Harry S. Truman Flashcards
George Kenan
Who: US Diplomat in the USSR What: Proposed the containment theory When: 1946 Where: Moscow and Washington D.C. Why: Proposed the containment theory informing the US about the USSR's plan to spread communism throughout the world
UN Security Council
Who: 15 World Governments
What: 5 Permanent Members, 10 Members with veto power
When: 1945
Where: NY, The Hague
Why: Ensures Anglo American influence in world events
Truman Doctrine
Who: Harry Truman
What: Wanted to stop communism by all means necessary
When: 1947
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: Plan to stop the spread of communism. Turkey and Greece were the first to benefit from this policy
Marshall Plan
Who: George Marshall (Secretary of State)
What: Plan to help stop the spread of communism in Western Europe. countries receiving aide under this plan had to resist communism
When: 1947
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: Gave needed money to Western European countries, mainly France and Italy to help them rebuild after WWII
“Cold War”
Who: Walter Lippmann
What: Journalist who coined the term “Cold War”
When: 1948
Where: New York
Why: Tensions between the USSR and US. While Lippmann did not see the Soviet Union as a legitimate threat the cold war lasted decades.
National Security Act
Who: Congress
What: Law passed by Congress to help fight the threat of communism
When: 1947
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: In order to better fight communism the act established the NSA, NSC, USAF and CIA
Berlin Airlifts
Who: allies and the Soviet Union
What: Flights over Soviet controlled East Germany to bring supplies to West Berlin
When: 1948
Where: Berlin
Why: First confrontation with former allies. With over 10,000 flights in almost a year it proved to the Soviets that the US and Allies and would fight to stop the spread of communism.
NATO
Who: 12 Allied Nations
What: Alliance to stop the spread of communism
When: 1949
Where: Europe and North America (Belgium HQ)
Why: Alliance which brings together free and sovereign countries in order to create a collective security system if one country was attacked. Established after Berlin Airlift
“To secure these rights”
Who: Congress
What: Report that highlighted problems of African-Americans by committee on Civil Rights
When: 1947
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: Civil rights report requested by President Truman in order to identify the struggles of African-Americans in the south. Led to integration of soldiers in 1947.
Harry S. Truman
Who: 33rd President of United States
What: Proposed Truman Doctrine and led US through US Berlin airlift
When: 1945-1953
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: Won re-election in 1948 after given little or no chance to win. Led the US at end of WWII and beginning of Cold War
Dixiecrats
Who: Democrats from south What: Old Conservative Hard Liners When: 1948 Where: Southern States Why: While they split from the Democratic Party and did not support Truman, they were not able to influence the outcome of the election as Truman won reelection and upset the favorite Dewey.
Second Red Scare
Who: US Government
What: Fear of being accused of being communist
When: 1950s
Where: Urban US, Washington D.C.
Why: Led to many unproven accusations of people being communist sympathizers and of innocent lives being destroyed
Alger Hiss
Who: Career Diplomat What: Accused of being a communist When: 1950 Where: Washington D.C. Why: Proved that there were communist spies in the US. Hiss war found not guilty of being a communist spy. Hiss was however, found guilty of perjury.
McCarthyism
Who: McCarthur, Senator Joe
What: Said to have a list of Government Officials who were communist sympathizers
When: 1950-53
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: increased fear that the government had been infiltrated by communists. It turned neighbor against neighbor
Korean War
Who: China, North Korea, and UN What: Police action appeared by UN When: 1950-53 Where: Korean Peninsula Why: Military involvement by the US and its allies to stop communist aggression when communist North Korea invaded South Korea
