Postwar United States (1945-1970s)

The end of World War II in 1945 would usher a period of economic growth and stability in the United States that led to the establishment of a vibrant middle class. Yet, inequalities for African Americans and people of color persisted and would come to a breaking point during the Civil Rights Era of the 1960s. Post-war tensions led to 20 years of Cold War foreign policies influencing presidential administrations from Truman to Nixon, and led to the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. By the late 1960s, American culture was in an upheaval after a decade of high-profile assassinations of charismatic political figures, U.S. involvement in an unwinnable war in Southeast Asia, tensions around the Civil Rights Movement, and a growing lack of trust in institutions and leaders.