(1945) This conference brought together the US, Britain, and the Soviet Union following the end of WWII. The conference, attended by President Truman, revealed serious cracks in the Grand Alliance. Concerning the four-zone Germany, the Allies agreed to disarm the country, dismantle its military production facilities, and permit the occupying powers to extract reparations from the zones they controlled; however, no plans were made for future reunification of Germany.

(1946) America saw Soviet expansion as an increasing threat, and thus began the policy of containment. George Kennan, a diplomatic advisor, sent the Long Telegram from his post in Moscow to his superiors in Washington, warning that the Soviet Union was moving “inexorable along the prescribed path.” The United States had to stop Soviet expansion of communism; Kennan argued that the US should pursue a policy of “firm containment…at every point where Russians show signs of encroaching upon the interests of a peaceful and stable world.”

(1950s) Marriages were very solid and stable during this time period, leading to an earlier marriage age. Because of this, the birthrate dramatically increased in the 50s. Because of this increase in births, improvements in diet, health, and medicine, the American population tremendously increased from 140 million in 1945 to 203 in 1970. The baby boom made the nation’s educational system expand. The need for food, diapers, toys, and other baby items helped support the economy. The 1950s and 1960s had great prosperity and economic growth because of the family spending on products and federal expenses on national security. Overall, family and children became cornerstone principles of America.

(1950s) This term was coined by Betty Friedan in her best-seller The Feminine Mystique and referred to the household as the women’s proper place in society. The Feminine Mystique plainly stated that “the highest value and the only commitment for women is the fulfillment of their own femininity.” Motherhood was called the only normal female role. Anything other than that, such as working at a job, was said to damage the children’s development and growth. Not women rejected these ideas; many women embraced their roles in society as housewives. Despite this new ideal, over one third of women held jobs outside of the house at the height of the postwar period in America. Many women said that jobs outside of the home were to care and provide for their families. They began to juggle work, child care, and household management.

(1950s) a social group of writers and poets that rebelled against the waves of cultural conformity. They wrote innovative literature that voiced their outspoken criticisms of society. The beats were also against corporate capitalism and suburban materialism. Beats were commonly young white people living in New York and San Francisco. This was a cultural rebellion that supported drug use, sexual adventurism, spontaneity, and spirituality. The beats would ultimately serve to inspire a new generation of rebels that would want not only cultural but also political change.

The Republicans nominated Richard Nixon for the presidency supporting and renovating many of Eisenhower’s policies. The Democrats nominated Senator John F. Kennedy. Kennedy has a large scale campaign that called for civil rights legislation, elderly health care, improvement of education, expanded military and space programs, and a containment of communism. Kennedy’s “new politics” of charisma, style, and personality took precedence over issues and platform, using the media to get straight to the people. Television viewers favored Kennedy while radio listeners favored Nixon. Kennedy’s campaign of glamour and style paid off. Kennedy won the election with a slim majority of the electoral votes. He was the youngest man ever elected to the presidency, and he was the first Catholic president. In his inaugural address, Kennedy said the famous quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

 (February 1, 1960) Four black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina sat down at the “whites only” lunch counters at a local restaurant, saying they would sit there until they were served. These protesters were arrested, but later the lunch counter at this restaurant was desegregated. These sit ins then spread to many cities all over the South. The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (Snick) was later formed by Ella Baker to help coordinate student sit ins. These sit ins produced results, desegregating lunch counters in 126 southern cities. This non violent tactic, though it required great patience, paid off for blacks.

(1960) The communists in North Vietnam orchestrated a revolution movement of the opponents of Diem, the president of South Vietnam, that lived in South Vietnam. The North tried to turn the south towards communism through threats, violence, and more horrific tactics. The U.S. opposed this movement, wanting the Southern Vietnamese to be happy with their government.  Despite this, the U.S. did nothing to help South Vietnam fight the Northern communists.

(1960s) The Black Muslims, also called the Nation of Islam, supported Black Separatism, being hostile to whites while supporting black unity and pride. Integration was not on their minds. Many Prominent black athletes were black Muslims. Elijah Muhammad was the founder of the Black Muslims, but their main leader and figure was Malcolm X who was a debater and speaker who advocated separatism and militant protest. Malcolm X urged violence not for self defense, but for advocating the cause of separatism. Malcolm X later split from the Black Muslims, and before he could pursue his own goals, was assassinated by three Black Muslims.

