Mr. Walter
US History 2
Period 1
The Truman Years: Outlines/Viewing Guide
EQ #1: In what ways did Truman confront Stalin at the dawn of the Cold War, and how did the rivalry between
the United States and the Soviet Union shape post-war Europe?
After watching, listening, and participating in this group’s presentation and reading through the outline found
below, briefly answer the Essential Question in several complete sentences in this box:
Truman and the Dawn of The Cold War in Europe suggested topics:
 The formation of the UN, the World Bank, other international agreements
o United Nations
 January 1, 1942: representatives that were at war with the Axis powers met in
Washington DC to sign the Declaration of United Nations to declare their position
against the Axis powers
 In September 1944, US, British, Soviet, and Chinese reps met to discuss the charter of
the postwar international organization for collective security
 April-June 1945: reps for 50 nations met to sign the Charter of the United Nations
o The World Bank
 Conceived during World War II to help rebuild Europe after the war
 First loan was in 1947 to France
 Main function was reconstruction, for instances like natural disasters and conflict
between countries
 The Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe
o Stalin’s “sphere of influence,” “puppet governments”
 Stalin ideally wanted to take over Eastern Europe
 The sphere of influence consisted of countries Stalin had put his control into, and he
decided to put his Communist views into other countries’ thoughts
 Puppet government- a government that is appointed by and whose affairs are directed
by an outside authority that may impose hardships on those governed
o Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Yugoslavia, etc.
 Poland
 Soviets divided the country
 Stalin took Poland’s eastern territories, and the country was made 20% smaller
 Expelled many Polish citizens from their homes and moved them out west
 Six million had been resettled in what was considered to be their Regained
Lands”
 Bulgaria
 Stalin declared war on Bulgaria in 1944
 Invasion of Bulgaria was made by the Red Army
 Some Russian army forces declared themselves the new leaders of Bulgaria
 Romania
 From 1947-1965, Romania was under a communist ruling that was Soviet
aligned
 Albania
 From 1946-1956, Albania developed a Stalinist way of government
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Yugoslavia
 Yugoslavia was ruled under a communist regime, but Stalin was not the leader
 Tito (the leader) had ties with the Stalin, but they were eventually broken and
Tito was following his own way of Communism that was not Stalinist
Problems with the occupation of Germany among the 4 nations
George Kennan’s Telegram
o George Kennan, the internum American ambassador to Moscow, set a telegram to the State
Department denouncing the Communist regime
o This majorly influenced Cold War policy
o Kennan alleged that it was impossible to live peacefully with the paranoid and violent Soviet
Union, and that Roosevelt shouldn’t have tried to negotiate with Stalin
o Believed they would try to take over Turkey and Iran, and try to weaken American influence
o believed the Soviets would only listen to force, not diplomacy
o Led the US to a more aggressive policy towards the USSR
Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAyXXepUgrE
o Changed the way the West viewed Communism- not allies who had helped win the war, but
enemies
o popularized the term “Iron Curtain”
The Truman Doctrine and containment; Greece and Turkey civil wars
o The Truman Doctrine: The US would economically and militarily aid any democratic nation being
attacked by an authoritarian one.
o Truman asked that the US support Greeks and Turks against communism, creating the doctrine,
after England withdrew aid to the countries
o He argued that any threats to worldwide democracy posed a threat to the US
o This meant that the US was forced to get involved in many foreign conflicts
The Marshall Plan- Post WWII Europe lay in ruins, the economy was broken, cities lay in ash and there
needed to be some sort of way to rebuild the Nations. So it was decided that the European nations would
create a plan for their economic reconstruction and that the United States provide economic assistance.
This plan was approved by president Truman.
The Berlin Airlift- The country of Germany was split into the west and the east. The Americans and the
United Kingdom controlled east germany and the Soviets controlled the west. The city of Berlin was
located in West Germany and it was under Soviet rule. The Soviets cut of routes to Berlin which stopped
the flow of supplies into the city. So the americans wanted to find a way to give supplies to Berlin without
invading or disrupting the Soviets, so we flew aircraft over the city and dropped crates of supplies for the
people.
The founding of NATO- NATO was founded April 4, 1949. It Stands for the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization. NATO was formed in response to the Soviet threat.The NATO alliance consists of 12
countries who must defend each other in times of war. NATO’s essential purpose is to safeguard the
freedom and security of its members through political and military means. Promotes worldwide
democracy.
The National Security Act
o Streamlined Bureaucracy of Foreign affairs
o Combined the War department and the Navy Department into the Defense Department
o Created the National Security Council (NSC) Which was a council used to sift through the
increasing amount of diplomatic information.
o Created the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) replaced the central intelligence group.
 CIA was created to gather INFO, undergo covert operations,
The Soviet atomic bomb; Truman’s development of the H-bomb
o August 29, 1949 USSR detonated first Atomic bomb with a strength near that of Trinity
o Soviets built civilian structures and left animals in cages nearby to test the strength and the
effect of radiation on mammals. All structures were destroyed and the animals were incinerated.
