The 1950s

Topics We Will Cover● Post WWII● U.S./USSR Relations

● The Red Scare

● Beginning of Cold War

● Truman Doctrine

● Marshall Plan

● Berlin Crisis

● McCarthyism

● Korean War● Causes

● Outcome

Topics Cont.● President Eisenhower

● “We Like Ike”● Ike’s Legacy

● 1950’s Life● Music/Film● Sports● Interstate/Suburb Growth

● Civil Rights● Brown v. Board of Education● Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott● Emmett Till● Little Rock 9● Civil Rights Act of 1957

Ms. Kelsay’s Week ● Wednesday

● Introduction to Cold War and 1950s● 1950s Research Project Intro

● Thursday● Research Project work day

● Friday● Research Project work day (if needed)

1950s Research Project● Groups of 4

● Hand out 2 topics

● Create PowerPoint slides for each topic● Answer all the questions● Put names in the top/bottom corner of each slide● Each topic must have at least one picture to go along● Include sources at the bottom

● Will have 2 work days for this in class

● Due by January 27- Share with me on Google● kelsaymc@u4sd.org

1/27

● Work/finish projects till 10:20● Share with me now!● If you get done early, come up with 3 interesting things you

learned by researching to share ● At 10:20- Come together and discuss findings● Write down 2 things you heard that really interest

you-turn in● If time: Cold War Intro

Topic Title

● Question 1● Details

● Question 2●

PICTURES!

Sources

Post World War II● 1945- War over, boys coming

back home

● People remember it as a time of prosperity and normality

● Baby Boom

● Television, highways, suburbs

● BUT….

U.S. and USSR Relations● Power struggle between U.S.

and USSR ● Different economic and

political systems

● Stalin tightened the Russian control on Eastern Europe● “Iron Curtain”- Winston

Churchill

● Was trying to spread communism further and further

Truman Acts“Containment”

● Create alliances between U.S. and other nations

● “Contain” communism in its borders

Truman Doctrine

● March 12, 1947

● Greece and Turkey next targets for Communist takeovers

● $400 Million

● Send financial support to all countries who want to defend against communism

● Soviets continue to spread

Communism and The Long Telegram

● Tensions were at an all time high● USSR refuses to allow free elections

● Spreading Communism ● Feb. 22, 1946

● George Kennan● The Long Telegram● 5,540 word cable message● Explained Soviet ideas

● Fear of the “west”● Spread Communism and keep invaders out

● Constant struggle● Marx and Lenin think Communists will rule

world one day● There can be no peace

Marshall Plan● June 1947● Secretary of State George Marshall ● Western European Countries- terrible economies● Billions in aid to countries to help their economies● Outcomes:

● Economies recovered● Countries politically stable● U.S. gained allies and their reputation went back up

● Stalin did not like this help ● Rejected support ● Further split Europe

1/30

● Please take out a piece of paper and write down the answers to these questions:● Who were the four occupation zones of Post-war Germany

split between?● What was the Marshall Plan?● What do you know about our relations with Russia today?● What do you know about the travel ban set by President

Trump this weekend?

Current Events

● President Trump’s Executive Order for travel ban● “The move halted US refugee entry into the US for 120

days, and barred all citizens of seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the US for three months.”- CNN

● Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Berlin Crisis● Early 1948

● USSR trying to undermine Germany’s economy● USA, Britain, & France

combine their zones w/in Germany

● Allow new zone to create own gov’t

● Also merge sections of Berlin

● New area called West Germany

● USSR’s section- East Germany

Berlin Crisis

● The Berlin Airlift● USSR cuts off all road and rail supplies to West Berlin

● USA determined to show support to West Berlin● Cargo planes loaded w/ food, medicine, and coal● Flew over Wester Berlin & dropped supplies for 11 months● Over 2 million tons of supplies

