1945 and Beyond-3
Unit XI Part 3
The Affluent Society andthe Other America
In spite of prosperity nearly 1/5 were living below poverty line: Elderly, Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans
Early 50’s National Incomes up by 50%
Farmers’ incomes fell by 1/3 More buying synthetics, fewer
buying cotton Between 1930 and 1960, 2/3 cotton
acreage gone. The end of the family farm
The Other America
Coal miners lost income Conversion of home heating to oil In the West, migrant farmers…very
poor
The move to suburbs left ghettos in cities
Between 1940 and 1960 3 million Blacks moved North
Great migration of Mexico and Puerto Rico
The Other America Poverty of the inner city led to increase of
criminal activities especially among the youth
Poverty due to: Decrease of blue collar jobs
Racism inadequate education automation = fewer jobs movement of factories to
suburbs Urban Renewal didn’t help much
The Constitution
Amendment 22 Limit to Presidential terms
Bricker Amendment (did not pass by one vote) was an attempt to limit presidential power: would need congressional approval for treaties
Amendment 23 (1961) Electors for Washington DC
Amendment 24 (1964) Abolition of the Poll Tax
Amendment 25 (1967) Presidential succession
Civil Rights
Eisenhower a moderate. Was committed to fighting communism
1947 Jackie Robinson: First Black in the major leagues…Brooklyn Dodgers
1954 Brown v Bd. Of Education overturned Plessey v Ferguson (separate but =) Will be applied mostly to schools
Civil Rights Billboards all over the South “Impeach
Earl Warren” (Supreme Ct. Justice in Brown Case)
Brown II rules for integration: “with all deliberate speed”
Schools in the South stalled. Southern states passed “Pupil Placement
Laws” “Students placed in schools according to scholastic ability and social behavior.”
These were upheld by the Court
Civil Rights
Eisenhower believed Brown case would set back race relations 50 years but did send troops to Central High School in Little Rock, Ark to integrate.
1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white guy (Montgomery, Alabama)
Was arrested
Civil Rights
Bus Boycott in support of Parks organized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (23 years old)
King’s (integrated organization) SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) continued boycott for 11 months. Brought bus company and downtown stores to their knees
1956 The Court declared that segregation in Public transportation was illegal
King and Passive Resistance
Was inspired by Indian leader, Gandhi
Important to show the white middle class that racial equality was not a threat. Passive resistance was perfect
Freedom Rides Lunch Counters 1957 Civil Rights Act: federal
protection to Blacks who wanted to vote (no enforcement)
More Civil Rights in the 60’s
Eisenhower
A modern Republican: extended Social Security and raised minimum wage to $1.
1956 Federal Highways Act: $25 billion for 10 years for 40,000 miles of interstate highways…to move military across the country faster.
Ike had a heart attack in first term and stomach surgery in second but delegated authority very well…Nixon VP
Ike and the Cold War
Sec of State: Dulles Had Doctrine of Massive Retaliation
(threatened to nuke Soviets to gain concessions)
Also Brinkmanship: was willing to bring us to the brink of war for concessions
Dulles specialized in forming peace time military alliances modeled after NATO: SEATO, CENTO, METO, etc.
Egypt
King Farouk booted out by new guy: Nasser
U.S. had promised aid to Egypt to build Aswan Dam
But we discovered Nasser trading cotton for weapons with Soviets
We threatened to withhold help with the Dam
Nasser said he didn’t need us Then he took over Suez Canal from
Brits and French
Egypt 1956
U.S. distracted with ’56 elections Soviets distracted with crushing a
rebellion in Hungary Israel, Brits, French formed a
tripartite to regain control of the canal
U.S. and Soviets worked together in UN to end the crisis.
