Featured Playlist: 
1945-1960: The Post-War Era by Becka Rosenberg
Play All Items | 
Add Item to Playlist | 
Copy Playlist
The Cold War, the Korean War, the implications of the Atomic Age, the Space Race, and McCarthyism all characterize the post-war period and its anxieties in America. This chronological playlist--drawn from newsreels, public affairs interviews, documentaries, and links to other authoritative web resources--showcases pivotal events, issues, people, and scenes and concerns of daily life during the post-war era in America. This is a featured playlist created or selected by Alexander Street Press.
| Type | Title | Annotation | Date Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video Clip | German Surrender Ending World War II in Europe, 1945 | Although skirmishes with German troops continued, the war in Europe officially ended in May 1945. This clip shows a speech given by President Harry Truman announcing the surrender, as well as celebrating crowds and Allied troops in Europe. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Web page | Transcription of German Surrender Documents Ending World War II in Europe, 1945 | The German surrender that ended World War II was not a single event but a ceremony carried out again and again across Europe in the spring of 1945. This page provides transcriptions of a number of documents relating to the German surrender. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video | The Japanese Surrender Aboard the USS Missouri (United News newsreel) | Special Edition newsreel showing Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri in 1945. United News, Release 171B, 1945 from United Newsreel (Hollywood, CA: United Newsreel Corporation, 1945) 8:49. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Development and Implications of the Atomic Bomb, 1945 | After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, scientists and government officials, including President Truman, express concern about the Atomic Age, and the dangers and possibilities of nuclear technology. A good basis for understanding how people thought of the atomic bomb directly after World War II. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Conference to Found the United Nations Begins, 1945 | World leaders meet in San Francisco, CA, in 1945 to make plans for the future of the United Nations organization and international cooperation following World War II. Includes speeches by U.S. President Truman, Soviet Foreign Commisar Molotov (in Russian), and British Foreign Secretary Eden. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Dogs of War Train for Return Home, 1945 | Dogs trained by the U.S. military as guards and scouts are "demobilized" and sent back to civilian life. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Preparations for the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, 1945 | Preparations begin in Nuremberg, Germany for the trials of Nazi officials after World War II. The city suffered heavy damage in the war, and German prisoners are assigned to build and alter court facilities. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Nazi War Crimes Trial Opens at Nuremberg, 1945 | The trial of high-ranking Nazi officials begins at Nuremberg. Pleas are entered, and presiding judge Robert H. Jackson makes a statement. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | U.S. and Soviet Occupation of Germany Following World War II | This clip describes the increasingly adversarial relationship between U.S. and Soviet forces occupying Germany following World War II. It traces the roots of the Cold War and contains a section on the Berlin Air Lift. (Further discussion of postwar occupation in the rest of the video.) | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | UNRRA Delivers Food and Clothes to Needy Europe, 1946 | The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration was founded to help civilians affected by World War II. This clip shows people liberated from concentration camps returning to towns destroyed by the war, and the distribution of food by U.S. Army personnel. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Bernard Baruch Proposes Controls for Nuclear Power, 1946 | At a meeting of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, Bernard Baruch lays out the commission's positions on the use of nuclear power and the production of nuclear weapons. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Atom Bomb Test on Bikini Atoll, 1946 | The test of the atomic bomb on Bikini Atoll, set up to demonstrate the effects of the bomb on Navy ships and to aid in planning a future fleet in case of nuclear war, was the first demonstration of U.S. nuclear might following World War II. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | U.S. Army Makes Radar Contact with the Moon, 1946 | The use of radar to make contact with the moon raised hopes for future space exploration. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | New Cars Designed for 1946 | Following World War II, the U.S. auto industry, whose plants had been diverted to the production of military equipment during the war, returned to making cars, some similar to those we see today and some less so. One showcased here can fly! | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Circular Dwelling Newest Invention in Housing Crisis, 1946 | This clip shows a futuristic house made of aluminum and plastic, and designed to conserve space. After World War II, the U.S. faced a housing shortage, and many new housing prototypes were developed. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Douglas DC-6 Passenger Airplane Offers Comfort in Travel, 1946 | This clip shows the Douglas DC-6, built for civilian travel after World War II. Its amenities include pullout berths for sleeping and separate dressing rooms. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Supreme Court Justices Urge Racial Tolerance, 1946 | Felix Frankfurter and Harlan Stone, U.S. Supreme Court justices, call for respect and tolerance for racial and religious differences. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Eleanor Roosevelt's Service to the United Nations, 1946-1953 | Eleanor Roosevelt began serving as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations in 1946, and was pivotal in the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN in 1948. | 30 Apr 2009 |
| Web page | Text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 | The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 to help build the foundation of peaceful post-war world. | 30 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | George C. Marshall and the Marshall Plan for European Recovery, 1947 | George C. Marshall, as U.S. Secretary of State, crafted a plan to aid postwar reconstruction in Europe and to contain Soviet influence. It included the organization of the Berlin Airlift, a program to aid civilians and Allied troops after Soviet troops blockaded the city of Berlin. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Web page | George Marshall's Speech Outlining Plans for European Recovery Following World War II, 1947 | The famous "Marshall Plan" was first described in Secretary of State George C. Marshall's speech at Harvard University's commencement in 1947. This is the text of that speech. (link to the Truman Library collection of documents on the Marshall Plan.) | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Harry S. Truman's Campaign and Election as U.S. President, 1948 | This clip from "Biography" shows Harry Truman's uphill battle to the presidency in 1948, including splits in the Democratic Party and a neck-and-neck race against Republican Thomas Dewey. