Many Americans feared that victory in World War II would be followed by the return of 1930s-like hard times. Instead, postwar America experienced a dramatic economic boom, sustained prosperity, and a huge population increase.

There are 11 images in this gallery, click on image to enlarge.

	"Saturday afternoon street scene" By Russell Lee, Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia, August 24, 1946 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War (245-MS-1942L) [VENDOR # 115]
	"Chicago Illinois. Looking down Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Buildings shown are (L. to R.) #333 No. Michigan Avenue; Carbon and Carbide Building; London Guarantee & Accident Building; Lincoln Tower; Pure Oil; and Wrigley Building" By Oliver E. Pfeiffer, March 1951 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U.S. Information Agency (306-PS-51-4723) [VENDOR # 113]
	"Mrs. John Whitehead, wife of miner, and two of her children (or grandchildren) in the kitchen of her three room house. Mr. and Mrs. John Whitehead and their six children and six grandchildren live here. This house, built on company owned land, was built by Mrs. Whitehead's half brother at no expense for materials or labor to the company; the builder (half brother) was to receive the use of the house rent-free for three years and at the end of this period the ownership of the house would revert to the company. The brother moved away at the end of one year, receiving no cash settlement from the company. The house now rents for $6 monthly. It has no running water, no electricity, access is over a mountain trail; there are three rooms." By Russell Lee, Field, Bell County, Kentucky, August 31, 1946 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War (245-MS-2134) [VENDOR # 116]
	"A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a corpsman methodically fills out casualty tags, Haktong-ni area Korea." By Sfc. Al Chang, August 28, 1950 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer (111-SC-347803) [VENDOR # 122]
	"Men of the 1st Marine Division capture Chinese Communists during fighting on the central Korean front. Hoengsong." By Pfc. C.T. Wehner, March 2, 1951 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U.S. Marine Corps (127-N-A6759) [VENDOR # 120]
	"'Exercise Desert Rock.' Troops of the Battalion Combat Team, U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division, watch a plume of radio-active smoke rise after a D-Day blast at Yucca Flats, as the much prepared Exercise 'Desert Rock' reaches its peak." By Cpl. McCaughey, Las Vegas, Nevada, November 1, 1951 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer (111-SC-389297) [VENDOR # 121]
	A birthday party for David Eisenhower, grandson of President Dwight Eisenhower. In attendance were movie and television stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. By Abbey Rowe, Washington, DC, March 31, 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, National Archives and Records Administration (62-187) [VENDOR # 123]
	"Fallout shelter built by Louis Severance adjacent to his home near Akron, Mich., includes a special ventilation and escape hatch, an entrance to his basement, tiny kitchen, running water, sanitary facilities, and a sleeping and living area for the family of four. The shelter cost about $1,000. It has a 10-inch reinforced concrete ceiling with thick earth cover and concrete walls. Severance says, 'Ever since I was convinced what damage H-Bombs can do, I've wanted to build the shelter. Just as with my chicken farm, when there's a need I build it." By an unknown photographer, ca. 1960 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (397-MA-2s-160) [VENDOR # 125]
	A young civil rights demonstrator at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom By an unknown photographer, Washington, DC, August 28, 1963 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U.S. Information Agency (306-SSM-4B-61-32) [VENDOR # 126]
	President John F. Kennedy with his son, John Jr., on the beach at Newport, Rhode Island By Robert L. Knudsen, September 12, 1963 John F. Kennedy Library, National Archives and Records Administration (KN-C-30007) [VENDOR # 128]
	Lyndon Johnson takes the Presidential oath of office aboard Air Force One after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. By Cecil Stoughton, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963 Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, National Archives and Records Administration (1A1) [VENDOR # 129]
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A New Century | The Great War and the New Era
The Great Depression and the New Deal | A World in Flames
Post War America | Century's End