that California had displaced New terns . Developed in the 1930s, it was
York as the nation’s largest state . not widely marketed until after the
By 2000, Texas had moved ahead of war . In 1946 the country had fewer
New York into second place .
than 17,000 television sets . Three
An even more important form of years later consumers were buying
movement led Americans out of in- 250,000 sets a month, and by 1960
ner cities into new suburbs, where three-quarters of all families owned
they hoped to find affordable hous- at least one set . In the middle of the
ing for the larger families spawned decade, the average family watched
by the postwar baby boom . Develop- television four to five hours a day .
ers like William J . Levitt built new Popular shows for children included
communities — with homes that Howdy Doody Time and The Mickey
all looked alike — using the tech- Mouse Club; older viewers preferred niques of mass production . Levitt’s situation comedies like I Love Lucy
houses were prefabricated — partly and Father Knows Best . Ameri-
assembled in a factory rather than cans of all ages became exposed to
on the final location — and modest, increasingly sophisticated advertise-
but Levitt’s methods cut costs and ments for products said to be neces-
allowed new owners to possess a part sary for the good life .
of the American dream .
As suburbs grew, businesses
THE FAIR DEAL
moved into the new areas . Large
shopping centers containing a great The Fair Deal was the name given
variety of stores changed consumer to President Harry Truman’s domes-
patterns . The number of these cen- tic program . Building on Roosevelt’s
ters rose from eight at the end of New Deal, Truman believed that the
World War II to 3,840 in 1960 . With federal government should guaran-
easy parking and convenient eve- tee economic opportunity and social
ning hours, customers could avoid stability . He struggled to achieve those
city shopping entirely . An unfortu- ends in the face of fierce political op-
nate by-product was the “hollowing- position from legislators determined
out” of formerly busy urban cores .
to reduce the role of government .
New highways created better ac-
Truman’s first priority in the
cess to the suburbs and its shops . immediate postwar period was to
The Highway Act of 1956 provided make the transition to a peacetime
$26,000-million, the largest public economy . Servicemen wanted to
works expenditure in U .S . history, to come home quickly, but once they
build more than 64,000 kilometers arrived they faced competition for
of limited access interstate highways housing and employment . The G .I .
to link the country together .
Bill, passed before the end of the war,
Television, too, had a powerful helped ease servicemen back into ci-
impact on social and economic pat- vilian life by providing benefits such
268
OUTLINE OF U.S. HISTORY
as guaranteed loans for home-buy- In 1948 he sought reelection, despite
ing and financial aid for industrial polls indicating that he had little
training and university education .
chance . After a vigorous campaign,
More troubling was labor unrest . Truman scored one of the great up-
As war production ceased, many sets in American politics, defeating
workers found themselves without the Republican nominee, Thomas
jobs . Others wanted pay increases Dewey, governor of New York . Re-
they felt were long overdue . In 1946, viving the old New Deal coalition,
4 .6 million workers went on strike, Truman held on to labor, farmers,
more than ever before in American and African-American voters .
history . They chal enged the automo-
When Truman finally left of-
bile, steel, and electrical industries . fice in 1953, his Fair Deal was but
When they took on the railroads and a mixed success . In July 1948 he
soft-coal mines, Truman intervened banned racial discrimination in fed-
to stop union excesses, but in so do- eral government hiring practices and
ing he alienated many workers .
ordered an end to segregation in the
While dealing with immediately military . The minimum wage had
pressing issues, Truman also provid- risen, and social security programs
ed a broader agenda for action . Less had expanded . A housing program
than a week after the war ended, he brought some gains but left many
presented Congress with a 21-point needs unmet . National health in-
program, which provided for pro- surance, aid-to-education measures,
tection against unfair employment reformed agricultural subsidies, and
practices, a higher minimum wage, his legislative civil rights agenda
greater unemployment compen- never made it through Congress .
sation, and housing assistance . In The president’s pursuit of the Cold
the next several months, he added War, ultimately his most important
proposals for health insurance and objective, made it especially difficult
atomic energy legislation . But this to develop support for social reform
scattershot approach often left Tru- in the face of intense opposition .
man’s priorities unclear .
Republicans were quick to attack .
EISENHOWER’S APPROACH
In the 1946 congressional elections
they asked, “Had enough?” and vot- When Dwight Eisenhower suc-
ers responded that they had . Re- ceeded Truman as president, he
publicans, with majorities in both accepted the basic framework of gov-
houses of Congress for the first time ernment responsibility established
since 1928, were determined to re- by the New Deal, but sought to hold
verse the liberal direction of the the line on programs and expendi-
Roosevelt years .
tures . He termed his approach “dy-
Truman fought with the Congress namic conservatism” or “modern
as it cut spending and reduced taxes . Republicanism,” which meant, he ex-
269