The most important historical events from the 1950s through the 1990s

WWII

History Making Decades WWII-Present

Many consider the end of WWII to have ushered in the modern era in global politics. One reason for this is based on WWII as an end -- the end of Nazi politics in Europe and of European politics as dominating politics on a worldwide scale. Another reason for naming WWII as the beginning of the modern era is based on WWII as another beginning -- the beginning of the Cold War, which started an era of global bipolarism, an arms struggle, and many of the scientific and military advancements that the world now takes for granted. When one considers the world of WWII and the contemporary world, it becomes clear that society has changed by leaps and bounds in the Western world in just a few short years. Each decade from 1950 until today has witnessed hundreds and thousands of influential moments in political, technical, social, and medical history. These changes have made the world the place it is today -- from its culture to its technological advancements. However, in each decade, one event stands out above all others, the event that has most changed history, the event -- above all others -- that is the most important among all of the amazing changes that have taken place in that decade. In some of these decades, these events are technical, a new piece of machinery or invention that has changed the way that people throughout most of the world live their lives. In others, the event is of striking political significance. Still, some other events are cultural and social, events that have left a lasting impact on the lives of those who have come in the decades after them. Through a discussion of each of the decades since the end of WWII to the modern era -- the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s -- and the most important social, political, or economic event that occurred in them, it becomes easier to understand the connections that historical events have with one another and how they shape history.

1960s

That Parks' actions affected the American people was made clear in the 1960s, when the civil rights movement entered full swing, and people across the nation began protesting what they believed to be wrong in a variety of venues. The peace sign, created at the end of the 1950s, became the sign for the social reform of the 60s and 70s -- the ongoing civil rights movement, development of the National Organization for Women, and the Vietnam protests. Also contained in the 1960s were the presidency of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, two monumental men in American history for entirely different reasons. Blunders and important actions in military history, such as the U-2 incident at the beginning of the era and the Vietnam War at the end lead many to distrust in the American military. The ongoing Cold War encouraged others to put their faith in it. It may seem foolish to say that the event that most impacted the American people in the midst of this turmoil was a three-day music festival in August. However, the Woodstock festival during the summer of 1969 was a symbol of what had occurred during the decade prior and what would occur in the 1970s -- it's cultural and political influence cannot be underestimated. Perlstein (2009), in his article for the New York Times on the significance of the event, argues that the festival was of the utmost significance because it allowed the media to show the rest of the world that the counterculture was "a good thing" (para. 1). Indeed, Perlstein (2009) quotes the Time article about the festival, which appeared August 29, 2009, and insisted that the festival be counted among the great historical events of the era. The Woodstock Preservation Archives (2001), a group dedicated to maintaining the legacy of the festival, argues that the festival is not only important because of the monumental musical talent that was displayed, but because of the ensuing counterculture, which was to be named, "Woodstock Nation." Thus, Woodstock was a symbol of the social movement that had engulfed and was about to engulf to an even greater extent the United States, it was a movement concerned with civil rights, social justice, freedom, and an acceptance of diversity and end to war. Woodstock Nation came to embody the values that today's left have legitimized into a policy platform -- at least for the most part.

1970s

Woodstock Nation carried through the 1970s, with several profound political implications, including the end of the Vietnam War, Roe v. Wade, Watergate, and the resignation of President Nixon. Many international affairs also occurred during this era that would have important implications for contemporary America, such as the Munich terrorist attacks and the return of the Ayatollah in Iran. However, the shootings at Kent State at the beginning of the era had the most profound impact on the American people, as this event made Americans see that danger was not only facing them from the outside -- from communism and the Cold War, but that the struggle for civil rights and freedom in the United States would not be without casualties. During the shootings, four people were killed and nine were wounded by National Guardsmen who had been called in due to the anti-war protests. The students dispersed after an emotional plea by a professor who urged them to leave to avoid more deaths ("Kent State," 2000). Lewis and Hensley (1998) cite work that suggests the Kent State shootings aided in ending the Nixon administration and had "a direct impact on politics" (para. 1). Regardless, the incident sparked a student strike that forced many Universities to close their doors. The violence, and the fact that not all the students killed and wounded had been part of the demonstration, forced the American people to consider whether they were really allowed to exercise freedom in the United States.

