Truman Eisenhower kennedy Johnson Nixon Flashcards
What are trumans obstacles
Overseeing final defeats of Germany and Japan
Managing US role in post-war international relations, supervising the American economy’s transition from war time to peace time footing
Maintaining unity of a fractious and powerful democrat party
Being FDR shadow
Lacking FDR charisma and public speaking kills
Truman’s main attributes
Not radica like Waller - southern democrat
Public related to him
Hard workin and honest
Made politically difficult decisions
Truman’s experience in Missain politics and especially 2 electoral victories that brought him to senate —> demonstrated different understanding of Liberian and democrat party
Change in executive with truman since FDR
By 1946, replaced many of the cabinet with his own
Several well known members of FDRs team - like Harry Hopkins did not join the Truman administration
CEA formed
1946 employment act created the CEA to help the president formulate economic policy;
Liberal Democrat’s in congress wanted CEA to be staffed with liberal new dealers and progressives
Truman staffed it w conservatives and liberals
He treated the CEA as presidential advisors and made sure it remained under his control
Continuity in executive with truman since FDR
Truman began by asking FDR cabinet to stay sane but changed
Inherited Roosevelt staff of presidential advisors
Presidents staff continued to grow in size
CEA—> Truman wanted power over it and have it under his control - executive
How Truman dealt with military to civilisation.
Consumer goods on high demand were slow to appear on national shelves and its showrooms, frustrating Americans who wanted to purchase items they had forsaken during war
Congress preserved Office of Price Administration but stripped it of all its power
Truman veto
As controls disappears - mid 1946 - prices shot upwards, the rise in the price of meat - doubled over 2 week period in summer
In response the government reinstituted price controls, which angered meat producers who then withheld meat from market
Combination of high prices and scarcity angered consumers and voters who blamed Truman
ANGER
How Truman dealt with unions
1945 truman announced he would maintain price controls but unions could pursue higher wages
Though 1946 and mate 1945- strikes from steel, coal and railroads
To end strikes, recommended mediation and warned gov would draft striking railroad workers and even took a Union. - United miners to court
Miners backed down and went to work
Truman damages relationship
How Truman dealt with reconversion - dealing w issues to go back from war
Called for new public work programs
‘full employment”, Bill- employment act 1946- measure had 0 teeth
a higher minimum wage - congress against
extension Of FEPC (a War time agency that monitored discrimination against African Americans in hiring practices of government agencies and defence industries) - congress against
Larger social security system
National health insurance system
Quick demobilisation of military
Temporary extension of government controls tuttered and stalled
Truman received blame
Rapid reconversion would have been difficult due to variety and challenge of its objectives
Increased production of consumer goods, full employment, higher wages, lower prices and peace between labour unions and industrial management
How did Truman deal with trade unions
Or did he blame it on anyone
Said he would maintain price controls but Union could demand higher prices
1946- wave of strikes like steel
He recommended compulsorily mediation - warned US government would draft striking railroads
Took United Mine workers to court
Unions backed down
Republicans passed Taft Hartley Bill- limited power of unions
Trauma vetoed- went too far
Congress overrode
Blame shift to republicans
How did truman deal with food prices and did he get support or shift blame
Americans wanted to purchase what they were unable to during war
Food prices rising
Truman suggested a return to price controls, knowing congress republicans would reject
Republicans passed legislation mandating economic controls and rationing,
which Truman signed, though he declared ‘pitifully inadequate’
Truman made inflation a republicans problem
How did truman deal with welfare and did he achieve support or shift blame etc
In his 21 point plan - said- larger social security system, national health insurance and demobilisation of army
BUT REPUBLICANS AND SOUTHERN DEMS HATED
He wanted new public work programmes - employment act 1946- measure had no teeth - were not effective
How did truman deal with civil rights and did he achieve support or shift blame etc
