Most Significant Events - Case Study Example

Most Significant Events Introduction The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most significant events since the World War II. These events provide facts and information concerning prominent people, the role their played in these events and how these events affected the world at large. These events have enabled people to understand more about the challenges different countries have gone through; socially, politically and economically. For instance, The Age Limits event helps one understand the political stability of the USA and the many presidents who have ruled that land. Some of these events were agonizing because when they were taking place, innocent lives were lost and many people were left homeless, for example, the Vietnam War. The events have also left marks in many people’s lives; however, some of the end-results have been worthwhile. Intended goals were achieved and not everything was in vain. The aim of this paper is to take the reader through various significant events, what caused them, who caused them, how goals were achieved, and lastly how they positively and negatively affected the world. Most Significant Events The Suburban Era; 1945–1963 The Suburban Era was more-like a trend-setting period in the 50s. The majority of Americans started shifting from rural areas to the city and then from the city to the suburbs. Due-to the comeback of GIs from the World War II, families started living like families. The GIs had the ability to qualify for minimal rate home loans which enabled them to shift to better environs. Shifting to a better neighborhood also brought about the drive to ride on a better car. There was economy expansion and the American middle-class’ size grow together with the expansion. The Highway that was created influenced the way of life of the American citizens. The wage earners now had to travel at a far distance. In addition, the highway gave the dweller a way of enjoying their nights. Grocery stores and Strip malls and grocery began to crop up and creating employment for several women. This event had a great effect on the United States. The baby booming started immediately the soldiers came back home. The economy was in a stable way growing and more openings for employment were offered to the American people. I think that this event achieved the intended goals. William Schneider stated that "Suburban growth is not likely to end anytime soon.” and I fully concur. Years have passed and more communities and homes have urbanized (Martin, 1979). In 1950s, the suburbs’ homes were single story-ranch styled residences, but the houses now are 2, 4, or still yet 4 story mansions. Automobiles also made the suburbs reachable. In the midcentury, the automobile background defined America in many ways. Henry Ford was behind the reason why suburbs developed the way they did in the year 1953. His inventive plan of making cars lessened manufacturing expenses thus decreasing the retail cost for clients. This made the life of suburbs easy because they could go to work every day and return. The government also played a considerable role in this development; they provided financial support and loans to people who were willing to move to newly designed suburbs. They encouraged the movement from the city; the federal legislation came up with an inexpensive method where people were allowed to build a new house outside the city instead of developing a pre-existing house inside the city (Gilbert, 2004). Some of the earliest and most well-known suburbs in the post war period were the Levittown developments. Civil Rights and the Crisis of Liberalism: (1947-1969) Greatly walled out from 1950s success; Latinos and African-Americans, fought to acquire the freedoms denied from them through rampant racial discrimination. When the civil-rights movement began to blossom, young, fairly wealthy baby-boomers spread the revolt to other sets of American life (Genovese, 1993). Their fundamental goals at times collided with Lyndon Johnson’s liberal policy of making use of federal programs to lessen the cases of inequality and also to build a Great Society. In 1950s, material riches were not spread uniformly. At-a-time when most whites went to suburbs efficiently separated either by norm or law, African-Americans moved out from rural South to urban areas in big numbers. When black reformers started focusing on methods to bring legal separation to an end, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People did well in confronting the Supreme Court to upend, in Brown v. Board of Education, the existing policy of permitting separate but equivalent facilities (Davidson, 2005). That conquest motivated civil rights officials to assume strategies that are more assertive. In 1960s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. thought of making some changes. Even though the 2nd world war had come to an end, American people were still in conflict with each other. Martin Luther was obligated to gather support without causing aggression. Due to the hate offenses and discrimination in the south, the King felt the need to do something about it. Once in his life, the King experienced discrimination, that is why he worried that the world will never change. The African-American community started to get tired and President Kennedy was unhappy with the brutality in the south. He began to lose control over the issues concerning civil rights. He appointed a number of blacks to high ranks however the freedom riders persuaded him to do more. Races coming together brought great impact in the south; some of Americans wanted change. Three months later, President Kennedy was murdered. I believe this event achieved the goal of change provisionally. Even though segregation still