AMH2020 Discussion Board
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 student’s 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 1/3 of workers in unions
Industrial democracy is a declining focus, with more focus on higher wages, pensions, healthcare, retirement, vacation, etc.
Unions still advocate politically, such as increased minimum wage, high employment programs, and some civil rights
Employers still attack working people, often moving factories out of high union areas to more politically friendly places like the South or West
Mass Society
Some prominent thinkers criticized nature of American freedom for its uniformity & that real control lay in the hands of corporate elites, politicians, and military leaders
Boredom and monotony of work criticized, question of fulfillment raised
Forcing people into social roles: should women just be housewives? Should workers just be workers?
Even though society was doing better, many saw their lives slipping away from their control
Youth and Cultural Rebellion
Growing number of young people because of baby boom
Youth market develops alongside new products like rock and roll and new clothing styles; “juvenile delinquency”
Early counter culture of late 50s is anti-conformity, anti-materialism
Beginning of Civil Rights
Long-term challenges by civil rights grouped bore fruit amidst the Cold War
Brown vs. Board of Education 1954 rules segregation unconstitutional
Legal decision gives further strength to ongoing struggle for black rights
Montgomery Bus Boycott 1956 breaks out after years of discussions and refusals, but Rosa Parks’ action sparks movement
Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference rise to prominence in 1956
Cold War and Third World
Decolonization movements saw independence for places like India, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria
Third World: unaligned governments during Cold War, mostly Africa and Asia
Some Third World countries become socialist while others admire US and want its support
Containment policy led US to oppose non-communists governments who threatened corporate interests, like in Iran & Guatemala
US provides money for France to maintain Vietnam, and increasingly intervenes against communist leaders who have popular support
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 labor’s power
Postwar Political Divisions
1948 Democratic Platform: healthcare, civil rights plank, federal aid to public schools, etc.
Progressive Party splits with Dems on foreign policy, wants to cooperate with USSR (does poorly in election)
Dixiecrats: Southern Democrats who don’t support Truman in 1948 due to civil rights goals. Presages realignments of the 1960s due to Civil Rights Movement.
Truman ultimately defeats his Republican rival
Anticommunism
Truman establishes loyalty review system, requiring government employees; Gay men targeted because government thought their sexual preference could be used to blackmail them
House Un-American Activities Committee investigated Hollywood, leading to blacklisting of some 200 actors and film makers
McCarythism: Senator Joe McCarthy leads campaign accusing many government officals of being Soviet agenst; shown to be a complete fraud, but few wanted to stand up to his false claims for fear of being accused of being communist
Anticommunism Trickles Down
At local level, anticommunism creates environment of fear and accusation
Many are forced to take loyalty oaths and states conduct their own investigations
“Patriotic” organization publicized the names of people who participated in political campaigns that were seen as leftwing or communist-led
Used to attack labor movement and civil rights groups; many socialists, communists, radicals, were expelled from groups (often more militant)
Civil Rights groups used its language, arguing that not fighting racism strengthened Soviet Union