Strange and Dangerous Times

From the ashes of war rose a new America and a new world.

An end to the threat of war, as well as an end to the terrible repercussions of the recent Great Depression dominated American culture and politics in the wake of World War II.
National security seemed assured with a strong American military and its monopoly of the atomic bomb. However, pressure for a smaller military, combined with the spread of communism spear-headed by the Soviet Union (with fears of a war-weary Western Europe falling to the ominous form of government) gave rise to a new American foreign policy: the containment of Soviet influences.

The new directive of U.S. foreign policy led to involvement in the Korean War (1950-53) as well as the lengthy and expensive Cold War. Rising anxiety about communist espionage birthed fears at home, permitting ambitious politicians to engage in boundless searches for disloyal citizens. Senator Joseph McCarthy led the hunt for American communists that fostered political and social conformity.

Meanwhile, America was expanding. People moved from cities to suburbs, with millions migrating to the west and southwest. Demand for housing, automobiles, and the increasingly-common television set grew. A post-war baby boom brought a demand for schools and other public expenditures. Middle-class Americans were enjoying a new affluence and settling into a complacent lifestyle.

However, not all Americans were content to conform to a homogenous lifestyle. A subculture known as the Beats introduced rebellious music and literature while dissent found a voice in “rock ‘n roll.” The civil rights movement gained momentum, scoring a major victory in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. No longer were public schools to be segregated.

And finally, America’s position as a world leader and superpower was challenged with Russia’s success in launching Sputnik, the first space satellite.

A new dawn was rising.

The Wayne County Public Library proudly presents Post War Years, Cold War Fears: American Culture and Politics, 1946-60. It is a powerful and informative film and lecture series that studies in-depth this exciting and insecure time period in American history. What could be the most pivotal years in our nation’s history are examined with valuable commentary by Dr. Alan Lamm, a professor of history at Mount Olive College.

Anyone interested in participating in this event should sign up at the Reference Desk of the Main Branch. An information packet will be given to you so that you may familiarize yourself with each session’s subject matter.

The series will be every Sunday from 2-4 PM starting on January 29 and concluding March 5. It is made possible by a grant form the North Carolina Humanities Council, a state-based program of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

For more information, contact Rhonda Konig at 735-1824 ext. 5117. More information will be posted on the Wayne County Public Library blog as the event draws near.

Portions of this post were adapted from an essay by John Morton Blum, Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University.