Postwar America, 1946 1952

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CHAPTER 27

• Postwar America, 1946 - 1952

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I. Reconversion

• Americans face two major questions at end of WWII
• What will be relationship with Soviet Union?
• Will the economy thrive or flounder?
• G.I. Bill provides new opportunities for veterans
  to purchase homes and attend college
• Economy surges forward as consumer spending
  begins in earnest

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II. Affluence and Anxiety

• Families place greater emphasis on children,
  listening to experts and agonizing over child
  rearing
• William Levitt develops new type of affordable
  housing for G.I.s, incidentially reinforcing
  traditional family values

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III. The Soviet Threat

• Soviet expert George Kennan outlines
  containment theory of stopping communist
  expansion
• President unveils Truman Doctrine and implements
  it with help of Marshall Plan

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IV. Liberalism in Retreat

• House Un-American Activities Committee searches
  for communists in America
• Taft-Hartley Act curbs power of unions and
  fosters racial discrimination
• Jackie Robinson breaks baseballs color line
• Truman wins re-election in 1948 despite
  conservative Dixiecratic revolt

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Racial Segregation, 1949
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Election of 1948
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V. Trouble in Asia

• Communism prevails in China in 1949 under Mao
  Tse-tung
• Communist North Korean forces invade South Korea
  in 1950, pulling United States into new conflict

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Korean War
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VI. McCarthyism and the Election of 1952

• Red Scare brings brief fame to McCarthy, though
  many are upset with his tactics
• Dwight Eisenhower runs for election against Adlai
  Stevenson
• Richard Nixon is named running mate for
  Eisenhower
• Democratic attacks against Nixon backfire, and he
  and Ike win election handily

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Presidential Election, 1952
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