1. America as a World Power: The 1950s
United states history
(unit eight)

2. America as a World Power: Post War America
United states history
(unit eight)

3. Post WWII American Culture
Baby Boom:
Soldiers returned home from war and promptly got married and starting having children
Babies born between are considered baby boomers
Expansion of suburbia:
These new families need homes, and William Levitt provided.
“Cookie cutter” houses that were massed produced
Made home ownership much cheaper
Became known as “Levittowns”

5. Post WWII American Culture
Interstate Highway Act (1956)
Designed with the purpose to move materials and troops efficiently (think Cold War motives)
Results:
Growth of suburban areas throughout the country
Fast food, gas stations, hotels spring up
People move AWAY from cities

7. Post WWII American Culture
New technologies of the 1950s:
Television:
Replaced radios as the main source of news in the late 1950s--67 million television sets by 1959
Political and Social issues would revolutionized by television
Air Conditioning
Led to an increased movement of businesses and people to the Southern parts of the US
New vaccines eliminated childhood illness like measles, polio and whooping cough
Long-distance phone calls became cheaper and more reliable

10. Truman Integrates the Military
In July 1948, President Harry Truman signed an executive order ending the segregation of the armed forces.
President Truman banned racial discrimination in the hiring of federal employees and ended segregation in the armed forces in 1948.
President Eisenhower issued an executive order that required enforcement of non-discrimination in federal jobs.

11. America as a World Power: America in the World
United states history
(unit eight)

12. America as a World Power: The 1950s
After World War II, the US did not want war torn Europe to fall into the hands of the Communist Soviets.
Containment:
American policy meant to contain communism where it was.
US did not want communism in Southeast Asia, Western Europe, or Korea.

13. America as a World Power: The 1950s
Policy of containment in Europe:
Truman Doctrine (1947):
Extended monetary aid ($400 million) to Turkey and Greece to keep them from falling under communist rule
Marshall Plan (1948):
Extended monetary aid ($12 Billion) to any nation who wanted aid after World War II.
This was the United State’s open stance to the world on Communism.

14. America as a World Power: The 1950s
Policy of containment in Middle East:
Eisenhower Doctrine (1957):
US would defend ANY Middle Eastern country that did not want communism

15. America as a World Power: The 1950s
Policy of containment in China/Korea:
Communist take over of China:
A civil war in China (that started pre-WWII) concluded with the communist forces victory, led by Mao Zedong.
The US feared this would then lead to the fall of Korea to communism
This contributed to the US involvement in the Korean War.

16. The Cold War: Korea
After World War II, Korea was divided into two sections along the 38th parallel
Why?
Russians captured Northern Sector—became communist North Korea
Americans captured Southern Sector—became democratic South Korea

17. The Cold War : Korea North Korea: South Korea:
Backed by the Soviet Union and China
South Korea:
Backed by the US and United Nations
Goal: to contain communism

18. The Cold War: Korea
In June 1951 the Soviet Union unexpectedly suggested a cease-fire agreement
In 1953, after two years of negotiation, the Korean War ended in a stalemate
Significance?
Communism had been contained; however, Korea remained divided…
The war did not really decide much

19. The Cold War: Korea
The Korean War cost 55,000 American lives and a total of $67 billion
Most Americans viewed this as completely unnecessary & began to turn against the Democratic Party…

20. G.I. Bill
Free Tuition for college if you serve in the military
Better Paying Jobs
Rise of the Middle Class

21. America as a World Power: The Cold War at Home
United states history
(unit eight)

22. The Cold War at Home: The Red Scare

23. The Cold War: The Red Scare
The Red Scare was a period of time during which Americans were fearful of Communism…
Why?
The Soviet domination of Eastern Europe
The Communist takeover of China
80,000 American members of the Communist Party

24. The Cold War: The Red Scare
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
Led investigations in Hollywood
The Hollywood Ten
Ten “unfriendly” witnesses that refused to cooperate with HUAC questioning…
In response, Hollywood executives instituted a blacklist – a list of people not to be hired because of Communist ties

27. The Cold War: The Red Scare
On September 3, the American government learned that the Soviets had successfully tested an atomic bomb
Most experts were very surprised with how quickly the Soviets had developed their own bomb…
How did they do it?

28. The Cold War: The Red Scare
The Rosenbergs
Ethyl & Julius Rosenberg, who had been minor activists in the American Communist Party, were implicated in the atomic secrets case
Pled the 5th amendment…
Found guilty of espionage & executed
Significance?
Began to sober the American zeal for the Red Scare

30. The Cold War at Home: McCarthyism

31. The Cold War: McCarthyism
Joseph McCarthy, a Republican senator from Wisconsin, was a staunch anti-communist
Made unsupported claims that certain Democrats & State Department employees were Communists
His techniques became known as McCarthyism
Always made his claims from the Senate floor where he had legal immunity from slander…

32. The Cold War: McCarthyism
In 1954 McCarthy made several accusations against the United States Army
Resulted in a Senate investigation & subsequent hearing which was broadcast on national television
McCarthy bullied witnesses & alienated the American public
Significance?
Ended all public support for McCarthyism
McCarthy, condemned by the Senate, was politically ruined

33. The Cold War at Home: Living on the Edge

34. The Cold War: Living on the Edge
After WWII atomic arms “race” with the Soviet Union began…
Who could build the first Hydrogen Bomb??
1952: The United States detonated a Hydrogen Bomb
1953: The Soviet Union detonated a Hydrogen Bomb

35. The Cold War: Living on the Edge
Brinkmanship
A policy which involves threatening an enemy with massive retaliation for any aggressive actions
Willingness to go to the edge of war in order to contain the Soviet Union…
Result?
Started the atomic arms race

38. The Cold War: Living on the Edge
The Space Race
In 1957 the Soviets…
Developed several Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)
Launched Sputnik I (first artificial satellite)
Both events led to the US emphasizing Math and Science in education, as well as the development of NASA
The RACE is on…