Most Significant Events - Essay Example

? Most Significant Events Rajiv Radhay HIS/135 August 5, Amy Obszarski In this paper, we will be discussing the one event of 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1990 that I feel made the biggest impression on the American people. These five decades were filled with many mind blowing events that changed the world forever. From inventions to celebrity to war, you name it this half century held them all. Elvis gyrated, the Beatles came and went, and There were three wars, and cures for diseases were found, along with new diseases. Transplants of human organs went from, “They can do what?” to being one of the most successful medical stories of our time. Men walked on the moon, satellites were placed in orbit; women for the first time were a part of the space program. With all that took place it was hard to choose exactly which ones made the most impact; but I think you, the reader, will be happy with my decision. The last half of the twentieth century brought to America many remarkable social, economic and political events. Choosing the five I feel had the most powerful effect on America and the World was no easy task. Each decade held many amazing, newsworthy and notable times. After much consideration the five I have elected to go with are The Cold war, The Vietnam War, Reaganomics, Nixon’s Legacy, and Liberal Reform. Following World War II, there was a significant increase in births. The children born of this era were called, “The Baby Boom Generation”. This year, 2011, the Baby Boom Generation ranges in age from forty-six to sixty-five and represent about twenty-seven percent of the United States population. This almost twenty year span saw the largest number of births on U.S. record. The parents of the “Baby Boomers” were spawned of the “Great Depression” and the “Dust Bowl”; children of poverty, deprived of so much. The greatest war in human history, World War II, changed their lives. After World War II the Baby Boomers and their parents experienced that American Dream. Mostly because of the GI Bill of Rights that was passed on June 22nd, 1944. This bill allowed returning GI’s to be able to buy homes and return to school. Jobs were everywhere and easy to find, particularly in the North East and along the coast. Because of the GI Bill the suburbs were born as couple after couple moved their families outside the cities. This caused a great boost to the economy as new housing developments, new schools and shopping centers sprung up everywhere; a nice safe place for children to grow up. The fifties were a time of innocence, in the beginning, but by the close of the fifties, innocence was lost as suburban moms began to work outside the home and “Latch Key” kids were born. The Sixties was the divining moment for the “Baby Boomers”. Their music, social ideas, lifestyles and the Civil Rights movement changed many things. “Make Love Not War was their motto and they lived for the advice of Timothy Leary’s advice to, “Turn On, Tune In and Drop Out”. By 1979, lots of “Boomers” were increasing the divorce rate. The sixties ideals had changed the way people thought, acted and believed. Times had changed and for most, there was no going back. From 1945-1954, President Truman evolved a policy of containment designed to hedge in the U.S.S.R., but even so, the cold war turned hot in Korea. At home, an anti-Communist crusade against suspected subversives subsided only after its reckless leader, Senator Joseph McCarthy, was censured. From 1963-1975, the idea that communism in Southeast Asia threatened vital American interests was argued and debated by many presidents. But it was Lyndon Johnson, who became President after Kennedy’s assignation; who began a massive bombing campaign and sent half a million American troops to intervene in Vietnam’s civil war. In 1974, amid dissent at home, Richard Nixon, then President of the United States, gradually began to withdraw U.S. forces from Vietnam, signaling limits to America’s influence as a superpower. In 1965, thousands of US soldiers, sailors and marines made the trek across the Pacific to a small island called Vietnam. It was the beginning of a “Conflict” that would last almost ten (10) years and cause the most discord among families since the Civil War. For the first time in History, the horrors of war were witnessed by the American people in their own living rooms. (Hind, 2008) Americans were divided about our presence in Vietnam. Up until the Vietnam War, America was proud of its Veterans; it was an honor to serve. There was just something about this war that was different. At home protests raged on in the streets. “Make Love, Not War” was a chant heard round the world as America’s youth, turned into flower children and hippies staging sit-ins and exercising their right to free speech. Parents cringed as their “perfect” sons and daughters burned their draft cards and bras in defiance. Many lost their sons as they ran for the protection of Canada, knowing that as deserters they would never again come home. Fifty-eight thousand young men died, one hundred and fifty thousand were wounded, and many more were listed as POW’s or MIA’s. The ones lucky enough to make it home were blasphemed as baby killers; spat on and turned away. There country had called on them to serve and they had done their duty. Now, they felt shame and disgust. In Nam many had turned to drugs to survive, a habit they continued here at home. Many were poisoned by the chemical “Agent Orange” only to find out years later its effects. What was once an honor was no more, replaced by drug addiction, alcoholism, disease, mental illness, homelessness and suicide. The effects still effecting America today. In 1980, Ronald Reagan’s bid for president was on his promise to radically rethink economic policy. Inflation was at 15%, interest rates were nearing 20% and the US economy was in recession. “It’s time to try something different.” Reagan said in 1981. The something different took shape with the help of Economic Advisor John Rutledge and was dubbed, “Reaganomics”. Reagan once said, “Look guys, I don’t like taxes, I don’t like inflation. Work something up.” The largest tax cut in history, as Reagan called it, was signed in his first year of office. It represented billions of dollars in tax cuts within the next five years. As he slashed taxes he continued to pump up defense, in order to rattle the Soviets. The deficit soon tripled. An attempt to recoup was initiated over the next few years by