Topic: Assessing Post WW
II- America (1945-1950)
Do Now:
“America as it is now is the result of the Second
World War. Its status as an economic and
military superpower was earned during WW II,
and has lasted since that period.”
_Defend or Refute the above statement
Economic Issues

Post War Economic
Boom




Permanent war
economy?
Americanized
Consumerism


France vs. Coco-cola
Servicemen’s
Readjustment Act (1944)


Doubling of national
income
Growth of middle class
GI Bill
Veteran’s Administration
A Social Trend…
Levittown… growth of Suburbia
Social Changes

Women in the workforce


Baby Boom



Reasons…
Dr. Spock
Sunbelt Growth



Social “ideals” vs. reality
South and West
“Rustbelt” decline
Growth of Suburbia



Federal Housing Administration
(FHA)
Levittown
“White Flight”
Fears of Communism



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2nd Red Scare
George f. Kennan
Assessment of USSR
Communists and
“Subversives”
HUAC
Alger Hiss case (19481950)
Julius and Ethel
Rosenberg Case
McCarran Internal
security Bill (1950)
Truman vs. Conservative Backlash



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Truman vows to keep up
FDR reforms
Republicans dominate
congress (Robert Taft)
Taft-Hartley Act
1948 Presidential election



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Dewey vs. Truman
Truman wins  farmers,
southerners, etc.
Failure of Fair Deal
Korean War 1950



38th Parallel
Firing of General MacArthur
Stalemate
Conclusion

In what ways did the events of today’s
lesson set the stage for “Modern
America”? Give specifics in a paragraph.