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Civil Rights near its peak
With WW2 ended, having been deployed alongside their white neighbors, the African American population thought it deserved equality at long last. However, many whites did not support this idea, and wanted to continue the policies of discrimination. This gave rise to many civil rights movements, notably that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who promoted a peaceful civil disobedience to get their opinions heard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vDWWy4CMhE -
McCarthyism
With the Red Scare in full swing, many emerged who believed others, their neighbors, even, could be communist spies. Then there were some who recognized the madness of the situation and exploited it to gain power, such as Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy went on a rampage, accusing many men and women of being communist spies, utilizing the irrational fear of the public to have them expelled from positions, fired, or even killed. -
Brown vs Board of Education
This supreme court case overturned the previous case of Plessy vs Ferguson, in which "separate but equal" was originally observed to be constitutional. In Brown vs Board, it was established that in no case witnessed were separate facilities equal, and nor was the original ruling correct -
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine of the best African American students that Arkansas had to offer. Schools, recently desegregated, were still dangerous ground for African Americans to enter. Protected by the National Guard and chauferred by military vehicles, this group of nine was able to attend school alongside their white neighbors, paving the way for truly equal education.
http://time.com/4948704/little-rock-nine-anniversary/ -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Tensions were high with the discovery of dangerously close Soviet Nuclear Missile Silos in Cuba. The fear that the USA may become engaged in a world-ending nuclear world suddenly became very real, and there were massive, tense political battles with the Soviets over their affront to the safety of the USA's citizens.
http://cloudsovercuba.com/ -
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
In the evening of the 4th of April, Martin Luther King Jr is shot and killed whilst standing on the balcony of his home. Taken to the hospital in the hope of saving him, he was nevertheless pronounced dead later that night. -
The Moon Landing
At the end of the space race, the USA managed to put a man on the moon. After many failed predecessors, Apollo 11 safely landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong spoke the famous words as he stepped down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkARWbUjCjU -
Ping Pong Diplomacy
American competitors received an invitation into China to play Ping-Pong against their team, making them the first Americans to set foot on Chinese soil since 1949. This allowed Nixon to meet with the Chinese emperor of the time, to engage in peace talks and a calm defusing of tensions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EdEKsQ8o5U -
Withdrawal from Vietnam War
The end of US involvement in the war in Vietnam. Vietnam had a draft to ensure ample troop force, and there was massive resistance to this, as some claimed it favored some over others. With the only marginally successful Vietnamization plan in effect, the growing dissent toward the war from the general public overran the governmental capacity to suppress, American troops were withdrawn. The song "Fortunate Son" speaks about the draft.
https://youtu.be/40JmEj0_aVM -
Iran Hostage Crisis
After an invasion of the US embassy by Iran students and militants, 52 Americans were taken captive. Held for 444 days, their captors demanded that they be supplied with arms and money. The government promptly denied their demands. -
Cold War
More a state of elevated tensions than an actual war, the Cold War was mostly between the USA and Soviet Russia. Resulting in the use of brinkmanship tactics by US president Eisenhower, he also believed in the idea of massive retaliation, in which, should Soviet Russia launch even a small attack, the USA would respond in full force. -
Berlin Wall falls
The division between Soviet-controlled East Berlin and American-controlled West Berlin finally came down. It marked the beginning of an age of reunion and peace at least for Berlin. For many, this meant the possibility of family, jobs, or even life.