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Klaus Fuchs was arrested for passing Nuclear secrets to the Soviets, he gave the blueprints for
the Fat Man (Plutonium Bomb) and other secrets for development.
Because of the loss of Atomic supremacy, Truman ordered the development of the Hydrogen
bomb which was so powerful, it Vaporized an entire Island and left a crater 1 mile wide.
Three Years after the detonation of the American Hydrogen bomb, the Soviets detonated their
first bomb putting the world under the threat of thermonuclear War
NSC-68
o Outlined a number of different courses of action that the United States could take.
o Isolationism
 Said that this would be a bad idea because it would promote Soviet expansion through
Europe and Asia and would leave us marooned in the West
o Pre-emptive strike
 Bad Idea because it would not destroy the USSR’s military and would simply start
retaliatory strikes
o Negotiation
 Seen as improbable by the NSC
 would require extremely different economic situation in the west to deter the Soviets
o Arms Build up
 This was scene as the only way to successfully keep the Soviets away, they believed that
by building up military strength, the Soviets would stay away
o This document largely outlined how the US would approach non-domestic issues during the cold
war
EQ #2: How did the international community deal with the legacy and the aftermath of The Holocaust? What
steps were taken to bring about justice and to help the survivors rebuild their lives?
After watching, listening, and participating in this group’s presentation and reading through the outline found
below, briefly answer the Essential Question in several complete sentences in this box:
The Legacy of the Holocaust suggested topics (definitely go further here):
 General Information
o By the year 1945, the Holocaust finally came to an end.
o To a conclusion, 6 million Jews died throughout the whole tragedy and a little less than 4 million
survived the horrible event.
o Most survived because they escaped before the whole event even started. The many that
survived were either liberated from the camps by the Russian Army or survived the hard life of
labor done in the concentration camps. 6 million Jews killed (along with “undesirables” homosexuals, gypsies, slaves, communists)
o when people discovered the extermination camps in 1945, they found piles of corpses, bones,
and human ashes - testament to Nazi mass murder
o Jews migrated all across the globe, to places such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
South Africa and Western Europe
o In post-war Poland, there were a number of anti-Jewish riots, called pogroms
 the largest was in Kielce, where Polish rioters killed 42 Jews and injured many others
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The Nuremberg Trials
o Timeline: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/NurembergChronology.html
o A series of 13 trials
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In the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust, the world was faced with a challenge—how to seek
justice for an almost unimaginable scale of criminal behavior.
The International Military Tribunal (IMT) held at Nuremberg, Germany, attempted to broach this
immense challenge on a legal basis.
The IMT was designed to document and readdress crimes committed in the course of the most
massive conflict the world has ever known (trial of judgement for war crimes) - transcended
verdict and punishment
In October 1945, the IMT indicated the Nuremberg defendants on four counts: crimes against
peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy to commit these crimes
“A single landmark of justice and honor does not make a world of peace.” -- Former US Secretary
of War Henry Stimson, January 1947
The result of the trial: the extermination of the European Jews was not an independent count at
the trial but was concluded as ‘crimes against humanity.’
Many of the murderers, tormentors and henchmen have since 1945 been convicted for the
murder of Jews based on the guidelines of from the Nuremberg Tribunal.
Several of these have been executed.
It is important to note that war criminals were convicted according to European judicial
principles of defense, examination of witnesses, evidence, etc.
It was thus necessary to prove the accused guilty according to law before sentencing.
As a result of the trials, the public came to know much more about the crimes against humanity
that had taken place in the Nazis’ horrible concentration- and extermination camps.
http://www.projetaladin.org/holocaust/en/history-of-the-holocaust-shoah/the-aftermath.html
"The purpose of the Nuremberg trial was not merely, or even principally, to convict the leaders
of Nazi Germany ... Of far greater importance, it seemed to me from the outset, was the making
of a record of the Hitler regime which would withstand the test of history." —Robert Storey, head
of the US prosecution team
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Displaced Persons Act
o This was an act for a limited period of time the admission into the US of certain European
displaced persons for permanent residence, and for other purposes
o This act helped those individuals who were victims of persecution by the Nazi government or
who were fleeing persecution, and someone who could not go back to their country because of
fear of persecution based on race, religion or political opinions.
o http://library.uwb.edu/guides/usimmigration/1948_displaced_persons_act.html
o Under this law, refugees became for the first time a major factor in U.S. immigration, and the
administration of this law would influence subsequent policies on refugees, notably those from
communist countries, including Hungary, Cuba, and Vietnam.
o http://immigrationinamerica.org/464-displaced-persons-act-of-1948.html
o With the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948, Jewish displaced persons and refugees
began streaming into the new sovereign state.
o Possibly as many as 170,000 Jewish displaced persons and refugees had immigrated to Israel by
1953.
