US History Unit 11

NATO -

(North Atlantic Treaty Organization) - military alliance formed to counter Soviet expansion

Immediate Effects :

37,000 Americans killed, 103,000 Americans wounded, Relations with China worsen, and Armed forces racially integrated

What social and economic factors changed American life during the 1950's?

Growth of the suburbs. as the suburbs grew people had families and homes and pets and appliances. The economy in the 1950s is doing well. They are making money so they can buy more things but people are buying the same things. And there is more leisure time so people watch more TV. Housing Patterns change : 20% of population moved - many to the west, 85% of new homes constructed in suburbia, population change 1950-1960 - in the suburbs 50% increase and in the cities there was a 10% increase. They moved to escape crime, congestion, and pollution. They wanted the promise of fresh air and trees with a more open and country-feeling environment. There was prejudice against minorities with favoring of white people. The cars and highways were built and made it easier to travel as well as the GI bill which brought more affordable options. There was a baby boom which drastically increased the population by 30 million in the 50s. Bigger homes, schools, and colleges were created. Society was becoming child-centered. There were more school activities : girl scouts, little leagues, musical instrument sales rose (1950-1960), TV, Lone Ranger, Superman, Mouseketeers and Fads were created.

Describe family life in the 1950's. What were the roles of men and women like? During the 1950's Americans placed the most value on what?

Men : Men were often the focus in society and their view on women dictated changes that they went under. Men were often valued more in society than women and women were often just viewed to stay home. Women : The role of women changed : they were encouraged to be stay-at-home moms. They were taught that men were not interested in educated women. TV shows were focused on men's roles : Leave it to Beaver and Father knows best. Betty Friedan who brought the Feminine Mystique and she asked is this all ?. She had a "problem with no name". 1950s people placed a value on the American family : 2 parents , kids, pets, mom stays at home , dad works, no one is a communist, they eat dinner together.

Long - Term Effects :

Military spending increases, military commitments increase worldwide, relations with japan improve, and future presidents send military into combat without congressional approval

1950s Migration Patterns -

More than 40 million Americans moved to the suburbs, one of the largest mass migrations in history. Led to the creation of Levittowns which were mass production of suburban homes created by William Levitt.

NASA -

National Aeronautics and Space Administration - government agency that coordinates U.S. efforts in space

Korean War -

On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces attacked across the 38th parallel. The 90,000 North Korean troops were armed with powerful tanks and other Soviet weapons. Within days, the northerners overtook the South Korean capital city of Seoul and set out after the retreating South Korean army. In September 1950 UN counterattacked, General Douglas MacArthur, he decided to strike at the weakest by launching a surprise attack on the port city of Inchon, well behind enemy lines. On september 15, 1950 US Marines landed at Inchon and launched an attack into the rear guard of the North Koreans. Communist forces fled for the North korean border and by October 1950, the North Koreans had been driven north of the 38th parallel. MacArthur then attacked north of the 38th parallel. On November 25, 1950, 300,000 chinese soldiers attacked south korean and US positions. Then there was a stalemate from the spring of 1951-1953. On July 27, 1953 the two sides signed a cease-fire.

Why did some people reject the culture of the 1950's?

People in the 1950s did not want to conform to the societal norms of society and believed they should be able to challenge the patterns of society and be who they wanted to be.

Truman Doctrine -

President Truman's promise to help struggling nations against communism movements

What were the causes and effects of the Korean War?

Short Term Causes : North Korea invaded South Korea Long term Causes : Spread of communism and American containment Immediate Effects : 37,000 Americans killed, 103,000 Americans wounded, Relations with China worsen, and Armed forces racially integrated Long - Term Effects : Military spending increases, military commitments increase worldwide, relations with japan improve, and future presidents send military into combat without congressional approval

Cold War -

The 46 year struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union.

How did the fear of the spread of communism affect American society in the 1950's?

The Red Scare happened in which there was a fear that communists were working to destroy the american way of life. This led to President Truman creating a Federal Employee Loyalty Program in March 1947. The order permitted the FBI and other government agencies to screen federal employees for political disloyalty. About 3,000 employees were dismissed or resigned. The order also had the Attorney General make a list of "totalitarian, fascist, or subversive organizations." If you were on the lists you were singled out for security risks and often lost their jobs. The Truman administration also passed the Smith Act which made it unlawful to teach or advocate the violent overthrow of the US government. The House created HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) which was used to investigate activities by fascists, nazis, or communists. HUAC targeted the movie industry and one case was the Hollywood Ten which was a group of left-wing writers, directors, and producers. They refused to answer questions pleading the fifth. The Hollywood Ten were cited for being in contempt of Congress and were tried, convicted, and sent to prison.

