Reflections: Postwar Changes
Some events are so significant that they dramatically change economic, political, and social life. World War II was such an event. Some changes that were occurring slowly and quietly before the war seemed to explode afterwards. One, which may have seemed insignificant at the time, has since emerged as an icon of the American way of life. It is the so called fast food.
To some people, the change seemed to occur in the blink of an eye, but it was actually the convergence of several unrelated forces of change. One force was Prohibition. During that time, soft drinks such as carbonated sodas were promoted for a healthy lifestyle, and soda fountains competed with saloons as places to socialize, especially for young people. Hamburgers, a staple of the fast-food industry today, had been around in various styles for a long time. The marriage of sodas and hamburgers created the staple offering of the fast-food chains. But two other key ingredients were necessary for their spread: the automobile and the highway system.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the flourishing postwar economy made car ownership possible for many middle-class families. And after years of thought, the federal government finally funded the building of a massive interstate highway system. America became a nation on the move. The postwar “baby boom” encouraged families to buy homes. With a vast network of highways traversing the nation, Americans were able to live in the suburbs and work elsewhere.
As people spent more time in the car and life picked up its pace, the fast-food restaurant came into its own. The impact of the fast-food industry has since become so pervasive that it now defines our American character and culture. Speed and efficiency have become hallmarks of the American way of life.
Table of Contents