THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1945

Encompassing political, social, and cultural issues, this primary source reader allows students to hear the voices of the past, giving a richer understanding of American society since 1945.

Comprises over 50 documents, which incorporate political, social, and cultural history and encompass the viewpoints of ordinary people as well a variety of leaders

An extended introduction explains to students how to think and work like historians by using primary sources

Includes both written texts and photographs

Headnotes contextualize the documents and questions encourage students to engage critically with the sources

Robert P. Ingalls is Professor of History at the University of South Florida, and author of Point of Order: A Profile of Senator Joe McCarthy (1981) and of Urban Vigilantes in the New South: Tampa, 1882-1936 (1993). In addition he is co-author (with Louis Perez) of Tampa Cigar Workers: A Pictorial History (2003) and (with Susan Fernandez) of Sunshine in the Dark: Florida in the Movies (2006).
David K. Johnson is Assistant Professor of History at the University of South Florida and author of The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government (2003). He is winner of a 2004 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award as well as the 2005 Herbert Hoover and Randy Shilts book awards.

“This superb collection could well become the standard for post-1945 U.S. history courses. Its unique combination of inclusiveness and brevity, exciting choice of documents, and apt melding of older and newer themes are sure to bring new energy and insight to discussions.”
–Nancy MacLean, Northwestern University
"This superb collection of primary sources spans a range from the first use of the atomic bomb to the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the ‘war on terror.’ The editors' thoughtful annotations allow students to situate the documents in time and place, making it a splendid teaching tool."
–Michael Schaller, University of Arizona
“This documentary reader has depth and variety. It covers key moments in political history, and also includes compelling documents on race, gender and sexuality. A great collection for the twenty-first century.”
–Kathryn Olmsted, University of California, Davis

List of Figures.
Series Editors’ Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
Part I: Origins of the Cold War.
1. The Atomic Bomb (1945).
2. The Policy of Containment (1947).
3. The Truman Doctrine (1947).
4. A Critique of Truman’s Policies (1946).
5. A Soviet View of US Policy (1946).
6. The Prosecution of American Communists (1949).
7. The Red Scare (1950).
8. The Lavender Scare (1950).
9. A Defense of Civil Liberties (1952).
Part II: Postwar Society and Culture.
1. The Growth of Suburbia (1949).
2. A Critique of Suburbia (1962).
3. Consumer Culture and the Home (1947).
4. Women’s Roles (1950).
5. Men’s Roles (1956).
6. The Beat Generation (1956).
Part III: The Black Freedom Struggle.
1. A Protest against Bus Segregation (1954).
2 .The Southern Manifesto (1956).
3. Remembering the Sit-In Demonstrations (1998).
4. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nonviolent Direct Action (1963).
5. Women in the Civil Rights Movement (1964).
6. Black Nationalism (1964).
7. Economic Justice (1966).
Part VI: Vietnam.
1. The “Falling Domino” Principle (1954).
2. Escalation of the War (1964).
3. A Defense of the War (1965).
4. Experiencing the War (1965-70).
5. The Tet Offensive (1968).
6. Kent State Shootings (1970).
7. Vietnam Veterans Against the War (1971).
Part V: Politics and Protest in the 1960s.
1. The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).
2. Young Americans for Freedom (1960).
3. Students for a Democratic Society (1962).
4. The Hippie Counterculture (1967).
5. The Great Society (1965).
6. Cesar Chavez and la Causa (1966).
7. The American Indian Movement (2004).
8. Environmental Awareness (1962).
9. The Environmental Movement (1971).
Part VI: Gender and Sexuality in the 1960s and 1970s.
1. Second Wave Feminism (1963).
2. The National Organization for Women (1966).
3. Radical Feminism (1973).
4. The Gay Liberation Movement (1969).
5. Abortion Rights (1973).
6. Opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment (1977).
7. The Pro-Family Movement (1977).
Part VII: Conservative Ascendance.
1. The 1968 Election (1968).
2. The Crisis of Confidence (1979).
3. The Religious Right (1980).
4. A Critique of the Religious Right (1982).
5. The Second American Revolution (1985).
6. Life in the Rust Belt (1987).
7. The Iran–Contra Investigation (1987).
8. The End of Big Government (1996).
Part VIII: Society in the New Millennium.
1. Recent Immigration (2006).
2. Organized Labor and “Undocumented” Immigrants (2000).
3. Affirmative Action (2003).
4. The Culture Wars (2003).
5. Family Income (1947-2003).
6. Hurricane Katrina: A View from New Orleans (2005).
7. Hurricane Katrina: A View from the White House (2006).
8. The War on Terrorism (2007).
9. The Internet and Political Activism (2004).
Bibliography.
Index.