o http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005129
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Founding of Israel
o May 14, 1948 - state of Israel is born
o David Ben-Gurion (head of Jewish agency) proclaims the state of Israel at Independence Hall in
Tel Aviv
o “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel” Ben-Gurion
o Zionist movement and Jewish dream of about 2,000 years became a reality
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Independence Hall was formerly the house of Zinna and Meir Dizengoff (Tel Aviv’s founding
father and first mayor) - was then made into the Tel Aviv Art Museum, then into Independence
Hall
the picture in the back of Independence Hall is Theodor Herzl - the visionary behind the Zionist
movement and creation of a Jewish homeland
needed a place for the Jews from the Holocaust to go - these Jews would go back to their home
countries, and still be treated poorly, sometimes even beaten and killed, by anti-semitic people
Harry Truman recognizes Israel as a state the same day - the US and Israel lived happily ever after
(bffs) - soon after Guatemala and Russia recognize them
Originally, FDR had previously promised in 1945 that the US would not intervene in the issues
between Jews and Arabs in Palestine
Truman established a committee to deal with Palestine under Henry F. Grady (Assistant Secretary
of State) - would communicate with the British on the future of Palestine
May 1946 - Truman approved 100,000 displaced persons into Palestine - later declared his
support for a Jewish state
after the Holocaust, there was a great need for a Jewish homeland for Jews to dwell in peace - it
was eventually created, and Jews dwelled in it, but not quite in peace
November 1947 - Resolution 181 - would divide Britain’s Palestinian mandate into Jewish and
Arab states in May 1948 (when the British mandate was scheduled to end)
made sure to limit the immigration of Jews into the nation
Arab-Israeli War (War of Independence) broke out immediately after the independence of Israel 5 Arab countries invaded the Palestinian mandate - this was the beginning of very long, still
present tension and anti-Jewish sentiment
EQ #3: How did the Cold War transform Asia in the post-war era? What steps did Truman take to confront and
contain Communism in that part of the world?
After watching, listening, and participating in this group’s presentation and reading through the outline found
below, briefly answer the Essential Question in several complete sentences in this box:
Truman and the Dawn of The Cold War in Asia
U.S. Occupation of Japan and MacArthur/US-Japanese Security Treaty
 The United States wanted to demilitarize Japan, we would do this by eliminating their armed forces, and
also eliminating patriotism in schools. This occupation lasted from 1945 to 1952.
 MacArthur was named supreme commander of the Occupation Forces. He felt that the only way japan
could be peaceful is if it was a democracy.
 The occupation was a success ---> 40 years after this occupation japan has still not fought in a war, they
are good allies with the US, and they also still abide by some important changes made by the occupation
 US - Japanese Security Treaty: committed the US to back up japan if they were under attack. It also
provided bases and ports for the United States in Japan.
 U.S. - Philippine relations are based on strong historical and cultural links and a shared commitment to
democracy and human rights
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The U.S. military bases in the Philippines, including the Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base, extended
vital support to American deployed forces operating in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and even in the
Persian Gulf during the Cold War.
Communist China
 Important People
o Chiang Kai-shek
 chinese military and political leader who led the Chinese Nationalist Party for 5 decades
and was the head of the chinese government between 1928-1949
 In 1946 Civil war broke out between the KMT and the Communists. The communists
were victorious (Establishing the people’s republic of china), Chiang and the remaining
KMT forces fled to the island of Taiwan, there they established a government in exile
which he led for the next 25 years
 This government was recognized by many other countries as the legitimate government
of china and controlled China’s seat in the United Nations until the end of Chiang’s life
 Mao Zedong
o served as the chairman of the People’s Republic of China from 1949-1959 and then led the
Chinese
o Communist Party from 1935 until his death
o Mao is officially held in high regard in the People's Republic of China, by both the people and the
government. Supporters regard him as a great leader and credit him with numerous
accomplishments including modernizing China and building it into a world power, promoting the
status of women, improving education and health care, providing universal housing, and
increasing life expectancy as China's population grew from around 550 to over 900 million during
the period of his leadership
o In contrast, critics, including many historians, have characterized him as a dictator who oversaw
systematic human rights abuses, and whose rule is estimated to have contributed to the deaths
of 40–70 million people through starvation, forced labor and executions, ranking his tenure as
the top incidence of democide in human history.
US-Philippines Security Treaty
On August 30, 1950 a defense act by America and the Philippines was signed so both nations would
support them if they were to be attacked by an external party. There main goal was to establish a comprehensive
system of regional security in the Pacific Area.
*The Korean War*
 an agreement following the end of WWII divides Korea into US and Soviet occupation zones (the country’s
capital stays in the south)(This creates two ideologically different countries)
 Syngman Rhee is elected chairman of the South (backed by the US) , Kim Il Sung is elected in the North
(Soviet)
 Secretary of State Dean Acheson says that America’s defense perimeter cuts through the Sea of Japan and
includes the Philippines ; he fails to include South Korea in this (did this give North Korea the “green light”
to invade the South?)
 After a year of military provocations by both sides, North Korea invades South Korea. The Northern Forces
easily overwhelm the South and capture Seoul (the capital) in 3 days. The United Nations condemns the
attack and creates a “police” force to help defend South Korea (June 1950)
 July 1950 the first US soldiers join the battle. They suffer heavy casualties.