(1960-1963) Kennedy wanted to deal harshly with the communist when he took the presidency and began to focus on foreign affairs. Kennedy’s policy of flexible response was created so that America would be ready to “deter all wars, general or limited, nuclear or conventional, large or small.” Kennedy hoped that flexible response would stop any direct attacks on America by the Soviet Union. Congress agreed with Kennedy’s proposal and began the military requests. In 1963, the defense budget rose dramatically, greatly expanding the military-industrial complex in America. Adding onto flexible response, Kennedy supported counterinsurgency among troops to prepare them for random, small attacks from guerilla forces.

(1961) Kennedy also employed non violent foreign policy in the Peace Corps. This organization encouraged public service through men and women teaching or helping people in foreign countries. Peace Corps was also created to draw these developing countries closer to America and farther away from communist influence. Peace Corps became another type of cold war weapon. Other foreign aid, such as the Food for Peace Program and the Alliance for Progress, helped out other countries to continue to draw them away from the communist sphere of control.

(April 17, 1961) Cuba was growing closer to the Soviet Union, asking for economic and military support. Kennedy disliked Castro’s growing friendship with the Soviets; therefore, he executed a plan created by Eisenhower that sent Cuban exiles who were living in Nicaragua to start an uprising against Castro and overthrow Castro to create a free American government. These exiles were trained by the CIA. The force of 1,400 men was obliterated by Castro’s men because they were ill prepared and lacked popular support. Kennedy also had cancelled an air raid, and there was no assassination attempt on Castro, contributing to the failure. Kennedy took the blame for this disaster, and people actually liked him more. To the Soviets, the US seemed weak because of their failure at Bay of Pigs.

(1961) Through the Interracial group CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), integrated groups rode on interstate bus lines in order to make a statement for continued segregation in the area of public transport. The groups that rode the buses were mostly composed of young black and white activists. In various cities in Alabama, the groups were brutally attacked by white mobs. The governor of Alabama, John Patterson, turned his back on the group and refused to help them. The beatings and riots were shown on the news to Americans, prompting the sending of federal marshals to Alabama. This event showed that the federal government would only act if absolutely necessary, and that non violent protests that generated violent white opposition could succeed.

(October 1962) The Soviet Union increase their militarily aid to Cuba by installing nuclear missiles, hoping to prevent another invasion of Cuba. The missiles could reach U.S. targets over 2,200 miles away, and more missiles were on the way. These drastic measures were a response to the Kennedy administration’s economic pressure on Cuba and covert attempts to overthrow the Castro regime. Kennedy then imposed “quarantine on all offensive military equipment” from the U.S. that was intended for Cuba. Both the Soviet Union and the United States then went on full military alert, preparing for a possible nuclear war. Although Khrushchev opposed the quarantine, he sent the ships carrying soviet missiles back. Negotiations then took place. Kennedy said he would not invade Cuba, and Khrushchev said he would dismantle the missile bases in Cuba. Kennedy also removed some missiles in Turkey that could be a potential threat to the Soviet Union. This event softened the cold war tensions, although the threat from the Soviets still was a main issue in U.S. policy. Later, in 1963, the Soviet Union, U.S., and Great Britain all agreed to ban the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, space, and water.

(1962; 1964) In Port Huron, Michigan, 40 students from various universities met to discuss the ideals they were taught and how they were actually being played out in American life. This group became known as the Students for a Democratic Society. They created a manifesto called the Port Huron statement, written by Tom Hayden, which discussed the gap between the rich and the poor and their disillusionment with modern consumerism. These students also disapproved of the current Vietnam conflict, the cold war ideals, and current foreign policy. Members of the SDS dubbed this new movement the “New Left,” taking the name from the “Old Left” of the communists and socialists of the 30s and 40s. This group began to organize in cities and on college campuses to push their ideals. In 1964

At Berkley University, the first major student protests occurred when Berkley administrators banned political activities near the entrance of Telegraph Avenue. In response, students formed the Free Speech Movement and held a sit in at the administration building. Inspired by the students at Berkley, other students at various universities across the country began to protest their universities’ academic polices and the Vietnam war.

(1963) Thousand of blacks protested against department stores in Birmingham, Alabama. Eugene Connor, the commissioner of public safety for the city, stopped the protest by employing the use of dogs, electric cattle prods, and high pressure fire hoses. The horrific events were all captured and shown on the evening news. This event became a turning point for the Kennedy Administration’s intervention in civil rights. Kennedy promised legislation that would ban discrimination in public housing and give the Justice Department power to enforce desegregation. To many black leaders, this speech by Kennedy was called “Second Emancipation Proclamation.”  