Describe the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The US noticed that the Soviet Union had dropped an atomic bomb and Truman then ordered the creation of the atomic energy commission to produce a hydrogen bomb. Scientists such as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein opposed developing the H bomb saying it would lead to an arms race (contest in which nations compete to build more powerful weapons). In 1952 the US tested the first hydrogen bomb and the next year the soviets tested one of their own. US and Soviet Union create bombs to over power each other and they make the H Bomb. They race to create the most powerful weapons to overpower each other.

What was America's foreign policy during the Cold War? Was the US successful in achieving this foreign policy? Use evidence to provide support.

The US used the policy of containment which is the policy of keeping communism contained within its existing borders. Containment policy was first successful in western europe. After WWII when there were shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies Secretary of State George C Marshall unveiled his plan. The Marshall Plan was a foreign policy that offered economic aid to western european countries after WWII. Over the next 4 years the US gave about $13 billion in grants and loans to nations in Western Europe. This helped provide food to reduce famine, fuel to heat houses and factories, and money to jump start economic growth. This plan provided an example of how US aid could serve the ends of both economic and foreign policy. The aid helped countries that were desperately in need. Prosperity then helped the american economy by increasing trade. The aid created work to help stop the expansion of communism.

1950s Culture -

The baby boom which resulted in almost 3.4 million births each year during the 1950s, More families began to move to the suburbs, the civil rights movement which resulted in the "separate but equal" phrase, The Cold War and The Red Scare.

Sputnik -

The name of the soviet union's 184 pound steel ball containing a small transmitter into an orbit of earth. The world's first satellite and was a significant win for the USSR in the Space Race.

What were problems with Levittowns/Suburbs?

They were only white neighborhoods. Minorities were excluded from middle-class neighborhoods by builders and realtors. There was a violent reaction when the first black family entered Levittown because the white neighbors did not like the Jim Crow laws or living with African Americans. They were often "cookie-cutter houses". They were all the same and they lacked individuality and privacy.

Truman's Presidency -

Truman became president after Franklin Roosevelt died. Truman established a special committee on civil rights to investigate race relations. He authorized an executive order desegregating the military. He got elected after his train tour of the nation where he gave 300 speeches and traveled 31,000 miles in a matter of weeks. Truman was reelected and he announced the Fair Deal program which he said would strengthen existing New Deal reforms and establish new programs. He was the first President to challange public discrimination and was a determined opponent of communist expansion.

Levittown/Suburbs -

William Levitt became a leader in mass producing suburban homes. Entire rows of houses in Levittown were built using the same plan. This method enabled workers to build houses in weeks rather than in months. On the installment plan, buyers could pay $58 a month toward the cost of a home.

House Un-American Activities Committee -

congressional committee that investigated possible subversive activities within the united states

38th Parallel -

dividing line between north and south korea

Red Scare -

fear that communists were working to destroy the american way of life

Marshall Plan -

foreign policy that offered economic aid to western european countries after World War II. America does not want to see western european countries be poor and fall to communism. The marshall plan gave money to european countries who struggled during WWII so they didn't fall into communism.

Hollywood Ten -

group of movie writers, directors, and producers who refused to answer HUAC questions about communist ties

Baby Boom -

increase in births between 1945 - 1964

Warsaw Pact -

military alliance of the soviet union and its satellite states. It is the opposite of NATO. Communists countries got together to have each other's backs because they were communist countries.

McCarthyism/Joseph McCarthy -

negative catchword for extreme, reckless charges of disloyalty

Mutually Assured Destruction -

policy in which the United States and the Soviet Union hoped to deter nuclear war by building up enough weapons to destroy one another

Containment -

policy of keeping communism contained within its current borders

Massive Retaliation -

policy of threatening to use massive force in response to aggression. Eisenhower brings it in when he becomes president if the soviets attack us we need to wreck them coming at them with full force.

Berlin Airlift -

program in which US and British pilots flew supplies to West Berlin during a Soviet blockade

Space Race -

the competition between the US and the Soviet Union to develop the technology to successfully land on the moon.