Chapter 27 – Postwar Boom

Section One – Postwar AmericaI. Readjustment and Recovery

a. The Impact of the GI Billi. 1944 GI Bill of Rights eases veterans’ return to civilian lifeii. Pays partial tuition, unemployment benefits; provides loans

b. Housing Crisisi. 10 million returning veterans face housing shortageii. Developers use assembly-line methods to mass-produce housesiii.Build suburbs—small residential communities around cities

c. Redefining the Familyi. Tensions from changed gender roles during war increase divorce rate

d. Economic Readjustmentii. Over one million defense workers laid off; wages drop for many workersiii.Price controls end; 25% increase in cost of scarce consumer goodsiv. Congress reestablishes price, wage, rent controls

e. Remarkable Recoveryv. People have savings, service pay, war bonds; buy goods long missedvi.Cold War keeps defense spending up; foreign aid creates markets

II. Meeting Economic Challengesa. President Truman’s Inheritance

i. Harry S. Truman can make difficult decisions, take responsibilityb. Truman Faces Strikes

i. 1946, higher prices, lower wages lead 4.5 million to strikeii. Truman seizes mines, threatens to take over railroadsiii.Threatens to draft workers; unions give in

c. “Had Enough”i. Republicans win Senate, House; ignore Truman’s domestic policyii. Congress passes Taft-Hartley Act, overturns many union rights

III. Social Unrest Persistsa. Truman Supports Civil Rights

i. African Americans, especially veterans, demand rights as citizensii. Congress rejects civil rights laws; Truman issues executive orders:

- integrates armed forces; ends discrimination in government hiring

b. The 1948 Electioni. Southern Democrats—Dixiecrats—protest civil rights, form own partyii. Truman calls special session; asks Congress for social legislationiii. Congress refuses; Truman goes on “whistlestop campaign”

c. Stunning Upseti. Truman defeats Thomas E. Dewey in close political upsetii. Democrats regain control of Congress, lose some Southern states

d. The Fair Dealiii.Truman’s Fair Deal is ambitious economic program, includes:

- higher minimum wage, flood control projects, low-income housingii. Congress passes parts of Fair Deal

IV. Republicans Take the Middle Roada. I Like Ike

i. Truman’s approval rating drops over Korean War, McCarthyism- decides not to run for reelection

ii. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower runs against IL governor Adlai Stevensoniii. Newspapers accuse VP candidate Richard M. Nixon of corruption

- defends self in televised “Checkers speech”iv. Eisenhower wins; Republicans narrowly take Congress

b. Walking the Middle Roadi. Eisenhower conservative about money, liberal on social issuesii. Ike tries to avoid civil rights movement, which is gaining strength iii.On economy, works for balanced budget, tax cutiv. Pushes social legislation, new Dept. of Health, Education, Welfarev. Popularity soars; is reelected in 1956

Section Two – The American Dream in the 50’sI. The Organization and the Organizational Man

a. Employment in the United Statesi. By 1956, majority of Americans not in blue-collar (industrial) jobsii. More in higher-paying, white-collar (office, professional) positionsiii.Many in services, like sales, advertising, insurance, communications

b. Conglomeratesi. Conglomerates—corporation that owns smaller, unrelated companiesii. Diversify to protect from downturns in individual industries

c. Franchisesi. Franchise—company offers similar products, services in many places

- also the right to use company name and system ii. Fast-food restaurants among first, most successful franchises

d. Social Conformityii. Many employees with well-paid, secure jobs lose individualityiii.Personality tests see if job candidates fit in company cultureiv. Companies reward teamwork, loyalty, encourage conformity

II. The Suburban Lifestylea. The Baby Boom

i. 1950s, 85% of new homes built in suburbsii. 1945–1965 baby boom—soaring birth rate after soldiers return

b. Advances in Medicine and Childcarei. New drugs fight, prevent childhood diseasesii. Dr. Jonas Salk develops vaccine for poliomyelitisiii.Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock writes popular guide for parentsiv. Baby boom impacts economy, educational system

c. Women’s Rolesi. Magazines, TV, movies glorify role of homemaker, motherii. Over 1/5 of suburban wives dissatisfied with their livesiii.1960, 40% mothers work; limited opportunities, less pay than men

d. Leisure in the 50’siv. Shorter work week, paid vacation, labor-saving devices free up timev. People have time for recreational activities, spectator sportsvi.Book, magazine, comic book sales climb rapidly