 General MacArthur (commander of the UN forces) invades Seoul and captures the city after 2 weeks of
“house to house” fighting. MacArthur has his troops continue to chase the retreating North Army back
across the border (September 1950)
 October 1950 : UN forces capture the capital of North Korea that sits 90 miles across the North-South
Border.MacArthur continues to sweep onward. His forces push North Korean troops up to the Yalu River
(the water border with china)
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An amphibious assault at Inchon pushed the North Koreans out of Seoul and back to their side of
the 38th parallel. But as American troops crossed the boundary and headed north toward the
Yalu River, the border between North Korea and Communist China, the Chinese started to worry
about protecting themselves from what they called “armed aggression against Chinese territory.”
 November 1950 : China issues warnings against the UN that it needs to cease aggressions against North
Korea. China sets a trap to stop the UN army. The UN army is pushed into a disorganized retreat.
 China continues to fight for North Korea
 November 1950 : Harry Truman threatens to drop another atomic bomb against China if they continued
fighting.
 January - March 1951: Seoul is captured by the North again but then quickly was taken back by the
South/UN Army
 April 1951 : Because of their disagreement on how to militarily handle the Korean War ; Truman dismisses
MacArthur and puts General Ridgeway in charge.
 July 1951 : Peace Talks begin between the North and South. They go no where
 November 1941 : the korean war becomes a time of bloody trench warfare without any capturing of
territory or victory. It becomes a stalemate. The UN, China, and North Korea sign an Armistice. South
Korea refuses to sign. the agreement called for a 2.5 mile gap across the middle of the korean
peninsula. The soviet union had control of the north and the US was in the south. The north adopted a
communist government and the south went for a democratic government.
o THERE IS NO REAL END TO THE WAR
FAST FACTS ABOUT THE KOREAN WAR
- The US sent about 90% of the troops that went to South Korea
- The first war with battles between jet aircraft
- There was never a peace treaty so the war never technically ended
- The US spent about $67 billion on the war
- There are more than 7,900 American Soldiers still missing in action from the Korean War as of
June 2013
U.S. Troops Statistics
Source: Dept. of Defense
U.S. Deaths:
Hostile: 33,739
Non-Hostile: 2,835
Total In-Theatre: 36,574
U.S. Wounded in Action - 103,284
Other Casualties by Country (killed and missing)
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
South Korea - (217,000 military, 1,000,000 civilian)
North Korea - (406,000 military, 600,000 civilian)
China - (600,000 military)
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5 million people died. More than half of these–about 10 percent of Korea’s prewar population–were
civilians. (This rate of civilian casualties was higher than World War II’s and Vietnam’s.) Almost 40,000
Americans died in action in Korea, and more than 100,000 were wounded.
Nearly 10,000 North and South Korean soldiers were killed in battle before the war even began
Fighting against communism itself was a huge theme in the war
EQ #4: How and why did conditions for African Americans improve after the war? What role did civil rights
organizations play, as well as the Supreme Court and President Truman?
After watching, listening, and participating in this group’s presentation and reading through the outline found
below, briefly answer the Essential Question in several complete sentences in this box:
Truman and Civil Rights suggested topics
· Voter registration drives in the south
· President’s Committee on Civil Rights, 1946
· “To Secure These Rights”
· Desegregation of the federal government and the military: Executive Order 9981
· Important civil rights cases, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Thurgood
Marshall
o Morgan v Virginia
o Shelley v Kraemer
o Sweatt v Painter
o McLaurin v Oklahoma State
· Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers, 1947
Notes: (AA= African Americans)
 Morgan v Virginia
-Spring of 1946
-Irene Morgan, a 27 year old AA, boarded a bus in Virginia to go to Baltimore,
Maryland. She was ordered to sit in the back since it was required by Virginia law.
-She was arrested and fined ten dollars.
-The case was taken by Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP
-They argued that since an 1877 Supreme Court decision said that it was illegal for a state to forbid
segregation so it was illegal for a state to require it.
-After the case moved into the Supreme Court, they ruled that it was unconstitutional to enforce
segregation on interstate carriers.
-This helped set the precedent for other NAACP cases against segregation.
 Sweatt v Painter
-Herman Marion Sweatt, a 33 year old AA, applied for admission to the University of Texas Law School in
1946.
-His application was immediately rejected by the president of the university, Theophilus Painter, since the
school restricted access to whites.
-Sweatt asked the state courts to help him get into the school and the university attempted to provide
separate but equal facilities for black law students but no one applied.
-Thurgood Marshall represented them.
-The case was taken to the Supreme Court in 1950.
-The Court ruled that under the Equal Protection Clause (the law must treat you equally and fairly),
Sweatt’s admission must be admitted.
-Paved way for Brown v Board of Education.