(1963 and 1968): Just when his political career was beginning to show promise for the future, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in an open car when driving in Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald was the suspected killer. Lyndon Johnson was then sworn in as President. Kennedy’s assassination has given a aura of mystique to his entire presidency. Senator Robert Kennedy, winner of the California primary during the 1968 election, was gunned down by a Palestinian who opposed Kennedy’s pro-Israeli stance. His assassination greatly weakened the Democratic Party during this election, destroying the dreams of social change that many sought through politics.

 a major step for the future of American race relations. The cornerstone of this act was the outlawing of discrimination in employment based on race, religion. This act also outlawed discrimination in public accommodations.  Because of this act, numerous public facilities in the South, such as schools, were becoming desegregated. This act also outlawed a poll tax, trying to allow blacks the right to vote. Despite this, black voting still faced opposition from the whites.

(1964-1968) A part of the “Great Society,” Lyndon’s Johnson’s war on poverty was fighting to put “an end to poverty in our time.” Extending aide to more people, the Johnson administration greatly expanded the programs of social insurance, welfare, and public works. In 1964, the food stamps program started and began to aid low-income families in America. In 1965, the Appalachian Regional Development Act gave money to create local health clinics, roads, and public work projects to help out a struggling, poverty stricken region in the country. Bringing both equal opportunity and community action to the people, the Office of Economic Opportunity was the main components of the Great Society’s war on poverty. Things such as free nursery schools, jobs for young people, community service, and more were instituted because of the OEO. Pressures from various social groups and limited funding hindered the progress of the war on poverty.

(1964) To aid the South Vietnamese, the U.S. began to conduct surveillance missions off of the coast of North Vietnam. Because of this, North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired on American destroyers in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. Johnson told the nation directly about these events. Reacting to these events, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which stated that Johnson must "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression." Despite the lack of real evidence that supported an attack by North Vietnam, this resolution allowed Johnson to conduct the operations in Vietnam how he wanted. Congress was to let Johnson do what he felt necessary in Vietnam. Though this was not a declaration of war, it was the only formal approval of American Intervention in Vietnam granted by Congress. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was the gateway to total Americanization of the conflict in Vietnam through dropping bombs on the North and the deployment of ground troops.

(1964) Multiple riots broke out. Youths rioted in Harlem after police shot a young black criminal suspect, sparking more riots against police. Six days of rioting occurred in Los Angeles after a black motorist was arrested. In 1967, twenty two cities, specifically Newark and Detroit, were involved in serious riots during the months of July and August. To investigate these riots, President Johnson created the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, or the Kerner Commission, that documented the inequalities and racism of daily urban life.

(1965) There was a large march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery in protest of the murder of a black voting rights activists; state troopers met the protesters and violently attack them, being shown on televisions across the nation. Johnson then put more pressure on Congress to allow him to pass voting right legislation. Finally, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which banned literary tests and other tests that most Southern states had used to stop black for being able to register to vote. There was also federal supervision sent to areas of low voting registration in the south to enforce the act. The result of this act was a dramatic increase in the number of black voters.

(1965) The “New Left” movement along with many other students began to actively protest the Vietnam War. Many protests about the war and, more specifically, the draft began to occur at local universities. After Johnson brought the war to a new level, Faculty and students at the University of Michigan held a “teach in” against the war to debate the political, diplomatic, and moral aspects of the U.S. involvement in the war. The Selective Service System got rid of automatic student deferments in 1966, making many young men avoid the draft by ignoring their notices, leaving the country, or joining the national guard. Students also wanted ROTC to be removed for their campuses in protest. Strikes and protests against the war became common after the strikes of 1967. During that year, over 100,000 anti war protesters marched to D.C. as a part of the “Stop the Draft Week.” This event forced Johnson  to face the reality of a large-scale public opposition to his presidential policies. Other countries also began to criticize American policies.

 (1966) Stokely Carmichael lead a group of activists from both the SNCC and CORE into a Black Nationalist movement that demanded black self reliance and black pride. This was a movement similar to the Black Muslims except it was secular. A division of Black Power, Black Panthers, was created for the self-defense and protection of local blacks from police violence. This group idolized the armed struggle and revolutionary movements of others countries. It spread to many various cities. In the area of racial pride, Black Power brought the term Afro-American into popular usage. Black educational studies were also becoming more widely available, and many blacks began to wear African clothing and hairstyles to show their pride. Because of the various riots and the new black assertiveness, these new movements greatly alarmed white Americans.

