Graphic Design and Architecture, A 20th Century History

5

For most of the modern world, the late 1940s to the early 1960s

was a time of reconstruction and rebuilding due to the consequenc-

es of World War II. America was the exception.

The post–World War II era marked the beginning of a new world

order and America’s influence on the world at large. It was a time of

growth, prosperity, and a collective vision of looking forward to-

ward a bright and optimistic future that ultimately transformed the

nation, as well as the world that it was now leading. At the end of

World War II, British prime minister Winston Churchill (1874–1965)

stated that “America at this moment stands at the summit of the

world.” It was not only perceived as the new leader of the free

world, but also the leader of the world’