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Eisenhower and America in the 1950’s

Eisenhower and America in the 1950’s. Students will examine the domestic and international impact the Cold War had upon U.S. growth from the 1940’s–1950’s. Truman Doctrine.

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Eisenhower and America in the 1950’s

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  1. Eisenhower and America in the 1950’s Students will examine the domestic and international impact the Cold War had upon U.S. growth from the 1940’s–1950’s

  2. Truman Doctrine • Policy of Containment-established under President Truman in 1947 the U.S. would try to contain communism around the world. (give money, military aid to fight communism) • Marshall Plan-U.S. policy proposed by Secretary of State Marshall gives economic aid to 16 nations. 1. Reason- provide aid to keep communist rebels from taking over, establish democracies in Western Europe. 2. The money given is used to buy American goods from American companies, stimulated our economy. • Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)- policy preached by both the U.S. and Soviet Union not to fight a direct war because they both have enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other.

  3. The Iron Curtain Falls • Eastern Europe-dominated by the Soviet Union after WWII, Stalin installs communist governments. 1. Iron Curtain- All the countries under communist control no longer have economic and social ties with “Western Capitalist” nations. • Berlin Airlift-In an effort to cut off West Berlin, Stalin orders the closing of all highways and railroads into the city. 1. Airlift- From 1948-1949 U.S. and Great Britain fly in tons of medical and food supplies to maintain the city 2. Blockade lifted- Stalin order the lift in 1949 3. East/West-Two separate Germany’s formed until 1990 full integration still ongoing

  4. The Cold War: What side are you on? • Cold War: state of conflict, tension and competition that existed primarily between the United States and Soviet Union and their allies, from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s. • NATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed out of fear of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc. 1. Aim- contain communism 2. Pledge- full cooperation in war • Warsaw Pact-formed by the Soviet Union to counter NATO.

  5. Communism Spreads • China- a civil war between the nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist forces under the leadership of Mao Zedong. 1. Nationalist government- corrupt and inefficient 2. Communist Rebels- mainly farmers and poor workers 3. 1945- Communist control North China, U.S. suspends funds to China due to corruption of government • Two Chinas- 1. Taiwan- In 1949 the Nationalist flee to the island and claim they are the legitimate Chinese government 2. American reaction- Blame Truman for not sending enough aid to stop the spread of communism.

  6. Korean War • 38th Parallel-marks the line of surrender of Korea by Japan to U.S. and Soviet Forces. Above to the Soviets below to the U.S. • North Korea Attacks- 1950 the communist north attacks under the disguise of unifying the country. 1. U.N. Reacts- the Security Council approves of military intervention to stop the war. 2. MacArthur-placed in charge (hero of WWII) 3. North Korea- with the surprise they took control of 90% of the country before the U.N. forces could stop their advancement.

  7. Korean War cont’d.. • Counterattack- MacArthur organizes a brilliant amphibious assault behind North Korean lines. 1. North Korea- army was destroyed be the two sided attack 2. Chinese Warning- China warns the U.N. not to get to close to their border or risk attack, MacArthur ignores it. 3. China attacks- Hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops swarm the border and push back the U.N. armies to the 38th parallel.

  8. End of the Korean War • MacArthur vs. Truman-MacArthur calls for the bombing and invasion of China by the U.N. 1. Truman reacts- tells MacArthur to stop making public statements, MacArthur ignores them. 2. Fired- Truman recalls MacArthur for insubordination but receives a hero’s welcome from the American people. 3. Consequence- Truman wanted a larger war but the Soviet Union warned that attacking China would result in them entering the war. 4. Armistice-1953 both sides agree to a cease of hostilities 5. Republicans- happy over the outcome they label Democrat Truman “soft on communism”

  9. The Communist Scare • House Un-American Activities Committee-was established to find communists. 1. Investigations- looked into government officials, actors, athletes, writers, directors, Boy Scouts and Hollywood for Communists activities. 2. Refusal- anyone refusing to testify or show up was blacklisted in Hollywood and labeled a communists.