(1967) Johnson continued to support the American intervention in Vietnam, saying that it was of great importance to the Nation's security and prestige. Many administration officials, journalists, and other held a more pessimistic view of the war, saying that the Johnson Administration was suffering from a Credibility Gap that was withholding and hiding discouraging information about the war in Vietnam. They said that the media and administration's positive reports on the progress of the war were not telling the whole, truthful story of the conflict. The war was also having great effect on American finances, increasing the national deficit, and leading to inflation problems in the 1970s. Johnson had to act defensively in the face of opposition to the war in Vietnam.

 (1969) A new counterculture was developing in the form of a youth movement that rebelled against authority and the middle class persona, freeing themselves from traditional social order. This movement was personified in the blue jeans and tie-dyed T-shirts of the Hippie. Music became the backbone of counterculture with such names as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Bands became the harbingers of openness and criticism of the consumer culture. Accompanying music was also the recreational use of drugs such as Marijuana and LSD. “Acid Rock” became popular with loud guitar solos and funky lighting effects performed by men such as Jimmy Hendrix. The counterculture movement believed themselves to be the precursor to a new age, experimenting with communal living and uninhibited sexuality. The “Summer of Love” in various places in America echoed the cries for peace and love. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was an event in Bethel, New York where youth went to experience the counterculture in the form of music, drugs, and sex during this three day experience.

1966; The National Organization for Women was founded by Friedan to defend women’s rights and make them truly equal to men. The women’s liberationists worked within the civil rights and the anti-war movements. It was an informal group of women that fought against sexism. In general the feminist movement fought for things like child care, abortion rights, and equal pay.

1968; he was killed when he went to support a mainly black strike of sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. It set off violence and urban rioting. He was only thirty-nine years old and he had been working on a poor people’s campaign among other things.

1968; It was an offensive launched in January–February 1968 by the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese army that had tragic results for North Vietnam. It was timed to coincide with the first day of the Tet (Vietnamese New Year), it was a surprise attack on South Vietnamese cities, notably Saigon. The US won (technically), but the media portrayed it as a loss. Although repulsed after initial successes, the attack shook U.S. confidence and hastened the withdrawal of its forces.

outside this Democratic nominating convention, protesters demanding these things: an end to the war, legalization of marijuana, and the abolition of money. This happened because within the democratic party there was tension because the leaders were pro-war, but there were many in the party that were against the war.

Nixon (Republican), Humphrey (Democrat), and Wallace (American Independent Party) ran against each other and Nixon won. Wallace exploited disapproval of the anti-war and civil rights movements. Nixon took a southern running mate to gain the south’s approval as well as claiming to speak up for the majority, which was a populist ideal. Humphrey tried to disassociate himself from Johnson’s war policies.

 1970s; this was the U.S. policy of withdrawing its troops and transferring the responsibility and direction of the war effort to the government of South Vietnam. Nixon introduced this policy to start letting South Vietnam stand on its own. Ultimately, this resulted in North Vietnam taking over South Vietnam.

this was Nixon’s policy of lessening tension towards the Soviet Union and on China to make them more diplomatically compliant. He urged them to lessen their military aid to North Vietnam. He sought to create a peaceful coexistence with them to make them more cooperative.

his radical decisions worried conservatives.

1954; Reverses Plessy v. Ferguson (separate but equal). He makes the point that segregated school are not equal, which was unjust. It paved the way for integration and the civil rights movement. This was one of Warren's court decisions

1966; required arresting officers to notify people being arrested of their legal rights. This was one of the Warren cout decisions

 (1962) and Reynolds v. Sims (1964)- all votes should have equal weight; they should not be different based on where people live. This increased fair representation in urban and suburban areas. One of the Warren court decisions

 (1962)- prohibited organized prayer in public schools by claiming that it was a violation of the first amendment. one of the Warren court decisions

1962; was one of the boldest environmentalists in history; she published Silent Spring, in spite of rejection from newspapers for her idea. This eloquent title criticized the new chemical sensation called DDT, which was a versatile pesticide praised as “an outstanding scientific achievement and a very valuable tool.” In the 60’s the public trusted corporate integrity and government regulations, but Carson audaciously questioned humanity's faith in technological progress, which resisted society ideals at the time.

