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America HISTORY > changing political environment 1945-74 > Flashcards

changing political environment 1945-74 Flashcards

1
Q

what was trumans personality like

A

not charismatic, not very confident, could be overwhelmed by the importance of the job and make mistakes

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2
Q

how did truman use the media

A

-saw working with the media as important, gave careful briefings
-sometimes didnt explain things enough like the Korean War

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3
Q

what was trumans public image

A

-didnt instantly appeal as he didnt try to connect
-didnt explain his strategies
-speeches we wooden with mistakes and were often improvised

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4
Q

what was trumans ability to work with congress

A

-worked less well with congress (there was a republican majority)
-they blocked the forms he wanted (fair employment practices commission and national health insurance scheme)
-had fewer congress contacts making him have less network and charm

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5
Q

what was trumans organisational ablity like?

A

worked well with white house administration, didnt always choose right people

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6
Q

what was Eisenhowers personality like

A

-deliberatly optimistic, friendly manner, calm, consensual leader, Passive and conservative approach

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7
Q

eisenhowers use of media

A

understood the importance of working with the media, but often minimised problems (missile gap)

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8
Q

eisenhowers public image

A

good public manner, accessible, clear imagrey in speeches (e.g explaing knock on effect of communist takeover)

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9
Q

eisenhowers ability to work with congress

A

worked well with congress (good with political bargaining and persuasion)

-supported the 1956 interstate highways act

-supported the supreme court to the desegregation of schools

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10
Q

eisenhower organisational ability

A

exceptional organisation, set up regular briefings and long term planning sessions

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11
Q

Kennedy personality

A

came from a political family

understood the importance of. charm

worked hard on speech making

worked hard on the style of hs presidency and self presentation

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12
Q

kennedy use of media

A

saw working with the media as important

learnt names and had personal chats

used tv well (‘presidential family publicity’)

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13
Q

Kennedy public image

A

good public manner, accessible

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14
Q

Kennedy ability to work with congress

A

worked well with congress, good at political bargaining and persuasion, family connections helped

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15
Q

Kennedy organisational ability

A

-poor organisation

-advisors competed for attention

-abandoned eisenhowers regular meetings

-less long term planning

-didnt consult the right people as seen in Bay of Pigs

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16
Q

Johnson Personality

A

been in politics for a while, understood importance of winning people over, could change his opinions to get what he wanted

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17
Q

Johnson use of media

A

not a natural but was careful to keep them informed

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18
Q

Johnson public image

A

-patchy

-could give stiff and awkward speeches

-after public saw the reality of the vietnam war his image dropped

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19
Q

johnson ability to work with congress

A

worked well with congress and understood how to use connection and persuade because of his political experience

good at creative thinking to make things happens (e.h problems with school funding)

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20
Q

johnson organisational ability

A

blocked legislation before taking it to congress, own organisation was good, kept kennedys organisatio but it wasnt suited to him

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21
Q

Nixon personality

A

clever, capable

hated people disagreeeing with him

appeared suspicious

made spur of the moment decisions then backtracked

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22
Q

Nixon use of media

A

distrusted the media, very bad at handling it (Watergate)

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23
Q

Nixon public image

A

not good with people, awkward and insincere

watergate scandal made him very unpopular

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24
Q

Nixon ability to work with congress

A

Awkward due to suspicious nature, found it hard to make personal connections

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25
Q

Nixon organisational ability

A

Reinstated regular meetings, had breifings with white house staff, not good at taking advice

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26
Q

When was the second red scare and the context around it

A

-1947 to 1957 POST WW2

-USSR JOINED USA AND ITS ALLIES TOWARDS END OF WAR HAVING FIRST FOUGHT WITH GERMANY

-once war ended many eastern european countries occupied by the USSR during the war emerged with soviet governments (increased fears of communist takeover: red scare took place within the context of the cold war and Korean War)