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Roots of the Korean War, 1945-1950 | After World War II, U.S. and Soviet forces split control of Korea. This clip describes developments in international policy that led to the invasion of South Kore and U.S. involvement in the Korean War. (More detail can be found in the rest of the History Channel's "Korean War" mini-series.) | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Harry Truman and the Korean War, 1950-1952 | This clip from "Biography" includes remarks from Harry Truman about the reasons for war in Korea and his removal of Douglas MacArthur as commander of United Nations forces there in 1951. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Douglas MacArthur and the Korean War, 1950-1952 | This clip from "Biography" describes MacArthur's command of United Nations troops in Korea, and his humiliation at being removed from command by President Truman in 1951. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Dean Rusk Discusses the Korean War, 1951 | Dean Rusk, Assistant Secretary of State, discusses the possibility of escalation of the war in Korea in light of cease-fire attempts made in the fall of 1951. He also describes the costs of the war for United Nations and Communist forces. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Arthur Garfield Hays Discusses Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism's Influence on the U.S., 1951 | Arthur Garfield Hays, general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, expresses concern over Joseph McCarthy's public influence, and says he firmly believes that the U.S. government is not home to a communist conspiracy. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Joseph McCarthy Discusses Upcoming Elections, 1952 | Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) discusses his own reputation and his critics as he prepares for a reelection campaign in Wisconsin. He also comments on the upcoming presidential race and its possible impact on McCarthyism. (Further details in the full video.) | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Joseph McCarthy Discusses McCarthyism and His Symbolic Value to the American People, 1952 | Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) describes his victory in the Wisconsin primary as symbolic, and explains what he thinks he stands for in the minds of American voters:. He explains the coining of the term "McCarthyism" by Owen Lattimore. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Princess Alexandra Kropotkin Discusses Weaknesses of Communist Russia, 1951 | Princess Alexandra Kropotkin, descendant of the Russian czars, claims that the Communist regime in Russia is unpopular with the populace, and describes ways that the U.S. might use propaganda to make allies within Russia. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Kenneth C. Royall Discusses Possible Presidential Candidates in the 1952 Election, 1951 | Kenneth C. Royall, former U.S. Secretary of War shares his opinions about possible presidential candidates in the 1952 election, and speculates whether Dwight Eisenhower will decide to run. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Henry Wallace Comments on the Upcoming Presidential Election, 1952 | Henry Wallace, former U.S. Vice President, discusses the importance of independent voters in the 1952 election, and voices a desire for candidates to state their positions more specifically. | 30 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Dwight D. Eisenhower as a Presidential Candidate in the 1952 Election | Dwight Eisenhower was not a politician by training, and even after he became the Republican candidate in the election of 1952, the campaign was not easy. Scandal surrounding his running mate, Richard Nixon, did not make it any easier. This clip from "Biography" contains comments from Tom Brokaw, George Will, Bob Dole, and others. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Val Peterson Discusses Civilian Preparedness in the Event of Nuclear War, 1953 | Val Peterson, Federal Director of Civil Defense, describes his views on the dangers of Soviet nuclear attack on American soil, and suggests survival strategies for American citizens in case of nuclear attack, stressing the need for bomb shelters and community involvement. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Willy Ley Discusses Flying Saucers, 1952 | Willy Ley, a noted scientist, discusses possible explanations for sightings of flying saucers in the U.S. He says it is unlikely they are of alien origin. | 30 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | U.S. Military and Foreign Policy in the Eisenhower Administration, 1953-1954 | Dwight Eisenhower saw the human costs of military spending clearly, and tried to put the U.S. in a strong economic position, while still fighting hard against communism abroad. He opposed the scare tactics of Joseph McCarthy, but instead of making this conflict public, Eisenhower undermined McCarthy's power over the American people. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | U.S. Develops Spy Planes for Use in the Cold War in the 1950s | This clip from "Military Blunders" shows aircraft developed by the United States to gather intelligence on the Soviet Union in the 1950s, focusing especially on the U-2. As concerns about Soviet nuclear capabilities grew, the U.S. government developed new strategies and technologies to get inside the USSR by air. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | John J. Hopkins Discusses Future Uses for Atomic Energy, 1952 | John J. Hopkins, president of General Dynamics Corporation, a company producing military materials, speculates on the future of atomic energy in the United States and its implications for the American public as well as other energy industries. | 30 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | U.S. Test of Atom Bomb at Yucca Flats, 1957 | Images captured of the detonation of the largest atomic bomb yet tested in 1957. Observers don sunglasses, and marines mime an attack only three miles from the blast site. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Atomic Bomb Tests Draw Concern About Fallout, 1957 | By 1957, U.S. scientists were aware of the dangers of nuclear fallout, but that did not stop this series of bomb tests in the Nevada desert in 1957. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Moon Shot: 1st Lunar Rocket Attempt A Failure, 1958 | Newsreel footage shows the launch of a U.S. satellite, the first desgned to reach the moon. The satellite exploded before leaving the atmosphere, dashing public hopes in the Space Race. | 27 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | Accomplishments of Dwight D. Eisenhower's Second Term as President, 1957-1961 | This clip from "Biography" discusses the affects of the Eisenhower administration at home and abroad in the mid-to-late 1950s, including Cold War politics, race relations, and American infrastructure. Contains comments from Tom Brokaw, Walter Cronkite, John McCain and others. | 29 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | John F. Kennedy Announces He Will Run for President in 1960 | Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA) announces at a press conference that he will be a candidate in the 1960 presidential election. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Video Clip | John F. Kennedy Receives The Democratic Party Nomination For President, 1960 | Despite competition from Adlai Stevenson and Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy wins the nomination of the Democratic Party as their candidate for president in July 1960. | 28 Apr 2009 |
| Web page | John F. Kennedy's Speech Accepting Democratic Nomination for President, 1960 | Full transcript of John F. Kennedy's speech accepting the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention of 1960. (Also contains audio and video content.) | 28 Apr 2009 |