  10. Espionage Cases • Espionage Cases- 1. Alger Hiss-a member of the State Department is found guilty of perjury and accused of being a communist spy, sent to prison. • McCarran Internal Security Act 1950- passed by Congress out of fear 1. Made it illegal to support a totalitarian government 2. restricted the employment and travel of people supporting Communist organizations 3. authorized the creation of detention camps for communist subversives

  11. Rosenberg Case • Cause- Soviet Union tested it’s first Atomic Bomb in 1949, many Americans are convinced that spies have given our secrets to the Soviets. 1. Physicist Klaus Fuchs- admits giving information about U.S. bomb to the Soviets. 2. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg-An FBI investigation leads to this couple as the head of a communist spy ring. 3. Rosenberg’s- members of the American communist party are convicted and sentenced to death for treason. 4. Anti-Communist Hysteria- Civil rights groups wonder if these feeling were the real reason behind the conviction and execution of the couple.

  12. McCarthyism • Senator McCarthy- used the fear of Communism in his re-election campaign, said there were hundreds of spies. • McCarthyism-accusing Americans of being Communist without evidence (ruined their lives). • McCarthy Tactics- 1. Fear- he used unsupported accusations about Communist in the government to gain media support and attack the Truman administration 2. Americans- at first loved his antics, especially since they were pointed toward the wealthy in the country. 3. Politicians- most were disgusted by his accusations, Republicans did not stop it since it was aimed at Truman

  13. End of McCarthyism • McCarthy vs. Army- In 1954 McCarthy went after members of the Army in a live televised hearing 1. Exposed- McCarthy is exposed as a cruel man who bullied people 2. Destroyed- “Mr. McCarthy have you no shame?” with that one sentence the communist hysteria is broken in America and McCarthy’s career is destroyed

  14. President Dwight Eisenhower1952-1960 Eisenhower- seen by the American public as honest and full of integrity. “I Like Ike” 1. Domestic Policy- maintained many of the New Deal programs but focused on balancing the budget. 2. Civil Rights- tried to avoid it as it gains strength during the 1950’s 3. American Middle Class-this is the golden age of White suburbia

  15. Eisenhower and the Cold War Dulles Diplomacy- Dulles was Secretary of State under Eisenhower he develops brinkmanship 1. Brinkmanship- be willing to threaten nuclear war with the Soviets in order to stop the spread of communism. 2. “Bang for the Buck”- Dulles advocated a huge Air Force and huge arsenal of nuclear weapons 3. Hydrogen Bomb- better than the old A-bomb, U.S. tests one in 1953, Soviets in 1954.

  16. Cold War and Asia • Asia- The U.S. and Soviet Union look to expand their influence. 1. Vietnam- In 1954 this country is divided into North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (democracy) 2. Domino Theory- U.S. justifies spending billions to support anti-communist governments by saying if they fall then one nation after another will fall until there are no more non-communist countries

  17. The Cold War: Goes into deep freeze Hungarian Revolt-In 1956 anti-communist successfully overthrow the communist government. 1. Liberals- take over the government and want to pull the country out of the Warsaw Pact. 2. Khrushchev-New Soviet leaders sends in tanks to crush the revolt and reestablish a communist government. 3. Eisenhower- does not send in any troops to help the revolutionaries, recognizes their control over Eastern Europe. 4. Fear- Eisenhower believes that sending in U.S. troops would lead to another war, not worth it in the grand scheme.

  18. Communism in Cuba • Fidel Castro-leads a successful revolution in Cuba in 1959 to overthrow the corrupt dictator Batista, with his second in command Che Guevara. • Politics- Batista was America’s guy he turned Cuba into a playground for the rich and criminals, legalized prostitution and gambling. 1. Castro- establishes a communist government in Cuba, catches the U.S. off guard. 2. Nationalization- Castro nationalizes all foreign companies in Cuba enraging the U.S. and Western countries. 3. Eisenhower retaliates-Cuts off trade with Cuba. Authorizes the training of anticommunist exiles to overthrow Castro. 4. Castro reacts-Draws close to the Soviet Union, signs a treaty of friendship with Khrushchev

  19. Space Race Begins Sputnik-1957 the Soviet Union shocks the United States by sending into orbit the first satellites in history. 1. Education- schools blamed for not producing better engineers and scientist, shift in education to math and science to “catch up” 2. Fear- the same missiles that launched Sputnik could be used to launch nuclear weapons against the U.S. 3. Money- billions spent on the U.S. space program to “catch up” and pass, the Space Race begins between the U.S. and Soviet Union.

  20. Baby Boomers • Baby Boomers 1945–1965: baby boom; soaring birth rate after soldiers return they will be the generation that changes the world. • Women- they begin to feel restless during this time because American culture reaffirmed their status as second class citizens. 1. Education- women going to college are very restless about their status , enter the workforce but are severely underpaid and underused.

