Political Developments Flashcards
1
Q
When did Truman become president?
A
- April 1945: Roosevelt died - Truman president
- responsible for series of policies at home and abroad - brought about post-war reconstruction
- aimed to widen scope of New Deal, proposing in 1945, wide-ranging reforms of housing and health care
- not obvious successor of Roosevelt
2
Q
What and when was the Full Employment Bill?
A
- 1945
- Bill declared employment to be a right and required the gov to ensure jobs were available
- included a higher min wage, farm price supports and a public works programme
- congress watered down many of his proposals
3
Q
What were labour relations during this time?
A
- WW2 –> inflation: encouraged union leaders to call strikes demanding wage rises
- Truman called special labour-management conference in 1945
- in attempt to prevent strike action
- conference ended without agreement
4
Q
Describe the strikes during the time?
A
- April 1945:
- The Union Mine Workers came out on strike for pay increase
- May: Railroads hit by strikes
5
Q
What were Truman’s responses to the strike?
A
- Truman decided on firm action
- announced he would conscript the railroad workers and have army run railroads
- wanted to introduce legislation that would restrict the right to strike against gov and severe penalties for those who broke law
- demonstrated hostility to unions
6
Q
What happened as a result of Truman’s hostility to unions?
A
- The 1946 mid-term elections, Truman faced major opposition from Republicans who won control of both Houses of Congress
- Congress proposed the “Taft-Hartley Bill”:
- made labour unions liable for violations of contracts
- prevented them from insisting that all workers must join a trade union as condition of employment
- Truman unwilling to lose support of labour, vetoed bill; congress passed it
7
Q
Describe Truman’s competition the 1948 presidential election?
A
- expected to lose in 1948
- his party, democrats, was split
- Henry Wallace, former vice president of FDR set up progressive party
- Strom Thurmond, southern conservative stood against him
- Republican candidate Thomas Dewey likely to win
8
Q
Why did Truman win election of 1948?
A
- promised New-Deal type measures + went on 30,000 mile whistle-stop tour of USA
- defended himself and criticised Republican ‘do nothing’ congress
- Truman won with majority over 2 million votes
9
Q
What was the Fair Deal?
A
- 1949
- introduced a whole range of welfare measures
- Republican and Democratic Conservatives blocked many of his reform proposals
- Did succeed in raising minimum wage, extending Social Security Act and passed an act to assist slum clearance + provide housing for poor
10
Q
What were the negatives of Eisenhower ie what was he criticised for?
positives?
A
- Accused of being far too conservative
- do nothing president spent time playing golf
- accused of representing big business
- little sympathy for civil rights
- chose an able team, delegated well + good record as mediator
- worked well with congress
11
Q
Domestic Achievements what was Eisenhower’s programme/ ideology when it came to domestic issues?
A
- Moderate Republican able to achieve numerous victories despite Democratic majority in Congress
- programme: “dynamic conservatism”
- “conservative when it comes to money and liberal when it comes to human beings”
- determined to decrease role of federal government
- However also though gov should have some responsibility in welfare of people + promote eco growth
12
Q
How did Eisenhower enact his “dynamic conservatism” programme?
A
- decreased role of fed gov: ended wage and price controls and reduced farm subsidies
- continued most of New Deal and Fair Deal programmes of predecessors
- strengthened Social Security programme
- increased min wage and created Department of Health, Education and Welfare - 1956: Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System
13
Q
What and when was the Interstate Highway System
A
1956: Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System: single largest public works programme in US history
- constructed 41,000 miles of road across country
- huge sums spent completing St Lawrence Seaway
14
Q
How did External developments lead to the development of the “Red Scare”?
A
- Fall of China to the Communists in 1949 unexpected
- some felt State Department could have done more to prevent
- led to creation of “China lobby”: campaigned for action against new Communist regime
- Pat McCarran key figure in Senate Internal Security Subcommittee tried to persuade people that China had fallen due to work of secret communist infiltrators within State Department
- Also development of cold war in Europe after 1945 and increased involvement in Asia - Korean War - intensified fear
15
Q
What were developments in the US that led to the Red Scare?
A
- series of spy scandals in Britain, Canada + US
- British physicist, Klaus Fuchs, convicted of giving nuclear secrets to USSR
- associate Harry Gold arrested for same charge
- Felt that USSR was able to develop nuclear weapons so quickly due to infiltration of Soviet Agents into the Manhattan Project
- Scientists Julius and Ethel Rosenberg executed for giving away atomic secrets
- Soviets claimed they had 221 operatives spying on various branches of government
16
Q
What was the Manhattan Project?
A
- research and development programme that produced first atomic bomb during WW2
17
Q
What was the Alger Hiss trial?
A
- Former Communist, Whittaker Chambers, now editor of Time magazine
- Hiss accused of him being Communist during time in State Department
- Key figure during Yalta Conference
- Hiss sued Chambers, but revealed he shared secret documents with soviets in 1938
- sentenced 5 years imprisonment
- This case led to widespread accusations of communism in high places of USA
18
Q
What was the HUAC?
A
- The House Committee on Un-American Activities
- set up by Congress in 1938
- relentlessly investigated those suspected of supporting Communism
- Hollywood filmmakers investigated
19
Q
How did Truman fuel the communist charges?
A
- 1947
- introduced Loyalty Review Board to check up on government employees
- Any found to be sympathetic to “subversive organisations” could be fired
- within 4 years, 1,200 dismissed and 6000 resigned
- Over 150 orgs banned; 110 accused of supporting Communism
- 11 leaders of Communist party prosecuted under 1940 Smith Act and sentenced up to 5 years (they had not actually done anything)
20
Q
Describe the beginnings of the nuclear arms race?
A
- 1949: USSR exploded first nuclear weapon
- US lost its monopoly
- President Truman said US seek to develop hydrogen bomb as much as a thousand times power of atomic bomb
- tested 1954: both sides entering arms race
21
Q
Describe Mcarthy’s communist speech and what this led to?
A
- 1950
- Made speech in which he said State Department infested with spies
- no evidence to back this yet people believed him
- led to a witch-hunt against members of State Departments, and other public servants, and finally the army
- 1953: McCarthy given control of Senate Committee on Gov Operations
22
Q
How successful was McCarthyism?
A
- at first successful
- became one of most popular men in USA
- gained diverse support e.g from Christian fundamentalists
- usually less educated and less affluent members of society supported him
23
Q
How unsuccessful was McCarthyism?
A
- Many argued New Deal measures Communist came under attack
- those advocating redistribution of wealth or any civil rights measures accused of Communism
- fear gripped US ridiculous
- A school librarian in Indiana banned books about Robin Hood because said promoted communism
24
Q
McCarthy accused prominent figures and organisations of communism which led to his downfall:
give 2 examples
A
- condemned respected figures such as General George Marshal: who introduced Marshall Aid
- 1954: investigated army; criticised institution which fought in Korean War
25
Describe the hearing which led to McCarthy's downfall
- Millions saw hearings on TV in 1954
- turned against bullying tactics of McCarthy
- no evidence for accusations
- Army's attorney Joseph Welch stood up to McCarthy when a junior member of Welch's team accused for being involved in pro-communist org in college
26
Describe McCarthy's own controversy that led to his downfall
- tables turned when McCarthy himself accused of seeking preferential treatment for one of his aides who had been drafted in army
- censured by Senate and died of alcoholism in 1957
