Silent Generation

Born Between the years 1925 - 1942

The Silent Generation members were considered to be withdrawn, cautious, unimaginative, indifferent, unadventurous and silent, they considered themselves to be the generation "without a cause." Growing up after the World War II and during the depression era, in their minds, many silent generation people were looking for a cause. A vast majority of this generation wanted job security which was offered by big corporations, though only two percent took the risk to become 'self-employed.' The Silent Generation knew hardship and how to struggle through tough times in life.

Three most popular names were-      

Males: James; Robert and John.                         

Females: Mary, Barbara and Patricia

Some Popular Movies were-      

1952; Singin' in the Rain

1953; From Here to Eternity

1955; Rebel Without a Cause

Some Contributing Members were-

1926; Queen Elizabeth II

1927; Allen Ginsberg

1932; Peter O'Toole

1937; Dustin Hoffman

1941; Bob Dylan

People and Events

Cold War- Was the struggle between the Communist nations and Democratic nations that took place after World War II. The post 1945 struggle was between the U.S.A. and its allies and the group of nations led by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Intense economic and diplomatic struggles between the nations occurred but was no military conflict. Between the years 1939 and 1945 the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. both fought against Germany in World War II. This alliance between countries started breaking down when Joseph Stalin, Soviet leader, gained control over some of Eastern Europe in the years 1944 - 1945. President Truman made it a goal to unite Europe under American leadership.

Arts and Entertainment

Benny Goodman- Was the 'King of Swing' through his music he captured the attention of this generation, he was a Big Band at it's best. Goodman trained as a master musician and had leadership abilities to motivate his band, producing some of the best band music.

Rogers and Hammerstein- Were the dominate force in the musical comedy in the 1940's and 50's. They were a writing tean that mixed musical comedy, plot and musical score to create most memorible shows for years to come! Some of the list of their accomplishments include;

1927; Showboat
1943; Oklahoma
1945; Charousel
1949; South Pacific
1949; The King and I
1955; Pipe Dream
1960; The Sound of Music

Lifestyles

Typical household and community-  Parents were strict on their children, and the youth felt pressure to conform from the adults rather than that of their peers. The housing developments increased and many decided to move into the suburbs. Cars were no longer a luxury but a necessity for transportation from the suburbs.

Music and Dance- Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller were the top band leaders. Ballroom dancing, cha- cha, Jitterbug, Lindy were popular dances

Fashion- Women wore skirts to the knee, and they began to wear trousers and their hair bobbed with a perminant wave. The startling impact of visible legs bagan to diminish as the bosom became the centre of attention. Men would usually wear a suit and hat, but if they wanted to dress casually they would wear pants and a t-shirt. 

Science and Technology

Transistor- American physicists; John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley worked together in 1947 to invent a tiny device called the 'transistor.' This component would allow the manufacturing of pocket calculators, high speed computers, satellities, small TVs and radios, etc.

4:00 PM - 26/3/2007 - post comment