THE HARDENED ARTERY.
YOU'RE RIGHT BROTHER,
GOOD OLE BROADWAY.
IT WAS A KIND OF A PRETTY SIGHT
WHERE THE NEONS TWINKLE
LIKE LITTLE STARS IN SECTIONS
LIKE FLAT BUSH
AND EVEN STANTON ISLAND.
WELL, THIS HERE PRACTICE
IS NOW A MEMORY.
WE GOT OURSELVES A DIMMER
ON ACCOUNT OF THE WAY
THE SHIPS STAND OUT
AGAINST OUR LIGHTS.
SO COMES SIX O'CLOCK,
FIFTH AVENUE LOOKS LIKE
IT WAS A HACKENSACK
AND I WOULDN'T HAVE
BELIEVED IT.
>> THE GOVERNMENT
WAS VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF AIR RAIDS
OVER THE UNITED STATES,
EITHER FROM GERMANY
OR FROM JAPAN.
AND PARTICULARLY AIR RAIDS
AT NIGHT TIME.
AND SO THE GOVERNMENT
REQUIRED THAT THERE BE TESTS
OF BLACKOUTS.
WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS
WERE SUPPOSE TO BE
EITHER TURNED OFF OR HIDDEN,
SO THAT IF THERE WERE
BOMBERS OVERHEAD,
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA
WHERE THEY WERE FLYING.
WHOLE CITIES
WOULD GO COMPLETELY BLACK.
NOW EACH FAMILY IN OUR HOUSE
AND IN ALL THE HOUSES
IN ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS,
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS
WAS WE HAD BLACKOUT CURTAINS.
SO THAT SOME LIGHTS COULD BE ON
IN THE HOUSE IF THERE WAS
AN AIR RAID DRILL.
BUT BY SHUTTING ALL
OF THE BLACKOUT CURTAINS,
NO LIGHT WOULD SNEAK OUTSIDE.
NOW THERE WAS AN ENFORCER
AND IT WAS CALLED
THE AIR RAID WARDEN.
AND MY FATHER
WAS AN AIR RAID WARDEN.
AND SOME TIMES AT NIGHT,
MAYBE ONCE A MONTH,
THEY WOULD HAVE A NIGHTTIME
AIR RAID DRILL.
AND MY FATHER
WOULD PUT ON A STEEL HELMET,
HE HAD A GAS MASK
WHICH HE DIDN'T
PUT ON HIS FACE,
BUT IT WAS AROUND HIS NECK
AND HE HAD A WHISTLE
AROUND HIS NECK.
AND OUT HE WOULD GO,
REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF NIGHT
AND IN HIS TWO
OR THREE BLOCK AREA,
HE WOULD MARCH UP AND DOWN
AND LOOK IN ALL THE HOUSES.
AND IF HE SAW A HOUSE
WITH THE LIGHT ON,
HE'D GO UP AND BANG ON THE DOOR.
AND TELL THEM THAT THEY
HAVE TO FOLLOW THE BLACKOUT.
AND THEN THERE WAS CONCERN
ABOUT AUTOMOBILES, AS WELL.
BECAUSE AT NIGHTTIME
THERE WERE GONNA BE CARS OUT
ON THE STREET.
SO WHAT THE REQUIREMENT WAS,
WAS THAT THE HEADLIGHTS BE HALF
TAPED OVER WITH BLACK TAPE
SO THAT THERE WAS JUST
A LITTLE DIM LIGHT COMING OUT.
SO IT WAS SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE,
BUT ANY BOMBER OVERHEAD
COULD HARDLY GET A BEARING
BECAUSE OF THE HEADLIGHTS.
>> (ANNOUNCER)
I ALSO WOULDN'T HAVE
BELIEVED IT
IF YOU SAID YOU COULDN'T GO
TO LOUIE THE GROCER
AND BUY ALL THE TOMATO
AND PEA SOUP YOU WANTED.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE,
THIS DOLL IS DOING
IN THE GOOD OLE DAYS,
BEFORE THIS WAR
ON WHICH YOU GENTS
IS AN EXPERT.
>> MEAT WAS IN
VERY SHORT SUPPLY.
IT WAS REALLY A TREAT
TO GET A NICE PIECE OF MEAT.
BACON WAS IN VERY SHORT SUPPLY.
EGGS, EGGS WERE IN SHORT SUPPLY.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE
RECOLLECTIONS IS BUTTER.
BUTTER WAS IN VERY SHORT SUPPLY.
AND I BELIEVE
THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME
THAT THEY INVENTED A THING
CALLED MARGARINE
AS A BUTTER SUBSTITUTE.
BECAUSE OF A LOT
OF THE SHORTAGES,
THE GOVERNMENT IMPOSED
A THING CALLED RATIONING.
I KNOW,
THERE WAS FOOD RATIONING.
I REMEMBER MY MOTHER AND I
WOULD GO TO PICK UP FOOD STAMPS.
