16: 1950s Early Cold War

16: 1950s Early Cold War

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"You Are the Un-Americans, and You Ought to be Ashamed of Yourselves"
"You Are the Un-Americans, and You Ought to be Ashamed of Yourselves"
Text of Paul Robeson's appearance before House Un-American Activities Committee. Paul Robeson was a singer and actor who graduated from Rutgers University and appeared in famous Broadway shows of the 1950s. His advocacy of anti-imperialism, affiliation with communism, and criticism of the United States government caused him to be blacklisted during the McCarthy era.
"You Are the Un-Americans, and You Ought to be Ashamed of Yourselves"
Stalin: Reply to Churchill, 1946
Stalin: Reply to Churchill, 1946
Stalin replied to Churchill's Iron Curtain speech in this interview with Pravda. The phrase "Iron Curtain" is in almost every US II teacher's lesson plans somewhere and it has been explained to students thousands of times. Yet, have these students ever been exposed to Stalin's response? This excerpt is a short read and could easily hold it's place in a primary document lesson or a "Do Now" activity.
Stalin: Reply to Churchill, 1946
Iron Curtain Look - Fashion Ad From Life Magazine
Iron Curtain Look - Fashion Ad From Life Magazine
How did popular culture reflect and reinforce the national consensus, while making fun of it at the same time. This print ad can be thrown into a presentation or added to a document exercise to prompt inquiry
Iron Curtain Look - Fashion Ad From Life Magazine
Armistice Agreement for the Restoration of the South Korean State (1953)
Armistice Agreement for the Restoration of the South Korean State (1953)
This armistice signed on July 27, 1953, formally ended the war in Korea. North and South Korea remain separate and occupy almost the same territory they had when the war began. This is short enough to be shown to students without comment, then let them come to the realization that in many ways, the war didn't change anything
Armistice Agreement for the Restoration of the South Korean State (1953)
Marshall Plan (1948)
Marshall Plan (1948)
On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. It became known as the Marshall Plan, named for Secretary of State George Marshall, who in 1947 proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of postwar Europe.
Marshall Plan (1948)
Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb
Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb
Article with links to more, from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Lots of family photographs, architectural reviews, article about race in suburbia
Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb
The Holiday Inn sign
The Holiday Inn sign
Exploding with color, optimism and razzle-dazzle, the now-extinct Holiday Inn "Great Sign" was a true design landmark of the American century. Interesting article.
The Holiday Inn sign
Motel Americana
Motel Americana
This page is designed to celebrate an American phenomenon which reflects an important part of US history and culture: the motel. The word showed up in dictionaries as postwar optimism and cold war pessimism led to the creation of an highway system. Before long, families began to discover bright neon arrows pointing the way to temporary homes dotting those long stretches of tar. Motels offered an inexpensive way to travel the country and expand our horizons.
Motel Americana
TED | Talks | James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia (video)
TED | Talks | James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia (video)
In James Howard Kunstler's view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of the common good. Instead, he argues, what we have in America is a nation of places not worth caring about. Viewer discretion advised, but for some high school and all college students, this talk should provoke serious thought about the planning of living spaces.
TED | Talks | James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia (video)
Love, 1962 American High School Style
Love, 1962 American High School Style
Home Economics Textbook - "Family Life Education" which was a White-House-encouraged initiative to strengthen future American families against the corrupting forces of communism, feminism, interracial dating and premarital sex.
Love, 1962 American High School Style
International School History - Cold War Documentary Series
International School History - Cold War Documentary Series
Documentaries that may well put any active of high school students to sleep. Yet there may be something of value here. Teachers may want to take a look as part of their planning and preparation process
International School History - Cold War Documentary Series
1950s Fashion History, Costume History 50s, Social History Timeline
1950s Fashion History, Costume History 50s, Social History Timeline
ooks at women's costume and fashion history and analyses the mood of an era.  Changes in technology, leisure, work, cultural and moral values. Homelife and politics also contribute to lifestyle trends, which in turn influence the clothes we wear.  These are the changes that make any era of society special in relation to the study of the costume of a period
1950s Fashion History, Costume History 50s, Social History Timeline
One Mile in Five: Debunking the Myth - Public Roads
One Mile in Five: Debunking the Myth - Public Roads
The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System does not require that one mile in every five must be straight to make them usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.
One Mile in Five: Debunking the Myth - Public Roads
A Biography of America: The Fifties
A Biography of America: The Fifties
Companion site to documentary, be sure to check out maps, transcripts and "Webography" links to primary documents from Annenberg Media.  Note the dropping of the Atomice Bomb focus
A Biography of America: The Fifties
The Trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
The Trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
Comprehensive collection of articles, artifacts and documents from the "Famous Trials" site at the University of Missouri - Kansas City
The Trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
The Alger Hiss Trial
The Alger Hiss Trial
Comprehensive collection of articles, artifacts and documents from the "Famous Trials" site at the University of Missouri - Kansas City
The Alger Hiss Trial
The Berlin Airlift - Decision Making Process
The Berlin Airlift - Decision Making Process
This activity from the Truman Library puts students in the position of the president and asks them to choose a course of action in Berlin. The activity includes links to scans of telegrams as primary sources for students to use as they make their choice.
The Berlin Airlift - Decision Making Process