The Sixties in America
History, Politics and Protest
Published on 4. July 2001
Book
Paperback/Softback
184 pages
978-1-85331-205-2 (ISBN)
Description
No other decade of the twentieth century has acquired the mythological status of the 1960s. For the United States this was the decade of the Camelot presidency of John F. Kennedy and the ruined presidency of Lyndon Johnson, of the great civil rights March on Washington and the assassination of Martin Luther King. It was the decade of the escalating war in Vietnam and the thrusting youth and peace movements, of urban riots and violent confrontations on the street. These years also witnessed the birth of the New Left on the one hand and the angry conservatism of Barry Goldwater and George Wallace on the other, as well as a determined political activism that ranged from the atrocities of the Ku Klux Klan to the demonstrations of a revived women's movement.In all, the 1960s were central to the great transformation which American society underwent in the half-century after 1945 and the strains associated with this largely explain the turbulence of these years. This period was a watershed in twentieth-century American history and the roots of contemporary America are to be found in this decade.Focusing on the public affairs of America, Michael Heale introduces the reader to the major changes which governed life in the sixties. Economically America saw the move from an 'industrial' to a 'post-industrial' society while in political terms there was a parallel change with the collapse of the New Deal political order and the transition to a divided system of politics. The optimistic leadership of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson was supplanted by the suspicious conservatism of Richard Nixon. Finally it was in the 1960s that the global role of the USA was first called seriously into question: the country's relatively benign image became malign as Vietnam exposed the imperialist, racist and capitalist aspects of American power.The book examines the 1960s in this context - as a decade caught between one America and another.Key Features:* Fluently written
Reviews / Votes
This book is perfect for undergraduate students and may adequately complement the research of graduate students. Scholarly without being tedious, it may also be of great interest to the general public. Challenging the images associated with the 1960s is difficult, not because they are wrong but because they are only part of the story. There certainly was an upsurge of left-wing radicalism, there were mass demonstrations and urban riots, the 'counter-culture' did exist, and there can be no doubt that the issues of black civil rights and the Vietnam War dominated the public agenda. It is a measure of M J Heale's success that in relatively few pages he has given due weight to these issues, while also showing that the full story is more complicated and interesting!An authoritative and lucid guide to the public events of the 1960s and to the larger significance of the era. It provides a clear overview of 60s history and covers essential protest movements as well as political developments. -- Karen Jones, University of Essex Heale ! has packed an enormous amount of information into a few pages, as he examines what may be the most controversial decade in twentieth century American history! he writes a balanced, even-handed account! its brevity, accessible writing style, and an excellent guide for further reading make The Sixties in America an excellent choice for teachers looking for a useful introduction to this period. This book is perfect for undergraduate students and may adequately complement the research of graduate students. Scholarly without being tedious, it may also be of great interest to the general public. Challenging the images associated with the 1960s is difficult, not because they are wrong but because they are only part of the story. There certainly was an upsurge of left-wing radicalism, there were mass demonstrations and urban riots, the 'counter-culture' did exist, and there can be no doubt that the issues of black civil rights and the Vietnam War dominated the public agenda. It is a measure of M J Heale's success that in relatively few pages he has given due weight to these issues, while also showing that the full story is more complicated and interesting!An authoritative and lucid guide to the public events of the 1960s and to the larger significance of the era. It provides a clear overview of 60s history and covers essential protest movements as well as political developments. Heale ! has packed an enormous amount of information into a few pages, as he examines what may be the most controversial decade in twentieth century American history! he writes a balanced, even-handed account! its brevity, accessible writing style, and an excellent guide for further reading make The Sixties in America an excellent choice for teachers looking for a useful introduction to this period.More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 138 mm
Weight
239 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85331-205-2 (9781853312052)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2019
1st Edition
Edinburgh University Press
€31.99
Available for download
Person
Michael J. Heale is Professor of American History at Lancaster University and author of several books including Franklin D. Roosevelt: The New Deal and War (1999), McCarthy's Americans (1998), American Anti-Communism (1990) and The American Revolution (1986).
Content
Introduction; Part One: Spirit and Context; 1. The Spirit of the Sixties: An Age of Activism; 2. The Sixties in Perspective: Society, Economy, and Polity; Part Two: Politics at Home and Abroad; 3. The Politics of Hope: From Kennedy to Johnson; 4. The United States in the World: From Hubris to Humiliation; 5. The Politics of Reaction: From Johnson to Nixon; Part Three: Popular Protest and New Movements; 6. The African American Revolt: From Civil Rights to Black Power; 7. Protest: Youth, Peace, and Women's Movements; Conclusion; Suggestions for Further Reading.