increasing taxes, to bring the budget back within normal limits. However, it left behind a profound fiscal imbalance and policy failure that affected the economy for the next 10-15 years. With all that said, when Reagan left office, the economy was growing strong, inflation went from 15% to 1% within eight years time; stocks went up 135%. The effects of Reagan’s Revolution and Reaganomics were important to U.S growth. (Holguin, 2007) Richard Nixon was the first president who traveled to China and Russia; the first to call for welfare reform. Forced to resign because of his involvement with Watergate, we cannot help but wonder, why, have so many of Nixon's ideas and policies been embraced by the American people? This is his legacy and one few presidents can claim. Twenty-five years later, Nixon’s legacy remains shrouded in controversy. A term that was complex, inconsistent, and even contradictory. The man’s personality and political practices often clouded and played out during one of America's most turbulent eras. Many of Nixon’s solid achievements were his domestic programs. His more celebrated foreign policies, often times being criticized, the Third World concerns especially. Nixon had a broad influence on American political institutions and culture, which was enhanced by it all. Some of Nixon’s issues were reforming welfare and ending the Vietnam War using military and diplomatic policy in an effort to neutralize the antiwar movement. Nixon's war with the media concerning Watergate and his threat of impeachment were daily digested by the American people. Nixon's post-presidential years were riddled with poor health and there has been talk of his "blackmailing" both Presidents Bush and Clinton. With the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it no longer should matter what your race or religion. You as an American have the right to live where you want, go to school if you want and apply for any job that you want, provided you are qualified. What matters is not how many Black, Hispanic and White children attend certain schools, but whether or not they are treated equally; same education, same lunch programs, same effort of the teachers and staff. The reality of this “Segregation” is where you live. If you live in an area who’s populace is mostly white then it only goes to reason that you will be in a school with mostly white classmates and vice versa. To conclude this report I am to state my Hypothesis; as to what condition I suspect America to be in ten (10) years from now; based on the five subjects I elected as seeming to me to be the most important events of their decade. As for the 1960’s Vietnam War, I would hope that America has learned from the horrific, poor judgment it used in the way it treated its returning servicemen from that war. In all previous wars, service men were honored with ticker tape parades and glory. A whole generation was nearly destroyed by the way our Government allowed this war to be handled. With regards to Liberal Reform, America is a diverse country with an over-whelming mix of peoples. With the exception of a few people, most of American people feel that they are treated fairly. Yes there is a sordid history between the blacks and the Native Americans but many attempts have been made to right the wrongs of ancestors, long gone. Let’s put it to rest and look to the future. America is a land of equal opportunity as evidenced by the huge influx of foreigners wanting to live here. I hope that in ten years from now we can all call ourselves Americans. The Cold War Era is over; Communism is not nearly as strong as it was years ago. There are still a few countries that practice Communism and hopefully in ten years from now, all countries, Democratic and Communist will work together to insure Global Peace. As for Reaganomics, it worked. For the most part it was a good thing for America. With any luck, the next President of the United States will bring his or her “----nomics” into play and it will be good for America. Our economy is in desperate need of someone with the right idea and the ability to lead American people down the right path to prosperity. Nixon’s legacy, well he will forever be known as the President who got impeached. As with all Presidents past, present and future, there are good things and bad things to be remembered. No one is perfect. You never know what you would do until you have the power to do so. It is a scary thought what our Presidents have the capability of doing. Let’s just hope we never elect a “loose cannon”. In conclusion, what happened years ago, sets in motion what tomorrow may bring. References (2005, Chap. 27) Cold War America.[University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. The McGrawa?’Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2011. (2005, Chap. 28) Cold War America.[University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. The McGrawa?’Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2011. (2005, Chap. 29) Cold War America.[University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. The McGrawa?’Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2011. (2005, Chap. 30) Cold War America.[University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. The McGrawa?’Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2011. (2005, Chap. 31) Cold War America.[University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. The McGrawa?’Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2011. (2005, Chap. 32) Cold War America.[University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. The McGrawa?’Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2011. ContenderMinistries.org (n.d.). Chronology of the Middle East Conflict. Web. August 1st, 2011) Cozzens, Lisa (1998). The Civil Rights Movement 1955-1965. Web. August 3rd, 2011 Hind, Christiaan (2008). What Impact Did the Vietnam War Have on the American People? Web. July 31st, 2011 History.com (2011). Cold War: The Red Scare. Web. August 3rd, 2011 Holguin, Jaime (2007). A Fresh Look At Reaganomics. Web. August 3rd, 2011 Klein, Ezra (2011). American Schools More Segregated Today Than When Martin Luther King Jr. Was Killed. Web. August 3rd, 2011 McDonald (2009). The Liberal Reform Movement. Web, August 3rd, 2011 Small, Melvin (2003). The Presidents of Richard Nixon. Book. August 3rd, 2011 Unknown (n.d.). vietnamwar3.tripod.com. Web. July 30th, 2011 UShistory.com (n.d.). Social Issues 1946-1964; What is the Baby Boomer Generation. August 5th, 2011 TIME LINE Read More