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The module examines the major developments in domestic politics, society and culture, and the interaction of foreign affairs with domestic concerns in the United States from the end of World War II through to the end of the war in Vietnam. The focus is on the political, social, and cultural responses to the changes that took places as the USA moved from war to affluence, the rise of suburbia, and the growth in influence of  gender, race, and demographic groups.

The module will cover the major issues and readjustments affecting the USA following the end of World War II.  It will examine the debates concerning Truman, the Atomic bomb, Cold War, McCarthyism and “Red Scare” before turning to the “conservative” 1950s, Eisenhower and the age of affluence. The rise of civil rights, the women’s movement, and youth culture will lead into an exploration of the Kennedy-Johnson era, the New Frontier and Good Society programmes, and the causes and consequences of US involvement in the conflict in Vietnam, ending with Nixon and Watergate.

A student passing this module should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the main domestic issues that dominated American society and politics during the post-war decades;
2. Show an understanding of the interaction between political, socio-economic and cultural factors in shaping contemporary American history;
3. Show knowledge of key historical sources and relevant historiographical debates and interpretations;4. Critically analyse historical sources, primary and secondary, and integrate them into a coherent historical argument;
4. Show an ability to interpret different types of primary evidence;
5. Deliver a clear exposition and argument in written and/or oral form.

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.