1960s; led the reemergence of the consumer movement in the 60’s, which sought to make consumer products safer and to curb dangerous practices of corporations. He launched the Public Interest Research Group, which focused on many issues of product safety and the environment.

1966; affirmative action originally gave non white more opportunity, but it was extended to give women more opportunity in education advancement and in the work advancement. Other things gave women more equality of opportunity, like the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974. Allan Bakke sued UCSD for rejecting him in favor of less qualified minority applicants. The Bakke case outlawed minority quotas in schools and jobs (schools were having minimum quotas that they were trying to meet each year for minorities, which was causing reverse descrimination), but it upheld the legality of affirmative action.

 the US had been a main producer and consumer of oil, but they increasingly began to buy more and more oil on the world market, most of it coming from the Middle East. Developing countries their that had lots of oil came together to form OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). They had almost all the oil in the world so they raised their prices dramatically since the demand was so high. They used their power over oil as a weapon when the US had  helped Israel out in the Yon Kippur War by having an oil embargo.

1974; Nixon’s accomplices attempted to bug the national headquarters of the Democratic Party (in the Watergate building in Washington, D.C.), and he tried to cover it up. It led to the resignation of President Nixon. His term had seen many questionable activities happening under his nose.

1970s; it was a situation of stagnate growth that America was in during Nixon’s term that included both high inflation and high unemployment. The costly war and the energy crisis had caused America’s economic woes. Also, demand for American goods was slowing. Nixon tried to help it with tax reduction and deficit spending with little success.

1970s; was proposed for ratification after both houses passed it. It stated that equal political rights could not be denied based on sex. It fell 3 states short in the ratification process. States in the south and west didn’t want it. There was much fervor for it at first but it lost its vigor, signifying that the women’s movement was weakening.

1970s; this was an attempt to desegregate schools and achieve racial balance. They would bus black and whites to other neighborhood schools in segregated neighborhoods to desegregate the schools. It sparked protests and “white flight,” where white parents would put their children in private schools or move to suburbs.

1970s; a conservative movement that attracted Christian groups and “neoconservatives.” They criticized affirmative action and changing gender and sexual values. They feared a strong federal government as well as declining social morality. They were backed by wealthy corporate interests.

 1974; the economy was badly struggling under him with bad inflation and rising oil prices. He seemed weak since he didn’t deal with these things decisively. He maintained Nixon’s detene policies and made little progress with foreign affairs.

 1970s; Inflation was so bad and the nation was recovering from a recession. He tried to counter inflation by having the federal reserve board raise interest rates, which didn’t prevent another recession from happening after his term. He worked on reducing government regulations in some industries, which caused such competition that it drove some businesses out of business. He was not able to help the energy crisis or rising oil prices.

1978; Carter brought together the leaders of Egypt and Israel and helped them form a peace at Camp David, Maryland. Egypt agreed to recognize Israel as a nation and the US promised to give Egypt support. Israel agreed to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

1979; in Iran, the shah’s government was overthrown and the US, under Carter, allowed the old leader to enter the states for medical help. In response, Khomeini, the new leader in Iran, directed people to take Americans hostage at the US embassy there. They demanded that the shah be returned to Iran for trial, but the president refused. Economic and military efforts to get them back failed.

 80s; a term for the economic and tax policies that Reagan instituted. Reagan’s policies were based on the belief that high taxes would lessen investing, which would stifle growth, but tax cuts would encourage investments, leading to economic expansion and increasing tax revenues.

1986; the US had secretly sold arms to Iran to get help in getting US hostages back from Lebanon. Reagan had denounced this Iranian government during the hostage crisis, so it was a scandal that he was now selling arms to them. Also, the proceeds from this were going to anti-Communist rebels (contras) in Nicaragua. 

Reagan met with the Soviet leader in 1985 and during his term the US and Russia agreed to take away intermediate-range missiles in Europe. The new Soviet leader, Gorbachev, was willing to tolerate changes in Soviet society. A failed coup of this open leader broke the Communist Party’s dominance.

1990-91; Iraq, led by Hussein, invaded Kuwait. The US feared for its oil stability, so Bush called for Iraq’s withdrawal. Hussein ignored and Bush prodded the UN to make an offensive move. Congress allowed Bush to move in after giving Iraq a chance to withdraw. It was a total success for the US.