The Truman Years (1945-1952)

1. The Truman Years(1945-1952) APUSH

2. 1. What were the 5 major social trends in the immediate postwar (WW II) years?

3. Social Trends… • Fear of economic hardship • Re-integration of 15 million servicemen • Demographic growth • Suburban growth • Demographic shift

4. 2. Were the postwar fears of economic hardship realized?

5. Fear of Economic Hardship… • The fears of postwar economic hardship was NEVER realized • The war had increased per-capita income • BUT: wartime shortages (rationing) meant there had been few consumer goods to buy • RESULT: savings accounts were big and people demanded houses, cars, and consumer goods

6. 3. How were the 15 million servicemen re-integrated into society?

7. Re-integration of Servicemen… • Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill) • 1947: fifty percent of college students got GI Bill

8. Going to college on the GI Bill

9. 4. What caused the demographic growth from 1945 to 1960?

10. Demographic Growth… • Baby Boom (50 million babies between 1945-1960) • Causes: • improved economy • the return to traditional gender roles

11. 5. What caused Suburban growth in the late 40s and 50s?

12. Suburban Growth… • Cause: • need for housing • low interest rates • tax deductible interest • Effect: • decay of inner city • racial division within cities

13. Levittown, New York

15. “The American Dream”

16. “Moving to the Suburbs”

17. 6. Where did the US population start to move in the 1940s and 1950s?

18. Demographic Shift… • Sun Belt • warmer climate • lower taxes • job opportunities (defense and aerospace)

20. 7. What were the major domestic issues from 1945 to 1952 under Truman?

21. Fair Deal… • Centered on continuing FDR’s New Deal • Employment Act of 1946 • Social Security Act of 1950 • Discontent amongst unions • Civil Rights • 22nd Amendment

22. 8. What was the Employment Act of 1946?

23. Employment Act of 1946 • Legislation that was meant to sustain economic growth (minimize depressions and recessions) • called for maximum employment • created Council of Economic Advisors to help formulate long-range economic goals • Council utilized GNP to measure economic growth

24. 9. What did Social Security Act of 1950 do?

25. Social Security Act of 1950 • Increased social security benefits significantly • retirement $ expanded • coverage to 10 million; including agricultural workers • BUT: no new financing system devised!!!

26. 10. Why were unions upset in the 1940s and early 1950s?

27. Discontent among Unions • Congress lifted price controls from WW II • result: inflation of 25% • Taft-Hartley Act, 1947 • outlawed closed shop • allowed “right to work” laws that outlawed union shops • gave President power of invoking 80 day cool off period • 4.5 million workers went on strike in 1946

28. 11. What was Truman’s stance on civil rights?

29. Civil Rights • Truman supported civil rights • ended racial discrimination in federal government • established Committee on Civil Rights • strengthened Civil Rights Division of Dept. of Justice • Jackie Robinson

31. 12. How did civil rights impact the 1948 election?

32. Civil Rights & Election of 1948 • Truman’s stance on civil rights alienated southern Democrats • Result: Dixiecrats and Strom Thurmond • Southern Democrats who left Democratic Party because of Truman’s stance on civil rights • Thurmond carried 4 states in 1948 election • Southern Democrats leave party and start voting Republican

33. 13. What was the 22nd Amendment?

34. 22nd Amendment • Limited the President to a maximum of 2 full terms in office

35. 14. What was the major foreign policy under Truman?

36. The Cold War • Period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR) • roughly lasted from 1945 to 1990 • no direct military conflict between the USA & USSR • characterized by arms race (nuclear weapons) and “proxy” wars (war where 3rd parties are used)

37. 15. Why did the Cold War start (origins)? Or Why did the US and USSR hate each other so much?

38. USA vs. USSR Political Economic USA: capitalists USSR: socialists • USA: democracy • USSR: communism

39. 16. Why was 1945 a turning point in USA-USSR relations?

40. 1945: A Turning Point • Before 1945: • USSR wasn’t really trying to expand, occupy countries, or threatening USA markets • After 1945: • USSR desperately wanted security • Wanted “friendly” governments in Eastern Europe and other places in order to provide buffer zones

41. 17. What was America’s postwar foreign policy?

42. Containment… • Containment was declared in the… • Truman Doctrine: US would seek to contain communism wherever it was seen as a threat in the world • First announced in response to situation in Greece • This defined US policy toward communism until 1980s

43. 18. Where was the policy of containment applied during the Truman years?

44. Containment under Truman • Europe • Asia • United States

45. 19. Who coined the term “Iron Curtain”?

46. Containment in Europe • Iron Curtain • Winston Churchill’s speech at Fulton, Missouri (1946) • Term referred to fortified border that USSR erected to separate Eastern European satellite countries (Eastern Bloc) and Western Europe

48. 20. What country was the focus of the Cold War in Europe?

49. Containment in Europe • Germany • Divided into 4 zones of occupation after WW II • June 1948: currency reform announced; first step to forming new West Germany • USSR didn’t want a strong Germany (why???) • Soviet response: blockaded land and water routes into West Berlin • US response: Berlin Airlift: 250,000 flights from June 1948 to May 1949 to supply West Berlin • Stalin backs down; East Germany formed in 1949