Domestic Politics (1945-1960) Post War Reconstruction Flashcards
What were features of Harry Truman prior to his accession to presidency
-born in Missouri (son of a farmer)
-worked at variety jobs (clerk and bookkeeper
-joined the army in ww1 and served in France
-headed Truman commission in ww2
-(1935) elected to senate
-(1944) chosen as vice president
-(1945) became president after Roosevelt’s death
-had bold political approach
-little experience on foreign affairs and political experience
-thought peace and prosperity achieved if created political and social system
What were the domestic achievements of Harry Truman’s presidency ?
-(1945) full employment bill: ensure full employment, higher minimum wage, farm price support and public work programs
-was resilient politician, (1948) election ‘whistle stop’ campaign was able to take a late lead in the polls, and win the election with a majority of over 2 million votes and kept congress
-fair deal: introduced some welfare measures on tax, social security, civil rights, federal aid for small farmers, education a public housing (was watered down heavily). Raise minimum wage, extend social security act. Passed act to help slum clearance
-(1947) passed executive order 9835 to check loyalty of federal government employees
What were the domestic failures of Harry Truman’s presidency ?
-congress waterd down Truman’s proposals in full employment bill and fair deal , by conservative congressman = legastive warefare with congress (Truman vetoed measures)
-party was divided (liberals wanted Henry Wallace as president whilst others wanted to persuade general dwight Eisenhower)
-labour relations tensions: called special labour management conference (1945) that did not reach an agreement on strikes. Truman declared the railroads would be controlled and conscripted by army in response to strikes (1945) . Taft-Hartley bill (weaken unions power) was passed by congress, overriding Truman’s vetoes
-criticized for not doing more to support civil rights and supporting the new state of Israel to much
-domestic policies were undermined by foreign political crisis: atomic bomb (1945), Chinese communist revolution, Korean War = red scare
How did McCarthyism affect political developments ?
McCarthyism create anti communist paranoia
-republicans supported Mcarthy, so they could attack Truman’s administration for being “soft on communism “ and new deal like policies being a “communist plot”
(Social security & military) -(1947) Truman pass executive order 9835
-House Un-American activities committee (HUAC) began new hearings to investigate and expose US communist influence - heard allegations that Alger Hiss was a communist
Spy rings exposure:
• (1945) Canadian government exposed soviet spies passing US military secret to Moscow
• (1950) Klaus Fuchs, involved in making atomic bomb confessed to being soviet spy and other spy’s (Ethel Rosenberg)
-(1950) NSC-68 report caused massive military and social security expansion(FBI, CIA)
-Eisenhower nor Truman had no sympathy but could not oppose him, so they could maintain dignity
Democrats fears him
-was supported by Catholics (church how and Joseph Kennedy)
-attacked prestigious war heroes (George marshal) which friends like Eisenhower could not give support
-(1954) died down after he was attacked on CBS television and embarrassed by judge Joseph welch on hearings into US army
What were features of Dwight Eisenhower prior to his accession to presidency
-first military commander of NATI
-(1944-45) supreme commander of allied armies to liberate Europe
-democrats attempted to persuade him to be president (1948)
-graduated from US military Academy at West Point (1915)
-worked under Douglas MacArthur in 1930s
-popular for his quite approach
What were the domestic achievements of Eisenhower’s presidency?
Enforced policy of “dynamic conservation” = conservative to money and liberal for human beings
-seen as a calm, consensual leader, that can preserve patriotic unity
-concerned with growing excessive power and influences of ‘military industrial complex’ . Which he addressed in speech (1960)
(1956) supported interested highways act: boost railroad building and automobile industry
(1954) support Supreme Court to end desegregation of southern schools
-promoted scientific education in schools
-strengthens social security programmes (create departments if health education and welfare , increase minimum wage)
-successes in decreasing role of federal gov
What were the domestic failures of Eisenhower presidency?
-viewed as presidant without political skills . And was an amiable man who played golf and politics
-was fiercly moderate:
• had been associated with Nixon, who was involved with slush fund scandal. But was kept as vice president and ran governmtan well when Eisenhower had illness (1955 & 1957) = growing support
• did little to oppose mcarthy
• was concerned but did not enforce action over ‘military-industrial complex’
• emphasises on scientific education was more focused on keeping up with Russia in space race
• reduced government role= end farm subsidies and reduce price controls
How did the build up to 1960 election represent the US political party’s development and the importance of candidates representing these changes?
Republican candidate : Richard Nixon (was considered a safe choice, capable of continuing policies ,prosperity and had prestige of dealing with Cold War pressure , with soviet leader , Nikitia Khrushche). Less skilled at TV (looked shifty and was the incumbent) , debates on tv made him appear less skillful but radio listeners thought he was much better. And according to journalist and won
Democrat candidate: John F Kennedy, east coast liberal , from wealthy Irish Catholic family . Seen as young and inexperienced . But confidant, idealistic and planned for ‘new frontier’. Had Lyndon Johnson (southerner) as vice president to ‘balance the ticket’ . Made for ‘televise election’ . Was handsome and persuasive . Had national recognition during primary elections
What were and why did the results for the election occur?
Kennedy won presidency:
• poeple felt a need for change following McCarthyism and civil rights , social issue progression. Who’s was represented in his new frontier policies
• nixon supporter calmed ‘dirty tricks’ of stuffing ballot boxes (Illinois ) (but either way would not have made difference anyway)
