THE TRUMAN

PRESIDENCY

Two Cold War themes…

2) Conflict between Truman & Congress…

1) Conflict with the Soviets…

THE TRUMAN PRESIDENCY

Objectives… Describe the post WW II

domestic challenges & evaluate how HST handles these challenges.

“To Err is Truman”

1) The two major domestic challenges... facing the Truman Administration

following WW II…

• Demobilization…• Re-establish the peace time economy…

Demobilization• Slogans:

– “Home Alive in 45”– “No Boats, No Votes”

• Postcards to the Whitehouse...

“Bring the boys home by X-mas”

• “Bring Daddy Home” Clubs

Heading home at last…Across Europe, Asia & the Pacific, America’s victorious GIs pack up,

tear down & head home to restart their lives.

“To Err is Truman”

2) The economic problems associated with reconverting the economy?

The challenge of economic reconversion…

- 9M returning vets- War plants close - 35B in contracts cancelled

- Fear of returning to the depression- Consumers are tired of economic sacrifice- Inflation: 16% in 1 week- Labor unrest

Social problems in the post war era…

– Fear of “blood lust”

– The divorce rate up

– Housing shortages

FDR signs the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act

or “GI Bill of Rights” in 1944

For returning veterans…-Education… college for vets- Medical treatment- Business loans- Housing loans

The "GI Bill" exceeded all expectations…

• 21M get educated • 1947: GIs = 50% of college enrollment   • The American workforce…

• 450K engineers • 238K teachers • 91K scientists • 67K doctors • 22K dentists

4) Truman’s Twenty-one Point Program

(1945-1946)

• Unemployment insurance• Higher minimum wage• Housing assistance• National health insurance

The 1946 Mid-term Elections“Had enough???”

- The results…

5) What voter sentiments were reflected in the 1946 midterm election?

The 80th CongressThe 80th Congress defeats most of Truman’s

proposals for dealing with these problems.

“No good, do-nothing Congress”- HST

Republicans Democrats-Shrink New Deal -Extend New Deal

Summarize the opposing viewpoints of labor and management in the post war era.

6) Taft-Hartley Act AKA: “Slave Labor Bill”

• A reaction to labor unrest • Limits the closed shop• Requires an 80 day cooling off period for strikes• Union leaders must swear they are not Communists• Passed over Truman’s veto

THE TRUMAN PRESIDENCY

Objective… Describe the factors that most influenced the outcome of the 1948

election?

The 1948 Election7) Progressive: Henry Wallace

• Liberal New Dealer• Truman’s fired him as Sec. of Commerce• Accused of being “a tool of the communists”

The 1948 Election7) Dixie-crat: Strom Thurmond

• Gov. of South Carolina• Segregationist• Runs in reaction to HST's civil rights policies

Senator Strom Thurmond served until age 100. He was 103 when he died in 2003

The 1948 ElectionDemocrat: Harry Truman

• Maintain/ expand New Deal• Adopts civil rights policies to counter Wallace• Desegregates the military• Attacks the 80th “Do-nothing Congress”

The 1948 ElectionRepublican: Thomas Dewey

• Gov. of NY• Reverse the New Deal• Attacks Truman for poorly managing the Communist

threat.

Results of the 1948 Election Party/ Electoral College Pop Vote%

HST: Dem… 303… 49.5%

Dewey: Rep…. 189… 45.1%

Thurmond: Dixiecrat 39… 2.4%

Wallace: Prog… 0… .6%

8) What were the factors that most influenced the outcome of the 1948 Presidential election?

THE TRUMAN PRESIDENCY

Objectives… Identify the policies associated with the

Fair Deal and evaluate the success of these Fair Deal policies.

Truman’s Inauguration

9) & 10) The Fair Deal

Success… -Social Security

-Minimum wage

-Housing subsidies

-Urban housing

Failure… -Civil rights -Taft Hartley repeal- -Health Insurance -Aid to education

What is the Fair Deal?...

HST & Civil Rights• 1946: Forms Commission on CR:

Recommend… Anti-lynching Law

&

End Poll Taxes• 1948 HST desegregates the military• Meets with CR leaders to discuss “racial terrorism”

in America