Truman And Post War America Flashcards
1
Q
What was the legacy of war outside the USA?
A
-A war that included mass destruction,massive casualties huge social destruction and serious economic hardship ; Bombings,food shortages, rationing and occupation by foreign armies
2
Q
Why was wwii regarded as a “good war” for America ?
A
- no foreign soldier set foot on American soil
- American pride was enhanced by size and success of the war effort
3
Q
Define American exceptionalism
A
-the idea that America is unique or exceptional which has become a popular part of American thinking.
4
Q
What was the percentage population to income ratio by 1945?
A
- a mere 7% of the global population possessing 42% of the worlds income
5
Q
Percentage of oil ?
A
62% of discovered oil.
6
Q
Percentage of manufacturing output ?
A
50%
7
Q
Percentage of cars ?
A
- 80%
8
Q
How many people owned a radio?
A
33 million ( potential point - broadcasting was widely available insights for public on Americas stance)
9
Q
By 1945 what was the impact of the GD?
A
The economy had recovered strongly from the GD (partly due to war spending - strong sense of national unity )
10
Q
How was Roosevelt viewed at this point ?
A
- He was very popular and there was little criticism of political system.
( possible point to think about - what does this mean for Truman to come)
11
Q
How was Roosevelt viewed at this point ?
A
- He was very popular and there was little criticism of political system.
( possible point to think about - what does this mean for Truman to come)
12
Q
What was the date of Roosevelts death ?
A
12th April 1945 - longest serving US president
13
Q
What 2 major incidents did RSV face ?
A
- GD followed by the Wall Street Crash 1929
- World War 2
14
Q
What was his approval rating at the time of his death ?
A
- 70% never fell below 48%
15
Q
Who was his successor ? What issues was he set to face ?
A
Harry S Truman
- had a difficult act to follow - Euro and Pacific wars were still occurring
- viewed by the public as a compromise and not up to the job
16
Q
What did Eleanor RSV say when Truman offered his consolations ?
A
- “ is there anything we can do for you ? For you are the one in trouble now “
17
Q
What is the American political systems concept of “ checks and balances”
A
- President is prevented from having too much power by a congress that can refuse to co-operate and a Supreme Court ( SC) that can rule the Presidents actions as unconstitutional.
- President can veto congressional propositions for laws and gets to appoint new members of SC.
18
Q
Where does congressional power derive from ?
A
- the ability to to propose laws
- controlling budget
- approve or disapprove of presidential nomination for SC
- impeach ( to charge the holder of public office) the president if he is accused of a crime.
19
Q
What did Truman lack in comparison to RSV ?
A
Political Capital due to the complicated set up of the US political system that could leave a weak president susceptible to uncooperative congress, SC and individual states.
20
Q
Define Political Capital ?
A
- the trust and influence a politician has with the public and other politicians which forms a kind of currency that politicians can ‘spend’ to get things done.
21
Q
What was this system created to do ?
A
- prevent dictatorships from forming.
22
Q
What could the simultaneous election of the house of representativeness and senate along with president lead to.
A
- A democratic president with a Republican controlled congress and vis versa
23
Q
What could this lead to ( dem pres rep congress vis versa)
A
- lead to intransigence ( refusal to change one’s view about something) in the passing of legislation with both president and congress blaming each other.
24
Q
What were the 2 main political parties in America ?
A
Democratic Party and Republican Party ( all but 8 members of HOR and senate were of these 2 parties)
25
What was the first and most important impact of the war ?
- Restoring US economy
26
What was the state of unemployment in 1940?
- 8 million
27
What was the state of unemployment during the war ?
- full employment and even some shortages of workers in certain areas of the economy esp agriculture
28
What was the new deal (brief)
- a series of domestic programmes introduced by RSV to kick start the economy and provide jobs for the unemployed.
29
During RSV time in office what was the GDP growth ?
- 8.5% highest growth rate in the history of any industrialised country.
30
What was the state of the American rivals ?
- whilst the US emerged as a prosperous nation its rivals the British Empire, Germany, Japan, France and the Soviet Union has been badly damaged by the war.
31
How did this benefit the US (the state of its rivals)
- Other countries needed raw materials and goods to help rebuild and the USA was in apposition to supply them - benefitted US trade and economy.
32
How did the USA benefit from the repayment of loans. (Example)
- the usa benefited from loans it made to the allied powers and the reparations it had received in the post-war settlements.
- patents of German inventions such as the soft drink Fanta
33
How did the flourishing economy benefit workers rights ?
- There was a growth in major trade union organisation during the war - American Federation of Labour (AFL) and even more so the Congress of Industrial Organisations (CIO) had defended workers rights and campaigned for pay rises - which were difficult to turn down during the war years.
34
What was the the NE region like ?
- traditional, political, financial, educational powerhouse
- D.C NYC and Boston.
