1. Chapter 19 Section 1 Notes The U.S. after WWII (1945 – 1960)

2. The end of WWII – Expectations of Soldiers
Within 1 year of the war ending, 10 million people released from the military.
Return home and want
Jobs
Family (wife/kids)
Nice things
Home
Modern conveniences
Normal Life

3. The U.S. Economy after WWII
needs to adjust from making war related stuff to consumer stuff
Initial problems include
High unemployment
All returning soldiers want jobs
3 million war industry workers laid off by 1946.
Takes awhile for all to find new jobs
High prices for consumer products (inflation)
Due to High demand and low supply
More people in workforce = lower pay for employees

4. Postwar Strikes 4.5 Million Workers total strike in 1946
Railroads, Coal Factories, Steel Mills
Begins to negatively affect economy
President Truman responds
Threatens to draft strikers into the military
Would then force them to do their jobs
Workers return – Strikes end
Congress passes Taft – Hartley Act (1947)
Weakens power of unions
Truman vetoed it… Congress overrode it

5. Postwar Economic Recovery by 1950
Many Reasons
GI Bill of Rights
U.S. Citizens cashing in War Bonds
U.S. Gov. Defense Spending (Cold War)
U.S. Spending to help Rebuild Europe and Japan
Creation of Suburbs (lots of jobs)
People wanting modern conveniences
Appliances, Automobiles
Unemployment
Rate in the U.S.

6. G.I. Bill of Rights Intended to help returning soldiers
Veterans get 3 major benefits
most of tuition paid for by the govt.
1 year worth of unemployment benefits
low interest loans for houses or starting businesses
A version is still in effect today

7. Cashing in War Bonds
Roughly $180 Billion was collected by U.S. Gov during WWII
Different amounts, Different redemption dates, etc…
People start cashing them in late 1940’s
Gives people $$$ to spend and improves economy
This
Bond
Was
Bought
For
$18.75
And
Would Be
Cashed
10 years
Later for
Its Full
Value

8. U.S. Spending to help in Europe & Asia, Plus Military $$$
Covered Last Chapter (CONTAINMENT!!!)
Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, China, Korea, Nuclear Build Up
Create a whole bunch of jobs here
Nuclear Stockpiles

9. Creation of Suburbs Housing shortage in cities after WWII
not enough room for growing families
GI Bill meant families could get loans
Solution = Build around them
SUBURBS
houses were inexpensive
Between $5,000 & $10,000
Mortgages of less than $100 a month!
Built really fast
Assembly line methods used
New house finished every 16 minutes
all looked the same
William Levitt and Levittown
1st major developer of suburban houses
Community Copied all around the U.S.
Helped the economy by creating all kinds of jobs!
Construction, Public Utilities, Road Building, Lumber, Steel, Automobiles, Banking, Home Finance, Businesses around new Neighborhoods, etc….

11. Family Life after WWII
Men expect to still be “heads of household” and “provider”
Typically got jobs back after war
Women became used to making decisions for households during WWII
most leave their jobs and be “homemakers”
Result = A spike in the divorce rate due to
arguments
quick marriages before or after the war.

12. U.S. President after WWII - Truman
His best quality = Making difficult decisions “The buck stops here”
1. Should U.S. drop atomic bombs on Japan?
2. How should U.S. deal with rising threat of communism?
3. How can the American economy continue to be strong after WWII?
We discussed all these already
Many of these decisions made him unpopular

13. Truman on Civil Rights
1st President to actively promote equality for African Americans
was limited by Congress on many issues
unpopular position to take at the time
Two major Executive Orders (went around Congress)
Fully integrated the armed forces (1948)
Ended discriminatory hiring practices in the National Govt
One Major Social Change
Jackie Robinson becomes 1st African – American MLB player (1947)
All blacks were in a separate league up to that point

15. 1948 Election Democrats have 3 Major Candidates 1. Strom Thurmond
Supported by Southerners known as Dixiecrats
Extremely Conservative – less Fed. Govt.
Involvement in people’s lives
Opposed to Civil Rights and Integration
Was a U.S. Senator for
South Carolina for 48 yrs
Was 100 yrs old when
He left office (oldest ever)

16. 2. Henry Wallace Supported by some Northerners
Extremely Liberal – More Nat. Govt. Programs, No War… Ever!
For full civil rights and equality for women (even more than Truman)

17. 3. Harry Truman Incumbent (already in office)
wasn’t elected 1st time (took over for FDR after his death)
Middle of the Road on issues
Supported by the military
Unpopular nationwide by 1948 (economy, China, Civil Rights)
Wins a tough 3 way battle to get Dem. Nomination

18. Republicans nominate Thomas Dewey
Popular Governor of NY
Everyone expects him to win election with division in Dem. Party
Didn’t campaign much – figured he didn’t need to

19. Dewey Defeats Truman – or does he?
Truman wins in an upset
Very close election
Campaigned hard at the end
Changed people’s minds
Look at slide 12

21. Truman’s Plan for U.S. = Fair Deal
Tries to associate himself with FDR
Wants health insurance for all Americans
Congress mostly Republican – does not agree (Obamacare now)
Some accomplishments
Almost doubles minimum wage (75 cents an hr. in 1949)
Provides $ for low income housing projects in cities
Extends Social Security to more people
Doubling The Minimum Wage May Seem Insane
But It Happened In 1949
President Harry Truman signs legislation raising the minimum wage from 40 to 75 cents, Oct. 26, (AP Photo)

22. Truman’s Popularity Tumbles during 2nd term
Major Reasons
China becomes Communist
Korean War
McCarthyism in U.S.
Cold War fears
23% popularity by 1952
Doesn’t run for another term

23. 1952 Election Democrat Candidate Adlai Stevenson Smart guy
many people couldn’t relate
What he had going for him?
Dems. had been in power
for 20 years
Tried to show the progress
made since then

24. Republican Candidate Dwight Eisenhower (“Ike”) WWII Hero
No prior political career
Good use of TV to campaign
VP running mate
Richard Nixon
Avoided campaign finance
scandal by successfully using
TV to explain accusations
Checkers speech

25. 1952 Election Results = Ike Wins Easy
People want a change 

26. Eisenhower’s Presidency (1952 – 1960)
very middle of the road…. Avoided controversy if possible
relied on polls to determine course of action on issues
was well liked… mainly because of his “war hero” status
Stayed popular throughout his presidency
Good Economy, Wars are over, Brinkmanship reduced, people felt safer
Supported Civil Rights and Integration
Major event = Brown vs. Board of Education (1954)
Supreme Court orders integration of all public schools
Beginning of modern Civil Rights movement
More in Chp 21