● Stalin lifts the ban

NATO vs. Warsaw PactNATO

● North Atlantic Treaty Organization

● U.S. realized USSR could be contained if Western nations took action● U.S. joins military alliance

with Western Europe● 12 nations

● if one is touched, all come to its aid

● Collective security

Warsaw Pact

● USSR feels threatened by NATO● Joins military alliance with

Eastern Europe● Even with this alliance, USSR

exert control over Warsaw Pact allies

Korean War ● During the Cold War

● Korea becomes divided at the 38th parallel

● USSR controls North● USA controls South

● North Korean forces invaded South Korea● USSR backs communist

Army of North Korea● UN Intervenes

● USA and UN send troops● Push North Korea

back over 38th parallel

● Both sides give and take land

Korean War

● China enters● Pushes UN troops back

● USA does not want war with China● Refuses to fight them

● General MacArthur wanted to fight China● Thought the refusal was “an enormous handicap”

● Truman fired him in April 1951 ● “We are trying to prevent a world war-not to start

one”● MacArthur returned home as a hero to some

● July 1948- President Truman desegregated the military with an executive order that mandated “equality of treatment and opportunity” for all soldiers.

Results

● No permanent peace treaty has been signed● July 1953 armistice ended war, but not the end to bad

relations between North and South Korea● The two are still split by 2.5 mile demilitarized zone● Tensions remain high

● North Korea has large nuclear weapon program

The New Red Scare

● Sept. 1945● Red Scare begins● Igor Gouzenko

● Soviet intelligence operator in Canada

● Ordered back to USSR

● Defects out of his position ● Takes top secret

doc. w/ him● Listed spies and

secret organizations in US

The Red Scare

● Opened American eyes● Idea that

communists had infiltrated● Government● Society

● Americans thought communists wanted to undermine government● conquer and spread

communism

The Red Scare

● The Loyalty Review Program● Screened all federal employees

● Actually made people feel worse● 1947-1951

● 6 million employees screened● HUAC

● House Un-American Activities Committee● Idea was to publically denounce figures

● Once public they could no longer function● FBI involvement● Wiretapped● Involved thousands

The Red Scare● Spy Cases

● 1948- Alger Hiss● Accused of spying● Sued for libel● Later found guilty of

perjury● 1949- Julius and Ethel

Rosenberg● Accused of sending

secrets to USSR● Plans on the

atomic bomb● Found guilty● Executed in 1953

● Verona Papers● Released names of

American spies● Confirmed Hiss and

Rosenbergs

McCarthyism

● Joseph McCarthy● Senator from WI● Had a list of 205 Communist

gov’t officials

● McCarthyism● Made several charges

against politicians ● Sparked panic

● Caused people to lose jobs and reputations if accused

● Attacked Secretary of State George Marshall● Worried many people

McCarthyism

● McCarthy’s Tactics● Accusations

● Very little facts● Prayed on irrational fears● Poor evidence

● Became a witch hunt● Damaged reputations

● Tactics● Poorly interrogated people

● Wouldn’t accept answers● people feared challenging him

McCarthy’s Downfall

● McCarthy’s Downfall● Takes on the army

● Accused the army of housing several communists

● Army denied● Investigated itself● Found no

communists● Several hearings

between McCarthy and Army● Citizens got a real

look at McCarthy● He was a bully

The Atomic/Hydrogen Bombs

● US already had atomic bombs● USSR exploded 1st in 1949● Both increased supply● Truman wanted bigger bomb

● 1952- US has 1st H-bomb● 1,000 times as powerful as

A-bomb● 1953- USSR has 1st H-bomb ● Mutually assured destruction

Duck and Cover

● Worried an attack could happen at any time● Schools practiced “duck and

cover”● Under desks and away from

windows● Fallout shelters

● dug into backyards● protection from fallout

● radiation

We Like Ike!!● Successful Army General

● Won the 1952 election

● Charmed people with smile, personality, honestly and service

● Promised “Dynamic Conservatism”

