Topic 1:Changing Political Environment (Truman-Carter)

Question 1

State the years that Truman occupied the role of the President of the USA and the reason why he left office

Answer 1

First term: 1945-48
Second term: 1949-1952
In the 1952 presidential elections, Truman refuses to run despite being constitutionally entitled to another term should he be successful. This is due to the abysmally low approval rating of 22% at the end of his presidency, culminating from multiple factors such as the increase in inflation and unemployment, public upset with the handling of the Korean War and the split in the Democrat Party. Overall, this leads to a shift in popularity towards the Republican Party, with Dwight Eisenhower presiding over America’s ‘Golden Years’ following Truman’s time in office.

Question 2

State the key events that occurred during Truman’s presidency

Answer 2

Cold War (1945-1991)
Dropping of the atomic bombs (1945)
The Second Red Scare (1947-1957)
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Marhsall Plan (1948)
Korean War (1951-1953)

Question 3

State the reasons why Truman was elected and re-elected as President of the USA

Answer 3

Following the tragic death of Roosevelt in 1945 just after securing his fourth term in office, Truman steps up to become Executive despite having only one year of experience as Vice President up his sleeve. However, due to his no-nonsnese and pragmatism, Truman succeeds when running for his first official term after making a whistle-stop tour of all 50 states in America, arguably securing his victory. He does not run in the next election due to his extreme unpopularity, statistically being one of the most disliked presidents with a 22% approval rating due to his failures in the Korean War.