I was not an adult at that time being born in 53'.   I also find memory is seldom The Whole Truth.   Our fondness for a memory is based on our personal experience.   A you white boy living in poverty with loving parents after the war, will have a very different view of 1955 than a poor black female abused by her employer and unable to find housing.

High tax's were a matter of paying our cost of two wars.  It required sacrifice for the good of the nation.   Lots of lessons in the power of love for ones country and the people you stand with in difficult times.
We have no 'service' today that would spur the nation to a collective action like a world war.     Sadly war has been a 'crisis' used for political gain as well.