1. Ch 19 Sect 1
Postwar America

2. I. Readjustment and Recovery
To help 10 million returning soldiers, Congress passed GI Bill of Rights:
Education assistance, unemployment pay, low-interest loans.
Housing shortage until…developer William Levitt used assembly-line methods to mass produce homes – SUBURBS
Women went back to the home

3. II. Economic Challenges
New demand for consumer goods – people saved $135 billion during the war.
People bought cars, houses, home goods
Cold War also helped economy
Defense spending was high
Marshall Plan helped sell US goods overseas
Workers wages did not go up – strikes.
Truman threatened to draft striking workers

4. III. Social Unrest After WWII – racial violence erupted in south.
Returning African American soldiers demanded equality.
Truman called for Civil Rights legislation, Congress refused.
Truman issued executive order banning segregation in armed forces & govt.

5. Presidential Elections
Election of 1948 – Democrats lost support in the South b/c of civil rights
Truman won by a small margin and Democrats gained control of Congress.

6. IV. Presidential Elections cont.
Election of 1952 – Truman did not run for reelection.
Republicans nominated General Dwight Eisenhower, Democrats nominated Adlai Stevenson.
Eisenhower won with a “middle of the road” mentality – avoided controversy.

7. V. Dwight Eisenhower
Low-key president that wanted a return to normalcy.
Did have to deal with civil rights.
1954 – Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregated schools were illegal. Wasn’t a civil rights supporter.
Ike won landslide victory in 1956.