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Harry Truman’s Presidency

Harry Truman’s Presidency. Foreign Policy & Domestic Issues. Civil War in China. Communists led by Mao Zedong versus Nationalists led by Chang Kai-shek U.S. supports Nationalists

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Harry Truman’s Presidency

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  1. Harry Truman’s Presidency Foreign Policy & Domestic Issues

  2. Civil War in China • Communists led by Mao Zedong versus Nationalists led by Chang Kai-shek • U.S. supports Nationalists • Send nearly $3 billion in aid as part of containment despite Kai-shek’s Nationalist Party being corrupt & inefficient • Tries to negotiate peace between two groups, but fail • Communists gain strength winning peasant support and defeat the Nationalists • Nationalists flee to the island of Taiwan • U.S. Responds: • Refuses to recognize China • Stunned that containment failed Mao Zedong Chang Kai-shek

  3. The Korean War • Korea is split along 38th parallel • North surrenders to Soviets • South remains democratic • 1950: Northern Communists invade the south crossing the 38th parallel • War starts as a UN “police action” to repel the communist aggression • U.S. enters to save South Korea • want to contain communism • Gen. Douglas MacArthur leads US forces • Inchon Invasion • saves South Korea, forced Northern Communists back to N. Korea • MacArthur then launches counter-attack and pushes into N. Korea

  4. The Korean War • China enters war on side of North Korea • War stalemates • neither side can advance • MacArthur wants to attack China, disagrees with Truman who wants limited war  MacArthur criticizes President Truman Truman fires MacArthur • War drags on for two more years • War finally ends in stalemate in 1953 near the 38th parallel where it started • neither side wins, Korea will stay divided at 38th parallel

  5. Fear of Communism • Americans are fearful that communism will spread around the world • Late 1940s—Communist spies discovered • USSR gets atomic bomb in 1949 • Loyalty boards— • investigated gov’t employees and dismissed any thought to be disloyal • Bill of Rights questioned • House Un-American Activities Committee: • investigate communist activity • Hollywood Ten: • suspected communists who refused to testify because they thought the hearings were unconstitutional • They were blacklisted & sent to prison • Blacklisting: people linked to communism had careers ruined because they could no longer find work

  6. Fear of Communists • Alger Hiss • state dept. official accused of spying, tried and jailed • Rosenbergs • accused of passing atomic secrets to Soviet Union • found guilty and executed • “worse than murder” • Joseph McCarthy • Senator • Led a “Witch Hunt”: attacks on suspected communists • “McCarthyism”- term to describe attacks on suspected communists with little evidence • Senate investigations • 1954 Army Hearings —led to McCarthy’s fall from power

  7. Truman’s Foreign Policy Legacy: • Made decision to drop atomic bomb ending WWII • Developed policy of containment (preventing the spread of communism) • Marshall Plan: • to rebuild war-torn Europe • Truman Doctrine: • provide aid to countries to contain communism • Civil War in China: • containment fails • Korean War: • ends in stalemate, fired MacArthur

  8. Life after WWII • Millions of troops demobilized: • 10 million released in 1946 • Families are reunited = huge increase in births (known as baby boom) • G.I. Bill • education- money towards tuition • low cost loans • Suburbia— • people move outside of cities to areas known as suburbs • made possible by car • mostly white middle class • Levittowns • massed produced housing • affordable • Economy: • great demand for goods after WWII • times are prosperous after war

  9. Domestic Policies: • ”The Buck Stops Here” • Truman wants to restore the economy and stop communism • Wants to prevent a 2nd depression • Threatens gov’t control of industry in order to prevent strikes • Labor union power needs to be curbed b/c strikes can hurt the economy • Taft-Hartley Act: overturns many labor rights won by New Deal

  10. Civil Rights: • Civil Rights: equality for all human beings • Truman takes a firm stand on civil rights • 1st President to do so • 1948: Truman integrated the military: military is no longer segregated – by executive order • asked Congress for civil rights legislation  Congress refused to pass any new laws and Truman’s actions angered party members who supported segregation

  11. Election of 1948: • Candidates: • Democrats: Harry Truman • Republicans: Thomas Dewey • Dixiecrats: Strom Thurmond • (also known as S. Democrats emerged b/c of Truman’s support of civil rights) • Truman was the underdog, launches intense “Give them Hell Harry” campaign • Called Congress into session and used inaction against them saying they did nothing to get support • Truman wins in major upset

  12. Truman’s Fair Deal: • Truman proposed an extension of the New Deal • Congress supported some and ignored others • health insurance (no) • crop subsidies (no) • extension of social security (yes) • low income housing (yes) • aid to schools (no) • Minimum wage raised! • Why so many no’s? Dixiecrats and Republicans join together in Congress.

  13. Truman’s Domestic Legacy: • Social Policies • desegregates the military • Enacts G.I. Bill • McCarthyism—fear of communism • Economic and Political Policy • tried to extend New Deal • many of his domestic policies would become reality in the 1960’s Doesn’t run for re-election because by 1951 his approval was only 23%

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