THEY WERE LITTLE BOOKS OF STAMPS
AND EACH FAMILY,
DEPENDING ON SIZE,
WOULD GET SO MANY STAMPS,
FOR SAY A TWO WEEK PERIOD.
THEN WHEN YOU'D GO
TO THE GROCERY STORE,
YOU COULD BUY MEAT,
BUT THEY'D TAKE
A WHOLE BUNCH OF STAMPS.
EGGS MIGHT BE LESS STAMPS.
BUT ONCE YOUR STAMPS WERE GONE
DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME,
THAT WAS IT, NO MORE FOOD.
AND ANOTHER ONE
THAT WAS VERY BIG
WAS GASOLINE RATIONING.
AND THEN AGAIN,
THERE WERE BOOKS OF STAMPS,
GAS STAMPS.
THEY WOULD ALL BE DATED,
SO YOU COULD ONLY GET SO MUCH
IN A PERIOD OF TIME.
>> A FRIEND
OF MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S SON
WAS BEING DRAFTED
AND HE HAD A PLYMOUTH.
AND SO I BOUGHT HIS PLYMOUTH.
AND WITH THE PLYMOUTH ITSELF,
COME AN EXTRA SET OF TIRES.
WELL THE GOVERNMENT SAYS,
"NO YOU CAN'T KEEP
THAT EXTRA SET OF TIRES.
WE NEED RUBBER."
SO THEY TOOK ALL THE TIRES
THAT I HAD,
THE SPARE TIRES
AND THEY'D GROUND 'EM UP
AND MADE NEW TIRES FOR JEEPS
AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT
THEY NEEDED FOR THE WAR.
>> ANOTHER WAY
THAT EVERY FAMILY
WAS ASKED TO HELP
WAS TO SAVE
ANY OLD SCRAPS OF METAL,
PARTICULARLY TIN CANS.
OR IF YOU WERE DISCARDING
AN ALUMINUM POT OR FRY PAN,
ANYTHING THAT WAS METAL
YOU WOULD PUT IN A CONTAINER
AND IT WOULD BE COLLECTED
FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND IT WOULD BE MELTED DOWN
AND USED TO BUILD SHIPS
AND MAKE GUNS.
THE WORD RECYCLING
WASN'T KNOWN BACK THEN,
BUT REALLY I GUESS
THAT WAS THE FIRST RECYCLING.
ONE I REMEMBER,
BECAUSE IT WAS MY JOB,
WAS THE BACON FAT.
IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT
WHEN THE BACON WAS COOKED,
TO POUR THE BACON FAT
INTO AN OLD COFFEE CAN.
AND THEY WOULD USE
THE BACON FAT
TO MAKE MUNITIONS
AND TO MAKE EXPLOSIVES.
>> (RHODA OLENICK)
WELL, THE SHORTAGE
THAT I REMEMBER THE MOST
WAS THAT OF NOT
HAVING NYLON STOCKING.
YOU'D STAND IN LINE FOR HOURS
TO PICK UP YOUR ALLOTMENT
WHICH WOULD BE MAYBE
ONE OR TWO PAIRS OF NYLONS.
AND WHEN WE DIDN'T
HAVE THE NYLONS,
WE USED TO PAINT OUR LEGS,
SO IT LOOKED LIKE
WE HAD STOCKINGS ON.
SOME GIRLS USED TO PUT SEAMS
DOWN THE BACK OF THEIR LEGS,
BUT I NEVER BOTHERED WITH THAT.
>> EVERY FAMILY
THAT HAD A LOVED ONE,
A SON, A DAUGHTER,
A HUSBAND IN THE SERVICE,
THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED
A LITTLE FLAG.
AND IF THERE WAS ONE SON,
IT WOULD BE A FLAG
WITH A SILVER STAR ON IT.
TWO SONS, TWO SILVER STARS.
YOU COULD GO ALL AROUND
THE COMMUNITY
AND JUST LOOKING
AT THE FRONT WINDOWS
TO SEE THE FLAGS
TO SEE HOW MANY STARS
WERE HANGING IN THE WINDOW.
A SAD ASPECT OF THAT
WAS THAT IF SOMEBODY WAS KILLED,
THEN THEY WOULD MAKE IT
A GOLD STAR.
>> (ANNOUNCER)
THE FARMS ARE NOT LARGE,
THERE ARE NO BROAD ACRES,
NO TRACTORS, NO HARVESTERS,
BUT THEIR HEARTS
ARE FULL OF IT.
THERE'S A SPECIAL REASON
TO TAKE UP FARMING,
THESE ARE VICTORY GARDENS.
GARDENS FOR WAR.
>> THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WANTED
EVERYBODY TO HELP SUPPORT
IN THE WAR EFFORT,
SO IF YOU COULDN'T GO
INTO THE SERVICE,
THE GOVERNMENT COINED A TERM,
VICTORY GARDENS.
AND A VICTORY GARDEN
WAS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY
WAS ASKED TO GROW
SOME OF THEIR OWN FOOD.
AND THAT WOULD MAKE MORE FOOD
AVAILABLE TO SEND OVERSEAS.
