Post WWII era

Demobilization-

U.S. Army reduced from 12 million to 3 million

Peacetime Economy-

Job Shortages becasue of Soldiers returning

• Increased amount of spending by consumers

• Inflation because of Shortages

Fair Deal-

Domestic Program by Truman, called for creation of more jobs, reduce discrimination against blacks

1948 Election-

Truman predicted to go down in defeat. Pulled off major upset by winning against Thomas Dewey

Desegregation of US Military-

1948, Turman orders military to desegregate

Cold War-

Battle of diplomacy, propaganda, & nerves

Iron Curtain-

Term made by Winston Churchill describing soviet Union’s influence of eastern europe

Containment-

US foreign policy of stopping the spread of communist influence around the world

Truman Doctrine-

Truman’s policy of supporting free people from attempts to take over by armed minorities

Marshall Plan-

Secretary of state George Mashall’’s plan for helping post war Europe:

1) Rebuild Europe

2) Contain Communism

3) Ensure Economic Stability of Economy

Berlin Blockade-

Soviet Union blocked off land access to city in 1948

Berlin airlift-

US & British Planes Carried in supplies to blockaded citiy

NATO-

North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Pledged to defend each other in the even of another attack (1949).

Chang Kai- Shek-

Nationalist leader of Chinese after WWII

Mao Sedong-

communist leader who ulitmatlhy takes control over china in 1949.

HUAC

House on Un-American Activities Committee: Investigated many Americans on charge of being Communists

Joseph McCarthy-

Senator who led attack on communism during early 1950s

Hollywood 10-

10 witnesses during the “witch hunt” that refused to testify for the committee and were blacklisted, ruining their careers

Rosenbergs-

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted for spying. They gave secrets of the Atomic bomb to soviets. First US citizens executed for espionage.

38th Parallel-

line agreed upon at Potsdam marking the division of Soviet and American Influence of Korea after WWII

Syngman Rhee-

Leader of pro American South Korea

Kim II Sung-

Leader of Communist North korea

UN involvement-

After N. Korea invaded, US went to UN for support. After USSR walked out of the meeting in protest the security council voted & approved military action to help S. Korea

Douglas MacArthur-

American General placed in command of UN S. Korean forces

Inchon-

City were MacArthur launched surprise counter attack behind enemy lines and saves S. Korea from defeat

Truman vs MacArthur-

MacArthur wanted to escalate the war and bomb Chinese cities because of support they were giving to the North. After many conflicts w/ Truman, he was fired but was received back in the states as a war hero.

End of War-

After a back and forth Battle costing US 54,000 soldiers’s lives, the war ended in a stale mate w/ creation of two countries, North and South Korea.

Election of 1952-

Eisenhower elected, defeated the democrats that had been in power since 1932. Korean war was cause of democratic loss.

Hydrogen Bomb-

450 times more powerful than bomb dropped on Hiroshima

the Crucible-

Play written by Arthur Miller that exposed the Red Scare paranoia within the Salem Witch Hunt Trials

Brinkmanship-

Foreign Policy of willingly going to brink of war. The fear of massive retaliation w/ nuclear weapons was going to keep major war from breakout out, MAD ( Mutually Assured Destruction)

Common Belief during Red Scare-

Having more/better bombs would protect US

Israel-

Israel was created as a nation in 1948 & as a result, Arab Nations eventually united against them becasue they felt that their land had been wrongfully taken. Middle east turned into tug of war between Western Nations and the Soviet Union. This led to series of War between Western nations and lasting to present day. Most known are Suez War of 1956 and the six day war of 1967

Suez War-

Egypt start to more closely ally themselves w/ USSR & took Suez Canal by Force. Israel retaliated w/ support from Britain and France. The USSR threatened missile attacks against them and the US warned that they would not allow such action. Major crisis averted by a UN Cease Fire.

U2 Incident-

US spy plane shot down at same times as peace summit was going to take place between Eisenhower and Khrushchev.

Spuntnik-

Soviet Union Satellite put into Orbit in 1957. Stunned America. Many feared Nuclear weapons raining down from Orbit.

Baby Boom-

Time Period after WWII that family size grew and population went from 140 to 180 million

GI bill-

Bill passed after WWII to help veterans return to society. Home loans and education support completely revolutionized US (Suburbs, college expectations)

Dr. Spock-

Pediatrician who wrote “How to” books on raising children. Advised not to spank and give kids a voice in their family

New Products-

Polyester, plastics, hi-fi (stereo) record layers, many other electronics

Automobile-

American dependence on the car continues to grow with the growth of suburbs. Government responds by massive highway buildings.

Television-

TV replaces radio as America’s favorite media. I Love Lucy and game shows dominate. Scandal involving rigged game shows almost eliminates game shows from TV for years.

Planned Obsolescence-

Product that were purposefully designed to either ware out or become outdated in a short time.

Movies-

Hollywood’s “Golden Age”. Most movies now in color and new techniques like wide screens encouraged great epics to be filmed.

Alfred Hitchcock-

First director to have films associated with their name. Master of suspense. Movies included: North by Northwest, Vertigo, The Man Who Knew too Much, Rear Window, and physco.

Beat Movement-

Literary artists expressed ideas of non-conformity. “Beatniks” lived lives very different from the American Dream.

Jack Kerouac-

Leading beat movement writer whose book On the Road encouraged people to set out to find alternative lifestyles.

Rock n’ Roll-

Elvis takes “Black” music crossed to the mainstream and revolutionizes American Music.

Elvis Presley-

“King of Rock and Roll”, dominated the teen scene of the 50’s. 45 of his records sold more than 1 million copies. He also starred in many movies.

Civil Rights movement-

Jump started by supreme court decision of Brown vs Board of Education in 1954, movement went through a variety of stages. Peaceful protest led by the likes of martin Luther king Jr. compared to the more militant movement of the nation of Islam, Malcolm X, and the Black Panthers.

White Flight-

Massive population movement of primarily middle class whites from the inner cities to the suburbs

Jackie Robinson-

First African American to play in the major leagues. Joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

Dien Bien Phu-

Major battle that convinced the French to ultimately abandon Vietnam.

1960 Election-

Sees Nixon vs Kennedy