Craved peace and stability Ike middle of the road Inspired confidence Dynamic Conservatism Big Picture Delegated authority Reconciled contending factions Governing Style Stayed out of legislative process ID: 1040052
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1. Eisenhower PresidencyFit American MoodCraved peace and stabilityIke “middle of the road”Inspired confidenceDynamic ConservatismBig PictureDelegated authorityReconciled contending factionsGoverning StyleStayed out of legislative processLet Cabinet do it’s thingLaid-back to publicRuthless politicianFocused on business principlesSlashed budgetPromoted private development of hydroelectric and nuclear powerEconomic advisors (CEA)Increases government spending in times of recessionCentrist coursePragmaticReduce taxesContain inflationGovern efficientlyModern RepublicanismDomestic programResisted national health careCivil rightsFederal aid to education“Eisenhoover” nicknameFiscal conservative1st priority to balance budgetSuccessesLarge tax cut for wealthy and businessIncreased funding for public housingIncreased minimum wage from .75 to 1.00Extended social securityConstruction of St. Lawrence SeawayInterstate Highway SystemGreat domestic achievement, legacy40,000 milesElection of 1956DemocratsAdlai StevensonIke “Everything booming but the guns”Landslide victoryDemocrats retained control of Congress
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3. Jim Crow in CourtChief Justice Earl Warren (1953)Jencks v. United States 1957Accused has right to inspect government files used by prosecutionYates v. United States 1957Overturned convictions of Communist party officials under Smith ActEnded further prosecution of communists“Impeach Earl Warren”Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka 1954Landmark case!!!!NAACP Thurgood Marshall (lawyer)Reversed Plessy v. Fergusonviolated 14th amendment and “equal protection under the law”Federal district judges to monitor South vowed resistanceIke wouldn’t force White resistance increasedRevival of KKK
4. Civil RightsResistance climaxedSept. 1957 Little Rock, Ark.Gov. Orval E. FaubusPresident had to interveneMobilized National Guard to block desegregation of Central High1st President since Reconstruction to use troops to protect rights of African-AmericansCourt ordered withdrawal of GuardEisenhower forced to back federal lawsCold war issue1956 CampaignCivil Rights act of 1957Established permanent commissionTo investigate voting rights issuesCivil Rights act of 1960No protection for votingDidn’t empower federal officials to register African-Americans to vote
5. Phase 2 of the Cold WarIke and DullesIke appoints John Foster Dulles as Secretary of StateTo appease GOP“Dulles Diplomacy”New look for foreign policyThough containment too passiveInitative to challenge Soviet Union and ChinaTalked of “liberating captive nations” of Eastern Europe“Brinkmanship” – never backing downThreatened “instant, massive retaliation” to SovietEisenhower not happyNo response to uprisings in East Germany (1953) or Hungary (56)“Atoms for Peace”Idea for both superpowers to contribute fissionable materials to a new U.N. agency for industrial progressSpirit of Geneva1955, suspension of further atmospheric tests- 1958Dulles’ “pactomania”Mutal defense pacts with 43 nations“new look” defense programMore nucsRussia countered with own hydrogen bombNucs actually held superpowers in checkReduce conventional forcesEarly Distant warning system- AlaskaCheyenne Mountain Operations Center
6. Phase 2- Cold WarUnrest in 3rd world countriesEnd of colonization in Africa/AsiaPawns in Cold WarCIAAllen Dulles, head of CIACovert actions to prevent communismTR’s grandson“Operation Ajax”Overthrow of Iran 1953Sowed seeds of hatredU.S. played major role, oil the issuePhilippinesGuatemalaOperation successMercenaries overthrew the governmentHad threatened U.S. business interests
7. Domino TheoryVietnam DominoMost expensive operationsIke refused to send troopsFrench surrendered 1954French had try to “retake” after WWIIImperialism increased support for communism U.S. supported France (financially)Result:Indochina divided into:Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam Vietnam divided at 17th parallelNorth Vietnam- CommunistSouth Vietnam- Democratic“Domino Theory”All of SE Asia would followUS refused Geneva Peace AccordsCreated SEATOSouth East Asia Treaty Org.GB, France, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Pakistan, Thailand, and the U.S.CIA installed South Vietnamese government
