1930s Had a lot of Insecurity (job, food, home)
The increase in stress and anxiety had mental health impacts (suicide rates went up during Great Depression)
Marriage and birth rate declined because of economic insecurity
Americans were fearing the return to pre-war conditions and lead to a Depression
Signs of recession
GNP declined
Inflation: high employment rates during war (people were saving money), Americans want to spend (16 years of no spending from Great Depression and rationing for war)
Inflation rate was at 25% after WW2 was over
Wage ceiling during War years were removed during war years, resulting in an increase in wages and bosses don’t give it to them so wages are stuck at pre-war levels, but inflation has gone up 25% and their cost of living has gone up significantly and their wages haven’t gone up accordingly, so the workers strike
In 1919: 3000 work stoppages \n In 1946: 4.5 million go on strikes
Taft Hartley Act: Truman was a democrat (more pro labor)
Congress overrode the Presidential veto (need ⅔ of vote to override)
Key provisions:
The act Stimulated economic expansion and promoted new construction and a better educated workforce
He wanted American people to know that this was going to be an extension of FDR’s new deal
Liberal reform program and ambitious in its scope
Measures proposed
National healthcare insurance
Federal aid to education (being funded at the state and local level)
Civil rights legislation
Funds for public housing (low income + poor people)
New farm program
Truman is trying to take care of the Forgotten Man
None of the measures get passed by Congress because Truman needs them to do something they said nothing (personal conflict w/congress) and Cold War (foreign policy = dominant problem from 1945-1991)
Sign into law in increase in minimum wages (40 cents to 75 cents)
Extend social security to include more workers
Economic boom
Signs of prosperity
Differences between 1920s and 1950s/60s
Construction boom
Controlling all aspects of production
Vertical integration (Carnegie)
American dream is to move to suburbs, good schools, houses and people all look the same
White Flight:
White Flight
Majority of Americans moved to Sunbelt (virginia to florida and across Gulf Coast and all the way to California) because:
Lower taxes and cheaper living
Baby Boom:
How did each president handle the cold war conflict? Did they increase or decrease tension
Satellite State
The Marshall PLan
US was the first nation to sign charter of UN
The Founding of ISrael
Soviet menace resulted in creation of huge new national security apparatus
National Security Act of 1947:
Established National Security Council (NSC) to advise president on security matters and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to coordinate gov.’s foreign fact gathering
Congress:
Reconstruction in Japan:
MacArthur-dicated constitution adopted in 1946:
Renounced militarism; provided for women’s equality
Introduced Western-style democratic government
Paved way for Japan’s phenomenal economic recovery
H-Bomb:
US exploded first hydrogen device in 1942
Nuclear arms race entered perilously competitive cycle
ONly constrained by recognition that truly hot Cold War would be destroy the world
The Cold War Home Front
COld war deeply shaped political and economic developments at home after WWII
New anti-red chase accelerated by fears of communist spies in USA:
In 1947, Truman launched massive “loyalty” program:
Smith Act: First peacetime anti-sedition law since 1798
HUAC: House Un-American Activities Committee —investigate subversion
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg:
US was More interventionist after WWII:
After WWI: