Most Significant Events of Each Decade

Most Significant Events Final Project

K A

University of Phoenix: Axia College

Jonathan Tietz

November 28, 2010

Most Significant Events of the 50`s, 60`s 70`s 80`s and 90`s

World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. This was a war that involved most of the world’s nations and all of the world’s greatest powers. When the war ended the events that followed over the next five decades had a great effect on the American people. There are some events that had more of an effect than others. This paper will discuss five major events over five decades that has had a powerful effect on the American people. Beginning in 1950 and ending in 1990, this paper will discuss the most significant events from each decade that either positively or negatively changed the American way of living.

The communist scare took place in the 1950`s. McCarthyism, named after a man named Joseph McCarthy was a republican U.S. senator. In the 1950`s anticommunism created fear among the American people (McCarthyism, 2006). McCarthy played on Americans fears in an effort to better his political campaign. He instilled this fear by convicting anyone who was a part of the communist party or had anything to do with it. During court hearing Americans remained silent so that they wouldn`t be accused of communism. He accused some of the United States federal government of being communist and soviet spies. McCarthy was unable to prove his claims and was therefore censored by the American government (McCarthyism, 2006). Americans lost their jobs if they were accused of communism, library books were burned to hide evidence of communist acts. Americans suffered greatly during this time as they had to walk on around on egg shells (McCarthyism, 2006). If Americans did not agree with anticommunism, they were considered to be communist and were punished for not supporting the American way. People feared McCarthy, but it all ended when he made a public mockery of senate procedures (McCarthyism, 2006). He ended his career to be known as reckless and dishonest man.

Americans want peace took place in the 1960`s. The Vietnam War was well overdue considering some events that took place after World War II. How did America get involved in the Vietnam War? It all started with the Atlantic Charter. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston S. Church hill created this charter in hopes of a better world. Russia and China were not part of this charter and ultimately lead the U.S. to believe that Russia and China were involved in colonialism. Communism increased in South East Asia, mostly in Korea, Vietnam, China, and Cuba. The U.S. took action and attacked and conflict arose with Korea. The U.S. gets involved in Southeast Asia`s politics. North Korea invades South Korea. Nothing is accomplished and North Korea remains the same and South Korea remains the same. Next the U.S. inhabits South Vietnam. The U.S. helps rebuild South Vietnams economy. The U.S. tried to gain control over South Vietnams politics to avoid Vietnam turning communist. In 1965 North Vietnam attacked South Vietnam and American bases. North Vietnam lost the Vietnam War because they were no match for the American troops. The war had a dramatic effect on the American way of living. Americans rallied for peace and fell into the hippie era during the Vietnam War. During this time sex and drugs were on the rise. New drugs were introduced to the American people as the drug population grew. People began to have more sex during this time, which may have something to do with the increased drug use. The hippie era was a way of Americans expressing themselves of how they felt about the war. Many people wrote songs that told stories of things that were going on during that time. Mainly people wanted the war to end. Americans wanted peace, and sex, drugs and music was their way of getting away from it all.

Detente took place in the 1970`s. Nixon`s visit to china in 1972 was an important step to build a relationship between America and China. This was the first time an American president had visited China. President Nixon visited China from February 21-28, 1972. Nixon reaffirmed interest for a peaceful settlement, and the U.S. continued to have relations with the Republic of China. Nixon was a strong advocate against communism so it surprised everyone when he went to visit china. He felt that if all nations cooperated with each other, then they could have reduced revenue and prevented a third world war. Nixon`s engagement with the communist was called Detente. Nixon held diplomatic conversations with China to establish a relationship and use that relationship against the Soviet Union. Nixon began the Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty. Soon after came the end of the cold war.

All About the Benjamin’s, took place in the 1980`s the decade of corporate greed. During this time Ronald Regan was the president and he was looking for a way to improve the American economy. His economic policy focused on focused on four points. First Regan wanted to reduce government spending, reduce income, reduce government regulation and control the money supply (Reagonomics 2010). His approach involved reducing tax cuts for wealthy Americans, and cutting funding for lower class Americans ( Reagonomics 2010). Regan felt if he cut funds for people on welfare that those Americans would try to get jobs. He introduced the earned income credit. He felt that this tax credit would be a way to encourage the unemployed to get out and work. Regan economic policies had both positive and negative effects on the American way of living (Reganomics 2010). The wealthy became richer and the poor became poorer. The unemployment rate declined but there was an increase in homeless and hungry Americans. Regan thought that he could create wealth for the U.S. by allowing business owners and free market corporations to compete for wealth. Reagan lowered the oil windfall profit tax. He lifted the petroleum price, deregulated airlines, and most of the airlines went bankrupt. He thought he could fix things that he could not fix. His motives were in the right place but the actions he took were not completely in the Americas best interest. Many Americans suffered during this time, but still Reagan was elected for a second term. He was liked by many. Some believe that Reganomics benefited America. Some of the policies introduced by Reagan are still being used today. Some of Reagan’s policies served as a blueprint on different ways to better the economy.

