Cold War at Home

 

Coontz, “Families in the Fifties”

According to Coontz, how was the family of the 50s different than rest of the century?

How did women and society as well see the role and status of women in the 50s?

How does the author question the reality of typical family life that TV portrayed?

Why did men and women accept these social roles?

How traditional was the family when it came to sexuality in this decade?

 

Comic Book Nation, Ch. 5-6

 Ch. 5

Why were comic books slow to adjust to the struggle against communism?

How did comic books’ portrayal or handling of the Korean War reflect the different nature of this conflict?

Why did superhero comic books fail miserably in dealing with the Cold War?

Why did other comic books do well with communism theme?

What did romance comic books have to do with the Cold War?  What specific themese or messages did these romance comic books promote?

How did EC comic books differ from others in the industry?

 

Ch. 6

Why the renewed crisis regarding comic books and youth in the mid 1950s?

What was the impact of the Senate Hearings on Comic Books in 1954?

What was the strengths and weaknesses of the CMAA?

 

“Post World War II Red Scare”

What is the subject of his commentary?

Who or what challenged his stars?

Why did CBS intervene?

How did CBS attempt to avoid such threats in the future?

What kind of evidence was used to blacklist?

What or who was missing in this red hunting?

 

Douglas, “Black Silence of Fear”

What trend does he speak of that is dangerous?

What had happened to thought and free speech?

How does he criticize American method of defeating communism?

How does he perceive or view threat of communism in the US?

Why is he concerned about the impact of this fear on the young?

What is the danger of orthodoxy or narrowed free speech?

What is the meaning of his statement that US should be tolerant of a “whole marketplace of ideas”? 

What is the meaning of his statement that US was adopting the “policemen’s philosophy from the enemy we detest?”