POSTWAR AMERICA CHAPTER 27, SECTION 1

REPOPULATING AMERICAN SOCIETY REPOPULATING AMERICAN SOCIETY Summer, 1946: Summer, 1946: –U.S. Armed Forces are “demobilized” –10 Million military personnel released What are the pros & cons? What are the pros & cons? –Pros? Larger Workforce Larger Workforce More “CONSUMERS” for American products More “CONSUMERS” for American products U.S. economy can “expand” (explain) U.S. economy can “expand” (explain) –Cons? How will the nation integrate these people into daily life, the workforce, etc.? How will the nation integrate these people into daily life, the workforce, etc.? Where will they live? Where will they live?

NEW PROBLEMS NEW PROBLEMS 1945: WW II ENDS: U.S. Gov’t. cancels $35 Billion in war contracts –R–R–R–Result? 1945: 1 million defense workers unemployed Unemployment increases: Veterans & workers have nowhere to go immediately 1946: 3 million unemployed (height of postwar unemployment) Failing Marriages: –T–T–T–Traditional gender roles challenged by war –M–M–M–Men & women find new roles during / after war –E–E–E–Example? WW II: 6 mil. women enter workforce –N–N–N–New economic power for women ; causes more male-female tension –1–1–1–1950: 1 million marriages divorced

DEALING WITH PROBLEMS DEALING WITH PROBLEMS Problem #1: Bringing veterans back into the society. Problem #1: Bringing veterans back into the society. –What do they need? Need to be familiarized w/societal changes Need to be familiarized w/societal changes Need to be given new skills so they can find jobs Need to be given new skills so they can find jobs Need $ to start new lives Need $ to start new lives –Answer? Gov’t. anticipated this potential problem Gov’t. anticipated this potential problem Result? Result? –1944: G.I. BILL OF RIGHTS: See p. 796 How does this help? How does this help?

NEW PROBLEMS (Cont’d.) NEW PROBLEMS (Cont’d.) Civil Rights: Define Civil Rights: Define –Why? Large #s of African-American war veterans Large #s of African-American war veterans Greater demand for equal rights Greater demand for equal rights –What part of the U.S. will resist this demand most strenuously? Why? Why?

DEALING WITH PROBLEMS PROBLEM #2: Where will former vets. (& families) live? PROBLEM #2: Where will former vets. (& families) live? –Solution? Affordable housing Affordable housing –Where? Birth of “SUBURBS” (define) Birth of “SUBURBS” (define) 1 st One: LEVITTOWN, NEW YORK 1 st One: LEVITTOWN, NEW YORK Describe: See p. 797 Describe: See p. 797 Advantage? Advantage?

AERIAL VIEW, LEVITTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA AERIAL VIEW, LEVITTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

LEVITTOWN HOME CONSTRUCTION CREW LEVITTOWN HOME CONSTRUCTION CREW

BASIC HOME FLOOR PLAN, LEVITTOWN

LEVITTOWN, NEW YORK LEVITTOWN, NEW YORK

WILLIAM LEVITT, 1948

WILLIAM LEVITT, TIME MAGAZINE, JULY 3, 1950

SUBURBAN GROWTH: WHAT ARE THE PROS & THE CONS?

PROBLEMS (Cont’d.) PROBLEMS (Cont’d.) PROBLEM #3: HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM #3: HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT –Prediction: Economy would continue to deteriorate –Reality: Not true ; Why not? Americans had learned how to save $ since Depression hit. Americans had learned how to save $ since Depression hit. 1940s: $135 billion in savings, war bonds, etc. 1940s: $135 billion in savings, war bonds, etc. So… More Americans had more $ to spend So… More Americans had more $ to spend –Result? Demand for “Consumer” goods increases Demand for “Consumer” goods increases –“Consumer” Goods: Household appliances Household appliances Cars Cars Etc. Etc. –MARSHALL PLAN helps create new trading partners for U.S. Economy –U.S. Economy / businesses recover & expand

PROBLEMS (Cont’d.) PROBLEMS (Cont’d.) PROBLEM #4: Civil Rights PROBLEM #4: Civil Rights –Solution? 1946: Truman forms Committee on Civil Rights 1946: Truman forms Committee on Civil Rights 1947: Committee recommends widespread legal changes in U.S. laws to ensure civil rights 1947: Committee recommends widespread legal changes in U.S. laws to ensure civil rights 1948: Truman orders racial integration of all U.S. Armed Forces 1948: Truman orders racial integration of all U.S. Armed Forces

1948 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 1948 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Who? Who? –Democrats: Truman –Republicans: Thomas E. Dewey (NY) Problems? Problems? –Yes: Why? –Many Southern Democrats are upset w/Truman –Why? Truman’s interest in Civil Rights So What? So What? –“Dixiecrats” form State’s Rights Progressive Party –Nominate Gov. Strom Thurmond (SC) Result? Result? –Truman wins anyway Effect? Effect? –The U.S. may be more ready for changes than many thought

Senator Strom Thurmond, South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, South Carolina

SENATOR STROM THURMOND SENATOR STROM THURMOND

SENATOR STROM THURMOND, S.C. DIXIECRAT PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, 1948

1948 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS 1948 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS

EISENHOWER BECOMES PRESIDENT EISENHOWER BECOMES PRESIDENT When? –1–1–1–1952 –R–R–R–Republicans now take power Why? –D–D–D–Democrats had a low approval rating in 1952 –D–D–D–Dissatisfaction w/Korean War –P–P–P–People don’t think Democrats are hard enough on Communists Other issues? –2–2–2–2nd Red Scare: McCarthyism –G–G–G–Growing power of Federal government So What? –E–E–E–Eisenhower promises more stability –E–E–E–Eisenhower has credibility (war record, leadership) –P–P–P–People trust / like Eisenhower Result? –E–E–E–Eisenhower wins 55% of vote

1952 ELECTION RESULTS

DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER, 34 TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES 1954: Brown v. Board of Education 1954: Brown v. Board of Education –Where? Topeka, Kansas –Why? Integration of public schools –Result? Sup. Court orders integration 1957: Little Rock Incident 1957: Little Rock Incident –Where? Little Rock, Arkansas –Why? Resistance to integrating 9 African- Amer. Students into Little Rock Central H.S. –Result? Ike uses U.S. Army troops to integrate Little Rock Central H.S. Little Rock Central H.S.