8. Troubles in the Third WorldMiddle EastDifficult for U.S. to balance maintaining ties with oil rich states and supporting Israel at same time1954 Nasser/Egypt “Suez Crisis”US tried to “woo” with building Aswan DamRecognized China insteadSeized the Suez Canal in 1956Threatened Western Europe supply line to oilJoint attack of British, French and Israeli forces 1956Did not consult IkeSupported U.N. resolution to remove allies from EgyptEisenhower’s responseWithdraw troopsAnti-western sentiment in Middle EastBritain/ France never again important in world affairsU.S. became “protector” of Middle- East interests“Eisenhower Doctrine” 1957US would send military aid to any country threatened by communismLebanon 195814,000 troops sent to prevent breakout of civil war between Christians and MuslimsAnti-AmericaPeru/Venezuela 1958Fidel Castro/Cuba 1959Overthrows governmentNationalizes businesses, cuts of U.S. tradeTurns to SovietsBreakdown of peaceSpy plane/Russia 1960“Spirit of Camp David”
9. Eisenhower LegacyWarning to AmericansThreat to traditional military life“military industrial complex” Gave Americans prosperity and reassuranceTried to prevent war
10. Affluent SocietyCoined by John Kenneth Galbraith 1958Broad-based prosperity in America1950’s fulfillment of American Dream60% owned homes75% owned cars87% owned one T.V.GNP up 50%Despite debt3 recessionsHighest standard of living in US ever“people of plenty”
11. Industry and ComputersFederal spending major source of economic growthDoubled in 1950sPublic spendingRoads, airports, home mortgages, supported farm prices, stipends for educationElectronicsConsumption tripledOil replaced coal as nation’s industry source½ of budget went to defense industriesR & DNew IndustriesPlastics, chemicals, general dynamics1944International Business MachinesMark I calculator500 miles of wiring1946US ArmyENAIC, 1st electronic computer“debugged”, literally bugsLed to development of programsChanged economy like 1st steam engine, electric motorSales to Industry and governmentCrucial to IRS30,000 by mid 1960s for banks, hospitals, universities, etc.Silicon Valley 1951Stanford Industrial ParkHome to technology core
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13. Costs of Big BusinessRapid technological advances accelerated power of big “B”1950: 20 firms over $1 billionMassive oligopolies formedTV, Auto CompaniesNew multinational enterprises“executives” replaced capitalistsSuccess required conformity“the Lonely Crowd” 1950 No creativityChanges in agriculturalScientific and mechanizedTechnology cut hoursFactories in the fieldsMore machines, more chemicalsChanges to the Environment“Silent Spring” 1962 Rachel CarsonPoisonsDDTBlue-Collar BluesConsolidation transformed Labor Movement1955 merger of AFL and CIO85% of union membersHigher wages, shorter workweeks, paid vacations, health-care coverage, automatic wage hikesFewer strikesUnions more conservative since more workers were in middle classDecreased in numbersAutomationNew jobs in service sector1956White-collar workers outnumber blue collar for 1st timeUS now “post-industrial” society
14. Prosperity and the SuburbsReal income roseMore income spent on luxuriesCredit installment plan1st credit card: Diner’s Club Card 1950Indebtedness roseAdvertisement increased58 million new cars purchased in 1950sFlashier modelsExodus to the suburbsHighways constructedIncome tax stimulated home salesLow interest loans (FHA, VA)98% white85% of homes built in 1950sEmbodiment of American dreamGreatest internal migration in US history20 millionSunbelt and Cali profited
15. Consensus and Conservatism“Togetherness”1954 McCall’s MagazineIdeal couple/familyWed younger, children youngerPost- war- traditional roles returnFertility rate roseIncrease in populationAntibioticsBaby Boom1946-1964Concern of child-rearingDr. Benjamin Spock, “Baby & Child Care” 1946Don’t work, BreastfeedLess scolding/spankingTrend1950’s schools construction1970’s homesDomesticityPop culture glorified marriageDoris day, Debbie ReynoldsDespite, increasing #s in workforceLaid groundwork for 1960’s feminismReligionChurch attendance upCold war anxietiesSurge of religious activityEvangelist: Billy GrahamRC Bishop: Fulton J. SheenProt. Minister: Norman Vincent PealePop CultureMoviesBen Hur, Ten CommandmentsSongs“I believe”, “Man Upstairs”CongressAdded “under God” to pledgeAdded “In God we Trust” to currencyBooksBible sales all time highEducationEnrollment increasedProgressive educators promoted socialibilitySelf-expression over math/science“well-rounded” students