exists, it is not as obvious as it used to be. The speech of Martin Luther and his Birmingham letter from prison are read by all people from different races, and for this only, Dr. King achieved something. Due to this event, the American people can now work together, learn, and live as one. The Vietnam Era: (1963-1975) The Vietnam Era was about the war that was caused by several factors. Most of these factors were beliefs held by individuals who did not want Vietnam to be an independent nation. Due-to these beliefs, numerous people suffered and this war has been considered as the most painful moment in the twentieth century. Presidents like Nixon and Truman were caught up in this war; Lyndon Johnson also sent many American troops for intervention. After some time Richard Nixon slowly pulled out U.S. forces from the country. The goals of this war were to stop Vietcong, prop-up Saigon, segregate civilians from combatants and also to convince south of the goals of USA. Some of these goals were achieved at the end of the war. In 1973, there was a peace treaty; Kissinger won a “Nobel Peace Prize.” This war affected so many people but from 1968-1973 there were efforts to bring this war to an end through diplomacy. In January, year 1973, an accord reached and USA forces were pulled out from Vietnam and prisoners of war from USA were let loose. In April 1975, Vietnam of the south submitted to that of the North and they both came together as one (Miller, 2004). The Age of Limits: (1965-1980) During this period, the American presidency was declining and being US being a world leader, its role was losing ground. This era was considerably affected by the Vietnam War even though there was no war. The tactics employed by Presidents such as Nixon, Reagan, Carter, and Bush were not very effective because economic and political instabilities affected their performance. President Nixon main goal was reconciliation and his plan was referred to as New Federalism. His goal was to Offer states with federal power. He was to be certain that he would be re-elected in 1972. To accomplish this goal he used a technique known as southern strategy to win southerners’ back-up. To have the support of white voters, he attempted to slow school integration. However, the Supreme Court commanded the administration to be quick. Nixon’s major problem was weak economy. There were so many cases of inflation and joblessness and this made it difficult for Americans to trade their goods abroad. Later on Watergate scandal made his resign. President Nixon was did not achieve his goals because so many scandals revolved around him. Carter, Regan also were also not successful in their leadership. There was so much frustration during this era. The Conservative Challenge: (1980-1992) As aggravation mounted during the era of limits, conservatives struggled to reinstate customary religious and social principles. Ronald Reagan had a program to decrease government regulations, increase military spending, and lessen taxes. A recent conservative Supreme Court set restrictions on government involvement in the matters to do with social rights, abortion, and the church/state division. However as the national arrears rose more and a depression deepened, electorates reined in the conservative association. During Carter, Reagan, and Bush government, the political and social schedule of the nation was ever more determined by a conservative association, as well as newly politicized evangelical Christians, that pressed to re-establish conventional religious and family principles, loyalty, and a stricter function for government. President Reagan ordered American marines to go Lebanon in the year 1982 as-part-of a mediation force between Europeans and Americans. He hoped to bring a measure of steadiness to a state torn-down by civil war (Schomp, 2004). The election that took place in 1992 left the destiny of the conservative revolution unsettled. Under the leadership of Reagan and Bush inflations went down and economy grew. This was an achieved goal although riches benefited mainly those on the higher end of the income rank. Most Americans saw the rank of their economy decline. Bush and Reagan supported a conservative social plan but neither of them implemented this agenda. Conclusion The U.S. has the vitality and the strength to carry on shaping this world. America is a world leader but in many cases, it has failed the world. U.S. ought to prevail over its political dysfunction and re-orient its strategy. If U.S. does not come up with better strategies, in the next ten years, their economy will stagnate or decline and their political climate will not improve either. Am sure most America citizens know that their economy is gradually collapsing due to of enormous trade arrears, white-collar jobs outsource, unbalanced budget, wavering housing market and increasing national debt. The wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq are adding more monetary demands to their economy. If this continues, United States can go bankrupt in a-few years. Drastic measures ought to be carried out but politicians are virtually doing nothing. In ten years, I do not anticipate any changes with America unless different strategies are implemented. References Davidson; W. (2005). Nation of Nations: A Narrative History of the American Republic. USA: Mcgraw-hill Professional Martin; F. (1979).Civil rights and the crisis of liberalism: the Democratic Party. New York, NY: Original from the University of Michigan Schomp; V. (2004). The Vietnam era. California: Marshall Cavendish Genovese; A. (1993). The presidency in an age of limits. New York, NY: Greenwood Gilbert; M. (2004). The Second World War: A Complete History. Chicago, CA: Henry Holt Miller; A. (2010). The U.S. Economy. USA: GREENHAVEN Read More