The Unfinished Journey America Since World War II

by Chafe, William H.

• ISBN13: 9780195150490
• ISBN10: 019515049X
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-12-12
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This popular classic text chronicles America's roller-coaster journey through the decades since World War II. Considering both the paradoxes and the possibilities of post-war America, Chafe portrays the significant cultural and political themes that have colored our country's past and present, including issues of race, class, gender, foreign policy, and economic and social reform. He examines such subjects as the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, the origins and the end of the Cold War, the culture of the 1970s, the Reagan years, the Clinton presidency, and the events of September 11th and their aftermath. In this edition, Chafe provides an insightful assessment of Clinton's legacy as president, particularly in light of his impeachment, and an entirely new chapter that examines the impact of two of America's most pivotal events of the twenty-first century: the 2000 presidential election turmoil and the September 11th terrorist attacks. Chafe puts forth an excellent account of George W. Bush's first year as president and also covers his subsequent role as a world leader following his administration's declared war on terrorism. The completely revised epilogue and updated bibliographic essay offer a compelling and controversial final commentary on America's past and its future. Brilliantly written by a prize-winning historian, the fifth edition of The Unfinished Journey is an essential text for all students of recent American history.

Author Biography

William H. Chafe is Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at Duke University

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
The War Years	3	(28)
Origins of the Cold War	31	(22)
Truman and the Cold War	53	(23)
``The Other Half of the Walnut''	76	(30)
Social Reform and Activism in the Postwar Years
The Paradox of Change	106	(34)
American Society in Postwar Years
The Civil Rights Movement	140	(34)
``The Gods Bring Threads to Webs Begin''
John F. Kennedy	174	(42)
The Reality and the Myth
LBJ	216	(25)
The Trial of Consensus
Vietnam---The Early Years	241	(25)
``Lyndon's War''	266	(28)
Coming Apart at Home	294	(39)
1968	333	(36)
``Bringing Us Together''	369	(47)
New Rules, Old Realities	416	(39)
The Continuing Intersection of Gender, Class, and Race in the Seventies
The Reagan Years	455	(26)
The 1990s	481	(44)
A Referendum on the Post--World War II Years
2000 and Beyond	525	(24)
Epilogue	549	(6)
Bibliographical Essay	555	(22)
Index	577