The Never Ending War took place in the 1990`s. In the books it is written that the gulf war began in August 1990 and ended in February 1991, but a war in Iraq still goes on today (1990`s, 2010). The gulf war was a war waged by the U.N. led by the United States and The United Nations against Iraq. Iraq troops invaded Kuwait in 1990 and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq. United States president George H.W. Bush sent American soldiers to Saudi Arabia six months later (1990`s, 2010). Many nations joined the coalition with America but America had the majority in military forces. Following The United States was Saudi Arabia, The United Kingdom, and Egypt (Gulf War, 2010). There had already been friction with Iraq and the United States that date back to the Cold War. Iraq was an ally of the Soviet Union (Gulf War, 2010). The United States had a concern involving Iraq`s position on Israel and Palestinian politics because Iraq disapproved of peace between Israel and Egypt. On August 12, 1990 Saddam Hussein wanted to compromise (Gulf War, 2010). He requested an immediate freeze of all boycott and siege decisions and wanted normalization of relations with Iraq. The United States expressed that there would be no negotiations until Iraq came out of Kuwait. Many resolutions were passed regarding the invasion made by Iraq. The most important was Resolution 678, passed in November of 1990, which set a deadline for Iraq to withdrawal from Kuwait (Gulf War, 2010). The deadline was for January 15, 1991. Ultimately if Iraq did not withdrawal but that time, they would have to be forced out. This brings us back to the coalition. Some countries did not join the coalition but sent money in support of it. Some countries did not want to increase U.S. influence in the Middle East (1990`s, 2010). In the end many nations were persuaded. Nations were promised economic aid, debt forgiveness or threats to withhold aid. Today the war in Iraq continues. There are still American troops overseas. How long will this war continue? It is unknown, but what is known is that this war has been indirectly been going on for decades, and all other wars and significant events before this war ultimately led to this one.

So what is going to happen to America for the years to come? How will our current president deal with current issue that are results of past presidents decisions? America still has the same economic problems that Regan faced. We are still at war with Iraq even after the first President Bush left office. In the future I see the war continuing. After the attacks of 9/11 I don’t think that The United States government would feel comfortable if they pulled all of the soldiers out of Iraq. I see the United States falling into a deeper depression. After all we are dealing with years of economic recovery. The unemployment rate over the past years has dropped. It is extremely hard for some people to get jobs. What is so hard to understand is how the United States began as one of the strongest countries economically, socially and politically and now we are falling so far behind. The United States is falling behind in education and this used to be the leading country in education. The United States has fallen behind in production. How could a country that is not social developed, compete with other countries that are so far ahead? It is unknown where the United States will be a decade from now but based on the past compared to now, we might be dealing with same old issues. It may be worst. There may be more homeless, hungry, unemployed Americans a decade from now. The way the deficit is Funding for welfare programs may get cut again. Things are still the same. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. If things do not soon change, there will be no hope for America’s future.

Works Cited

McCarthyism. (2006, 8 23). Retrieved 11 23, 2010, from pbs.org: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/

1990`s. (2010). Retrieved 11 28, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990s

Gulf War. (2010). Retrieved 11 27, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War

Vietnam War. (2010). Retrieved 11 23, 2010, from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War

Foreign Policy of the Ronald Regan Administration (2010) retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_the_Ronald_Reagan_administration

Profiles of U.S. Presidents (2010) Ronald Reagan Domestic Policy, retrieved from http://www.presidentprofiles.com/Kennedy-Bush/Ronald-Reagan-Domestic-policy.html

Reagonomics (2010) retrieved from www.wikipedia.com

Cited: McCarthyism. (2006, 8 23). Retrieved 11 23, 2010, from pbs.org: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/ 1990`s. (2010). Retrieved 11 28, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990s Gulf War. (2010). Retrieved 11 27, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War Vietnam War. (2010). Retrieved 11 23, 2010, from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War Foreign Policy of the Ronald Regan Administration (2010) retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_the_Ronald_Reagan_administration Profiles of U.S. Presidents (2010) Ronald Reagan Domestic Policy, retrieved from http://www.presidentprofiles.com/Kennedy-Bush/Ronald-Reagan-Domestic-policy.html Reagonomics (2010) retrieved from www.wikipedia.com