chapter 28 affluence and its discontents, 1954– 1963
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 28Chapter 28
Affluence and Its Discontents, 1954–1963
Foreign Policy, 1954–1960 Foreign Policy, 1954–1960
The New Look Less reliance on expensive ground forces Greater reliance on airpower, advanced nuclear
capabilities, and covert action Massive retaliation
Threat of U.S. atomic weaponry would hold communism in check
International alliances Expanded NATO to include West Germany (1955) Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (1954) Central Treaty Organization (1959)
Foreign Policy, 1954–1960Foreign Policy, 1954–1960 (cont)
Arms limitation “Open Skies” proposal, 1955
Focus of Cold War shifted to Third World Use of CIA covert action around the world
Thereafter, CIA grew enormously in influence and power
Trade and aid Mutual Security and Military Assistance Program
United States and the Third WorldUnited States and the Third World
Latin America Talked of supporting democracy Regularly supported dictatorial regimes as long as they
accepted U.S. investment Caused resentment among Latin Americans Cuba situation demonstrated anti-American sentiment
Egypt Rise of Gamal Abdel Nasser
Call for Arab nationalism and “positive neutralism” Nationalization of Suez Canal, 1956
Caused U.S. rift with Britain Loss of U.S. prestige and power in Middle east
United States and the Third WorldUnited States and the Third World (cont)
Middle East Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957
Defense of Middle Eastern countries against “international communism”
Followed up with intervention in Lebanon and Jordan
Vietnam Drive for independence under way after World War II
French decided to withdraw in 1954 Geneva Peace Accords
Temporary division in North and South Vietnam Eventual elections for reunification
Administration belief in “domino theory” Provided aid to government in South Vietnam Feared the loss of another Asian nation to
communism
Affluence—A “People of Plenty”Affluence—A “People of Plenty” Economic growth
Made in America The Affluent Society
Highways and waterways Highway Act of 1956
First centrally planned transportation in nation’s history
Dams, irrigation canals, reservoirs Transformed Western agriculture Created huge governmental bureaucracies Environmental consequences
Labor–Management Accord
Affluence— A “People of Plenty”Affluence— A “People of Plenty” (cont)
Retreat from labor demands for “management prerogatives”
Focus on wages and fringe benefit issues Disavowal of wildcats Real economic gains for most workers American standard of living became envy of world
Political pluralism Exaltation of role of religion in American life
Multi-denominational emphasis Reverence and celebrity for individual religious leaders
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Steady Growth of Gross National Product,
1940–1970
Discontents of AffluenceDiscontents of Affluence Conformity
Cultural critics condemned lack of individuality in American society
William H. Whyte, Jr., The Organization Man (1955) David Riesman, The Lonely Crowd (1950) Vance Pickard, The Hidden Persuaders (1957)
Youth Culture Increasing concerns about young people Rock ‘n’ roll music
Mass Culture Critics decried mass-marketed products Fear that “bad” art was driving “good” from the
marketplace Television became a prominent target of social critics
Decried both quality of programming and its impact on the public
Changing Gender PoliticsChanging Gender Politics
New Suburbs Modern conveniences Women turned to other sources for child rearing advice
Dr. Spock Y.M.C.A “Male revolt” versus family values
Women in workforce Greater number of women entered into workforce Birth control pill Family wage created a barrier to better pay for women Roles of women in society were changing in this period
Fight Against Discrimination:1953–Fight Against Discrimination:1953–19601960 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
School segregation violated constitutional guarantee of equal protection under the law
Implied that all segregated public facilities were unconstitutional
Race could no longer be treated as simply a regional issue South becoming more like rest of the country Racial composition of rest of country becoming more
like South Segregationists promised “massive resistance” to Brown
Violence, vigilantism, terror became rampant
Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955–1956
Fight Against DiscriminationFight Against Discrimination (cont)
Vaulted Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. into national prominence
Spurred creation of Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Civil Rights Act of 1957 Procedure to expedite lawsuits by African Americans
who claimed their voting rights had been violated Created permanent Civil Rights Commission to hear
complaints Politics of civil rights
