Download The Truman Presidency

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Describe the Domestic Challenges of the post
WWII era.
Evaluate how Truman handles the domestic
challenges of the post World War II era.
Describe the factors that most influenced the
outcome of the 1948 election.
Identify the policies of the Fair Deal and
evaluate the success of the Fair Deal.
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What were some of the Challenges Truman
Faced, and how did he attempt to combat
them?
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Virtually unknown before taking office.
Lowest approval rating for a 20th century
president besides Hoover.
He had to return he country to peace time
conditions.
 Demobilize troops
 Reconvert the economy
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Repeatedly lashed out on critics
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Sent combat veterans to
the Philippines to put
down labor unrest.
Huge protest movement
“Bring Daddy Home” and
“Bring the Boys home.”
So much pressure Truman
announced on the radio
rapid demobilization.
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Millions of restless consumers tired of
rationings.
Demand was way higher than the supply.
 Created inflation and a black market.
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Home makers protested rising prices by
boycotting neighborhood stores.
Employers fearing profit decline, cut wages or
held them steady.
Workers wanted a cut of huge war time profits.
 Outbreak of strikes and conflicts.
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Congress wanted to extend war time control
over prices, Truman vetoed the bill.
After Japans surrender Truman proposed a 21
point program.
 Included: greater unemployment compensation,
higher minimum wages and housing assistance.
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Congress rejected most of these bills.
 Passed Employment act of 1946, with a lot of
modifications to it.
 Created a new executive body- Council of Economic
Advisors.
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Republicans took control of both houses in
Congress.
 Went on a counteroffensive against organized labor.
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Passed the Taft-Hartley Act
 Outlawed- closed shop, secondary boycotts and the
use of union dues for political activities.
 80 Day cooling off period.
 All union officials had to take an oath saying they
weren’t communists.
 Truman Vetoed the Bill, Congress overrode it.
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First Presidential Election since the Cold War.
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
 Lead by Eleanor Roosevelt, Labor Leaders Philip
Murray and Walter Ruether and theologian
Reinhold Niebuhr.
 Most important liberal lobby of postwar era.
 Wanted to reorient the Democratic party.
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Truman’s Secretary of Commerce.
 Truman fired him for advocating a more lenient policy
with the Soviets.
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Made plans to run for President for the newly
formed Progressive Party.
 Was a well known New Deal Democrat.
 Supported full employment, racial equality, stronger
trade unions and more relations with the Soviet Union
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Deepening Cold War ruined Wallace’s Chances.
 Accused of being aligned with the Soviets and being a
communist.
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Proposed programs to get federal funs for
education, new housing and national medical
insurance.
 Knew the Republican congress wouldn’t pass these
bills.
 Warned voters if Republicans took control of the
White House, the USA would become an Economic
colony of Wall Street.
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Desegregated Armed forces and banned
discrimination in civil service.
 Backfired, 300 Southern delegates left and formed
the Dixiecrats, lead by Strom Thurmond
Republicans ran Thomas Dewey, thought he had
certain victory.
 Truman managed to restore essential New Deal
components.
 Berlin Airlift increased his popularity.
 Truman beat Dewey 303-189 in Electoral Votes.
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Truman believed everyone in America should
expect to receive a “fair deal” from the
Government.
Thought he could pass more legislation with
a democratic majority in congress.
Strong bloc of conservative southern
Democrats and Midwestern Republicans
blocked most of Truman’s Bills.
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One of Truman’s only
legislative successes.
Funded low income
housing.
Raised minimum wage.
Expanded social
security program.
Many of Truman’s Bills
were shut down in
Congress.
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Focused more on economic grown, rather
than economic equality.
Encouraged high levels of home production
and foreign trade.
Federal expenditures remained very high.
Threat of military conflict with the Soviet
Union created need to increase the defense
budget.
Anticommunist movement ran rapid
throughout the country.
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What were some of the Challenges Truman
Faced, and how did he attempt to combat
them?