apush. 1. what were the 5 major social trends in the immediate postwar (ww ii) years?
TRANSCRIPT
The Truman Years(1945-1952)
APUSH
1. What were the 5 major social trends in
the immediate postwar (WW II) years?
Fear of economic hardship Re-integration of 15 million servicemen Demographic growth Suburban growth Demographic shift
Social Trends…
2. Were the postwar fears of economic
hardship realized?
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
Fear of Economic Hardship…
3. How were the 15 million servicemen
re-integrated into society?
Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI
Bill)
1947: fifty percent of college students got GI Bill
Re-integration of Servicemen…
Going to college on the GI Bill
4. What caused the demographic growth
from 1945 to 1960?
Baby Boom (50 million babies between 1945-
1960)
Causes: improved economy the return to traditional gender roles
Demographic Growth…
5. What caused Suburban growth in the
late 40s and 50s?
Cause:
need for housing low interest rates tax deductible interest
Effect: decay of inner city racial division within cities
Suburban Growth…
Levittown, New York
“The American Dream”
“Moving to the Suburbs”
6. Where did the US population start to
move in the 1940s and 1950s?
Sun Belt
warmer climate lower taxes job opportunities (defense and aerospace)
Demographic Shift…
7. What were the major domestic issues
from 1945 to 1952 under Truman?
Centered on continuing FDR’s New Deal
Employment Act of 1946 Social Security Act of 1950 Discontent amongst unions Civil Rights 22nd Amendment
Fair Deal…
8. What was the 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
Employment Act of 1946
9. What did Social Security Act of 1950
do?
Increased social security benefits significantly
retirement $ expanded coverage to 10 million; including agricultural
workers BUT: no new financing system devised!!!
Social Security Act of 1950
10. Why were unions upset in the 1940s
and early 1950s?
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
Discontent among Unions
11. What was Truman’s stance on 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
Civil Rights
12. How did civil rights impact the 1948
election?
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
13. What was the 22nd Amendment?
Limited the President to a maximum of 2 full terms
in office
22nd Amendment
14. What was the major foreign policy
under Truman?
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)
The Cold War
15. Why did the Cold War start (origins)? Or Why did the US and USSR hate each other so
much?
USA vs. USSR
Political
USA: democracy USSR: communism
Economic
USA: capitalists USSR: socialists
16. Why was 1945 a turning point in
USA-USSR relations?
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
1945: A Turning Point
17. What was America’s postwar
foreign policy?
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
Containment…
18. Where was the policy of containment
applied during the Truman years?
Europe Asia United States
Containment under Truman
19. Who coined the term “Iron Curtain”?
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
Containment in Europe
20. What country was the focus of the
Cold War in Europe?
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
21. What was the Marshall Plan?
Containment in Europe
Marshall Plan: economic aid to rebuild European economies PURPOSE:
prevent the spread of communism in Europe $13 billion to 17 western European nations
EFFECT: Stabilized European economy in face of communist
threat/make communism less appealing Opened up markets/investments for US businesses
22. What was NATO?
Containment in Europe
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), 1949 Military alliance meant to defend all members
from attack US, Canada, 10 European nations Ike first commander USSR response: Warsaw Pact (1955): eastern
European communist nations
23. When did the Soviets get the atomic
bomb?
Containment in Europe
Soviets test the atomic bomb in 1949 US Response: Truman orders construction of
hydrogen bomb (tested in 1952) 500x – 1,000x more powerful than atomic bomb
24. What was US policy toward Japan?
Occupation and creation of democracy
under Douglas MacArthur Parliamentary democracy created
Renounced war Limited military (depended on US protection)
Occupation ended in 1951 US-Japan Security Treaty
Containment in Asia
25. What was US policy toward China?
Support Nationalists (non-communists) in
Chinese Civil War against communist (Mao) to contain communism Policy FAILED!!!
1949: mainland China falls to communism Nationalists under Chiang Kai Shek flee to Taiwan US doesn’t recognize “Red” China until 1979
Containment in Asia
26. What was Us policy toward Korea?
Support non-communist South Korea to
contain communism Korea divided at 38th parallel after WW II June 1950: communist North Korea attacks
South Korea in an attempt to reunify Korea USSR boycotting UN Security Council when vote
taken; US proposed “peacekeeping” force
Containment is Asia
27. How was the Korean War fought?
Phase One: Communist gains
North Koreans push south North Koreans took Seoul within 3 months North Koreans surrounded UN (US) troops at
Pusan
Phase Two: UN (US) counterattack MacArthur leads amphibious invasion at Inchon Sept. 1950: marines landed 13,000; only 21
deaths; took Seoul with in 11 days
Korean War
Korean War
Phase Three: China enters Chinese forces help push UN forces out of North
Korea
Phase Four: Stalemate MacArthur stabilized war at 38th parallel
28. Why did Truman fire MacArthur?
MacArthur publicly criticized official US policy
of containment MacArthur called for an all-out war to unify
Korea MacArthur called for expansion into China if
necessary (with atomic attacks)
RESULT: Truman dismisses MacArthur
Truman fires MacArthur
29. How did the Korean War end?
Armistice (cease-fire) signed at Punmunjon,
1953 NOT a peace treaty (state of war still exists)
54,000 Americans killed Was it a success???
Korean War Ends
30. What was the Loyalty Program?
Created by Executive Order 9835
Created Loyalty Boards to… Determine if there were government employees
who belonged to communist organizations Opened files on “left-wing” artists/intellectuals
Loyalty Program…
31. What did the National Security Act of
1947 create?
Department of Defense National Security Council (NSC) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
National Security Act of 1947
32. What was NSC-68?
Top secret policy paper that…
Officially defined the Cold War as clash between good and evil
Called for quadrupling of defense budget Called for alliances with non-communist nations Urged government to convince US public that
US actions were defensive
NSC-68…
33. What was the Second Red Scare and
who was Joseph McCarthy?
2nd Red Scare: fear that there was communist
infiltration at all levels of US government in early 1950s
Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin Claimed Truman’s administration was filled with
communists Also accused entertainers and intellectuals Support by Roman Catholic Church and some
Republicans
Containment in the US
34. What caused McCarthy’s downfall?
Army-McCarthy Hearings of 1954
McCarthy claimed Army was infiltrated with communists
Hearings on TV McCarthy was seen as bully by public
RESULT: McCarthy censured by Senate
Containment in the US
35. What was the House Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC)?
House Un-American Activities Committee Committee in the House of Representatives
that was meant to expose communists in society, government, and the entertainment industry 2 famous cases
Hollywood Ten Alger Hiss
HUAC
36. Who were the Rosenbergs?
American couple accused of giving atomic
secrets to Russians in 1950 Found guilty, sent to Sing Sing, executed in
1953 Controversy: were they scapegoats??? Victims
of anti-communist witch hunt???
Rosenbergs