III. The Automobile Culturea. “Automania”

i. Cheap, plentiful gas, easy credit, advertising increase car salesii. No public transit in suburbs; cars necessary

b. The Interstate Highway Systemi. Local, state roads link cities, suburbs to schools, shops, workii. Interstate Highway Act—nationwide highway network unites countryiii.Highways enable long-haul trucking, new towns, family vacationsiv. Towns near highways prosper; those near older, smaller roads decline

c. Mobility Takes Its Tolli. Auto boom stimulates new businesses—e.g. drive-in moviesii. Cars create social, environmental problems—e.g. accidents, pollutioniii.Upper-, middle-class whites leave cities; jobs, businesses follow iv. Economic gulf widens between suburban and urban

- also widens gap between middle class and the poor

IV. Consumerism Unbounda. New Products

i. 60% of Americans in middle class; twice as many as before WW IIii. Consumerism (buying material goods) equated with successiii.Numerous new products appear on market in response to demand

b. Planned Obsolescei. Planned obsolescence—making products that get outdated, wear out

- makes consumers buy or want to buy new ones

c. Buy Now Pay Lateri. Credit purchases, credit cards, installments extend payment periodii. Private debt grows; consumers confident of future prosperity

d. The Advertising Ageiii.Most people have satisfied basic needs; ads encourage extra spendingiv. Psychological appeals in ads lure consumers to particular productsv. Ads appear in all media; television emerges as powerful new tool

Section Three – Popular CultureI. New Era of the Mass Media

a. The Rise of Televisioni. Mass media—means of communication that reach large audiencesii. TV first widely available 1948; in almost 90% of homes in 1960iii.Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates communicationsiv. By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcastv. Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows, children’s showsvi.Lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine; TV dinners

b. Stereotypes and Gunslingersi. Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few blacks, Latinosii. Westerns glorify historical frontier conflicts iii.Raise concerns about effect of violence on children

c. Radio and Moviesiv. Television cuts into radio, movie marketsv. Radio turns to local news, weather, music, community affairsvi.Movies capitalize on size, color, sound advantages; try gimmicks

II. A Subculture Emergesa. The Beat Movement

i. Beat movement—writers, artists express social, literary nonconformityii. Poets, writers use free, open form; read works aloud in coffeehousesiii.Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention, students

I. African-American and Rock n Rolla. Rock “n” Roll

i. Black musicians add electric instruments to blues—rhythm and bluesii. Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues, country, popiii.Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics about teenage concerns iv. Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can buy recordsv. Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality

b. The Racial Gapi. African-American singers like Nat “King” Cole, Lena Horne popularii. Many black artists play jazz, music characterized by improvisationiii.African-American shows mostly broadcast on black radio stations

- content, advertising target black audiencesiv. Important to black audiences with fewer TV sets, no presence on TV

Section Four – The Other AmericaI. The Urban Poor

a. White Flighti. 1962, 25% of Americans below poverty levelii. Post WW II–1960, 5 million blacks go from rural South to urban Northiii.White flight results in loss of businesses, tax payers to citiesiv. Cities can no longer afford to maintain or improve:

- schools, public transportation, police and fire departmentsb. The Inner Cities

v. Poverty grows rapidly in decaying inner citiesvi.Poor economic conditions lead to illness and terrible conditions

c. Urban Renewali. Urban renewal—replace rundown buildings with new low-income housingii. Housing and Urban Development Dept. created to improve conditionsiii.Not enough housing built for displaced people

II. Poverty Leads to Activisma. Mexicans Seek Employment

i. Many Southwest Mexicans become U.S. citizens after Mexican War ii. 1942–47, Mexican braceros, hired hands, allowed into U.S. to workiii.After war, many remain illegally; many others enter to look for work

b. The Longoria Effecti. Undertaker refuses funeral services to Felix Longoria, WW II veteranii. Outraged Mexican-American veterans organize G.I. Forum iii.Unity League of CA registers voters, promotes responsive candidates

c. Native Americans Continue Their Strugglei. During Depression, U.S. policy of Native American autonomyii. National Congress of American Indians: civil rights, maintain customsiii.U.S. stops family allotments, wages; outsiders take tribal lands

d. The Termination Policyiv. Termination policy cuts economic support, gives land to individualsv. Bureau of Indian Affairs helps resettlement in citiesvi.Termination policy is a failure; abandoned in 1963