Southern Democrats in Congress tried to block real action on civil rights
Southern states defied Brown order on school desegregation
Eisenhower forced to act in Little Rock crisis, 1957
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Shifts in African American Population Patterns, 1940–1960
Fight Against DiscriminationFight Against Discrimination (cont)
Eisenhower lacked a coherent Indian policy Termination
Treat Indians as individuals rather than members of a tribe Relocation
Encourage Indians to leave reservations and take jobs in urban areas
Programs had disastrous consequences for Indians
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Total Urban and Rural Indian Population in the U.S. 1940–1980
Large numbers of immigrants from Puerto Rico and Mexico
Bracero program encouraged emigration of agricultural workers
“Operation Wetback” Mass Deportations of Mexican immigrants
Organizations appeared to crusade for better treatment for immigrants League of United Latin American Citizens Unity League
Increased concentration in cities rather than rural areas
Fight Against DiscriminationFight Against Discrimination (cont)
Fight Against DiscriminationFight Against Discrimination (cont)
Growth of suburbs created new urban issues Redlining contributed to decay of inner cities Urban renewal often amounted to “urban
removal” Public housing proved a grave disappointment New and Fair Deal urban programs considered
failures by end of 1950s
Debating the Role of GovernmentDebating the Role of Government
Eisenhower and the new conservatives Ike’s centrist policies earned ire of political conservatives Barry Goldwater, Conscience of a Conservative (1960) William F. Buckley, Up from Liberalism (1959)
Advocates of a more active government Liberals criticized Eisenhower for failing to use
government power to address pressing public issues Especially critical of failure to address racial discrimination
Debating the Role of Government Debating the Role of Government (cont)
Others criticized apparent shortcomings in national security policy
Gaither Report (1957) warned of holes in the nation’s defenses
Education policy also came in for scrutiny Rudolph Flesch, Why Johnny Can’t Read (1955) National Defense Education Act (1958)
Calls for increased social welfare spending John Kenneth Galbraith, The Affluent Society (1958)
Kennedy Years: Foreign PolicyKennedy Years: Foreign Policy Democrats ran John F. Kennedy (JFK)
New Frontier Support for civil rights Social programs Tax cuts and deficit spending Heavy defense spending and “flexible” response to
Communist threat
Republicans ran Richard M. Nixon Remained on defensive throughout campaign Performed poorly in first of several televised debates
Kennedy won narrow electoral victory
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Presidential Election, 1960
Kennedy: Foreign Policy Kennedy: Foreign Policy (cont)
Dramatic Initiatives Peace Corps Alliance for Progress
Cuba Bay of Pigs, April 1961 Operation Mongoose Cuban missile crisis, October 1962
Berlin Berlin Wall constructed, August 1961
Southeast Asia Goal to build South Vietnam into a viable non-Communist
state Test case for flexible response Coup against Ngo Dinh Diem, November 1963
Kennedy Years: Domestic PolicyKennedy Years: Domestic Policy General policymaking goals
Tax cuts for everyone, special cuts for corporations Higher minimum wage and urban renewal Crusade against organized crime
Civil Rights Concerned about Southern conservatives Sit-in movement, early 1960 CORE and SNCC Freedom rides, 1961
Forced to send marshals to protect riders Universities of Mississippi and Alabama
Forced to intervene to protect black students Executive order banning segregation in public housing,
November 1952
Kennedy: Domestic PolicyKennedy: Domestic Policy (cont)
Moderate civil rights bill, February 1963 Called to action by violence in Birmingham, spring of 1963
Support for stronger civil rights bill March on Washington, August 1963
Women’s issues Presidential Commission on the Status of Women
Documented discrimination in employment opportunities and wages
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Kennedy: Domestic PolicyKennedy: Domestic Policy (cont)
Kennedy assassinated Shot in Dallas on November 22, 1963 Official report blamed Lee Harvey Oswald as lone
assassin Conspiracy theories and uncertainties remain decades
later
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Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions
Assess the Eisenhower presidency. What were his accomplishments and failures?
How did JFK deal with the Soviet Union? Give particular attention to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
How did Ike and JFK deal with the issue of civil rights? Who was more effective?
Examine JFK’s presidency. Why do some consider him a great president? What were his achievements?