The Postwar
Years at Home 1945-1960
During World War II the Americans had always dreamed of peace and
prosperity, especially after The Great Depression and WWII. After the war, they
expected to enjoy the benefit of their new standing as military and economic
superpower. The America Dream- a home in the suburbs which were developed by
people such as William J. Levitt, a
car in the garage and a family became real to most Americans. After WWII many Americans
were blessed with wealth, success and leisure. Conformity seemed the order of
the day, although some groups made it their business to avoid the popularity
accepted lifestyles of the 1950s. The postwar period created many challenges
for American leaders, including the conversion back to a peacetime economy and
the debate over the proper role of government in the nation’s economic and
social affairs. The events of WWII, including the fight against fascism abroad
and the African American migration at home, gave a new life into the civil rights
movement. The action of many courageous Americans brought significant results
in the postwar years.
When American soldiers returned from
the battle fields, they wanted nothing more than to out the horrors of the war
behind them and enjoy the comforts of home and family. This was a time when the
Gross National Product (GNP) more the doubled from $212 billion in 1945 to $504
billion in 1960, this made the per
capita income –the average income per person- increase from $1,526 to $2,788.
This gave Americans real purchasing
power – what people could actually buy with their money- it grew about 22%.
Nevertheless business feared the Depression of investing all their resources in
one business, became diversified
conglomerates. This means that companies invest in several businesses and
if one fails they still have their money in other businesses. Also during this
time a new type of business opened, franchises
which are business that can be found all over the country with the same quality
standards. During this time also a new business in agriculture arose, creating
the agribusiness. With some much
people working and making a leaving the baby
boom continued. Also WWII veterans enjoyed the GI Bill, which gave the
low-interest mortgages to purchase their new homes.
Suburbs
Middle-class Americans were
comfortable during the 1950s. Most did not question whether the images of
prosperous suburban white families frequently seen on television represented “typical”
American experiences. Americans in the post-WWII years were keenly aware of the
roles that they were expected to play as men and women. Men were expected to go
to school, and then find a job to support wives and children. Women in the
1950s were expected to play a supporting role for their husbands’ lives in the
public sphere. People such as the pediatrician Benjamin Spock assured American families that mothers should stay
home with their young children; this was another enforcing of society to
enforce the stereotype that women should stay at home. Also there were women
accepting this point of view, such as Betty
Friedan whom published an explosive critique of the 1950s ideal of
womanhood. Friedan due to her explosive critiques quite her job to become a
full time mother and home.
In the postwar years, political
events reflected the economic and social patterns of the country. At this time
also several strikes arose, so congress passed the Taft-Haley Act which allowed the President to declare an 8 day
cooling off, and the strikers affecting national interest returned to their
factories while the government did negotiations. At this time President Truman did
not have much success so the Democrats chose Adlai Stevenson, governor of Illinois, as their presidential
candidate. Years after President Eisenhower kept on insisting to cease the
Korean War, followed by his vice-president mate, Californian Richard M. Nixon. During this time also
the cold war was about to start, and the launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik, made the Americans feel
mortified, since they were considered the best scientist at the time.
Russians win the race to space
Before and during WWII, African
Americans were not treated as equals by a large portion of American Society.
The social rights movements after WWII started to occur, and not only during
the war for African Americans to enlist into the military, but also into sports
such as baseball. Jackie Robinson
(1919-1972) was the first African American to enter the baseball league. This created
great dispute, but he managed to overcome such thing and made a great impact in
the Brooklyn Dodgers in his first season. Another case was from Olivia Brown
who sued Topeka, Kansas, Board of Education due to the segregation and the case
was taken by the African American Thurgood
Marshall, who argued about segregation in school and in general. One of the
greatest of all social rights movements was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his fight for quality.
The postwar years were a time of
great progress for America in several levels of social and economic development.
Soldiers came back home, and wanted the old life style back. Also many Americans
achieved economic success; the American dream was formed during this time. It
was an era in which America would become a world economic power and have great
international influence. Also the social movements lead to a more equal society
in America; the fight for the cease of segregation became more intense and
notorious. Nevertheless dark times were coming, great ideological and political
fights would arise, and would create great fear in the American society up to
1989 when the Cold War would come to an end.
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