Was the Saying of “peace, Prosperity, and Progress” a Myth or Reality?
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1. Was the saying of “Peace, Prosperity, and Progress” a myth or reality?
The saying of “Peace, prosperity and Progress” was the slogan of Dwight Eisenhower during his 1956 presidential campaign. Eisenhower basically meant that, under him, America would maintain peace; it would flourish economically and progress in all aspects. Eisenhower succeeded in this, and he sent America into an economic boom.
Eisenhower, during his first term as president, ended the Korean War. The Korean War was an extremely unpopular war among Americans, and Eisenhower gained a lot of popularity when he ended it. America had been at peace since then and many Americans believed that Eisenhower was the perfect man to keep America out of trouble. Although America didnt engage in any real combat under Eisenhower, the Cold War began under him. The Cold War was a war of words and threats between America and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union frightened many Americans, and the threat of a nuclear attack was very real. Some Americans were scared enough to build fallout shelters just in case.
America was booming economically. The automobile industry skyrocketed and many new industries such as aviation and electronics grew exponentially. The housing industry boomed as well, stimulated by affordable mortgages and returning members of the military. The nations gross national product rose from about $200,000 million in 1940 to $300,000 million in 1950 and to more than $500,000 million in 1960. The baby boom also contributed to the growing economy because it increased the number of consumers. The middle class grew substantially. The booming economy was sort of a ripple effect, more babies meant more houses, and more houses meant more jobs for contractors and the companies that provide the materials. Fast food chains also burst onto the scene, because Americans was driving significantly more than they had previously.
The 1950s were a great time of progress. There were tons of new products and appliances such as the TV. The TV is easily the most important product of the 50s. It unified Americans by broadcasting news stations so that all of America could know what is happening everywhere else. It played a bigger role in advertising though and probably contributed to the booming economy. The interstate highway was another huge way to unify America. It gave people easy access to anywhere in the U.S. This also helped car sales, as Americans were now driving more than ever.
Overall, the 50s were a time of peace, prosperity and progress. Although America was in a Cold War with the Soviet Union, America did not engage in any combat. America was the richest it had ever been during the 50s. The economy was booming and there was an abundance of jobs. New consumer items were always coming out and TV helped fuel their sales. Finally, the interstate highway act enabled