The The 1950s1950s

1950s BROUGHT CHANGES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE1950s BROUGHT CHANGES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE1950s BROUGHT CHANGES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE1950s BROUGHT CHANGES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE

1951 -- 1951 -- First IBM First IBM (commercial)(commercial)

Mainframe ComputerMainframe Computer

1952 -- 1952 -- Hydrogen BombHydrogen Bomb Test Test

1953 -- 1953 -- DNADNA Structure Discovered Structure Discovered

1954 -- 1954 -- Polio VaccinePolio Vaccine Tested Tested –– JonasJonas SalkSalk

1957 -- First Commercial 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. Nuclear Power PlantU. S. Nuclear Power Plant

1958 -- 1958 -- NASANASA Created Created

ENIAC, first mainframe computer, ENIAC, first mainframe computer, 19451945

Automation: 1947-1957 - factory Automation: 1947-1957 - factory workers decreased by 4.3%, eliminating workers decreased by 4.3%, eliminating 1.5 million blue-collar jobs.1.5 million blue-collar jobs.

CONSENSUS AND CONFORMITY: CONSENSUS AND CONFORMITY: PoliticsPolitics

Election of 1952: Dwight D. Election of 1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eisenhower

““Modern Republicanism”Modern Republicanism” Fiscal Conservative: Fiscal Conservative: sound sound

business principles, Reduce business principles, Reduce federal spending, balance federal spending, balance budget and cut taxesbudget and cut taxes

Social Moderate: Social Moderate: maintain maintain existing social and existing social and economic legislationeconomic legislation

Federal Highway Act Federal Highway Act (1956)(1956)

President President EisenhowerEisenhower (Courtesy Dwight D. (Courtesy Dwight D. Eisenhower Library)Eisenhower Library)

Ike with VP Ike with VP Nixon on the Nixon on the Links.Links.

AN AFFLUENT SOCIETY: AN AFFLUENT SOCIETY: Growth of Growth of SuburbsSuburbs

REASONS FOR THE GROWTH OF REASONS FOR THE GROWTH OF SUBURBS SUBURBS

Growth of families Growth of families (“baby boom”)(“baby boom”) Home-ownership became more affordableHome-ownership became more affordable

Low-interest mortgage loans Low-interest mortgage loans gov’t-backed & interest tax-deductablegov’t-backed & interest tax-deductable

Mass-produced subdivisions Mass-produced subdivisions Levittown – 17,000 mass-produced, low-priced homes Levittown – 17,000 mass-produced, low-priced homes William Levitt produced 150 houses per week. William Levitt produced 150 houses per week. $7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.$7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.

Expressways – facilitated commutingExpressways – facilitated commuting

CONSENSUS AND CONFORMITY: CONSENSUS AND CONFORMITY: TelevisionTelevision

Television arrived in the 50sTelevision arrived in the 50s 1946 - 7,000 TV sets in U.S.; 1960- 46,000,000 1946 - 7,000 TV sets in U.S.; 1960- 46,000,000

“vast wasteland” “vast wasteland” Common mass culture Common mass culture

Suburban middle class Suburban middle class

Beginnings of Rock MusicBeginnings of Rock Music

The The DominoesDominoes

Alan FreedAlan Freed

Bill Haley & the CometsBill Haley & the Comets

Elvis(Michael Barson Collection/Past Perfect)

U.S and Soviet aims around the worldU.S and Soviet aims around the world United StatesUnited States• Encourage democracy in other Encourage democracy in other

countries to help prevent the countries to help prevent the rise of new totalitarian rise of new totalitarian governments.governments.

• Rebuild European governments Rebuild European governments to ensure stability and to create to ensure stability and to create new markets for American new markets for American goods.goods.

• Reunite Germany, believing Reunite Germany, believing that Europe would be more that Europe would be more secure if Germany were secure if Germany were productive and less bitter about productive and less bitter about defeat.defeat.

Soviet UnionSoviet Union• Encourage Communism in other Encourage Communism in other

countries as part of the worldwide countries as part of the worldwide struggle between workers and the struggle between workers and the wealthy.wealthy.

• Control Eastern Europe to balance Control Eastern Europe to balance the US influence in Western the US influence in Western Europe.Europe.

• Keep Germany divided and weak, Keep Germany divided and weak, since the Germans had waged war since the Germans had waged war against Russia twice in 30 years against Russia twice in 30 years and had caused most of the 20 and had caused most of the 20 million Soviet deaths in WWII.million Soviet deaths in WWII.

Cold War Cold War Tensions Tensions

& & SocietySociety

Duck and Duck and CoverCover

1960s1960s

KENNEDY’S “NEW FRONTIER”KENNEDY’S “NEW FRONTIER” 1960 Election1960 Election

John F. Kennedy defeats Richard NixonJohn F. Kennedy defeats Richard Nixon Strength was televised presidential Strength was televised presidential

debatesdebates

New FrontierNew Frontier

Presidential Election of Presidential Election of 19601960

November 22, 1963November 22, 1963 Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas Lee Harvey Oswald—communist sympathizerLee Harvey Oswald—communist sympathizer

Warren Commission Report—Oswald acted Warren Commission Report—Oswald acted alone! alone!