Truman - 21 point plant FEPC- war time agency that monitored discrimination against African Americans in hiring practices of government agencies and defence agencies)
Southern Democrats hated it
1948 election results
Everyone though Dewey would win
But despite democrats division with states right dem who got 4 states including Alabama, he won
He therefore did not need the Deep South
What was the success of Truman’s fair deal
Truman won passage of moderately effective public housing and slum-clearance Bill 1949
Increase in minimum wage
Significant expansion of social security 1950
Obstacles of Truman’s fair deal
Southern Democrats filibustered any attempt to push forward civil rights legislations
Failures of Truman’s fair deal
National health insurance and Taft Hartley went no where in congress
Truman’s agricultural program ‘Bannana plan’ designed to aid the family farmer by providing income support - hindered
Economic growth during Truman’s time in power
Unemployment and inflation rose durin first 6 months of 1649
Truman wanted high taxes and limited spending
Gave tax break to businesses as economy stalled
Economy responded by peeking up 1950
Truman’s actions showed primary concern was healthy economic growth
How did truman deal with Eco
US officials hoped government intervention would keep unemployment and inflation under control, stabilise wages and prices and increase military related industrial production
1950 - truman- congressional passage of defence of production act and issued an executive order created the office of defence mobilisation
This proceeded with few hitches
- unemployment stayed low
Inflation remained in check
But many Americans complained about the governments intervention in the economy, esp its controls on credit
Truman
Issue with steel industry
Faced possible shit down as labour and management could not agree on a new contract
Government mediation during 1st several months of 1952 failed to end stalemate
Truman’s objectives = Avert strike, maintain steel production and stay on good terms with labour
Truman used presidential authority to seize steel companies
What was Truman’s response to the red scare
How was communism dealt with
Truman created a temporary loyalty security program for the federal government to uncover security risks like communists
5 months later, Truman issued an executive order making the program permanent
(HUAC) formed 1938, launched an investigation of Hollywood screenwriters and directors in 1947
2 spy cases intensified concerns over communism. 1948, Whitaker Chambers, former communist and editor of time magazine accused Roosevelt aids and state department official Alger Huss of being soviet spy
HUAC investigated this, complete with dramatic testimony from Hiss and Chambers
Less than a month after Buss was convicted of Perjury 1950
Fuchs - scientist working on manhattan project charged and convicted with passing A-bomb secrets to Soviet’s with help of American citizens ——> surprising as Soviets successfully testing atomic bomb 1949- years before ability too
McCarthy argues state department had loads of communists
Truman tried calm hysteria ‘McCarthyism’- president denounced what senator said
Military engagement in Korea and defeats US suffered there only strengthened McCarthy hand
McCartan passed Internal Security Act - restrictions on political activities of communists in US through congress
Truman vetoed buy Congress overrode
How did truman appear on communism and how was he argued
Calm
Said ‘soft’
Level of corruption during Truman’s presidency
Loads of corruption
Some members of his administration did participate in ethically questionable if not illegal activities
Truman’s military aide Vaughan often centre of these allegations. - sought gov favours from friends and business mnenv
1950- democrat senator Fulbright headed an investigation on Vaughan’s activities - finding Vaughn guilty of only minor ethical and legal breaches
Only a few of these questionable or illegal acitivities involved Truman administration officials directly; much of the corruption also involved republicans
Truman’s critics exaggerated corruption
Truman condoned Vaughan’s aciticities
Truman and many administration blamed McGrath who had proven to be more competent as head of justice system. Truman gave Mcarth one more chance - failed - 1952 Truman told him to resign
Bad publicity and corruption :(. Mcgrath successor McGranery did effectively address scandal
Why did Truman not run 1952
Korean War, battles over eco mobilisation, McCarthyism , and allegations of corruption in his administration sapped his will to run for 3rd term.
