Book SummaryThe Fifties, by David Halberstam

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Fifties

In the wake of World War II, politics, ideology, and international relations were deeply transformed, characterized by the emergence of sustained geopolitical rivalry among leading nations, the pervasive impact of a fervent hunt for alleged communists, and the crafting of a novel approach to foreign policy by the United States.

Anti-communism's rise to a dominant position in the political conversation of the United States eclipsed previous discussions about whether to isolate or engage internationally, marking a transition in which the US took over the role of leadership from a diminishing Britain in the global democratic sphere.

In America, the political atmosphere, influenced by the residual impacts of the financial slump and worldwide strife, grew more resistant to New Deal policies and shifted focus to the strains of a peace that was achieved with significant sacrifices.

After World War Two ended, the United States achieved an unprecedented degree of wealth and international influence. However, the author portrays the period following the war as one marked by escalating concerns and insecurities, fueled by the nation's arduous ascent to a position of world dominance and a delicate peace that failed to offer the absolute guarantees sought by many Americans. Republicans, sidelined from power for sixteen years, increasingly focused their political discourse on the theme of retribution, expressing their pent-up frustrations through the narrative of China's collapse at the end of the 1940s. Halberstam points out that the shadow of the Great Depression remained, with Democrats persistently portraying Republicans as cohorts of uncaring, ruthless industrialists throughout their electoral contests with Herbert Hoover.

In this climate, political conversations often centered on clear divisions and the threat of internal subversion, with conservatives asserting that America's foundational values were being subtly eroded by socialist tactics linked to New Deal policies. During the period following the war, numerous speeches emphasized the importance of upholding America's core principles at various civic and business events, highlighting the threats to these values from conflicting ideologies within the country. The post-World War II economic boom in America resulted in a situation where, despite their wealth, industry leaders felt a persistent need to compensate for what they believed was the inequity linked to the policies of the New Deal.

Joseph McCarthy, a shrewd tactician who leveraged America's growing anxieties amidst the Cold War, focused on questioning the allegiance of his opponents rather than the validity of their policies, leading to a culture that grew increasingly wary and less receptive to a range of viewpoints.

The story recounts the rise of Joseph McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin who was relatively unknown at the time, as he seized the opportunity presented by the prevalent anxieties of the period. They portray the individual as someone who deliberately confused political dissent with serious treachery, thereby embodying the prevalent fears that were present among the American people during that time. He contended that America's challenges stemmed from internal acts of treachery, which, in his view, were allowed and even encouraged by the policies of the Democratic Party. With the fall of Nationalist China, he and his allies seized on the issue as a powerful weapon against an administration they saw as weak and indecisive.

Halberstam describes McCarthy's behavior as recklessly labeling those who might have simply lacked political experience as traitors... He set out on a task once deemed unachievable, and found that it was indeed achievable. McCarthy and his colleagues, while advocating for a rapid demobilization of military forces post-war, were also opposed to international involvement and condemned efforts to prevent the proliferation of communism, such as the Marshall Plan. The period was characterized by a contradiction as the community, eager to return to American traditions from before the war, was also intensely preoccupied with the potential threat of global communism to their lifestyle.

The Soviet Union's initiation of its nuclear arsenal with an atomic explosion shifted the Cold War's course, leading to rapid changes in the United States' nuclear policies and creating a pervasive sense of fear among the populace and policymakers. President Truman was confronted with inquiries about his resolve to curb the proliferation of Communist ideologies.

After World War Two ended, the United States held a unique position as the sole possessor of nuclear arms, a factor that compensated for the significant decrease in its military forces and budget after the war. The Soviet Union's nuclear supremacy was abruptly interrupted when they detonated their first atomic bomb, known as Joe One, on the third of September, 1949. The author is of the opinion that the political landscape of America experienced rapid and significant transformations both on a global scale and domestically. The news was deeply unsettling to the head of state. Truman, now confronted with an intensifying arms competition and the looming threat of nuclear conflict, also grappled with increasing political opposition at home, which was fueled by accusations that his administration's policies had allowed the Soviets to narrow the military disparity.

The announcement significantly affected the fragile reduction in hostilities that had been achieved post-war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The rigorous scrutiny considerably constrained the choices available to President Truman for taking action. Halberstam characterizes the predicament as one in which, although receiving condemnation for an apparent soft stance on Communism, he was faced with the pivotal decision to push forward with the development of the hydrogen bomb, an instrument of significantly greater...

The Fifties Summary The rise of suburban living and the growth in consumer culture had a significant impact on the evolving roles of women in society.

The post-war boom in the American economy, driven by inexpensive energy from local oil sources, significantly boosted industrial production and the country's wealth, leading to a rise in consumer expenditure among the working class.

General Motors was the embodiment of American industrial might in that era, surpassing its competitors in overall output and skillfully leveraging the rising prosperity of the United States to create more advanced and expensive vehicles, while also implementing innovative marketing tactics to solidify its dominant status.

During this era of robust economic growth and intense business endeavors, Halberstam points to General Motors as the epitome of America's manufacturing prowess. In the decade of the 1950s, this corporation set a historical benchmark by becoming the first ever to report earnings surpassing one billion dollars, thereby establishing itself as the most significant and prosperous entity of its time.

Halberstam explores the evolving nature of corporate culture, emphasizing how the priorities of the corporation often overshadowed the concerns of the individual workers—this approach, although it enhanced the ability to innovate...