The Baby Boom
Since the beginning, America pledged to stay neutral in foreign affairs, but on December 7, 1941 hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked an American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. More than 2,000 soldiers and sailors died in the devastating attack, and another 1,000 was wounded.[] This is influential because it pushed America to go to war and send soldiers abroad. According to ABC-CLIO “Half a generation of young men came of age overseas during World War II.” When they returned to the United States, they were ready to take the next step in their lives.”[] For most of the soldiers that next step was to rekindle old flames and start a family. This time period was known as the “Baby Boom” due to the increase in childbirth between the years 1946 and 1964.[] The “Baby Boom” affected American history by producing a counter culture, suburbs and the need to reform the social security system.
The culture with values and morals that ran counter of society is only one way to describe the counter culture that the “baby boomers” brought to America. By the 1960’s majority of the new born babies were now young adults and the typical american life had shifted. When the war in Vietnam began many Americans believed that defending South Vietnam from communism was in the public interest but as the war dragged on, more and more Americans grew tired of the exaggerated conflicts and high cost.[] As a result it lead to an anti-war movement which involved peace rallies. According to Penny Sidoli “The 1960s Peace Movement became the first successful mass protest that stopped a war. They were characterized by marches, sit-ins, teach-ins and civil disobedience”.[] The anti-war movement was significant to American history because it helped shine a light on the importance of putting an end to the Vietnam War and the fight for civil rights. Also, it showed that the younger generation had a large impact on their government. Thanks to the anti-war movement by the counter
The culture with values and morals that ran counter of society is only one way to describe the counter culture that the “baby boomers” brought to America. By the 1960’s majority of the new born babies were now young adults and the typical american life had shifted. When the war in Vietnam began many Americans believed that defending South Vietnam from communism was in the public interest but as the war dragged on, more and more Americans grew tired of the exaggerated conflicts and high cost.[] As a result it lead to an anti-war movement which involved peace rallies. According to Penny Sidoli “The 1960s Peace Movement became the first successful mass protest that stopped a war. They were characterized by marches, sit-ins, teach-ins and civil disobedience”.[] The anti-war movement was significant to American history because it helped shine a light on the importance of putting an end to the Vietnam War and the fight for civil rights. Also, it showed that the younger generation had a large impact on their government. Thanks to the anti-war movement by the counter
Bibliography: "55d. The Antiwar Movement." The Antiwar Movement . Ushistory.org, 2008. Web. 09 June 2012. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/55d.asp>. Dailey, Kate. "Return to Levittown: A Suburban Dream Turns 60." BBC News. BBC, 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 11 June 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15598511>. Friedman, Emily. "Woodstock Nation." ABC News. ABC News Network, 14 Aug. 2009. Web. 11 June 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/US/Woodstock/story?id=8276354>. "Hippies and the Counterculture, 1960-1969 (Overview)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 10 June 2012. <http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Topics/Display/1187588?cid=41&terms=woodstock+music+festival> Kenney, Kim "Leave It to Beaver." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 Dec. 2012. Web. 12 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver>.