Book Review on "Fifties the Book the Fifties by David"

Book Review 4 pages (1338 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Fifties

The book the Fifties by David Halberstam has as its purpose the description of all, or at least most of, the events during this decade in the United States. Indeed, it appears that the author has included as many as possible of both important social and political events, as well as occurrences that are simply interesting or entertaining. The lengthy work of 800 pages long indeed focuses on important political figures such as the American Presidents and other political leaders, and important events such as the Korean War and the Civil Rights Movement. In addition, the reader is treated to entertaining facts about figures such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. In summary, the author's main purpose seems to be making the 1950s as accessible and interesting as possible to readers.

2.

Civil Rights Movement

A.

Halberstam gives quite a large amount of attention to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. One pivotal event during this time was the story of Rosa Parks, which ahs be come iconic of the struggle for equal rights during this period. Rosa Parks was a black woman who boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955. After she took her seat, she was ordered to move the section in the back of the bus, designated as the "colored section." When she refused to do this, she was arrested.

The result of this was a mobilization of the civil rights community in Montgomery to boycott public transportation in the state. Significantly, this was also the first major event in which Reverend Martin Luther King became involved as a young man. He was the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery at the time. Although the protest was lengthy, with the boycott lasting more than a year, it finally served its purpose. On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court Ruled the segregation law as unconstitutional, and the boycott could finally end.

B.

Another event that Halberstam describes in his book occurred at the Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. A decision in the Brown v. Board case required the High School to integrate black students into its student body. Plans to this effect were to be implemented during September 1957, and involved nine black high school students to attend the school. The Arkansas governor, Oval Faubus, despite promises to comply, arranged for the Arkansas National Guard to keep the black students from entering the school premises. Known as the "Little Rock Nine," the students were then met by an angry crowd on the day of their arrival.

In response to this act of defiance, President Dwight Eisenhower commanded troops from the 101st Airborne to Little Rock for the protection of the students. Furthermore, he also federalized the National Guard in Arkansas, and sent them to the south. This was the first time since Reconstruction that federal troops were subject to such orders. Also, this event marked the first of several governor refusals to oversee a peaceful integration process. Each time, the President of the United States was obliged to take action.

3.

Korean War

A/B.

Like the civil rights movement, the Korean war is another major event that influenced general thought during the 1950s. As such, Halberstam also included it in his book, as a book regarding the decade would hardly be complete without it. One of the events taking place during the Korean war was the decision by President Truman to dispatch the United States Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan Strait on June 27, 1950. The reason for this decision was to protect the Nationalist Republic of China from the PRC -- the People's Republic of China.

Mao Zedong also played a major role during this time. As a result of a series of communications by the politician, the Politburo authorized the intervention of China in Korea o October 2, 1950. On October 8, Mao created the Chinese People's Volunteer army for the purpose of fighting against the United States for the cause within Korea.… READ MORE

How to Reference "Fifties the Book the Fifties by David" Book Review in a Bibliography

Related Book Reviews:

David Cameron on Abolishing the Human Rights Act Essay

David Cameron

Guiding Legislation: Human Rights Act or British Bill of Rights

When British Prime Minister David Cameron originally called for the 'scrapping' of the Human Rights Act, it was… read more

Essay 10 pages (3098 words) Sources: 10 Style: Harvard Topic: Government / Politics

---

African-American Leaders in the 1950s the Student Thesis

African-American

Leaders in the 1950s

The student leaders that emerged in America during the 1950s were standing on the ground that African-Americans deserved the same rights as other Americans. The… read more

Thesis 2 pages (658 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA Topic: African-American / Black Studies

---

Women and Human Rights Summaries Book Report

Women and Human Rights Summaries

Perhaps the most useful place to begin any discussion of Asian and Native American women and their relation to feminism is Devon Abbot Misesuah's study… read more

Book Report 5 pages (1705 words) Sources: 2 Topic: Women / Feminism

---

US Military Involvement in the Korean Conflict Research Paper

Korean Conflict

How did the Korean conflict begin? What were the dynamics behind this war? How and why did the United States get involved? How was the Korean conflict linked… read more

Research Paper 11 pages (3654 words) Sources: 5 Topic: Military / Army / Navy / Marines

---

Illustrator Who Influenced Society Research Proposal

Influential Illustrators from 1950-1960

James Elliot Bama (1926- )

Born in New York City, James Elliot Bama was heavily influenced by the art in popular comics. After showing initial talent… read more

Research Proposal 2 pages (612 words) Sources: 2 Style: Chicago Topic: Art / Painting / Sculpture

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>