Public opinion polls however unreliable showed Truman faced an uphill battle to win re-election
Truman campaigner hard for Stevenson and ruined relationship with Eisenhower
Reasons for affluence
Automobiles
Corporations
Television
Unions
Middle class
Cold War
New technology
Workers
Immigration
How did automobiles cause affluence
1950 alone - 8 million cars produced
1960 75% owned car
New highways crater better access to suburbs and its shops.- highway act 1956 further allowed this
How did corporations allow affluence
After 1945- major corporation in America grew larger
Marchers
New conglomerates led way. International telephone and telegraph bought Sheraton hotel
Large corporations also developed holding overseas - when labour costs often lower
How did televisions allow affluence
Not widely marketed until after war
1949-250,000 sets of TV sets a month
In middle of decade- average family watched television 3/4 hours a day
Mickey Mouse club
I love Lucy and father knows - removed stereotype of women
1960- Americans spent $85bilkion s year on entertainment, double the spending of previous decade
How did union movement allow affluence
Union movement ended 1955 with merging on AFL and CIO.
Workers in many industries won settlements that linked wages to cost of living increases
Number of women working outside hone inc
1960/ 40% women joined workforce
And married women w school age children included
How did middle class contribute to affluence
50s= prosperity
Even w 3 recessions during 8 years of Eisenhower’s administration - country’s per capita income rose and inflation remained low
Eisenshower prepared to increase spending to get country out of 1953, 57 + 58 recessions
How did Cold War lead to affluence
Cold War and war in Korea required enourmoud military spending
Certain industries like aerospace industry boomed after war - companies like Lockheed etc employed thousands of people, many of them in high paying engineering and technical occupations
How did new technology lead to affluence
New technologies boosted productivity in both industrial and agricultural sectors
Farm income increased. Cotton at least doubled
Americans’ foreign investment relatively static between world wars, but in 15 years following WW2- it increased 1000% investment in raw materials and resources like oil played a large part in this boom
How did workers lead to affluence
Workers found their own lives changing as industrial America changed
Fewer workers produced goods; more provided services
By 1956 a majority held white collar jobs - working as eg corporate managers
Some firms granted a guaranteed annual wage, long term employment contracts and other benefits
Class distinctions began to fade
How did mass migration lead to affluence
GI bill (44) encouraged mass migration Gave 9m veterans £b until 1956 and loans to 1962
By 1950, 50% college applicants were veterans and gave low cost mortgages, tuition and medical care
By 1960, roughly 40% of all Americans lived in suburbs
Cities like New Mexico expanded rapidly
By 1963 California had more people than ny
Movement of people from inner city to new suburbs - post baby boom
Levitt - new communities
Homes modest
As suburbs grew- large shopping centres containing variety of stores changed consumer patterns
How did affluence reasons link
Migration - technology - workers - consumers blah blah blah
What was ‘the other america’
Post war era = anxiety and struggle
During 1950s- AA quickened pace of struggle for equality by challenging segregation in court.
New youth culture emerged w its own form of music - rock and roll.
Harrington’s ‘The Other America (1962) documented poverty in the US and revealed that by 1960, 35 million Americans lived below poverty line
Despite expansion of social security - older Americans often lived in substandard housing with inadequate housing and food and medical care
Poverty not recognised as problem until 60s
Bracero program bought Mexican workers to US to work on American farms.
Although - expected to return to Mexico at end of Harvest or labour contract - many opted to stay and become illegal aliens.
Millions deported 1953-55
Women continued earning less then men. Magazines such as ‘Life’ dent message that women should focus on creating beautiful home and raising family
NA who experienced policy of termination of self determination in 50s and early 60s pressed for control over their lands and resources , the preservation of native culture and tribal self government
Homosexuals and lesbians organised to end legal discrimination based on sexual orientation
Eisenhower election
Won
Florida And Tennessee Republican
Why was the Eisenhower years known as ‘happy days’
Enjoying benefits of booming economy
Millions of families for first television and second cars
Young people went to drive in movies and followed latest fashion- poodle skirts
Why was ‘happy days’ a myth
Difficult decisions w civil rights
Communism
Domestic affair controversial issues