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Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was an interracial American organization established in 1942 to
improve race relations through direct-action projects
In the late 50s CORE challenged public segregation in the South and launched voter registration drives for
AA
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These drives attempted to exercise AA right to vote
These drives brought death to many of its organizers and supporters
Predominantly white area abused supporters
Due to discrimination and violence, only 3% of voting-age black men and women in the South were
registered to vote
In Mississippi, less than 1%
A majority of blacks who did vote lived in large cities in the South
As the civil rights movement began, African Americans demanded their right to vote and launched voter
registration drives in Southern communities
In 1946, Truman assembled the President’s Committee on Civil Rights
The group’s landmark report was To Secure These Rights (published in October 1947)
Proposition: “To end immediately all discrimination and segregation based on race, color, creed, or
national origin, in the organization and activities of all branches of the Armed Services”
Resistance from Southern Senators drove Truman to pass Executive Order 9981 in July 1948
Response to this integration was mixed:
o US Navy accommodated
o Marines and Air Force cooperated for efficiency purposes
o US Army opposed it
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Jackie Robinson made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947
o First AA to play in the MLB
o Felt racism from everyone he encountered in the MLB
o Played 151 games, hit .297%, stole the most bases, and won the first rookie of the year award
o He was also named the second most admirable American
o Ended up becoming the Dodgers highest paid player a couple of years later
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McLaurin v Oklahoma State
o George W. McLaurin was denied admission to the graduate program at Oklahoma State
University
 Was a misdemeanor to teach both blacks and whites
o 3 judges struck down the law that said that George couldn’t go to Oklahoma State
o He was still segregated on campus
 Ate by himself
 Sat at different table in the library
 Sat in separate area of the classroom
o Went to the Supreme Court in 1950 and they ruled in George’s favor
 Decided treating him differently was a violation of the 14th amendment
 Supreme Court said they wouldn’t tolerate separation of students based on their race
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Desegregation of the Military and Federal Government
o Let AAs join the military
o July 26, 1948
o Truman appointed numerous AAs to high ranking federal government positions
o Executive Order 9981 said, “there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons
in the armed forces without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.”
Shelley vs. Kraemer
o Court Case
o Kraemer was a white property owner who sued the AA Shelley family, trying to block them from
owning land
o Original rule in St. Louis said that “AAs nor Asians could buy the land there” for 50 years
o The Shelleys didn’t know that 30 out of 39 families signed a covenant saying no AAs could buy
land.
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Court turned it down, because not all of the families signed to covenant. Brought the Missouri
Supreme Court, which reversed the original case. Shelleys appealed to Supreme Court
Case went up to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court said that restrictive covenant were unconstitutional (you can not discriminate
selling a house by the color of their skin).
EQ #5: Why was Truman’s handling of domestic politics and the U.S. economy following the war so often
criticized? How did the political realities of the post-war era make Truman’s ability to govern more challenging?
What steps did Truman and the Congress take to improve the economy and manage the transition from wartime
to peacetime?
Truman, Domestic Politics, and the Economy suggested topics:
· The challenges and problems of post-war demobilization/reconversion
 Many Americans feared another Depression
 Main problem was shortages, inflation and labor unrest
 https://www.trumanlibrary.org/hst/e.htm
 Truman wanted new Public works programs
 legislation guaranteeing “full employment”, extension of the Fair Employment Practices Committee
 http://millercenter.org/president/truman/essays/biography/4
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“Home alive in ’45,” “no boats, no votes,” “To err is Truman”
 American troops in Guam and Manila and their families in America protested “no boats, no votes” so they
could get home faster
 They weren’t going to vote for Truman or his party if the troops didn’t get home
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Employment Act of 1946, Council of Economic Advisors
 The Employment Act of 1946 created the Council of Economic Advisors
 Charged the government with the responsibility of maintaining a high employment level and price
stability
 Council of Economic Advisors- assists the president by advising the president on certain policies and
collecting economic data
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/employmentactof1946.asp
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Inflation and strikes
 Inflation was the most important economic problem at the time
 A series of strikes in 1946 threatened the American economy
 Truman forced settlements between labor and management in mining and railroad industries
 Allowed wage increases in the auto and steel industry
 Tried price freezes to control the economy
 Price controls were later lifted due to pressure from all sides of the economy
 After price controls disappeared, prices rose again and price controls were reinstituted
http://www.nj.gov/military/korea/biographies/truman.html
http://millercenter.org/president/truman/essays/biography/4
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Truman vs. The 80th Congress; Robert Taft
 Brought the Republican-controlled 80th Congress back to Washington in late July with his list of desired
legislation
 It failed to pass any of Truman’s proposals - Truman could point to an example of this “do-nothing”
Republican congress and warn them that a Republican presidential victory would bring only further
neglect to the issues
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He slightly exaggerated and attacked Congress; said that if a Republican came to the white house, they
would repeal the New Deal
http://millercenter.org/president/truman/essays/biography/3
Taft
 US Senator from Ohio from 1939 to 1953
 He was the main opposer to FDR’s New Deal policy
 When Truman became president he tried to derail his post-war plans.
 He condemned Truman domestic record and promoted Republican candidates.
 Taft also pushed bills of his own to passage
 Taft had the nickname Mr. Republican and unified his part against Truman
· Taft-Hartley Act
 federal law that monitors the activities and powers of labor unions
 Imposed limits on strikes
 Prohibited radicals from leadership of strikes
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Taft%E2%80%93Hartley_Act.html
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Public Housing Administration and the National Housing Act
 Housing Act of 1949
o Expanded federal role in mortgage insurance and insurance of public housing
o This was part of the Fair Deal, which was a part of Harry Truman’s domestic legislation
o Federal financing for slum clearance programs a part of urban renewal
o Built more than 800,000 public housing units
o The act funded research for housing and housing techniques.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/about/admguide/history.cfm
GI Bill of Rights
1. The Federal Government would subsidize tuition, fees, books, and educational materials for veterans
and contribute to living expenses incurred while attending college or other approved institutions.
