The years following World War II were characterized by enormous change on every level. The war ended, leaving a new worldwide generation of veterans with young families struggling to rebuild their lives. The pressing need for inexpensive housing and furnishings spurred a boom in design and production. A new optimism—filled with the promise of the future—prevailed. Commercial jet travel was introduced in 1957, and ease of travel in the jet age encouraged a growing fusion of cultural influences. In particular, a blurring of Eastern and Western aesthetics and technology represented an entirely new cultural fusion.