1980s

The 1980s was a time of technological revolution and political focus. Although the counterculture that was developed in the 1960s and 1970s had not faded completely from history, politics had changed to be somewhat more open to the public. Diversity -- with the exception of homophobia -- was beginning to be commonly accepted and praised. Technology -- such as the use of DNA in criminology and the introduction of the PC -- was becoming more prominent in the lives of everyday Americans. In the Cold War, President Gorbachev asked for openness and economic freedom, while President Reagan asked him to tear down the Berlin Wall, which he did. However, the discovery of AIDS had a far more profound impact on the American people than any of these events. In 1981, the first case of AIDS was reported in the United Kingdom, and this eventually caused quite a crisis in the U.S., as it was first noticed among gay men, and then in women and children as well. People became scared because they were not sure what was causing the disease. Research continued throughout the 1980s, but the fear caused by the disease led some to believe it could be transmitted by normal -- rather than sexual or blood-to-blood -- contact. In addition, the appearance of the disease in gay men made many accuse the gay community of the disease and lead to hatred and fear of both gays and Haitians, who were among those at risk ("History of AIDS," 2009). The impact of this disease has greatly influenced Americans and those all over the world, staring in the 1980s until today. Discovery Health calls the disease a "pandemic" and warns that cases are growing ("HIV / AIDS," 2009). Because no cure exists, it is a frightening condition, and its discovery in the 1980s has resulted in many of the precautions that we currently take today. In addition, it is the cause for the stigmatization of gay people and Africans even today.

1990s

The fear of AIDS continued into the 1990s, where it was joined by Mad Cow Disease and Y2K as prominent fears of the era. The 1990s saw the election of the first Democratic President -- Bill Clinton -- since LBJ, and tumultuous affairs in Africa, such as the Rwandan genocide and the release of Nelson Mandela. The Internet, which was actually invented in the 1970s, but became popular and was used by the general public in the 1990s was an event of the 1990s that cannot be equaled in scale. In 1996, 25 million computers in 180 countries were linked to the ever-growing Internet ("Fascinating Facts," 2007). However, the event that impacted the American people of the 1990s the most was the end of the Cold War, which officially concluded in 1992. With the end of the Cold War came an end to a shadow that was controlling and driving much of American Activity since the end of WWII. Hoffman (2004) writes that the conflict consumed both the United States and Soviet Union for 46 years, cost billions, and led to the development of dangerous weapons of mass destruction (para. 1). With the end of the cold war, no longer was the world a bipolar community with Soviet and American powers of equal strength but different ideals staring each other down and waiting for one to break. Instead, the world became a multipolar community with the United States a major power against conglomerations, like the European Union, and African Union. The launch of the Internet, as well as the affordability of air travel, introduction of the cell phone, and other advances in telecommunications, helped push America into the age of the global civil society through the end of the Cold War -- impacting the American People forever.

Conclusions

Thus, the end of WWII was the end of an old era, and the beginning of the modern era started with its completion. However, the end of the Cold War and entrance into the new millennium can be seen as an even newer era -- a postmodern era -- that is filled with technology, globalization, and the return of the political left. Based on the important events that occurred during the decades after WWII, it is likely that the American people will see an ever-increasing dependence on technology. A new counterculture, which has already begun to arise, will embrace that technology and will not only fight for social justice, but will question the economic condition of the United States and the dependence on work, stocks, and modern conveniences. Health scares will continue to be rampant, as can be seen with the recent H1N1 virus scare, and researchers will continue to work to find cures, some of that work being successful. But most importantly, no matter how the world changes in the post-modern era, people will still continue to work for what is right and fight for those rights above all things.