2. Veterans were free to attend the educational institution of their choice.
3. Colleges were free to admit those veterans who met their admissions requirements.
 Within the first 7 years of the Bill being in place, 8 million veterans received educational benefits.
o 2,300,000 attended college
o 3,500,000 received school training
o 3,400,000 received on-the-job training
 By 1951, this act had cost the government a total cost of approximately $14 billion.
 http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~daniel_schugurensky/assignment1/1944gibill.html
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Baby Boom
 A period where the birth rate greatly increased.
 In the US the term most often refers to the post World War 2 era between 1946 to 1964 where men came
home from war and a lot of babies were had.
 76.4 million were born in this time.
 More than 2 out of 100 women (2%) had babies annually during this time.
 http://www.history.com/topics/baby-boomers
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The Fair Deal
 Recommended that all Americans have health insurance, minimum wage be increased, and by law all
Americans are guaranteed equal rights
 January 5, 1949
 His plans were not popular with Congress
 They rejected his plans for national health insurance, but raised minimum
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Truman also proposed the Fair Employment Practices Act, outlaw racial and religious discrimination in
hiring - 1946
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/modern/jb_modern_fairdeal_1.html
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22nd amendment
 No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the
office of President or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person
was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once; does not apply to
the current President
 Basically - you can only be elected twice and if you became president (like from assassination) can only be
elected one more time if they served more than 2 years
 http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxii
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The growth of suburbs and “the good life”
 US Levittowns were the beginning of suburban growth
 Because of men coming home from war, there was a house shortage
 GI Bill provided educate and build houses to returning soldiers
 William Levitt bought thousands of acres outside NY and Philly
 He planned construction of town of prefabricated houses
 First Levittown was started in Hempstead Town, Long Island, NY
 Pre planned and mass produced houses
 Low cost home with shopping centers, playgrounds, swimming pool, and more, nearby
 Building boom
 Because of the baby boom, many men and women had families and thought that these communities
would be nice places to have a family.
 More people used automobiles so the road system was expanded
 Henry Ford was a reason why they caught on the way they did
 Many moved here because whites didn’t want to live in cities where desegregation was going on
 http://l3d.cs.colorado.edu/systems/agentsheets/New-Vista/automobile/suburbia.html
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The Election of 1948
 Incorrect headline
 Democrats join with Communists to launch a new Progressive party and nominated Henry A. Wallace
 Republicans nominated NY Governor, Thomas Dewey
 Somehow Truman won even though the Democrats were split and he was widely disliked
 Truman got a 49.5 popular vote - Dewey got 45.1 - Thurmond got 2.4 - Minor parties got 3
 Textbook
o Strom Thurmond and the “Dixiecrats”
 Segregationist party
 Breakaway party from the Democratic Party
 Wanted to protect the “southern way of life”
 Opposed racial integration and wanted to keep Jim Crow laws and white supremacy
 After the Civil War was over states' rights was used to justify continued segregation and to combat federal
anti-lynching laws.
o Thomas Dewey
 Was the Governor of New York 1943-1954
 Republican candidate for Presidency in 1944 and 1948.
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He represented the Northeastern business and professional community that accepted most of the New
Deal after 1944.
Was expected to win the election of 1948 but was defeated by Truman
http://www.deweydefeatstruman.com/Deweybio.htm
o Henry Wallace
 Known to be one of America’s worst Vice Presidents.
 Shoehorned into office by FDR
 Bad relationship with Truman
 Believed in mankind’s goodness
 Elicited goodwill from his colleagues
 Democrats bypassed him as their President nomination, and nominated Truman instead
 Secretary of Commerce
 Ran for president in 1947
 http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1834600_1834604_1835417,00.html
EQ #6: Why was there a Red Scare following World War II? How did the fear and paranoia impact the
government, American society, and popular culture? How was this fear exacerbated by opportunistic
politicians? What fears were legitimate, and which ones were misplaced?
Truman and The 2nd Red Scare
- Federal Loyalty Program/Loyalty Review Board
 March 21, 1947 Truman made the Loyalty Order to investigate to ensure that everyone working in the
government was loyal to the US
 Required all federal employees to be screened for loyalty
 "Red Scare." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.
- Prosecutions under the Alien Registration Act (Smith Act)
 The Alien Registration Act, or the Smith Act, passed in 1940 made it illegal for anyone in the United States
to advocate or teach the desirability to overthrow the government.
 The law requires all alien residents over the age of 14 to file a statement of their political beliefs and job
status.
 Within four months, almost 5 million aliens registered.
 One of the first men to be arrested because of this act was James Cannon, the national secretary of the
Socialist Workers Party.