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27
Q

what was the basis of the second red scare

A

-the basis of the second red scare was more valid than the first; the USSR had been spyimg on America
-USSR keen to get hold of atomic weapons and secrets
-Elizabeth Bentley, gov employee, admitted she was in the moscow spy ring and others followed

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28
Q

who was elisabeth bentley and Whittaker Chambers

A

-Elizabeth Bentley, gov employee, admitted she was in the moscow spy ring and others followed
-on 31st July 1948 she told HUAC that she had been part of a moscow led spy ring and named other gvt employees involved in it

-3 days later whittaker chambers (also gov member) told HUAC of more employees involved with moscow (in important jobs)

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29
Q

how was communism growing around the world during second red scare and how did it effect truman

A

-1949 china became communist

-USSR held first nuclear weapon

-‘China Lobby; nlamed truman for loss of china even though it wasnt his fault

-when communist china helped communist north korea in Korean war it was confirmed that the intent was to spread communism world wide (growing fear)

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30
Q

what is an example of a govt employee trial during red scare

A

ALGER HISS (1949, RETRIALED 1950)
-advisor to roosevelt
-first trial resulted in mistrial as jury couldnt agree
-found guilty at retrial
-evidence conflicting

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31
Q

what was joseph mccarthy’s role in kickstarting the second red scare and during the red scare

A

-between 1950-54 senator Joseph McCarthy headed the second red scare

-on feb 9th 1950 he made a speech to the republican womens group claiming he had the named of 205 known communists working in the state department
-when reporters asked to see list which he didn’t have he said he left it on the aeroplane
-the next day, mccarthy revised the no. of communists to 57 and when he called the senate he changed the number to 81

-gained a lot of support due to his use of speeches, interviews and television appearances
-TYDINGS COMMITTEE set up to investigate his charges
-series of investigations carried out in the following months

32
Q

what were red baiters

A

during the second red scare in many parts of the country, ‘red baiters’ violently hounded people they thought were tied to communism at work and home

33
Q

what was the tydings committees evaluation

A

-on 14th July the tydings committe issued a majority report stating McCarthy’s accusations were a muddle of half truths and lies
-republicans refused to sign report

34
Q

why did McCarthy’s fall happen in 1953

A

-despite tydings committee finding him untruthful he remained powerful until he turned to investigating the army in 1953

-army investigations were televised and 20 million people watched them

-his treatment of the interviewees was so unreasonable that he lost support

-senate passed a vote pf censure against him and the red scare died down

35
Q

what were the effects of the second red scare upon the political environment

A

CIVIL LIBERTIES
-fbi was given the power to investigate people and bring them to be questioned by loyalty boards/huac on very little evidence
-fbi was allowed to open letters, tap phones and bug offices and homes

UNITY
-anticommunism in a way united democrats and republicans - not one senattor between 1953 and 62 publically supported a softening attitude to the USSR or china

COMMITTEE ON THE PRESENT DANGER
-set up in 1950 and reformed in 1976
-set up to press the govt to take a hard line in relations with communist countries
-when reformed in 1976 had may important gov administrators as members

36
Q

why was the second red scare irrational

A

-membership of the CPUSA (american communist party) stood at only 5,000 (not much of a threat, proves communism didnt actually have that much support)

-only 10 percent of americans knew somebody they suspected of communism at height of red scare

37
Q

what was the social impact of the second red scare

A

FREEDOM OF SPEECH
-people had their freedom of speech limited due to fears of being persecuted

JOBS
-many lost jobs and people were publically shamed greatly effecting quality of life and income

38
Q

what was HUAC

A

-The House Un-American Activities Commission

-set up in 1945 to investigate ‘un-american’ activities-focusing on communism (fbi carried out investigations and then suspects appeared before HUAC, suspision was enough for someone to lose their job)

famous case in 1947: 10 directors, scriptwriters and hollywood workers took stand and they were blacklisted and never worked again

39
Q

what were loyalty boards

A

-truman set up these boards using an executive order to investigate the loyalty of government employees 9this ran alongside HUAC)
-every employee investigated by the fbi if they were suspected, they were sacked or further investigated)

