BOOMERNET Chronicle

• 1946 – The Baby Boom begins with the end of World War II. The nation transitions to a more peaceful world as the troops come home and consumer demand soars.
• 1947 – The U.S. commits to role of super power, both militarily and economically. At home, commercial TV begins its reign, as NBC and DuMont add shows.
• 1948 – The Arab-Israeli war and the Berlin blockade are key world events, along with Truman’s upset defeat of Dewey in the ’48 elections at home.
• 1949 – Berlin opens to the west, the Israeli war of independence ends, and Communists win civil war in China. In the U.S., TV sales grow to 100,000 per week.

• 1950 – The Korean War begins, with Gen. MacArthur in charge of U.S-led forces. Sen. McCarthy begins hunting for Communists in U.S. government.
• 1951 – U.S.-led forces drive Communist troops almost back to 38th parallel, resulting in tentative treaty. At home, opposition to McCarthyism grows.
• 1952 – Eisenhower defeats Stevenson in presidential election, becoming first Republican president in 20 years. TV goes mainstream, as viewing audiences grow.
• 1953 – Eisenhower is inaugurated in U.S. and Stalin dies in Russia. U.S., China, North and South Korea sign armistice agreement, ending combat in Korea.
• 1954 – Supreme Court bans racial segregation in schools in Brown v. Board of Education, French forces lose in Vietnam, and TV replaces radio in America.
• 1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to sit at back of bus and Martin Luther King, Jr. begins first major civil rights action. Rock Around the Clock ushers in the rock era.
• 1956 – Elvis and Ike are big winners in ’56, even as foreign tensions rise with the Suez Crisis and the USSR crushing of revolt in Hungary.
• 1957
• 1958
• 1959

• 1960
• 1961
• 1962
• 1963
• 1964 – According to popular definition, the last of the Baby Boomers is born in 1964. At the same time, many of the oldest Boomers are heading off to college.

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