Kennedy AssassinationKennedy Assassination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEVfKKjODBg

JOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETYJOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETY

Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson With assassination of Kennedy, LBJ tries to carry out his New Frontier. With assassination of Kennedy, LBJ tries to carry out his New Frontier. He passes two important pieces of legislation:He passes two important pieces of legislation:

Civil Rights Act of 1964—end racial and gender discrimination in Civil Rights Act of 1964—end racial and gender discrimination in employment opportunitiesemployment opportunities

Economic Opportunity Act—creates Job Corps—to end povertyEconomic Opportunity Act—creates Job Corps—to end poverty Johnson wins election in 1964Johnson wins election in 1964

Used theme GREAT SOCIETYUsed theme GREAT SOCIETY 4 straight Democratic Presidents4 straight Democratic Presidents

Lyndon B. Lyndon B. JohnsonJohnson

JOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETYJOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETY

The Wilderness Protection Act saved 9.1 million acres of forestland from industrial development.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act The Voting Rights Act banned literacy tests and other discriminatory methods

to deny African Americans the right to vote. Medicare was created to offset the costs of health care for the nation's elderly. The National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities used public money to

fund artists and galleries. The Immigration Act ended discriminatory quotas based on ethnic origin. An Omnibus Housing Act provided funds to construct low-income housing. Congress tightened pollution controls.

Standards were raised for safety in consumer products.

FOREIGN FOREIGN AFFAIRSAFFAIRS

FOREIGN AFFAIRS in the 1960s:FOREIGN AFFAIRS in the 1960s: CONTAINMENT LEADS CONTAINMENT LEADS TO VIETNAMTO VIETNAM

Bay of PigsBay of Pigs US plan to overthrow communist dictator Fidel CastroUS plan to overthrow communist dictator Fidel Castro Plan was to train and support Cuban immigrantsPlan was to train and support Cuban immigrants Total FailureTotal Failure Made USA and Kennedy look weakMade USA and Kennedy look weak

FOREIGN AFFAIRS in the FOREIGN AFFAIRS in the

1960s:1960s: CONTAINMENT LEADS TO CONTAINMENT LEADS TO VIETNAMVIETNAM

Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev Berlin WallBerlin Wall

Soviet and American Soviet and American tanks face off. tanks face off. "Checkpoint Charlie," "Checkpoint Charlie," August 1961August 1961

Berlin Wall Goes Up, August Berlin Wall Goes Up, August 19611961

FOREIGN AFFAIRS in the 1960s:FOREIGN AFFAIRS in the 1960s: CONTAINMENT LEADS TO CONTAINMENT LEADS TO VIETNAMVIETNAM

Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile CrisisAs close to Nuclear War as we got with the USSR.As close to Nuclear War as we got with the USSR.A week long crisis where U2 spy plane takes pictures of Soviet missiles in CubaA week long crisis where U2 spy plane takes pictures of Soviet missiles in CubaKennedy announces and says USSR must removeKennedy announces and says USSR must removeSoviet Ships sailing toward CUBASoviet Ships sailing toward CUBAUSA blockade…who will blink?USA blockade…who will blink?Soviet ships turn aroundSoviet ships turn aroundJFK redeems himself and USA looks strongJFK redeems himself and USA looks strong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W50RNAbmy3M

Vietnam WarVietnam War

United States entered the war to stop the spread of United States entered the war to stop the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia. American leaders feared Communism in Southeast Asia. American leaders feared

that Communist forces would gain control of Vietnam. that Communist forces would gain control of Vietnam. After that, nation after nation might fall.After that, nation after nation might fall.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS:FOREIGN AFFAIRS: CONTAINMENT LEADS TO VIETNAMCONTAINMENT LEADS TO VIETNAM

LBJ LBJ ““quagmire”quagmire” Problem was N. Vietnamese Problem was N. Vietnamese

did not engage in did not engage in traditional warfaretraditional warfare

Used guerilla warUsed guerilla war Could not tell allies from Could not tell allies from

enemiesenemies Friends during day; attack Friends during day; attack

at nightat night Move to air attacksMove to air attacks

Can’t win with air attacks Can’t win with air attacks and no ground supportand no ground support

My Lai Massacre, My Lai Massacre, March 1968March 1968 My Lai Massacre was a mass murder of between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam on March 16, 1968. It was committed by the U.S. Army soldiers

Victims included women, men, children, and infants. Some of the women were gang-raped and their bodies mutilated.

Twenty six soldiers were charged with criminal offenses, but only Second Lieutenant William Calley Jr., a platoon leader in C Company, was convicted.

Found guilty of killing 22 villagers, he was originally given a life sentence, but served only three and a half years under house arrest.

The War at The War at HomeHome

Costs of VietnamCosts of Vietnam

By the end of the 1960s, U.S. was tired of the war and looking for a way to end this costly war

--3,000,000 Vietnamese killed--58,000 U.S. soldiers killed + 300, 000

wounded--$150,000,000, 000 spent on the war—

leads to under funded domestic program--US morale is down, trust in government

is down, and people generally lack nationalism

Space ProgramSpace ProgramFirstFirst man on Moon in 1969man on Moon in 1969

Achieves JFK goalAchieves JFK goal