After World War II, the old elite, whose power had declined during the Great Depression and the war, had three goals. First, to reaffirm its own dominance within the United States. Second, to take advantage of postwar turmoil overseas by asserting U.S. control over markets and resources. And third, to suppress popular dissent both at home and abroad using a mixture of anti-communism, consumerism, and covert destabilization.

• The Old Elite
• The National Security State
• Anti-Communists and Covert Fascists

Timelines, 1945-57