SO IN OUR CASE,
MY MOTHER STARTED
A VICTORY GARDEN.
SHE DUG UP A SECTION
OF THE BACK YARD
AND WE WOULD GROW OUR OWN FOOD
TO HELP OUT IN THE WAR EFFORT.
AND THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BLOCK,
EVERYBODY HAD A VICTORY GARDEN.
IT WAS VERY UNPATRIOTIC
IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE
A VICTORY GARDEN.
AND WE ALL FELT
WE WERE DOING SOMETHING
TO HELP SUPPORT THE WAR EFFORT
BY GROWING OUR OWN FOOD.
>> (ANNOUNCER)
FROM MACHINING TO SHIFTING,
WOMEN HAVE SO EFFICIENTLY
PLAYED THE DOMINANT ROLE
IN MAKING THE TURBO
SUPER CHARGER,
THAT AMERICAN AVIATORS TODAY,
ARE ABLE TO FLY HIGHER
AND FASTER THAN THEIR ENEMY.
THESE GIRLS ARE PROUD
TO HAVE A SHARE
IN MAKING POSSIBLE
AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE UNEQUALED,
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
>> THE WOMEN IN THE FACTORIES,
THEIR BIG JOB
WAS RIVETING FUSELAGES
OF THE AIRPLANES AND THE WINGS.
THEY HAD THEIR OWN NICKNAMES
FOR 'EM YOU KNOW.
ROSY THE RIVETER--
AND THEIR HUSBANDS
WERE IN THE SERVICE
AND THEY WERE
IN THE FACTORIES WORKING.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE WOMEN,
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COULD
HAVE PUT OUT THAT MUCH
IN THE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY,
'CAUSE MOST OF IT
WAS DONE BY THE WOMEN.
>> PERHAPS MY MOST VIVID MEMORY
IS EXACTLY WHERE I WAS
ON VJ DAY.
NOW VJ
WAS VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY.
AND MY FOLKS HAD SENT ME
TO A FARM FOR THE SUMMER.
AND I WAS SOMEWHERE IN INDIANA
ON THIS VERY LARGE FARM,
OF COURSE THERE WAS
NO TELEVISION IN THOSE DAYS,
SO ANY NEWS
WOULD COME OVER THE RADIO.
AND WE HEARD THAT
AN ATOMIC BOMB
HAD BEEN DROPPED ON JAPAN.
AND A COUPLE DAYS LATER,
ANOTHER ATOMIC BOMB
HAD BEEN DROPPED ON JAPAN.
AND NONE OF US KNEW
WHAT ATOMIC BOMBS WERE
AT THE TIME.
BUT THE NEXT THING WE HEARD
WAS THAT JAPAN
HAD CONCEDED DEFEAT
TO THE ALLIES.
♪
>> (ANNOUNCER)
NEVER BEFORE IN HISTORY
HAS THERE BEEN GREATER REASON
TO BE THANKFUL FOR PEACE.
THE WORLD FREE PEOPLE
ARE UNITED.
AND THEIR DETERMINATION
THAT THE WORLD'S PEACE
SHALL NEVER BE
ENDANGERED AGAIN.
♪
♪
♪
>> (NARRATOR)
ON NOVEMBER 9, 1989
THE CITIZENS OF EAST
AND WEST BERLIN
CAME TO THE CENTER OF THE CITY
TO TEAR DOWN THE BERLIN WALL.
THE WALL WAS BUILT IN 1961,
AT THE HEIGHT
OF COLD WAR TENSIONS
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
AND THE SOVIET UNION.
IT DIVIDED
FAMILIES FROM FAMILIES,
FRIENDS FROM FRIENDS
FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.
BUT THE WALL
WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME
THAT BERLIN
WAS A SOURCE OF CONFLICT
BETWEEN THE OPPOSING POWERS.
FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II,
DEFEATED GERMANY WAS DIVIDED
INTO TWO SECTIONS,
WEST GERMANY WHICH WAS
CONTROLLED BY THE U.S.,
GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE.
AND EAST GERMANY
WHICH WAS CONTROLLED
BY THE SOVIET UNION.
SOVIET LEADER, JOSEPH STALIN
WANTED ALL OF GERMANY
TO BE UNDER COMMUNIST CONTROL.
IN CONTRAST,
PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN
FELT THAT GERMANY
NEEDED TO BE REUNIFIED
FOR EUROPE TO BECOME STABLE.
AT THE TIME, BERLIN,
THE CAPITAL OF GERMANY,
WAS A DEVASTATED CITY.
>> (GAIL HALVORSEN)
THE SPIRIT OF THE BERLINER
AT THIS TIME,
WAS AMAZINGLY OPTIMISTIC.
I DON'T KNOW
HOW THEY HAD THE WILL TO GO ON.
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO EAT,
SLEEPING IN
BOMBED OUT BUILDINGS
WITHOUT HEAT,
WITHOUT LIGHTS.