● Conservative when it comes to money, liberal when it comes to human beings

● Balance the budget by cutting spending and taxes

Military Industrial Complex

● Relationship between defense departments and industry

● Eisenhower- 1961● Warning to Americans to not

let military-industrial relationship dictate actions

● Too much money going towards military could hurt other aspects of economy

Ike’s Legacy

● Federal Highway Act● Largely in response to suburb explosion● Largest public works program in history● $25 Billion/10 year effort to construct interstate highway

system● Led U.S. during most of Cold and Korean Wars● Greatest failure

● Really didn’t do much for progress in Civil Rights

Space Race Increases

● October 4, 1957● Soviet Union

launched Sputnik● Satellite with a dog-

see how living creatures react in space

https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/space/1194817120962/sputnik-s-legacy.html

U.S. Responds

● 1958- U.S. responds by launching Explorer satellite● mapped the Van Allen radiation belts that encircle the

Earth● Beginning of Space Race

● U.S. desire to maintain technological edge ● Cold War tensions & urgency to stay ahead● National Pride

● National Defense Education Act● more scientists and teachers

● NASA created ● Soviet Union came up with similar program

50s Life Intro ●

50s Life● Music

● Rock-and-Roll emerged● Elvis Presley● Seen as scandalous● Only filmed from waist

up sometimes● African American artists● Chuck Berry- pioneer of

rock-and-roll● Little Richard● Ray Charles

● People it thought negative impact

● Television/film● Everyone wanted a TV● I Love Lucy, Leave It to Beaver

● Reflected ideals of 50s family● I Love Lucy-husband and

wife had to have separate beds● Had to have one foot

on ground if so● No African American

characters● Could now see presidential

campaigns ● Advertising

50s Sports● Baseball is integrated

● Jackie robinson● 1st African American to

play● Willie Mays- New York

Giants● Received backlash but

continued on

Baby Boom

● When soldiers returned they married and had kids right away

● 1957- American baby born every 7 seconds● 4.3 million in this year

● 1940-1955: greatest increase in U.S. population● 130 to 165 Million people

Interstate Highway/Cars/ Suburbs

● 1956● Interstate Highway ACt

● Funds to build 41,000 miles of highway

● Brought new meaning to cars● 1945-26 million cars● 1960- 60 million cars● Ford Motor Company

● Movement to suburbs easier● Cheaper and

self-contained

Women in the 50s● During war- women worked in

factories● After war- women stayed

home● Women stay home while

men go work & are “breadwinners”

● Nuclear family● Mother, father and their

children ● Life revolved around home

and children

Civil Rights in the 50s● Emmett Till

● Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

● Brown v. Board of Education

● Little Rock Nine

Emmett Till● Emmett Till

● 14 year old black boy from Chicago

● Went to visit his cousin in Mississippi

● Was beaten and killed for talking/whistling to a white woman in a store

● Body found in the river and brought back to Chicago

● Caused huge unrest in the black communities

Rosa Parks and Montgomery Bus Boycott

Rosa Parks

● 1955● Refused to give her seat on

the bus up for white man ● Arrested

● Martin Luther King Jr. starts Montgomery Bus Boycott● Dec. 5, 1955● All blacks wouldn’t ride bus● Backlash by whites

● Nov. 1956● Buses integrated

● Start of peaceful protests

Civil Rights Act of 1957● President Eisenhower signed bill

● Established United States Civil Rights Commission● Power to investigate violations of Civil Rights● All Americans had the right to vote

Rise of MLK Jr.

● Martin Luther King Jr. ● Baptist minister● Born in Atlanta ● Started peaceful protests

and Montgomery Bus Boycott

● From then on was known as leader of Civil Rights Movement

Brown v. Board● Under Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896

● “Separate but Equal”● Schools for whites: new and nice; schools for blacks: shacks

● Thurgood Marshall● Argued with Supreme Court 1953 with Brown case

● Reverend Oliver Brown tried to enroll his daughter in all-white school

● Ruling● Overturn of Plessy-schools integrated

● Many states, North and South, fought the decision

Little Rock Nine● First black students in

integrated school since Brown● 9 students

● Little Rock Central HIgh ● Arkansas National Guard

sent to turn them away● White mobs gathered

● Eisenhower had to send in Army to protect them