Brits, French and Israel went home
May 1955 Indonesia and Bandung Conference
29 Asian and African states had recently won independence from the West
Most were resentful of Western Imperialism
Both U.S. and Soviets trying to win them over
Nehru (first Indian PM) urged all to be neutral on the cold war
The U.S. and the Soviet Union
Stalin died in 1953 Khrushchev new Premier Proposed Peaceful coexistence: U.S.
and USSR would never agree but COULD have peaceful relations
Soviets pulled out of Austria Soviets allowed some freedoms in
Poland But then, crushed 1956 rebellion in
Hungary
1957 Eisenhower Doctrine
A lot like Truman’s: The U.S. would come to the aid of free peoples resisting armed and aggressive communism
Eisenhower committed to Containment
Ike and Khrushchev engaged in talks Khrushchev wanted the West out of
Berlin U.S. would not budge
The U-2 Crisis
A U.S. spy plane and pilot (Gary Powers) was shot down over Soviet air space
Khrushchev demanded an apology Eisenhower first denied it was our
plane Then refused to apologize (in spite of
irrefutable evidence U.S.-Soviet Talks ended until
Kennedy
Iran
Much Arab Resentment against the U.S. because U.S. was a supporter of Israel
But Israel had no oil! U.S. toppled the government of Iran
led by Mossadegh and installed a pro-West regime under Reza Pahlavi (the Shah of Iran)
He westernized and modernized and was much resented by his people
Latin America
U.S. sent troops to overthrow Guzman (had a leftist government) in Guatemala
Much Latin American resentment Nixon (VP) was almost killed while
on a tour
Cuba
Batista was the dictator He allowed American investors to
take over the place He allowed American Mafia to run
the nightlife The people were poor beyond belief A popular leader ousted Batista Castro
Cuba
U.S. expected the same arrangements with Castro
Instead, he tried to give Cuba back to the Cuban people and nationalized industries
To teach him a lesson, U.S. stopped buying Cuban sugar
Cuba’s economy bit the dust So…Cuba snuggled up to the Soviet
Union
Cuba
U.S. then cut all relations with Cuba Communism drove out professionals They fled to the U.S. and asked the
government to help them take Cuba back from Castro
CIA began training the Cuban ex-patriots to reinvade Cuba
Then 1960 Presidential election
New States
Alaska and Hawaii added to the union
Election of 1960
Democrats: John F. Kennedy 303 (49.9%)
Republicans: Richard M. Nixon 219 (49.6 %)
TV debates made a difference Kennedy: dark blue suit, looked tan,
great posture, perfect TV make up, cool Boston accent
Nixon: poor posture, 5 o’clock shadow, pale
JFK: New Frontiers
First Catholic President Peace Corps Man on the moon this decade “Do not ask what your country can do for
you; but what you can do for your country.”
Said he wanted to work with existing Civil Rights legislation
Jackie…Class Act Bobby…Attorney General
Kennedy
Little movement on Civil Rights Dixiecrats still a real force If Kennedy DID sponsor new Civil
Rights legislation, he would not get the nomination for 1964
Economy: gold drain: more imports than exports. Worked with the steel industry
Kennedy Foreign Affairs
Accepted a neutral regime in Laos (Soviet deal)
Bay of Pigs invasion 1961 Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 Berlin Wall Canada and Diefenbaker July 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty:
banned above-ground nuclear testing. France and China did not sign on
Civil Rights
James Meredith George Wallace and U. of Alabama Same day: Medgar Evers (Jackson,
Miss.) Kennedy on TV. Said he would
sponsor new Civil Rights legislation. (no specifics)
King and march on DC: I have a dream…
JFK and Bobby talked to King. Stressed the need to lay low until Kennedy elected in ‘64
Split in Movement
SCLC…King SNCC and CORE…Student Groups Black Muslims (Nation of Islam)…
Malcolm X Students did not want to wait Malcolm X said all men had right to
defend selves (no passive resistance) Frightened middle class
Over time…Student groups more segregated and politically active
NAACP was legal arm of the movement
Nov. 1963
Kennedy assassinated while in Texas Oswald did it (conspiracy?) Ruby killed Oswald
LBJ now President Was very quiet during the rest of
JFK’s term