The Truman Years(1945-1952)

APUSH

1. What were the 5 major social trends in

the immediate postwar (WW II) years?

Fear of economic hardship Re-integration of 15 million servicemen Demographic growth Suburban growth Demographic shift

Social Trends…

2. Were the postwar fears of economic

hardship realized?

The fears of postwar economic hardship was

NEVER realized The war had increased per-capita income

BUT: wartime shortages (rationing) meant there had been few consumer goods to buy

RESULT: savings accounts were big and people demanded houses, cars, and consumer goods

Fear of Economic Hardship…

3. How were the 15 million servicemen

re-integrated into society?

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI

Bill)

1947: fifty percent of college students got GI Bill

Re-integration of Servicemen…

Going to college on the GI Bill

4. What caused the demographic growth

from 1945 to 1960?

Baby Boom (50 million babies between 1945-

1960)

Causes: improved economy the return to traditional gender roles

Demographic Growth…

5. What caused Suburban growth in the

late 40s and 50s?

Cause:

need for housing low interest rates tax deductible interest

Effect: decay of inner city racial division within cities

Suburban Growth…

Levittown, New York

“The American Dream”

“Moving to the Suburbs”

6. Where did the US population start to

move in the 1940s and 1950s?

Sun Belt

warmer climate lower taxes job opportunities (defense and aerospace)

Demographic Shift…

7. What were the major domestic issues

from 1945 to 1952 under Truman?

Centered on continuing FDR’s New Deal

Employment Act of 1946 Social Security Act of 1950 Discontent amongst unions Civil Rights 22nd Amendment

Fair Deal…

8. What was the Employment Act of

1946?

Legislation that was meant to sustain

economic growth (minimize depressions and recessions) called for maximum employment created Council of Economic Advisors to help

formulate long-range economic goals Council utilized GNP to measure economic growth

Employment Act of 1946

9. What did Social Security Act of 1950

do?

Increased social security benefits significantly

retirement $ expanded coverage to 10 million; including agricultural

workers BUT: no new financing system devised!!!

Social Security Act of 1950

10. Why were unions upset in the 1940s

and early 1950s?

Congress lifted price controls from WW II

result: inflation of 25% Taft-Hartley Act, 1947

outlawed closed shop allowed “right to work” laws that outlawed union

shops gave President power of invoking 80 day cool off

period 4.5 million workers went on strike in 1946

Discontent among Unions

11. What was Truman’s stance on civil

rights?

Truman supported civil rights

ended racial discrimination in federal government

established Committee on Civil Rights strengthened Civil Rights Division of Dept. of

Justice Jackie Robinson

Civil Rights

12. How did civil rights impact the 1948

election?

Civil Rights & Election of 1948

Truman’s stance on civil rights alienated southern Democrats Result: Dixiecrats and Strom Thurmond

Southern Democrats who left Democratic Party because of Truman’s stance on civil rights

Thurmond carried 4 states in 1948 election Southern Democrats leave party and start voting

Republican

13. What was the 22nd Amendment?

Limited the President to a maximum of 2 full terms

in office

22nd Amendment

14. What was the major foreign policy

under Truman?

Period of tension between the United States

and the Soviet Union (USSR) roughly lasted from 1945 to 1990 no direct military conflict between the USA &

USSR characterized by arms race (nuclear weapons)

and “proxy” wars (war where 3rd parties are used)

The Cold War

15. Why did the Cold War start (origins)? Or Why did the US and USSR hate each other so

much?

USA vs. USSR

Political

USA: democracy USSR: communism

Economic

USA: capitalists USSR: socialists

16. Why was 1945 a turning point in

USA-USSR relations?

Before 1945:

USSR wasn’t really trying to expand, occupy countries, or threatening USA markets

After 1945: USSR desperately wanted security Wanted “friendly” governments in Eastern

Europe and other places in order to provide buffer zones

1945: A Turning Point

17. What was America’s postwar

foreign policy?

Containment was declared in the…

Truman Doctrine: US would seek to contain communism wherever it was seen as a threat in the world First announced in response to situation in Greece This defined US policy toward communism until

1980s

Containment…

18. Where was the policy of containment

applied during the Truman years?

Europe Asia United States

Containment under Truman

19. Who coined the term “Iron Curtain”?

Iron Curtain

Winston Churchill’s speech at Fulton, Missouri (1946) Term referred to fortified border that USSR

erected to separate Eastern European satellite countries (Eastern Bloc) and Western Europe

Containment in Europe

20. What country was the focus of the

Cold War in Europe?

