The post war (World War II) era
Korean WarIn 1950, United Nations asked for troops to restore Korea peace June25.Truman ordered Air Force and Navy to Korea June 27 after North Korea invaded South. Truman approved ground forces, air strikes against North June 30. ********** 1950/North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking the Korea War.President Truman sent U.S. military troops as part of a United Nations effort. The war was one of the first in which Cold War adversaries, the U.S. and the USSR, support opposing sides in a third-party conflict after W W II.1951/In the Middle East, Libya becomes as independed state. 1952/The world's first nuclear power plant plant accident at Chalk River, in Canada 1953/In the USSR, the death of Joseph Stalin precipitates a major political power struggle. 1954/A CIA-supported coup in Guatemala overthrows President Arbenz, as the U.S. fears that Latin-American countires will fall into the embrace of communism. -Vietnam was divided into northern and sotthern regions. -"Domino theory" by President Eisenhower. 1955/The USSR organized the Warsaw Pact to defend against the Western European Cold War alliance, NATO. 1956/When Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, Isreal, Britain, and France invade Egypt, while th eU.S. opposes the invasion. 1957/Inaugurating a new era in exploration, the USSR launces the first earth satellite.Space exploration becomes another areana of Cold War competition. 1958/The United States establishes NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) with recognition of recent advances by the Soviet space program. 1959/Fidel Castro becomes premier of Cuba. ***In the U.S.*** The U.S Presidents 1945-53/ Harry S. Truman 1953-61/Dwight D. Eisenhower 1950/The Gross National Product had nearly tripled since 1940, reaching $284 million. 
1951/Movie:
"A Streetcar Named Desire"(featuring
Marlon Brado)
1952/"The Old Man in the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway, Movie:"High Noon", "The Greatest Show On Earth" 1953/20 million households have TV sets.(in 1949, 1 million households) 1954/Movie: "On The Waterfront"  1955/The first Golden Arch, "McDonald's", was launched. Disneyland opended in California. 1956/In Montogomety, Alabama, a bus boycott organized by Martin Luther King brings the young preacher into the national eye. Elvis Preseley tops the charts this year with "Love Me Tender," and "Hound Dog," and "Heartbreak Hotel." 1957/In Little Rock, Arkansas, the civil rights movement shifts into high gear when white crowds protest efforts to desegregete public schools. 1958/Credit cards get a boost; charge card American Express debutes, and the forerunner of Visa, the BankAmericard, also appears. 1959/"Barbie" doll debutes. -In January, Alaska becomes the 49tth U.S. state, following by Hawaii, the 50th, in August. ********** The beginning of post-war era: Although World War II (WWII) ended in 1945, lingering antagonism between the U.S. and the Soviet Union continued in the Cold War. This War of threats and gestures something turned "hot"--in Korea and Vietnam, during the Berlin airlift and the Cuban missile crisis, and in "Superpower" interventions all around the world.The era following WWII ushered in many remarkable changes in American society and culture.So, the next exciting decade was turning around the corner. 50s must be a dawn of peaceful world, but in Korea and in Vietnam another one would come. Start here! A "Magical Mystery "History" Tour! <- Home| 60s History -> |
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