BUT THEY HAD FOCUSED
ON THE DESIRE TO BE FREE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FREEDOM
AND THAT WAS THE SINNU
THAT KEPT THEM
SOMEWHAT OPTIMISTIC
ABOUT THE FUTURE.
>> (NARRATOR)
ON JUNE 18, 1948
THE UNITED STATES
AND OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS
AGREED TO AN ECONOMIC PLAN
THAT WOULD HELP WEST GERMANY
RECOVER FROM THE WAR.
IT WAS DECIDED THAT BERLIN
WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN,
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LOCATED
IN THE SOVIET SECTOR.
THE REACTION TO THESE
ECONOMIC REFORMS
BY SOVIET PREMIERE
JOSEPH STALIN, WAS SWIFT.
ON JUNE 24, 1948
THE SOVIET UNION
STOPPED ALL DELIVERIES
INTO BERLIN BY ROAD
AND RAIL.
BERLINERS WERE SUDDENLY
WITHOUT FOOD OR POWER.
♪
>> (GAIL HALVORSEN)
WHEN STALIN BLOCKADED BERLIN,
WE HAD TO HAVE A RESPONSE
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID,
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
IT'S AN ISOLATED PLACE,
JUST FORGET IT.
LET'S GO CONCENTRATE
ON WEST GERMANY.
A FEW OTHER FOLKS SAID,
LET'S TAKE THE AIRPLANE
AND FLY OVER THAT BLOCKADE
AND LAND IN WEST BERLIN
AND SUPPORT 'EM BY AIR,
FEED 'EM BY AIR.
BUT THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE
THAT SAID YOU CAN'T DO IT.
AND EVEN THE AIRLIFT
WOULDN'T WORK.
AND THERE WERE ONES
THAT SAID, NO PROBLEM.
BUT THAT GREAT LEADER
PRESIDENT TRUMAN SAID,
"WE'RE IN BERLIN.
WE'RE STAYING PUT."
>> (NARRATOR)
IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT
TO COUNTER THE BLOCKADE,
THE UNITED STATES EMBARKED
ON ONE OF THE LARGEST
HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS
IN THE NATION'S HISTORY,
TO SUPPLY THE CITY OF BERLIN
BY AIR.
>> NOW STALIN,
HE DIDN'T THINK
THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM.
HE SAYS,
HOW CAN YOU SUPPLY
OVER TWO MILLION PEOPLE BY AIR?
THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.
AND BESIDES,
WINTER WAS COMING UP
IN A FEW MONTHS.
AND THEY CERTAINLY
COULDN'T GO IN THE WINTER TIME
AND SUPPORT THE CITY.
SO STALIN'S HAD SAID,
THOSE GUYS CAN'T DO IT.
AND A LOT OF OUR GUYS SAID
THEY COULDN'T DO IT,
BUT WE DID DO IT.
>> (NARRATOR)
SUPPLYING THE PEOPLE OF BERLIN
WOULD REQUIRE THE DELIVERY
OF 4,500 TONS OF FOOD AND COAL,
EVERY 24-HOURS.
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS,
AIRPLANES FLEW IN AND OUT
OF WEST BERLIN
LANDING AND UNLOADING
AT THREE MINUTE INTERVALS
AROUND THE CLOCK.
THE OPERATION
WAS EXHAUSTING FOR PILOTS,
BUT FOR SOME,
IT WAS ALSO LIFE CHANGING.
WHILE IN BERLIN,
COLONEL HALVORSEN
MET A GROUP OF CHILDREN
WHO WERE HANGING AROUND
THE AIRSTRIP.
>> (GAIL HALVORSEN)
AND I NOTICED A BUNCH OF KIDS
ON THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
AND I WAS THERE AN HOUR
TALKING TO 'EM.
THEIR SCHOOL ENGLISH
WAS PRETTY GOOD.
MY GERMAN WAS NIL.
AND THOSE KIDS,
IN A WHOLE HOUR,
I TURNED TO LEAVE,
REALIZED NOT ONE OF THOSE
PRETTY KIDS
HAD REACHED OUT THEIR HAND
AND SAID, "YOU GOT SOME GUM
OR CHOCOLATE?"
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY
FOR MONTHS THEY HADN'T HAD ANY.
THEY WERE SO GRATEFUL FOR FLOUR
TO BE FREE,
THAT THEY WOULDN'T
LOWER THEMSELVES TO BE A BEGGAR,
FOR SOME PEOPLE
IT WAS SO EXTRAVAGANT,
AS CHOCOLATE OR GUM.
AND THAT MATURITY BLEW MY MIND.
ABOUT THAT TIME
AN AIRPLANE FLEW OVER MY HEAD,
HEY, I GOT AN IDEA.
I'LL AIRMAIL IT.
KIDS COME BACK HERE TOMORROW
IN THAT OPEN PLACE.
WHEN I COME IN,
I'LL DROP ENOUGH GUM
FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE SOME,
IF YOU PROMISE TO SHARE IT?
I SAID, WHEN I COME OVER
YOUR HEADS OVER EAST BERLIN
BEFORE I LAND,
I'LL WIGGLE THE WINGS
OF THAT BIG AIRPLANE LIKE THIS.