 Politicians decided to use this act against supporters of the American Communist Party. For example,
Eugene Dennis, the general secretary of the American Communist Party, and 11 other party leaders were
arrested. After a 9-month trial, the defendants were found guilty. However, as soon as the trial began,
they were guilty because of the anti-communist mindset of the Americans.
 46 more arrests by the end of the summer of 1951
 "Alien Registration Act." Alien Registration Act. Spartacus Educational, n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.
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McCarran Internal Security Act
 1950 law that required the registration of Communist Organizations with the Attorney General and
established the Subversive Activities Control Board to investigate persons suspected of being engaged
with activities promotion a totalitarian dictatorship, communism, or fascism.
 Members of these groups couldn’t become citizens and sometimes prevented them from entering and
leaving the country.
 The democratic-controlled Congress overrode President Truman’s veto of this law.
 "McCarran Internal Security Act." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.
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HUAC http://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/huac.cfm
 The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) was an investigative committee of the United
States House of Representatives. It was created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive
activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having
Communist ties
 HUAC often pressured witnesses to surrender names and other information that could lead to the
apprehension of Communists and Communist sympathizers. Committee members often branded
witnesses as "red" if they refused to comply or hesitated in answering committee questions
 Richard Nixon was a member
Congressman Richard Nixon - http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/red-scare-again/
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After hours of questioning, it was obvious to committee members that there were sharp contradictions
between the two men's stories. One of them was lying and it was the responsibility of HUAC members to
determine which one. Recently elected Congressman Richard Nixon became the committee lead and
questioned Chambers and Hiss separately, without the public or press in attendance. Nixon, realizing that
it was almost impossible to determine whether Hiss was a member of the Communist Party more than a
decade earlier, focused on his opening statement claim that he never laid eyes on Whittaker Chambers.
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Nixon first asked Chambers a series of questions to determine how well he knew Alger Hiss's personal life.
Chambers claimed to have visited the Hiss home several times and described in detail the furniture, pets,
and even personal mannerisms and eating and drinking habits of the Hiss family. Chambers also told a
story where he served as an intermediary when Hiss sold a car to another Communist.
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Armed with the information from Chambers, Nixon then questioned Hiss during another closed session.
Unlike his first appearance where he seemed calm and collected, Hiss grew anxious and hostile as Nixon
displayed a photo of Whittaker Chambers and asked if he recognized him. Hiss wavered before admitting
that the face in the photo looked familiar. After a long series of questions, Hiss eventually acknowledged
that he once sold a car with the help of a freelance journalist whom, he believed, could have been the
man in the photo. The story proved there was a connection between the two men.
Alger Hiss/Whittaker Chambers- z
 Nixon first asked Chambers a series of questions to determine how well he knew Alger Hiss's personal life.
Chambers claimed to have visited the Hiss home several times and described in detail the furniture, pets,
and even personal mannerisms and eating and drinking habits of the Hiss family. Chambers also told a
story where he served as an intermediary when Hiss sold a car to another Communist.
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Armed with the information from Chambers, Nixon then questioned Hiss during another closed session.
Unlike his first appearance where he seemed calm and collected, Hiss grew anxious and hostile as Nixon
displayed a photo of Whittaker Chambers and asked if he recognized him. Hiss wavered before admitting
that the face in the photo looked familiar. After a long series of questions, Hiss eventually acknowledged
that he once sold a car with the help of a freelance journalist whom, he believed, could have been the
man in the photo. The story proved there was a connection between the two men.
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Meanwhile, scared that the committee might indict him for perjury, Chambers unveiled a bombshell—a
sealed envelope containing five rolls of microfilm that included copies of State Department reports and
diplomatic cables in Alger Hiss's handwriting allegedly given to the Communists. Assistant Secretary of
State John Peurifoy testified that anyone possessing the documents found on the microfilm would have
been able to break every U.S. diplomatic code then in use. While Hiss could not be indicted for espionage
because of the statute of limitations, he was charged with perjury in 1950 and sentenced to five years in
jail.
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Civil Defense Act- http://www.coldwar.org/articles/50s/women_civildefense.asp(3)
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Concern about the Soviet hostility in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia and having prior knowledge that
the Russians have tested their own atomic bomb, Congress passed the Federal Civil Defense Act in 1950.
 President Truman quickly approved it then said, “ it is designed to protect life and property in the US in
case of enemy assault.”
 The Federal Civil Defense Agency(FCDA) now authorized by the act started a campaign to teach the
American public how to survive a nuclear attack, how to survive against Soviet air assaults. It was led by a
former governor of Florida Millard Caldwell.
 The FCDA gave out millions of instruction manuals, handbooks, and pamphlets on how to Survive an
Atomic bomb
 Because congress wouldn’t provide the funds for the FCDA,they looked for women to volunteer and
“serve” their country. They did this by training their families how to prepare, for an attack, containing the
fear and panic, and having the house prepared
 By the end of the decade the FCDA highlighted the unique skill of women and their strong roles in
civil defense
The Rosenbergs- http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-rosenberg-trial-begins
 Julius Rosenberg, his brother-in-law, was a member of the American Communist Party and was fired from
his government job during the Red Scare.