40
Q

why did new liberalism take off under krnnrdy and how did he define it

A

-2nd red scare and violence towards civil rights made people uneasy on the political climate

-new liberalism took off under kennedy: he redefined liberalisms meaning back to forward thinking, flexible and concerned about welfare

-beleif that government intervention could improve things

-he reinstigated the values of the american dream

41
Q

what were the values/ beleifs of liberalism

A

-opposed values of the second red scare
-supported equality, civil rights and social welfare and introduced the idea of ‘positive discrimination’ of 5 minorities
-believes in government intervention

42
Q

what were the benefits of liberalism and the positive effect of it on politics

A

-more protests as liberalism was happy to protest

POSITIVE ON POLITICS:
-civil rights act,
-voting reform act,
-Johnsons welfare society arguably couldnt have occured if congress wasnt liberal minded (liberalism had a huge effect on equality0

43
Q

what was counter culture and when did it emerge

A

-1960s

-wanted to change society by changing culture (rejecting parents generation influence), belief that if people lived differently they would behave differently

-made up of hippies and student radicals

44
Q

what were hippies in the 1960s

A

-wanted to live in communal societies
-believed in simple ways of life and peace
-believed in recreational drug usage
-many supported sexual freedom wider than marriage gave
-WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL 1969, gatheing of 500,000 hippies

45
Q

what were student radicals role in 60s counter culture. what were some groups/ movements and what did they do

A

AIMS
-wanted to create a more equal world
-wanted radical changes; from their course structure to end of vietnam war

STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY (SDS) 1960
-Rejected all forms of bigotry/ racism/ anticommunism etc and often protested violently
-organised first mass rally in 1965 (ANTI VIETNAM WAR PROTEST)

FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT
-led a campaign at the university of california in 1964
-used sit ins and peaceful protests for free speech on campus
-turned to more violent methods (e.g the violence at kent state university)

46
Q

What is an example of a student protest that became violent

A

-1967 ‘stop the draft week’
-2000 police officers used clubs to attack thousands of berekely students who had tried to shut down oakland draft headquarters
-some retailiated with smoke bombs

47
Q

what was the conservative reaction to counter culture

A

-bewildered by it
-challenged traditional values and rejected the consumer culture they embraced and christian values
-when students resorted to violence there was an increased feeling the the liberal government wasnt working
-as violence calmed politicians advocated ‘NEW RIGHT’ to restore law and traditional values (Nixon campaigned for president on new right policies)

-generated a conservative reaction, contributing the nixon’s election in 1968 (continous protests under LBJ’s watch)

-from the late 60s religious groups held campus campagins (e.g bill bright, an evangelical preacher, went to campuses all over the US- inc. radical Berkeley, california)

48
Q

what was the impact of ww2 on domestic policy

A

-more involvement abroad (unlike isolationism post ww1

-USA had rejected the league of nations in ww1 and instead founded the united nations after ww2

-when the Cold War started due to ideological differences between USSR and USA and the eruption of eastern european communist gov– the truman doctorine was introduced

-marshall plan created

49
Q

what was the truman doctorine and why/when did it happen

A

-March 1947: truman told the American congress that It was Americas job to stop communism growing any stronger (became known as truman doctorine)

50
Q

what was the martial plan

A
  • June 1497
    -a system of aid to war torn countries that would otherwise fall to communism (mainly economic aid to europe)
    -also aimed to promote europe globally
51
Q

what was the impact of the cold war

A

THE ARMS RACE June 47/46
-USSR holdings of atomic bombs rose 13-50
-USA also started making atomic weapons, starting the arms race
-this achieed MAD (mutually assured destruction)

THE ARMED SERVICES
-creation of a large, permenant military force.
-cost money to run nut provided jobs and was a major customer for many businesses
-this and arms race and cold war created created a hawks/dives divide that crossed political boundries

THE SPACE RACE
-without the cold war it was unlikely money would have been invested into space exploration
-USSR Launched first space craft ‘sputinik 1’ in 1967 BUT eisenhower set up NASA
-July 1969- USA was first man on moon scoring huge propaganda victory (costing 25b)

PRESIDENCY
-power of presidency to go to war without congress grew with NATO and UN
-1947 national security act: recognised military forces under a new Defence department. after 1950 was greatly enlarged (as commander in cheif president could move forced without congress)
-National security act created CIA and National security council, both reported to the white house not congress
-existence of nuclear weapons meant a nuclear war could begin without warning meaning president could react at once.