- saw itself as more sophisticated than the rest of the country
- responsible for the success of 18/32 presidents.
-eastern states and northern cities of Chicago and Detroit - sophisticated industry esp automobile in Detroit supplied by the raw materials of pennsylvania and the Carolina’s.
35
What was the Midwest like ? ( Population density, influence)
- sparsely populated lacked major cities - reduced influence in national politics
- agricultural riches stretching from Ohio to the Rocky Mountains - producing sufficient wheat corn and even rice to feed population as well as export.
36
What was the South like ? ( stances influence politics)
- more traditional
- segregation was still embraced
- rural communities focused on plantation crops such as cotton, sugar and tobacco which dominated.
- legacy of slavery and defeat in civil war influenced its political attitudes towards the rest of the country.
37
What was the border like? ( states, population)
- on the border with Mexico were the hot dry stats of New Mexico, Arizona and South Carolina.
- oil rich and population expanding due to the influx of Hispanic immigrants and white Americans that were moving towards the north.
38
What was the West coast like ?
- giant state of California, permanently associated with the American Dream
- LA, San Francisco-
- saw itself as more liberal relaxed glamorous than the traditional east coast
- resented for its lack of political influence.
39
Quote at the base of the Statue of Liberty
- give me your tired, your poor / your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. - huddled masses coming to US for over 200 years.
40
White Population
- In 1945 dominated the population with over 130 million people.
-many still identified themselves with origins of ancestors- Irish polish and Italian Americans.
- German Americans declined in proudness during the war years.
41
Asian Americans ? (Population,racism)
- smaller part of the population - 250,000 in 1940 census and 320,000 by 1950
-immigration and nationality act of 1952 ( McCarran-Walter Act) made immigration easier for Asians
- Japanese Americans made up a smaller group and yet were subject to racism
- any Americans conflicted with the national myth about al, kinds of ppl becoming Americans in the melting point of integration (key feature of American exceptionalism)
42
AA ( population , migration , racism , industry )
- AA were the largest ethnic group after whites amounting to 14 million ppl - 10% of the population.
- concentrated in the South owing to the legacy of slavey and plantation work.
- yet they had been moving to the North and West in a demographic shift known as the Great Migration
- most moved to industrial cities like Detroit and LA driven by the injustice of Jim Crow laws increased mechanisation of agriculture in the south
- lured of higher wages in service sector and industry bolstered by the war and RSV FEPC.
43
What is the fair employment practices commission (FEPC)?
+limitation
-established by an executive order by RSV
- monitored hiring practices of any company that held a governmental contract and required them not to discriminate based on race or religion.
- lacked sufficient funding to be truly effective.
44
What did the period of the Wall Street crash - Second World War generate in terms of society.
- levelled many of the inequalities in US society due to the toll and reduction of wealth for the m/c generated a culture of hard work and thrift.
45
What were their impacts ?
- rich survived crash and depression , rest of society had little difference in terms of earth between managerial professions and blue collar workers.
46
Who protected the rights of blue collar labourers?
- Trade unions - known as organised labour.
47
Whose rights + state were not protected ?
The socially equitable situation excluded the ethnic minorities
- AA and indigenous ppl were at the bottom of the social and economic hierarchy and were far more likely to live in poverty and lack good quality education, healthcare and housing.
- deemed less able to to achieve the American Dream - like Hispanic Americans
48
Who were their ranks joined with ?
- that of poor White Americans , who lived in rural areas and Midwest + south.
49
Define social mobility how did it come about ?
- the war had led to an increase in social mobility - people’s ability to move between classes within society.
50
How did the war increase social mobility ?
- those young men who served in the armed forces had left vacancies in jobs for agriculture for other groups included women and AA.
- many women were employed in munition industries and parts of the economy that were previously dominated by men
51
How did the war increase social mobility ?
- those young men who served in the armed forces had left vacancies in jobs for agriculture for other groups included women and AA.
- many women were employed in munition industries and parts of the economy that were previously dominated by men
52
By 1944 what percentage of the workforce was female ?
- 36%
53
What social changes caused by the war pose a threat ?
- 12 million American soldiers returned from Europe and pacific expecting jobs, meaning women liberated by war faced exclusion from workforce
- AA in segregated units in war against a racist power returned to find Jim Crow prevailed in south and GI bill was not applied equally to them.
- a threat of communism , Stalin’s armies were encamped in Europe
- fear of communism began to grow and any figure or group suspected of leaning to the left became a source of suspicion (trade unions seen as the first stirrings to communism.
54
By 1946 how many AA that had applied for the educational fund receive it ?
- 1/5 of the 100,000 that applied
55
By 1946 how many AA that had applied for the educational fund receive it ?
- 1/5 of the 100,000 that applied
56
What would Truman dedicate mulch of the rest of his presidency towards ?
- communist threat at home and abroad.
