Contemporary US History - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... ve many men the first chance at a college education and home ownership that their family has had in generations, which helped bolster and create a large, affluent working class. Unions were on the rise and still relatively powerful, meaning that lower-skilled jobs were still likely to pay a living wage, unlike they are now, and the tax code was much more equitable, with incredibly high rates on capital gains and high incomes – in many ways economic equity was at its height in the 1950s. This all belies, however, significant strife and social issues that were ongoing throughout the decade. The advances mentioned in the previous paragraph were almost entirely situated on white men, black people and immigrants had very little chance of actually achieving a living wage without working many hours and sometimes multiple jobs. Furthermore, the political situation in the 1950s was incredibly tumultuous, with fear reigning supreme and constant feeling of communist threat. Many innocent people, from film makers and politicians to ordinary Americans were detained and interrogated at the mere suggestion of communist sympathy or activity, and there were significant restrictions on constitutional freedoms such as free speech and freedom of association. While the overwhelming narrative of the 1950s was of a peaceful and prosperous country, there were many dark undercurrents of racism and oppression that were not represented by that view. This does not mean there was no truth to it, however, merely that we must temper our historical understanding with the sure knowledge that everything was not as it is often portrayed, and the roots of the uprising of the 1960s were all laid in the oppressions of the 1950s. Question 3: a. At the close of World War II America was posed, for the first...
The first question that is analyzed in this essay focuses on Truman presidential decisions. In 1945 Truman faced what might have been one of the hardest decisions any president has ever had to face – whether to use the newest and most powerful weapon ever created on a civilian population. The researcher states that it is impossible to say whether the bomb dropping on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was morally justified – with the hind-sight of history we find the use of any weapon of mass destruction morally reprehensible, but the fact remains it is likely that Truman’s decision saved lives.
Second question focused on the standard view of the 1950s in the United States as it is of a peaceful and largely affluent country – this is a fundamental foundational myth of our times, but retains some truth to it. The third question mentioned describes a robust developed economy in the United States that had emerged from the war completely unscathed, along with a political situation that was remarkably stable. The researcher compares economy of the US to other significant countries, such as China, Japan and Russia as examples. In conclusion, the researcher says that it is impossible to make an accurate judgement of whether the United States has been good for the world or bad for the world overall, because people cannot see the alternatives. But the US citizens know, however, that it made many reprehensible decisions, and could have been much, much better than it was – but the alternative might have been worse. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More