THE ONE THAT WIGGLES THE WINGS
HAS GOT IT, GET READY.
>> (NARRATOR)
THE NEXT DAY,
THE CHILDREN WERE WAITING.
AS HALVORSEN'S PLANE
PASSED OVER THEIR HEADS,
HE TOSSED SEVERAL BUNDLES
OF CANDY OUT OF THE PLANE;
EACH TIED TOGETHER
USING A HANDKERCHIEF
AS A PARACHUTE.
IN A MATTER OF WEEKS,
HALVORSEN WOULD BECOME FAMOUS
AMONG THE CHILDREN
OF WEST BERLIN,
WHO SENT HUNDREDS OF LETTERS
ADDRESSED TO THE CANDY BOMBER,
UNCLE WIGGLY WINGS
AND THE CHOCOLATE FLYER.
THE BERLIN AIRLIFT CONTINUED
THROUGH 1948 AND INTO 1949.
IN MAY OF THAT YEAR,
THE SOVIET UNION ANNOUNCED
THE END OF THE BLOCKADE.
IN THE 16 MONTHS
OF THE AIRLIFT,
THE U.S. MADE NEARLY
200,000 FLIGHTS INTO THE CITY.
AMERICAN PLANES CARRIED
1.7 MILLION TONS OF CARGO
INCLUDING COAL, FOOD,
MEDICAL SUPPLIES, SOAP
AND MACHINERY.
IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS
OF BERLINERS,
THE MEMORY
OF THE AMERICAN EFFORT
WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
FIFTY YEARS LATER,
COLONEL HALVORSEN
RETURNED TO BERLIN
TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY
OF THE AIRLIFT.
>> WHEN I FIRST FLEW INTO
THIS GREAT CITY
IN 1948, ABOUT 50 YEARS AGO,
I WAS IMPRESSED
WITH THE DEVASTATION,
THE TERRIBLE DEVASTATION,
THE RUBBLE IN THE CITY,
I WONDERED HOW CAN
TWO MILLION PEOPLE LIVE HERE?
THEY WERE PEOPLE WITHOUT FACES
FOR ME THEN.
BUT I LANDED WITH 20,000 POUNDS
OF FLOUR, RIGHT HERE.
THIS ONE 60 YEAR OLD MAN
CAME UP TO ME
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES AND SAID,
"50 YEARS AGO,
I WAS A BOY OF TEN
GOING TO SCHOOL.
AND THE CLOUDS WERE VERY LOW
AND IT WAS RAINING.
BUT I COULD HEAR
YOU WERE LANDING.
AND SUDDENLY, OUT OF THE CLOUD
CAME A PARACHUTE
WITH A FRESH HERSHEY CANDY BAR,
RIGHT AT MY FEET."
HE SAID, "I WAS ASTOUNDED,
BUT IT WASN'T THE CHOCOLATE
THAT WAS IMPORTANT," HE SAID.
"WHAT WAS IMPORTANT
WAS THAT SOMEBODY IN AMERICA
KNEW I WAS IN TROUBLE.
SOMEBODY IN AMERICA CARED."
HE SAID,
"THAT'S WHAT WAS IMPORTANT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS HOPE."
AND THEN HE SAID,
SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT TO ME.
HE SAID, "WITHOUT HOPE,
THE SOUL DIES.
I CAN LIVE ON THIN RATIONS,"
HE SAID, "BUT NOT WITHOUT HOPE."
AND THAT'S WHAT THE AIRLIFT WAS.
IT WAS A SYMBOL OF HOPE
AND SOME DAY
THINGS WOULD BE OKAY.
AND SOME DAY
THEY TOO MIGHT BE FREE.
♪
>> (NARRATOR)
THERE WERE BABIES AND BABIES
AND BABIES AND BABIES.
IT WAS A BABY BOOM.
THE BEGINNING
OF THE '50S DREAM.
♪
IN THE YEARS
FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II,
SOLDIERS RETURNED
TO THEIR HOMES
TO START NEW FAMILIES
AND NEW JOBS.
THROUGH THE G.I. BILL,
THE GOVERNMENT MADE IT EASY
FOR VETERANS TO GET LOANS.
FOR MANY OF THEM
THE DREAM WAS TO OWN
THEIR OWN HOME.
DURING THE WAR YEARS,
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOMES
HAD COME TO A STANDSTILL.
BUT SUDDENLY NEW HOUSES
WERE BEING BUILT
TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.
>> (ANNOUNCER)
THIS IS LEVIT TOWN.
ALL YOURS FOR $58.
YOU'RE A LUCKY FELLOW,
MR. VETERAN.
UNCLE SAM
AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST BUILDER
HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE
FOR YOU TO LIVE
IN A CHARMING HOUSE
IN A DELIGHTFUL COMMUNITY,
WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR THEM
WITH YOUR EYE TEETH.
