Cold War America

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The Post War Era
The postwar period was characterized by the return of the war veterans who settled and started their own families. The family life was an abrupt change and the people started marrying at a much younger age in comparison to the war period (Norton et al. 748). Women also gave birth to children at a faster rate and in larger numbers and the couples started living together unlike before when war-related activities separated them. The era was characterized by a reaffirmation of the cultural norms after they were done away with during the war. Men took over the breadwinning role and women retreated back at homes although they too worked. The television gave direction on the expected social norm even if a number of people defied the culture insisting on intuition over conformity.
The United States took a center stage during the wars majorly supplying weapons and goods to the fighting countries. By the end of the war, the country had therefore accumulated a lot of resources while the others were ravaging in poverty. The United States was left undamaged by the war and hence sold goods to the countries affected by the war during the postwar leading to foreign exchange and economic prosperity after the war (Norton et al. 749). The veterans were given money to start life afresh and hence able to buy homes, farms and better their lives. The prosperity was however not evenly distributed since not all Americans participated in the economic prosperity.

Some sections of the American community especially the whites became more prosperous than the other races.
The war period led to an imbalance in labor relations but the labor was once more divided according to gender after the postwar. Women were allowed to work in industries and at the same time take care of their families (Johnson 231). The period witnessed a rise in social movements especially after the 1960s that ensured that racial segregation reduced. After the 1960s, the economic prosperity witnessed extended to the African American, Hispanics, and other minority groups. The economic prosperity enabled the people to acquire modern means of communication which enabled them to access other cultures and spread them (Johnson 237). There was a huge cultural change from the conservative traditions to a progressive culture driven by the baby boomers through music.
Work Cited
Johnson, Michael P. Reading the American Past: Volume II: From 1865: Selected Historical Documents. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012.
Norton, Mary Beth, et al. A People and a Nation: A History of the United States, Volume II: Since 1865. Cengage Learning, 2015.