Fluent Essays

FORUM DESCRIPTION This discussion board requires you to read the weekly PowerPoint lecture and Chapter 23 of Give Me Liberty! Vol 2. you may also consult pages 965-967 of Chapter 24 and pages 991-992 of Chapter 25.  1) To what degree were the United States policies -either foreign or domestic- from the late 1940s-early 1960s justified? Did the US overestimate or underestimate the threat of communism? Pick an example or two to make your case in  6-8 sentence post.  2) Respond to at least one other students posts in 5-6 sentences, explaining why you agree or disagree.Week 11: The Golden Age of Capitalism AMH 2020: US History Since 1877 Dr. Glenn Dyer Capitalism’s “Golden Age” 1945-1973: economic expansion, stable prices, low unemployment, and rising standard of living Government programs heavily tax wealthy, reinvesting that wealth into infrastructures, social programs, & military bases & production Real wages for manufacturing workers doubled! Lower incomes in particular rose; most Americans lived better than their parents & grand parents did (materially) Economy starts to shift towards white collar work and away from industry but slowly, and US production remains high A Consumers Republic One historian argues that the free consumer becomes the key figure of America Mass consumption objects become available to most people, including televisions, cars, dishwashers, indoor plumbing, etc. etc. By 1960 80\% of American families had one car, only 14\% had more than one; End of 1950s, 90\% of homes had a TV Mass consumption becomes equated with freedom and is a weapon in Cold War; US standard of living vs. Soviet standard Suburbanization Suburbanization becomes key engine of economic growth postwar & by 1960 suburbs outnumber urban and rural areas Government backs long-term, low interest loans which were uncommon before WWII Homes are mass-produced by often non-union developers, in some cases thousands at a time; heavy population shift towards West Home-ownership becomes the representation of the American Dream; William Levitt: “No man who owns his own home can be a communist.” Interstate highway system (1956) creates 41,000 miles of roads connecting suburbs to cities Race, Class, and Housing New Deal programs (HOLC & FHA) use racial, class & economic criteria to rate neighborhood desirability; their maps inform banking and lending decisions Won’t lend to racially mixed areas or to black areas, creating white-only suburbs; notes often comment on undesirable ethnic groups and even politics “Redlining” areas cuts them off from banks & business Urban Renewal: areas could be condemned in the name of public “good” for the construction of highways, businesses, etc. Racial Segregation Increases Race and property value connected negatively, until 1968 fair housing act, giving economic incentive to remain segregated From 1950-1960: 7 million whites left cities for suburbs while at the same time some 3 million black people moved North to cities Result, major demographic inversion of cities, and increased segregation As economy becomes more white collar, urban areas decline (deindustrialization) thus blacks are confined to economically declining cities The Suburban Woman Post-WWII women leave industrial sector & baby boom saw massive population growth The new suburban life revolved around the nuclear family; Wife equated with home maker who enjoyed domestic responsibility Many women worked part-time to support family Labor in the Golden Age Labor unions reach their peak strength in 1950s, with 1/Week 10: Cold War America AMH 2020: US History Since 1877 Dr. Glenn Dyer Post-World War II After Allied victory in WWII, United States emerges as world’s super power, with the Soviet Union (USSR) a close rival Soviets want to expand in order to create a larger sphere of influence in the world & to buffer themselves from Germany (who invaded twice!) USSR controls former territory of Russian Empire and creates a variety of satellite states, including Ukraine, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria Cold War Europe 1956 Cold War Truman Doctrine: policy of containment towards Soviet Union, acting to stop its expansion Truman adopts rhetoric of freedom vs slavery to cast the conflict Cold War understood to be an ideological conflict where USA and USSR were trying to promote their way of life and their idea of freedom Marshall Plan Western and Central Europe devastated by war’s destruction US provides billions to help rebuild Europe postwar Belief was that economic and social instability would lead to Soviet gains Goal is to create a market for American goods and bolster non-communist allies “Prosperity Makes You Free”: promoted higher standard of living, much like ideas promised in Second New Deal US is also occupying Japan for The Communist Challenge Germany is split East-West, including Berlin 1948 Soviets blockade the city to try and impose their power but US and UK air drop supplies China’s 20 year civil war ended, and Communist emerge victorious Korean War 1950-1953: Korea occupied by Soviets in North and US in South (had been Japan); North Korea invades south in 1950 and US uses troops to push back The Cold War & Decolonization Cold War Rhetoric Totalitarianism becomes way of understanding Soviet Union, “ideologically driven states that sought to subdue all of civil society, including churches, unions, and other voluntary associations; no room for individual rights or values” Newly formed United Nations adopts Universal Declaration of Human Rights, became new language of treatment around fair treatment and non-discrimination. Cold War Civil Rights War efforts inspires black soldiers and activists, NAACP membership grows Voter registration drives in upper south increase number of black voters Many cities pass nondiscrimination laws covering public accommodations and workplaces, but not in South 1948 Truman orders armed forces desegregated Cold War concerns spur action on civil rights by some government officials but not all Cold War Labor CIO launches Operation Dixie to organize the South, but meets staunch opposition from southern politicians Labor unions push Truman to promote a Fair Deal, continuing New Deal programs and expanding national health insurance, public housing, minimum wage increase and more Postwar, millions of workers launch massive strikes as inflation exploded, some successful, but Republicans launch counter attack to curtail workers rights. Taft-Hartley Act (1947): severely limits la