>> (NARRATOR)
THE DAY AFTER
THIS COMMERCIAL RAN,
1,300 PEOPLE LINED UP
TO BUY HOMES,
ABOUT 20 MILES OUTSIDE
OF NEW YORK CITY.
BUILT BY A DEVELOPER
NAMED BILL LEVIT,
THE SUBDIVISION CAME TO BE
KNOWN AS LEVIT TOWN.
SUBURBIA WAS BEING BORN.
HOUSE BY HOUSE,
STREET BY STREET.
IN THE FIELDS
OUTSIDE OF LARGE CITIES
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THROUGHOUT THE EARLY 1950S,
DEVELOPERS BUILT
SUBURBAN HOUSES
AT AN INCREDIBLE PACE;
SOMETIMES AS MANY
AS 50 TO 60 PER DAY.
>> (ANNOUNCER)
THIS IS ONE OF FOUR MODELS
WHICH ARE NOW BEING BUILT
THROUGHOUT LEVIT TOWN.
>> (NARRATOR)
AND AMERICANS
GLADLY BOUGHT THEM.
>> AND WILL YOU TELL ME
WHY YOU'RE MOVING HERE
TO LEVIT TOWN?
>> WELL,
I'M WORKING IN THIS AREA NOW
AND I'VE LOOKED THE HOUSES OVER
AND I THINK IT'S A FINE PLACE
TO RAISE A FAMILY.
SO I DECIDED TO BUY ONE.
>> (NARRATOR)
THE STANDARD OF LIVING
WAS HIGHER
THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
COMPANIES SPENT MORE
AND MORE MONEY ON ADVERTISING.
AND ONE OF THE AMERICANS
FAVORITE THINGS TO BUY,
WAS CARS.
♪ SINGING SONG ♪
♪
>> (NARRATOR)
CARS GOT BIGGER, SLEEKER
AND MORE COLORFUL THAN EVER.
FOR FAMILIES,
THE PREFERRED METHOD OF TRAVEL
WAS THE STATION WAGON.
AMERICANS ALSO BOUGHT HUNDREDS
OF NEW TIME-SAVING APPLIANCES.
BUT MOST OF ALL,
THEY BOUGHT TELEVISIONS.
AND SPENT THEIR EVENINGS
GATHERED AROUND THE T.V.
BY THE LATE 1950S,
IT WAS ESTIMATED
THAT PEOPLE SPENT MORE TIME
WATCHING TELEVISION
THAN ON ANY OTHER ACTIVITY
EXCEPT WORKING AND SLEEPING.
IN THE MIDST
OF THEIR PROSPERITY,
AMERICANS FACED A NEW
AND FRIGHTENING WORLD.
WHERE A COLD WAR
WITH THE SOVIET UNION
THREATENED TO ERUPT
INTO NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION.
THE GOVERNMENT
ENCOURAGED HOMEOWNERS
TO BUILD FALL OUT SHELTERS
TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES.
>> (ANNOUNCER)
A NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
NEAR DENVER, COLORADO
SHOWS THE NATIONS
FIRST MODEL HOMES WITH BUILT IN
FALL OUT SHELTERS.
THE ROOM IS DESIGNED
WITH AN ATOMIC WAR IN MIND.
BUT BEHIND EACH 8" THICK
REINFORCED CONCRETE WALL,
IT MAY PROVE TO BE
JUST WHAT THE HARRIED HOUSEWIFE
IS LOOKING FOR,
WHEN LIFE WITH THE KIDS
GETS TOO HECTIC.
♪ SONG ♪
>> (NARRATOR)
AT HOME AND AT SCHOOL,
YOUNG PEOPLE LEARNED TO DUCK
AND COVER IN THE EVENT
OF AN ATOMIC ATTACK.
♪ SONG ♪
>> (ANNOUNCER)
THERE MIGHT NOT BE
ANY GROWN UPS AROUND
WHEN THE BOMB EXPLODES.
THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.
>> (NARRATOR)
AMERICANS IN THE '50S
FACED A RAPIDLY
CHANGING WORLD.
AND THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN
SOCIETY WAS ALSO CHANGING.
DURING THE WAR YEARS,
WOMEN HAD BUILT AIRPLANES
AND WORKED HARD AT JOBS
THAT USED TO BE PERFORMED
BY MEN ONLY.
HOWEVER, THE PROSPERITY
OF THE '50S SENT WOMEN BACK
TO THEIR HOMES
IN AN UPDATED VERSION
OF AN OLD ROLE, HOUSEWIFE.
THE IDEAL '50S WOMAN
STAYED AT HOME;
WHERE HER JOB
WAS TO RAISE THE CHILDREN;
COOK DELICIOUS MEALS;
AND TAKE CARE OF HER HUSBAND,
WHO SUPPORTED THE FAMILY
ON HIS OWN.
IT WAS A VISION OF THE FAMILY
THAT WOULD SEE RADICAL CHANGES
IN THE DECADES TO COME.
AS THE ROLES OF MEN AND WOMEN,
HUSBANDS, WIVES AND FAMILIES
WOULD CHANGE TO REFLECT
THE NEW REALITY OF LIFE
AROUND THEM.