 The Rosenbergs were accused of selling nuclear to the russian
 The Soviets exploded their first atomic bomb (and effectively started the Cold War) in September 1949
based on information, including that from Greenglass, they had obtained from spies.
 The only direct evidence of the Rosenberg's involvement was the confession of Greenglass. The left-wing
community believed that the Rosenbergs were prosecuted because of their membership in the
Communist Party.
 The Rosenbergs were sentenced to death row on April 6.
The rise of Joseph McCarthy
 In 1950, as the Red Scare intensified, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy told the Ohio County
Republican Women's Club of Wheeling, West Virginia, that the State Department was infested with
Communists. He claimed to have a list of 205 names that were known to the Secretary of State as being
members of the Communist Party. News of the speech spread quickly across the nation and Republican
McCarthy became the talk of Congress.
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Capitalizing on the public's growing anxiety over communism and their eagerness to believe his
allegations, McCarthy led a full-scale investigation to uncover Communists in America. No one was safe
from McCarthy's wrath as he unleashed accusation after accusation. Even General George Marshall, army
chief of staff during World War II, was targeted. McCarthy professed that the general was "steeped in
falsehood and part of a conspiracy so immense and an infamy so black as to dwarf any previous venture in
the history of man."

After the Republicans won the White House in 1952, McCarthy's claims grew bolder. He challenged that
the Democrats, including Franklin Roosevelt, played a large part in allowing communism to infiltrate all
levels of the U.S. government. Although many Republicans, including newly elected President Eisenhower,
did not agree with the tactics employed by McCarthy, they were happy to see the Democratic Party on
the defensive. With so many Democrats dealing with McCarthy and his fevered charges, they had little
time to critique the Republican administration's performance.

Opinion polls showed that Americans favored the way that McCarthy conducted his crusade. The sheer
number of charges, and the high level status of many of those accused, convinced a large percent of the
population that there must be some truth in his claims. It would later be learned that McCarthy was
promoting a big lie. He never had evidence to back up his claims, and he never exposed a single spy or
American Communist during the entire course of his "Red Hunt."
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The Senator grew to like the media spotlight and did whatever was necessary to remain in the focus.
Every time an accused denied the charges, McCarthy distracted the public by making more sensational
accusations. If someone provided facts to repudiate the allegations, McCarthy responded by calling that
person a Communist.

Eisenhower quickly realized that McCarthy was a nuisance and his extreme right wing activities were
interfering with his ability to lead the country. Publicly, the president supported McCarthy; however,
behind the scenes, Eisenhower believed the Senator was spinning out of control and worked to restrain
him.
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In 1953, McCarthy was picked to lead the Senate Committee on Government Operations. One of the
committee's investigations targeted a U.S. Army dentist who received a promotion despite supposed ties
to communism. When army officials refused to cooperate with McCarthy, the Senator accused Army
Secretary Robert Stevens of "coddling" Communists within his service, and ordered public hearings—
which were nationally televised—to look into the matter. McCarthy's eagerness to showcase his attacks in
front of the American public backfired when people were able to observe his irrational behavior.

When the hearings began, McCarthy dove into the half-truths and undocumented accusations to which
he had become accustomed. Army representatives then counterattacked with their own charge that
McCarthy looked into securing favors for David Schine, a recently drafted aide. Later, after McCarthy
finished verbally assaulting army lawyer Joseph Welch's assistant, Welch replied, "I think I never really
gauged your cruelty or your recklessness.... Have you no decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense
of decency?"
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The televised hearings marked the decline of McCarthy's influence in Washington. Polls displayed a
drastic drop in his public favorability rating, and in 1954, his fellow senators voted to censure him for
"conduct unbecoming a member." In 1957, Joseph McCarthy died of complications from cirrhosis of the
liver. Although the instigator of what became known as McCarthyism was gone, the anti-subversive
campaign continued on for many more years. Politicians used the Internal Security Act—which required
every "Communist-front organization" to register with the attorney general—to repress targeted
individuals, and the House Committee on Un-American Activities conducted Communist investigations
into the late 1960s.
The Red Scare in popular culture- http://www.lib.washington.edu/exhibits/AllPowers/film.html(2)
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During the 2nd Red scare Movies displayed both support for the Communists which were later exposed
and punished by the HUAC and movies that were against Communism in general
Displayed in comic books such as captain America
American propaganda about communism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWeZ5SKXvj8 how to spot a commy 05-1:01
35-2:22 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsqBs8iOmvE
The Hollywood Blacklist and the Hollywood 10 - http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/hollywood-ten (1) V
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On October 10, 1947 The House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC), which was an investigative
committee of the U.S House of Representatives denounced 10 members of the Hollywood film industry
accusing them of putting communist influence in the American motion picture business
These screenwriters and directors became known as the Hollywood 10 and received jail sentences and
were banned from working on major Hollywood Studios
During 1950-1960 a hollywood blacklist known as the red channels that had anyone suspected of being
affiliated with the Communist party on it. It grew larger as Congress continued the investigation
As a result many careers were damaged