Containment in Europe

Germany Divided into 4 zones of occupation after WW II

June 1948: currency reform announced; first step to forming new West Germany

USSR didn’t want a strong Germany (why???) Soviet response: blockaded land and water routes

into West Berlin US response: Berlin Airlift: 250,000 flights from June

1948 to May 1949 to supply West Berlin Stalin backs down; East Germany formed in 1949

21. What was the Marshall Plan?

Containment in Europe

Marshall Plan: economic aid to rebuild European economies PURPOSE:

prevent the spread of communism in Europe $13 billion to 17 western European nations

EFFECT: Stabilized European economy in face of communist

threat/make communism less appealing Opened up markets/investments for US businesses

22. What was NATO?

Containment in Europe

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), 1949 Military alliance meant to defend all members

from attack US, Canada, 10 European nations Ike first commander USSR response: Warsaw Pact (1955): eastern

European communist nations

23. When did the Soviets get the atomic

bomb?

Containment in Europe

Soviets test the atomic bomb in 1949 US Response: Truman orders construction of

hydrogen bomb (tested in 1952) 500x – 1,000x more powerful than atomic bomb

24. What was US policy toward Japan?

Occupation and creation of democracy

under Douglas MacArthur Parliamentary democracy created

Renounced war Limited military (depended on US protection)

Occupation ended in 1951 US-Japan Security Treaty

Containment in Asia

25. What was US policy toward China?

Support Nationalists (non-communists) in

Chinese Civil War against communist (Mao) to contain communism Policy FAILED!!!

1949: mainland China falls to communism Nationalists under Chiang Kai Shek flee to Taiwan US doesn’t recognize “Red” China until 1979

Containment in Asia

26. What was Us policy toward Korea?

Support non-communist South Korea to

contain communism Korea divided at 38th parallel after WW II June 1950: communist North Korea attacks

South Korea in an attempt to reunify Korea USSR boycotting UN Security Council when vote

taken; US proposed “peacekeeping” force

Containment is Asia

27. How was the Korean War fought?

Phase One: Communist gains

North Koreans push south North Koreans took Seoul within 3 months North Koreans surrounded UN (US) troops at

Pusan

Phase Two: UN (US) counterattack MacArthur leads amphibious invasion at Inchon Sept. 1950: marines landed 13,000; only 21

deaths; took Seoul with in 11 days

Korean War

Korean War

Phase Three: China enters Chinese forces help push UN forces out of North

Korea

Phase Four: Stalemate MacArthur stabilized war at 38th parallel

28. Why did Truman fire MacArthur?

MacArthur publicly criticized official US policy

of containment MacArthur called for an all-out war to unify

Korea MacArthur called for expansion into China if

necessary (with atomic attacks)

RESULT: Truman dismisses MacArthur

Truman fires MacArthur

29. How did the Korean War end?

Armistice (cease-fire) signed at Punmunjon,

1953 NOT a peace treaty (state of war still exists)

54,000 Americans killed Was it a success???

Korean War Ends

30. What was the Loyalty Program?

Created by Executive Order 9835

Created Loyalty Boards to… Determine if there were government employees

who belonged to communist organizations Opened files on “left-wing” artists/intellectuals

Loyalty Program…

31. What did the National Security Act of

1947 create?

Department of Defense National Security Council (NSC) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

National Security Act of 1947

32. What was NSC-68?

Top secret policy paper that…

Officially defined the Cold War as clash between good and evil

Called for quadrupling of defense budget Called for alliances with non-communist nations Urged government to convince US public that

US actions were defensive

NSC-68…

33. What was the Second Red Scare and

who was Joseph McCarthy?

2nd Red Scare: fear that there was communist

infiltration at all levels of US government in early 1950s

Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin Claimed Truman’s administration was filled with

communists Also accused entertainers and intellectuals Support by Roman Catholic Church and some

Republicans

Containment in the US

34. What caused McCarthy’s downfall?

Army-McCarthy Hearings of 1954

McCarthy claimed Army was infiltrated with communists

Hearings on TV McCarthy was seen as bully by public

RESULT: McCarthy censured by Senate

Containment in the US

35. What was the House Un-American

Activities Committee (HUAC)?

House Un-American Activities Committee Committee in the House of Representatives

that was meant to expose communists in society, government, and the entertainment industry 2 famous cases

Hollywood Ten Alger Hiss

HUAC

36. Who were the Rosenbergs?

American couple accused of giving atomic

secrets to Russians in 1950 Found guilty, sent to Sing Sing, executed in

1953 Controversy: were they scapegoats??? Victims

of anti-communist witch hunt???

Rosenbergs