Post WWII AmericaPost WWII America

Life After WWII Life After WWII

How will WWII change life in How will WWII change life in America?America?

In Europe?In Europe?

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

How will life be different for the How will life be different for the following groups?following groups?– VeteransVeterans– WomenWomen– MinoritiesMinorities– FamiliesFamilies– ConsumersConsumers

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

VeteransVeterans– G.I. Bill of Rights (1944)G.I. Bill of Rights (1944)

part of tuitionpart of tuition one year unemploymentone year unemployment low-interest loanslow-interest loans

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

WomenWomen– Old vs. new gender rolesOld vs. new gender roles

IndependenceIndependence EmploymentEmployment

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

MinoritiesMinorities– EmploymentEmployment– Racial violenceRacial violence– VeteransVeterans– Civil rightsCivil rights

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

FamiliesFamilies– Changing rolesChanging roles– DivorceDivorce

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

ConsumersConsumers– Wartime Wartime peacetime production peacetime production

Cancelled contractsCancelled contracts UnemploymentUnemployment

– Inflation (OPA)Inflation (OPA)– Pent up needs/wantsPent up needs/wants– New productsNew products

Readjustment and RecoveryReadjustment and Recovery

Social changesSocial changes– Housing crisisHousing crisis– William Levitt & Henry KaiserWilliam Levitt & Henry Kaiser

Prefab, assembly line homesPrefab, assembly line homes SuburbsSuburbs

– Levittown (NY)Levittown (NY)

ConformityConformity

Truman’s PresidencyTruman’s Presidency

Read pages 842 – 843Read pages 842 – 843– What challenges did Truman face in What challenges did Truman face in

each area and how did he respond?each area and how did he respond? EconomicEconomic SocialSocial

Truman’s PresidencyTruman’s Presidency

Economic challengesEconomic challenges– StrikesStrikes

Higher prices, lower wagesHigher prices, lower wages Threatens to enact draftThreatens to enact draft

– Leads to Republican takeover of CongressLeads to Republican takeover of Congress

Truman’s PresidencyTruman’s Presidency

Social challengesSocial challenges– Civil rightsCivil rights

Truman supportsTruman supports African Americans want:African Americans want:

– anti-lynching lawanti-lynching law– abolition of poll taxabolition of poll tax– creation of permanent body to prevent creation of permanent body to prevent

discrimination in hiringdiscrimination in hiring

Congress’ responseCongress’ response

Truman’s PresidencyTruman’s Presidency

Executive Order 9981Executive Order 9981– Integrated armed forcesIntegrated armed forces

Government employers may not Government employers may not discriminatediscriminate

Supreme Court: lower courts cannot Supreme Court: lower courts cannot bar African Americans from bar African Americans from neighborhoodsneighborhoods

Election of 1948Election of 1948

CandidatesCandidatesDemocrats

Harry Truman

Republicans

Thomas Dewey

States’ Rights Democratic Party (Dixiecrats)

J. Strom Thurmond

Progressive Party

Henry Wallace

Election of 1948 - ResultsElection of 1948 - Results

Truman’s Second TermTruman’s Second Term

Truman’s Fair DealTruman’s Fair Deal– Proposal of New Deal extension failsProposal of New Deal extension fails

National heath insuranceNational heath insurance

– Successful ideasSuccessful ideas Minimum wage increases ($0.40 Minimum wage increases ($0.40 $0.75) $0.75) SS coverage extendedSS coverage extended Low-income housing supportLow-income housing support

Truman’s TroublesTruman’s Troubles

Blamed for problemsBlamed for problems– Korean WarKorean War– McCarthyismMcCarthyism

Decides not to run for reelectionDecides not to run for reelection

Election of 1952Election of 1952

DemocratsDemocrats

Adlai StevensonAdlai StevensonRepublicansRepublicans

Dwight “Ike” D. Dwight “Ike” D. EisenhowerEisenhower

Election of 1952Election of 1952

Republicans blame DemocratsRepublicans blame Democrats Criticize growing power of federal Criticize growing power of federal

gov’tgov’t Accuse Truman’s allies of corruptionAccuse Truman’s allies of corruption Richard Nixon = Eisenhower’s Richard Nixon = Eisenhower’s

running materunning mate– Accused of accepting bribesAccused of accepting bribes

Election of 1952Election of 1952

Importance of TVImportance of TV– Nixon’s appealNixon’s appeal– Political ads!Political ads!

http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/

Election of 1952 - ResultsElection of 1952 - Results

Eisenhower’s PresidencyEisenhower’s Presidency

Approach = “dynamic conservatism” Approach = “dynamic conservatism” or “Modern Republicanism”or “Modern Republicanism”– Gov’t should be conservative w/ $$ and Gov’t should be conservative w/ $$ and

liberal with humansliberal with humans Civil RightsCivil Rights

– Stayed in the middleStayed in the middle

Ike’s AccomplishmentsIke’s Accomplishments

Backed programs that would:Backed programs that would:– Balance budgetBalance budget– Cut taxesCut taxes– Raise minimum wageRaise minimum wage– Extend Social Security & unemploymentExtend Social Security & unemployment– Increase funding for public housingIncrease funding for public housing– Create interstate highwaysCreate interstate highways– Create Dept of Health, Education, & Create Dept of Health, Education, &

WelfareWelfare