  21. Suburbia becomes “The American Dream” • Suburbs- people come home and live in these cookie cutter homes and enjoy their lives. • Interstate Highway Act-Eisenhower gets Congress to pay for a Federal Highway system, Defense. 1. Connections- suburbs, cities, schools, shops are now all connected. People begin to move out further from cities. 2. Cars- gas is cheap and plentiful, no public transportation in the suburbs people need cars. 3. Problems and Businesses- Traffic Jams, Commutes, Accidents, Pollution, Drive-Ins, Fast Food restaurants all cater to the car culture of Suburbia

  22. America’s Cities Suffer • White Flight- Urban whites flee to the suburbs and take their jobs and taxes with them, leave poorer whites and minorities in cities • Urban Collapse-Most major cities can not maintain their schools, roads, etc. Poverty grows rapidly as income in cities declines • Projects- Cities begin an urban renewal by building new urban “suburban” cities for their low income residents, homes destroyed.

  23. America Changes • Popular Culture- Television, advertising and the middle class all contribute to the growth of American culture • Television- suddenly becomes the center of the family replacing the Radio in American homes. 1. Programs- comedies (“I Love Lucy”), quiz shows, news, dramas, soap operas, variety shows, Westerns (“Gunsmoke”) 2. Stereotypes- Women and minorities shown in stereotypical fashions, very few on T.V.

  24. New Corporations and Advertising • Conglomerates- new American corporations that own diverse, unrelated companies. 1. Fortune 500-Americans want to work for one of these top corporations 2. White collar vs. Blue collar- more Americans are working in corporations than factories for the first time in history. 3. Uniformity- Americans want to work for this so they can afford the new home, car, good schools and vacations (American Dream) • Advertising- name brands become phenomenon’s Coca-Cola, Marlboro Man, McDonald’s, Hershey’s. 1. Gets people to buy things they don’t need

  25. Consumer Culture • Consumerism- (buying material goods) equated with success, numerous new products appear on market in response to demand 1.Planned obsolescence- Corporations begin making products that get outdated and wear out, makes consumers buy or want to buy new ones 2. Credit- installment plans, credit cards, credit all begin to reappear

  26. Civil Rights Movement Begins • Jackie Robinson- breaking the color barrier in baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers was the first chink in the armor of segregation. • Truman- 1948 integrates the Armed Forces, no more segregation, second chink in the armor. • Movement- African-Americans from urban centers demand better educational opportunities, voting rights and racial equality. • Cold War- America was competing with the Soviet Union claiming freedom and democracy, so racial segregation and discrimination stood out on the world stage.

  27. Civil Rights in the 1950’s • Brown vs. Board of Education 1954-argued by Thurgood Marshall that segregation violated the 14th Amendment “equal protection under the laws”, Supreme Court unanimously agrees with Marshall. 1. Chief Justice Earl Warren-states that “separate facilities are inherently unequal” and segregation should end with “all due haste” 2. Southern Reaction-Fought the ruling with a variety of methods, public school closings, military force. 3. Eisenhower- did not agree with the ruling but upheld his position in office and used federal troops to protect the rights of African Americans in the south

  28. Civil Rights cont’d... • Little Rock Nine-were a group of students who were the first to integrate a white only school in the south. 1. Federal troops-Eisenhower sends in troops to escort the nine to school everyday. • Montgomery Bus Boycott-In 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to leave her seat and move to the back. Parks is arrested for violating the segregation laws of the state. 1. Martin Luther King Jr.- leads the boycott of the Montgomery bus system for a year, ends when the system is financially bankrupt 2. Supreme Court- Rules in favor of Parks and strikes down all rules against segregation in 1956

  29. Civil Rights • Nonviolent Protests- peaceful demonstrations against segregation and oppression in the south. 1. Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)- led by Martin Luther King it organized ministers and churches in the south behind the Civil Rights movement. 2. Student Non-Violent Coordinated Committee- college and high school students would be the foot soldiers of the movement. 3. Sit-In Tactics-students would sit in segregated businesses (movies, diners, pools, libraries, hotels, etc..) and get arrested to bring attention to continued segregated practices in the South. 4. Legacy- these groups would be the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s…

  30. Rock n’ Roll • Black musicians add electric instruments to blues—rhythm and blues • Rock ‘n’ roll-mix of rhythm and blues, country, pop 1. Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics about teenage concerns 2. Music appeals to newly affluent white teens who can buy records 3.Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality 4. Artists-Little Richard, Chubby Checker, Elvis Pressley, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens

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