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This image is advertisement for General Electric in the 1950’s. This image shows the American dream of the ideal “cookie cutter” house hold with a soldier, a house wife, kids, dog and a white picket fence. This was also advertised to show the needs of returning soldiers.

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What was the significance of this topic to the United States identity at home and abroad?

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What was the significance of this topic to the United States identity at home and abroad?

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Postwar politics in the 1950's significantly effected the Unites States identity at home and abroad in many ways. At home their was more jobs opening, labor industry was growing as well as the economy. Abroad their was a lot  of tension between the two superpowers and fear and suspicion of the spread of comunism.

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What was the impact of this topic on different groups of Americans in the 1950s?

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What was the impact of this topic on different groups of Americans in the 1950s?

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Postwar politics impacted many Americans in the 1950's.  The economy and workforce was flourishing as many jobs were opening up due to americas involvement in the war which decreased unemployment. New jobs and opportunities open up for woman in the labor force and allowed them to move past social barriers. The US economy grew  3.7% and people were able focus more on culture and explore art, music and materialistic things. Veterans were giving affordable education as well as better opportunities. 25% of the population lived in poverty and their needs weren't tended.

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What were the varying perspectives on/reactions to this topic in the 1950s.  (Consider race, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, age etc.)   Izzy

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What were the varying perspectives on/reactions to this topic in the 1950s.  (Consider race, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, age etc.)   Izzy

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The perspective on postwar politics during the 1950s had varying perspectives beginning with continued fear and suspicion of communism, enabling the rise of McCarthyism and the decay of civil rights. The US foreign policy focused on commitment to democracy and capitalism making the US a global power and allowed great wealth to be gained at home. This wealth began changing the US workforce with an increase in "white-collared"  jobs requiring higher education. Women however, were still conformed to their traditional roles in society.  This time also showed the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans fighting for equal rights, including desegregation and voting. A landmark Supreme Court case was handed down in Brown vs. Board of Education, making segregation unconstitutional.   This laid the foundation for growing federal support for increased civil rights movements.

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What aspects of post-WWII United States shaped the trends/issues in the 1950s?  Why?  

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What aspects of post-WWII United States shaped the trends/issues in the 1950s?  Why?  

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The aspects of post-WWII that shaped the issues in the 1950s in the US were continued suspicion of communism. It lead to Senator McCarthy rising in power and attacking or accusing people, like Alger Hiss, even the US Army of supporting communism.  Television was introduced allowing news to be broadcasted quickly, especially the Senate hearings. Another trend that shaped the US in the 1950s, was the economic prosperity allowing the growth of the suburbs, housing and local infrastructure.  Education was critical for the new workforce as the US was moving towards more services.  Additionally, there was continued unrest over civil liberties of African Americans began reform with the civil rights movement and desegregation of schools.

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During this time a main social issue was the lack of trust within the people, leading to McCarthy over using his power given from the fear of the people.

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During the war 17 million new civilian jobs were created, industrial productivity increased by 96 percent, and corporate profits after taxes doubled.which is still what happens in modern day after a war the economy booms if the war is won.

America's involvement in World War II had a significant impact on the economy and workforce of the United States. The United States was still recovering from the impact of the Great Depression and the unemployment rate was hovering around 25%. Our involvement in the war soon changed that rate. American factories were retooled to produce goods to support the war effort and almost overnight the unemployment rate dropped to around 10%. As more men were sent away to fight, women were hired to take over their positions on the assembly lines. Before World War II, women had generally been discouraged from working outside the home. Now, they were being encouraged to take over jobs that had been traditionally considered mens work

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This is an image of the first credit card from 1959. This was apart of the buy now pay later idea that was set up to encourage people to spend more money and boost the economy.

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Biden and Eisenhower handle country money

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Biden and Eisenhower handle country money

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Similarly to the 1950s, some American’s now happen to be thriving, but others are living in a state of poverty and almost seem invisible to the rest of us. With covid, low income people are struggling even more than they had been before the pandemic. Unlike the 50s the president is directing the help towards this group of people in hopes to help. Eisenhower had wanted to create a balanced federal budget but overlooked the people in poverty. Whereas now Biden is directing money specifically towards this group of people.

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“Fearing that Truman's hard-line containment policy could lead to World War III, he advocated friendlier relations with the Soviet Union.”(ch 41) There was a lot of tension between countries and foreign affairs were heavily impacted. The US and The Soviet Union did not see eye to eye. The Soviet Union wanted to expand communism and the US wanted to put an end to it.

“The attempt to reform countries toward the ideal of universal trust and cooperation, according to realists, runs counter to human nature, which is inclined toward competition, conflict, and war.”
“The postwar world also presented Americans with a number of problems and issues. Flushed with their success against Germany and Japan in 1945, most Americans initially viewed their place in the postwar world with optimism and confidence. But within two years of the end of the war, new challenges and perceived threats had arisen to erode that confidence.
There was a lot of false rumors and the US became suspicious of other countries and worried they would try to influence communism so they limited foreign and international affairs.

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President Truman followed FDR as US President and signed the National Security Act of 1947, one of the most important legislations during the Cold War as it reorganized  the military and created the VIA and Air Force. He was also critical of Congress passing the Nation Security Act of 1950 as it violated the civil liberties of Americans. He stressed no end to democracy and a focus of the Bill of Rights as key political themes.

Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953 and stayed in office till 1961. He deeply favored capitalism and supporting the middle class. He oversaw a period of nearly unbroken growth and stability, which reinforced the strength of the time's prosperous public culture. Even though it seemed like good times, there was a lot of fear for the Cold War and communism. While there was prosperity and growth for Americans there was also a push for conformity and political witch hunts for those who didn't. Congress had a lot of power and they used that power to enlist laws limiting civil liberties of Americans. Actors and writers were blacklisted for their political views and Universities were used to support government projects if leading professors complained, they were discredited.

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During this time period, the numbers of workers increased and enjoyed higher wages. The bigger homes had better schools and more cars and household technology. The US economy grew dramatically in the post-war. Expanding at an annual rate of about 3.5%. With the economic prosperity the culture changed and,  people were able to concentrate on Art, music, Sports, and vacations end materialism which has been the outline of our culture since that time.

This word also provided a place for women in the labor force and this along with labor laws gave women new opportunities to grow socially and professionally even if the wartime opens new opportunities for women in the workforce that also created much Social tension in the American family

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The economy grew by 3.7% in the 50s. As well as by the end of the decade the average middle class family in America had 30% more purchasing power than they had in the beginning of the decade. Inflation was low mainly because of Eisenhower’s balance of the federal budget. This was his goal during his terms in office. Unemployment stayed low at 4.5% percent. New opportunities were given to veterans. Such as affordable college education, providing a pool of highly-educated employees to the workforce. These were all positive outcomes from the GI bill. The US’s cheap oil fueled the economy, as well as all these other factors that came together, producing the 50s bloom. Consumer rates also went up, America was 6% of the population and 30% of consumers. They enjoyed a lifestyle that no other countries had at this time. With this America started to focus more on tending to the countries needs over mass producing. In hopes to get more Americans to spend money there was a “buy now, pay later” type action going on to allow Americans to buy more expensive goods. Houses, cars, appliances, and swimming pools were all categorized in  this action. All of this positive economy was great, but it did not represent all of Americans, 25% lived in poverty. Many Americans who were middle class or higher were not away; this was happening and the citizens in poverty tended to be “invisible”.