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17. Culture of the 1950sReflected prosperity and fear of Cold WarArtNew York/ ModernismJackson PollackLiteratureDissatisfaction with jobs and homesJohn Clecter’s “The Wapshot Chronicles” 1957John Updike’s “Rabbit Run” 1960African-American Culture James Baldwin’s “Go tell it on the Mountain” 1953Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” 1951Jewish CultureBernard Malamud’s “The Assistant” 1957Philip Roth’s “Goodbye Columbus” 1959Southern CultureWilliam Faulkner’s “The Town” 1957, “The Mansion” 1960Eudora Weltly’s “The Ponder Heart” 1954HollywoodDiminished interest in political issuesWesterns, musicals, spectaclesWorking women replaced with dumb blondesMinorities invisibleMovie attendance down 50%Message of Medium: TV1946: 1 in 18,000 had a TV1960: 9 out of 10Radio stations transitionedABC, CBS, NBCTV Guide, TV DinersRetail Davy Crockett 1955 Coonskin hatsTV CultureAt 1st showcased creativity and talentOperaDocumentariesSitcoms with ethnic familiesAs price decreased demand for mass appeal increasedFew with conflict or controversyException “The Honeymooners”“I love Lucy” controversy“Leave it to Beaver” the normDifficult to assess impactRacial and gender stereotypes reinforcedVirtually ended network radioChanged political lifeMcCarthy Trials, Checkers speech
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19. The Other AmericaPoverty and Urban Blight35 million below poverty lineBulk lived in inner-city slumsAfrican-Americans, Hispanics, and Native AmericansMichael Hummington’s “The Other America, Poverty in the United States” 1962Poor trapped in vicious cycleNeed for low-cost housingBlack’s struggle for justice1954 Brown decision sparked new civil rights movementNon-violent resistanceRosa ParksDec. 1, 1955Arrested = Montgomery bus boycottChallenged in Supreme Court 19561957 SCLCDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Led non-violent sit-insLatinos and LatinasInadequate schools and housingLoss of culturePuerto RicansMexican-Americans1951 Bracero program reintroduced7.5 million new irrigated acres in SWOperation “wetback” 1953-1955Deportation of illegal immigrantsSupreme Court DecisionBanned exclusion of Mexican-Americans from juries (1954)Breaking boundaries1st Mexican-American mayor 1958Roberto ClementeNative AmericansPoorest minority1954-1962: 12 Termination bills of reservations passed60.000 relocated
20. Seeds of DisquietSputnikOctober 4, 19571st artificial satellite launched by Soviet UnionNov 3, 1957Launched another satellite, this time with a dog insideUS responseDec 6. 1957 “flopnik”Doubled funds for missiles developmentLead to creation of NASA 1958New focus on educationNational Defense Education Act 1958Math, science, and foreign languages new focusCollege enrollment increased1.5 billion in new funding
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22. Seeds of DisquietSocial consequencesJuvenile delinquencyRock-n-Roll1950’s Alan FreedBill Haley’s “shake, rattle, and roll” 1954First white Rock-n-Roll hitCorruption of youth, delinquency, mix races, devil’s musicElvis PresleyEmbodied new Rock-n-Roll movementDeveloped out of Jazz and R&BAssociated with African-Americans firstRecord sales tripled “American Bandstand” 1960OutsidersBuddy HollyFrankie LymonRichie ValensPortents of ChangeMoviesMarlon Brando in “ The Wild One” 1954James Dean in “Rebel without a Cause” 1955BeatniksRevolt against middle-class AmericaAllen Ginsberg’s “Howl” 1956Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” 1957J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” 1951Joseph Heller “Catch-22”Scorned conformity and materialism“square” AmericaRomanticized outcastsReactionScorned by Mass mediaAdmired by college youthAdvocated spontaneity, rebellion against social standards, drugsSet stage for youth rebellion in 1960s
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25. End of the “Nifty 50’s”Revolution on the way