52
Q

what was the arms race and when

A

THE ARMS RACE June 47/46
-US holdings of atomic bombs rose 13-50
-USA also started making atomic weapons, starting the arms race
-this achieed MAD (mutually assured destruction)

53
Q

how did power of presidency grow under Cold War

A

-power of presidency to go to war without congress grew with NATO and UN

-1947 national security act: recognised military forces under a new Defence department. after 1950 was greatly enlarged (as commander in cheif president could move forced without congress)

-National security act created CIA and National security council, both reported to the white house not congress

-existence of nuclear weapons meant a nuclear war could begin without warning meaning president could react at once.

54
Q

what was the 1947 national security act

A

-1947 national security act: recognised military forces under a new Defence department. after 1950 was greatly enlarged (as commander in cheif president could move forced without congress)

55
Q

what was the impact of the korean war on domestic policy

A

-truman wanted to fight a ‘limited war; not full scale and stressed it was the UN going to war not America

-was during second red scare so wanted to stop hysteria over fears of communism

-Korean war emphasised how the cold war shifted presidential attention awaye from domestioc policy an to INTERNATIONAL policy

-cold war and korean war created the expectation that USA should be involved in world affairs (like the new deal with welfare)

-DOMESTIC POLICY THUS SHIFTED BACK TO CONGRESS AS PRESIDENT WAS MORE INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL POLICY

56
Q

when was the koren war and who was involved

A

-June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea with the help of supplies and advisors from the USSR

-was during second red scare

-Korean War was a united nations operation (troops fighting back from S. Korea amd 16 other countries in the UN but troops were mostly american)

-260,000 american soldier s. 35,000 others

57
Q

what was General MacArthur

A

-In charge of the war in korea from the start but wanted a different war to truman
-he criticised ‘limited war’ and advocated for nuclear bombing of N.Korea and China
-He disobeyed orders on several occassions (November 1950 bombed bridges over river yalu despite orders not to)

58
Q

What was the republican reaction to truman

A

-lost key republican allies in congress (second red scare and korean war made them become a strong force of oppossition again

-one major criticism: defence spending hit 14 % of us GNP from borrowing and increased taxes causing problems in every us gov after

59
Q

what was the impact of the Korean War on presidency

A

-bad public/media/gov relationship arguable began disillusionment weith presidency that later deppened

-marked a shift in the way media delt with presidency

-media expected openess like roosevelt BUT truman made the mistake of holding back on media as he didnt want to inflame anti communist feeling

-Desperate for news; the media went to other sources (ike republicans) who were critical and used pure speculation

-AUGUST 1950- truman began televising briefings and set 200 reporters to korea

-sached general McCarther in 1951 but had limited support because media didnt support a limited war

60
Q

What was the impact of the Vietnam war on domestic policy

A

-similar defence budget concerns as Korean War and the money spent contributed to Us inflation

-Loss of credibility for government (unpopular policies that excalated out of control: The draft was a lottery to select 18-26 men to fight)

61
Q

how did the Vietnam war start and when

A

-1955-75
-began in 1954 began when the french were driven out by communist vietnamese rebels

-leader Ngo Dinh Diem war corrupted and elected friends as leaders
-friction between north and south Vietnam rose
-north was communist south was democratic

-usa began training vietnamese south army and gave supplies

62
Q

when did Kennedy send the first troops into vietnam and what happened

A

-1961
-began fiting a violent war with innocent people being killed
-withdrawl began in 1969 and completed in 1975
-first war US had lost and made them look awful