AND ALL THOSE BABIES.
THOSE BABIES WOULD GROW UP
AND BEGIN LISTENING
TO A NEW MUSIC
THAT SHOCKED THEIR PARENTS.
SOMETHING CALLED, ROCK'N ROLL.
IN 1959,
ACROSS THE OCEAN
A GROUP OF TEENAGERS IN ENGLAND
WERE REHEARSING
IN THEIR PARENTS BASEMENT.
A FEW YEARS LATER,
THEY WOULD CALL THEMSELVES
THE BEATLES.
BY THE END OF THE 1950S,
THE AMERICAN DREAM
WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE.
♪
>> BEING SINGLED OUT
FOR WHO YOU ARE.
>> MISTREATED.
>> MAKING FUN OR YOUR RACE.
>> COLOR OF SKIN,
RELIGION, CULTURE.
>> (NARRATOR)
PREJUDICE IN AMERICA IS OLDER
THAN THE NATION ITSELF.
THE EARLY SETTLERS
BROUGHT PREJUDICE WITH THEM
FROM COUNTRIES
WITH LONGSTANDING HISTORIES
OF WAR WITH ONE ANOTHER.
FROM COUNTRIES
WITH RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE
AND PERSECUTION.
THE SETTLERS BROUGHT WITH THEM
PREJUDICE AGAINST
THE NATIVE PEOPLES
WHO LIVED HERE
AND AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR,
WHETHER FREE OR SLAVES.
AS IMMIGRANTS CAME TO AMERICA
OVER THE NEXT CENTURIES,
EACH NEW WAVE OF SETTLERS
EXPERIENCED PREJUDICE
FROM THOSE WHO HAD COME BEFORE.
AND NOW CONSIDER THEMSELVES
AMERICANS.
IN THE 21ST CENTURY,
PREJUDICE IS STILL WIDE SPREAD
ACROSS AMERICA
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
IF SOMEONE ASKED,
WHAT IS PREJUDICE?
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
>> (MALE STUDENT)
PREJUDICE MEANS SOMEBODY
GETTING MADE FUN OF OR HATED
BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE
OR WHO THEY ARE.
>> (FEMALE STUDENT)
PREJUDICE TO ME,
IS WHEN SOMEONE
WHO'S CLOSED MINDED
IS INTRODUCED TO SOMETHING NEW
THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> (MALE STUDENT)
PREJUDICE IS BEING SINGLED OUT
FOR WHO YOU ARE,
THE WAY YOU DRESS,
THE THINGS YOU BELIEVE IN.
>> (MALE STUDENT)
I THINK PREJUDICE IS CRUEL
AND DISTURBING.
>> (FEMALE STUDENT)
I THINK PREJUDICE
IS WHEN YOU JUDGE A BOOK
BY ITS COVER.
JUST BY LOOKING AT A PERSON
YOU THINK,
OH I DON'T LIKE THEM ALREADY.
IT'S WRONG BECAUSE
WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS
AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME
HUMAN BODY
AND THERE'S NO DIFFERENCES,
BUT OUR OUTSIDES.
>> (NARRATOR)
THE WORD PREJUDICE ITSELF
MEANS TO JUDGE BEFORE THE FACT.
TO PRE JUDGE.
THIS INCLUDES HAVING IDEAS
ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE
BASED NOT ONLY ON COLOR,
NATIONALITY AND BELIEFS,
BUT ALSO ON THEIR AGE,
THEIR SEX, THEIR CLOTHES,
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY HAVE,
OR EVEN THE MUSIC
THEY LISTEN TOO.
PEOPLE EXPERIENCE
PREJUDICE TODAY
IN THOUSANDS OF WAYS,
LARGE AND SMALL.
PREJUDICE CAN RESULT
IN EXTREME ACTIONS
LIKE HATE CRIMES.
IT CAN ALSO RESULT IN AN ACTION
AS SIMPLE AS LEAVING PEOPLE OUT
BECAUSE THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
>> I WAS IN A STORE
AND I SAW A YOUNG KID,
MAYBE NINE OR TEN YEARS OLD,
AND HE HAD A TAPE MEASURE.
AND HE WAS USING IT LIKE A GUN
AND HE WAS SAYING, JEW, JEW.
AND HIS FATHER
WAS CHEERING HIM ON.
IT WAS ALSO SCARY,
BECAUSE IN THE NEXT AISLE
THERE WERE SOME
VERY OBSERVANT JEWS
THAT WERE WALKING AROUND.
AND IT WAS JUST SCARY
THAT IN THE NEXT AISLE
THERE WAS SOMEONE
WHO REALLY HATED THEM.
>> I'M CANADIAN,
THAT'S MY NATIONALITY--
AND I'M PERSIAN AS WELL.
AND WHEN I CAME
TO THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL OF MINE,
MANY PEOPLE MADE FUN OF ME
BECAUSE I WAS CANADIAN.
