistence Eisenhower’s Farewell Address- Warns @ arms race - Us and USSR try and avoid war

1950s Prosperity-Booming Economy Production increases 250% b/t 1945-60 WHY? 1. Military spending 2. Gov. Spending 3. Technological advances 4. Computers- IBM 129 orders (1955)

A Changing Nation WHY? * Baby Boom-20% pop. increase -Higher Incomes -Nation at Peace - Better Health Care * Medical Advances- Antibiotics and Vaccines (polio-1955)

Impacts -Women Stayed Home -Increased the Economy -School enrollment increased

Growth of the Suburbs Levittown-1st suburban development Suburbs - Affordable Away from the cities - Spacious - Sense of Community - Left out minorities

America on Wheels Car Travel Air Travel -Made Suburban Life Possible - Introduction of the Commercial Jet - Commute

Consumer Culture *Appliances- dishwashers, TV, clothes *Cars- bigger and better *Advertising *Fads- Hula Hoop, poodle skirts, pizza

American Culture TV Rock n’ Roll + Shaped expectations of people’s own lives (Leave it to Beaver, I love Lucy) + Blend of African American, and rhythm and blues with country + Effect on consumer culture, age of conformity + Elvis Presley + Music formed teen identity and bond

Problems During Prosperity Rural Poverty Urban Poverty * 20% of Amer. in poverty (1950s) * Poor left behind with suburban migration * Farm income decreases * African American and Hispanic migration North for jobs * Small farmers driven out * Ghettos develop * Sharecroppers/Tenant farmers (Appalachia) - very poor!

Urban Unemployment - Automation Decreases # of Jobs Discrimination - Crime and Violence Increases MINORITIES

Dissent Social Critics Beat Generation Upset with- Loss of individuality and cultural materialism Social Critics Beat Generation William Whyte Jr.- business life Jack Kerouac- author Allen Ginsberg- author John Kenneth Galbraith- prosperity causes ignorance to hardships * Rebellion and isolation from society (influenced rebellion of 1960s)

Questioning Roles Women African American - Betty Friedan: rebelled against “perfect housewife” - Civil rights - Brown v. Board of Ed. -integration - Little Rock: forced integration - Boycotts

Images Little Rock 9: Central High 1957 Desegregation of the Armed Forces: 1947 Little Rock 9: Central High 1957

Images Continued… Sit-ins

Bus Boycott Black men sitting in “Whites Only” section of the bus