63
Q

who protested against the vietnamese war and some examples of protests

A

-student radicals and all aspects of society

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY (OHIO)-MAY 1970
-students protested the bombing of cambodia… clashed with 28 national guardsmen on university campus
-guardsmen shot and killed four students on May 4 1970 BECOMING A FOCAL POINT OF THE NATION

VETERANS MARCH- 1971
-5 day demonstration in washington D.C
-30,000 people
-generally peaceful

64
Q

what was the role of the media in the vietnam war

A

-began reporting as white house conferences described them but began to report on war up close
-reported shocking stories: soldiers on drugs, Mai Lai massacre, ice cream reward for high kills)
-innocent people killed, truth came out to nation

65
Q

what was the impact of the vietnam war on presidency

A

-drove successive presidents to unpoplar donestic policies

-becsuse power of presidency in foreign affairs increased, future presidents seen accountable for events (Hey! Hey! bLBJ How many kids did you kill today)

-made people look at role of president and behaviour in wars more critically

-saigon withdrawal didnt reflect well on presidency

66
Q

how did the media cause a decline in government confidence from 1968-70

A

-people had wider acess than in earlier days
-Tv ownership at 95% in 1970 and radios popular
-radio used and influenced changing views of reporters relationship with the govt/presidency

-from 1953 when the korean war began and truman mishandled the media criticism began

-by 1968 there was a growing opinion that it was the medias job to uncover and discover government deception

JIMMY CARTER
-led to decline was portrayed as weak and incompetant in the media (marathon story and rabit story

WATERGATE
-media coverage on Watergate
-all 250 hours were broadcast on tv

67
Q

what was the watergate scandal and how did it decrease confidence

A

-1972-74
-pivitol moment in declining confidence in presidency and gov
-proved Nixon and the whitehouse were guilty of burglary and surveillance of political opponents (tapping into democratic oppossition at the watergate building)
-tapes of discussions forced nixon into terrible lights making it clear he was happy to lie to the american people
-all 250 hours were broadcast on TV

68
Q

how did social factors leadtp a decline in gov confidence from 1968 to 80

A

-how social problems were handled at local level and state level were also a pivitol factor in the decline of gov confidence

-violent polic reactions occurred in the south before 1968 and the level of violence spread

-irrationalised violence sparked major concerns of the govs inability to tackle social issues BUT argueably was because of media coverage

EXAMPLES
-MLK’s death 1968 sparked viots and violence- racial injustice seen from police

-1970 national guard killed 4 students and seriously wounded 9 at kent state university protest of invasion of Cambodia

69
Q

what were trumans domestic successes and failures

A

SUCCESS
Economy boomed and nation prospered

FAILURES
-failed to achieve social reform legislation he wanted (like free universal healthcare)
-couldnt control anti communist hysteria like mccarthyism

70
Q

how did truman present himself as a man of the people during his 1954 campaign

A

-33 day 30,000 mile tour
-hundreds and thousands showed up
-brought out family at rallies

71
Q

what were trumans most significant actions as president

A

atomic bomb drop on Hiroshima

bringing us into korean way

72
Q

when was NATO established

A

1949

73
Q

what was the internal security act

A

1950- members of communist AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS HAD TO REGISTER WITH THE GOV. once registered they could be denied passports of be deported

74
Q

how many people lost their jobs because of McCarthy and how many people were effected overall

A

-1952-54, 500 state and local gov employees, 600 schoolteachers, 150 college professors

-3 million investigations and 1000 dismissals.

75
Q

how much did the Korean War cost the us

A

defence spending increased to 300percent

war cost 67 billion plus billions needed to rebuild S korea

76
Q

what did eisenhower do to vietnam

A

established an independant anti communist state of south vietnam under diem and gave him 71 billion

77
Q

what did eisenhower do in office

A

-cut defence spending

-increased minimum wage from 75 cents to 1$ per hour

-constructed interstate highway system that employed millions

-direct federa aid to education

America HISTORY (10 decks)

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