AND IT REALLY HURT MY FEELINGS
BECAUSE THEY JUST THINK
OH SHE'S CANADIAN, SHE'S DUMB.
CANADIANS
JUST THINK DIFFERENTLY,
THEY HATE AMERICANS.
AND IT REALLY OFFENDED ME
BECAUSE I LIKE AMERICANS TOO,
AND I JUST DIDN'T APPRECIATE
HOW THEY MADE FUN OF ME
BECAUSE OF WHO I WAS.
>> ONE TIME,
I WAS AT THE PARK
AND WE WERE NEAR
A BASKETBALL COURT.
AND THERE WERE
AFRICAN AMERICANS
PLAYING, MOSTLY.
AND THIS HISPANIC KID CAME
AND HE WAS LIKE,
CAN I PLAY AND STUFF?
AND THEY WAS LIKE,
NO YOU'RE HISPANIC.
AND I HEARD THIS ONE KID SAY,
GO EAT A BURRITO.
AND I FELT LIKE...
DIDN'T FEEL GOOD
'CAUSE I WAS MEXICAN.
>> IN AMERICA THERE'S LIKE
A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHATEVER,
AND SOME PEOPLE SAY
THAT THERE'S BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS
AND WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT
BECAUSE AMERICA
IS SUPPOSE TO BE A FREE COUNTRY.
HOW COULD THERE BE A BLACK
AND A WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD?
>> I THINK THAT AMERICA
FOLLOWS A LOT OF STEREOTYPES
WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT SOMETHING
THAT HAS TO DO
WITH SOMEONE'S CULTURE.
THEY AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME
THAT EVERYONE,
WHO IS OF THAT CULTURE,
IS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY DON'T
GIVE THEM A CHANCE
AND THEY COULD BE
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
>> (NARRATOR)
BEGINNING IN THE 1800S
IN AMERICA,
PEOPLE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER
TO FIGHT CERTAIN TYPES
OF PREJUDICE.
THE ABOLITIONISTS
WORKED TO ABOLISH SLAVERY,
WHICH WAS BASED
ON EXTREME PREJUDICE.
THE BELIEF THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR
COULD BE OWNED AS PROPERTY,
SUFFRAGETTES WORKED
TO HELP COMBAT THE PREJUDICE
THAT DID NOT ALLOW WOMEN
THE RIGHT TO VOTE
OR OWN PROPERTY
BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSIDERED
INFERIOR TO MEN.
IN THE 20TH CENTURY,
IN THE FACE
OF TREMENDOUS PREJUDICE
SUPPORTED BY U.S. LAWS,
PEOPLE CONTINUED TO FIGHT
FOR THE RIGHTS OF MINORITIES.
MANY BATTLES HAVE BEEN WON,
BUT THE STRUGGLE
AGAINST PREJUDICE
CONTINUES TODAY.
>> YOU SHOULDN'T JUDGE PEOPLE
ON HOW THEY LOOK.
YOU SHOULD TRY
TO GET TO KNOW THEM
AND YOU SHOULD
HANG OUT WITH THEM.
YOU SHOULD TALK TO THEM MORE.
>> I THINK WHEN ONE WAY
TO STOP PREJUDICE,
IS TO START WITH OURSELVES.
BECAUSE BASICALLY,
IT'S WHEN THE PARENTS...
THEIR CHILDREN SEE THEM
ACTING THAT WAY,
THEY THINK THAT
THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.
>> YOU SHOULDN'T JUDGE PEOPLE
BY THE WAY THEY LOOK
OR THE THINGS THEY DO
OR THE WAY THEY TALK.
THINK ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL.
TRY TO FEEL HOW THEY FEEL.
>> IF YOU'RE MADE FUN OF
BECAUSE OF YOUR COLOR OF SKIN,
YOUR RELIGION OR ANYTHING ELSE,
YOU SHOULD JUST BE LIKE YES,
I'M MEXICAN, I'M BLACK,
I'M WHITE AND I'M PROUD OF IT.
>> IT'S NOT WHAT COUNTS
ON THE OUTSIDE,
IT'S WHAT COUNTS ON THE INSIDE.
SO EVERYBODY SHOULD FOCUS
ON EVERYBODY--
HOW THEY FEEL FROM THE INSIDE.
AND THAT EVERYBODY IS SPECIAL
IN THEIR OWN TYPE OF WAY.
>> INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT
WHAT PEOPLE LOOK LIKE
AND JUDGING THEM
ON HOW THEY DRESS
OR HOW THEY ACT,
THEY SHOULD JUST REMEMBER
THAT WE ALL HAVE
THE SAME COLOR OF BLOOD.
SO THAT'S ALL WE SHOULD
WORRY ABOUT.
♪
>> (FRANK MCCARTHY)
THIS IS THE FIRST WAR
WHERE AMERICANS FELT THE WAR
BECAUSE THEY SAW THE WAR,
THEY SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING,
THEY SAW THE ATROCITIES OF WAR.
THEY SAW THE DEATH
OF THEIR SONS,
AND THEIR FATHERS,
