UNIT TEN: Harry S. Truman
I.
Problems:
A.Postwar:
1.Return to peace time
2.Occupation and reconstruction of Europe
3.Formation of the U.N.
B.Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics
1.Division of Europe/Germany
2.controlling the Atomic Bomb
3.expanding Communist influence into Asia
- Korea
C.Domestic
1.extending the New Deal
2.Republican Congress
3.Civil Rights
4.Second Red Scare
II.Formation of the United Nations (1945)
A.Creation of the U.N.
1.Atlantic Charter (1941) Roosevelt and Churchill
- looked to establish a "system of general security," like Wilson's League of
Nations
2.Yalta Conference (February 1945) Big "Three" decided on voting
procedures in the U.N. Security Council
3.San Francisco Conference (April-June 1945)
- completed U.N. Charter
- U.S. first to approve U.N.
- U.S. provided the U.N. Headquarters in NYC
B.Purpose of the U.N.
1.to maintain international peace and security
2.to collectively act against threats to peace and aggression
3.develop friendly relations among nations
4.promote human rights
C.U.N. Organization
1.General Assembly: Main "Powers"
a.discuss international problems
b.to recommend solutions to Security Council
c.expel members who violate "principles"
- meets for three months, or upon special request
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2.Security Council: The Executive Agency
a.15 members
- "Big Five:" are permanent members: U.S., Great Britain, France,
U.S.S.R. and China
- Ten others are non permanent; elected to 2-year terms
b.Voting: Each of the "Big Five" can exercise veto power in security issues
c.Powers: to maintain peace and security
- investigate disputes endangering peace
- recommend settlements
can call the U.N. into action economically or militarily against
aggressor nations, i.e., Korea
3.Secretariat: consists of Secretary General and staff
a.bring international threats to peace to the Security Council's
attention
b.perform tasks for U.N. organizations, i.e., diplomatic mission and
direct U.N. forces
4.International Court of Justice
- settle disputes between nations
5.Trusteeship Council
- protection of colonies and oversee moves toward independence
6.Economic and Social Council
a.protect human rights
b.control of drugs, prevention of crime, and the status of women
c.in specialized areas
- education
- science
- labor
- food and agriculture
- health
- finance (World Bank)
D.Problems with the U.N.
1.Voting along "Alliances" - (voting for your side)
2.Vote based on your need at the time
3.Veto power in the Security Council
4.Defiance of U.N. Resolutions, i.e., Apartheid in South Africa
5.Lack of military power
6.Lack of funds (U.S. pays 23 percent)
7.Inability to stifle terrorism
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E.Positive side of the U.N.: It is an international forum to discuss problems.
International "town meeting."
III.Start of the Cold War
A.Causes
1.World War II
a.Soviets felt the U.S. and Allies should have entered the war earlier
b.Soviets gained an empire in Eastern Europe
- needed as a "buffer zone"
- forced Communist system of government
2.Differing Economic Systems
a.Soviets - Communist
- government owns and operates all industry
- all workers dominated by communist unions
b.United States - Capitalist
- private ownership of business
- union workers free to bargain collectively
3.Different Government
a.Soviets - Dictatorial
- only one political party
- party dominates every aspect of life
- lack of basic civil rights
b.U.S.A. - Democratic
- multi-party system
- freedom protected by Constitution
- people have say in government; vote
4.Rivalry over
a.Spheres of influence
b.Nuclear dominance - weapons
c.Space program
B.Policy of "Containment" (1947)
was the U.S. policy toward the spread of Communism
1.U.S. would take on the role of the world leader
2.U.S. would follow a policy of strong resistance towards Soviet expansion
3.U.S. should negotiate from strength
C.The Truman Doctrine
1.In 1947 the U.S. took over Great Britain's role in the Mediterranean
- civil war in Greece between government troops and Communists (also
Turkey)
2.Claiming that if the Soviets penetrated in Greece or Turkey (vital oil
supplies), it would open the way for Soviet domination in the
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Mediterranean.
3.March 12, 1947, Truman asked for and later received $400 million in
economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey
*. The formal declaration of the "Cold War."
D.The Marshall Plan - Secretary of State George Marshall
1.By 1947 Europe was starving, industrial incapable of producing, resentful,
and voting heavily towards Communism. (European Recovery
Program on the verge of collapse)
2.The plan promised any country economic aid if it promised freedom or
democracy
- the U.S.S.R. and satellites rejected the offer
- Czech coup (1948) led to approval
3.The plan proved effective
- Communism was stopped
- Western Europe could support itself
- was very prosperous for U.S. business and farmers
E,NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
1.Grew out of fear of Russian aggression
2.Western Europe wanted a promise of U.S. intervention in case of a Soviet
invasion.
3.1949: The U.S., Canada and 10 Western European countries signed a
defensive pact:
U.S.
England
Belgium
Luxembourg
Canada
France
Netherlands
Norway
Italy
Denmark
Iceland
Portugal
(52) Greece-Turkey
(55) West Germany
(62) Spain
* It was not necessary and served to escalate the "Cold War" tensions.
F.The Berlin Blockade (1947-1948) [election year]
1.June 20, 1948 - Stalin cut off all rail and highway traffic to Berlin
2.Truman's reaction:
a.Airlift supplies (24 hrs./day supplies would be sent to Berlin)
b.to stop interruption of the airlift, B-29's capable of dropping atomic
bombs were based in England (did not have weapons)
3.Results:
a.War was avoided - barely
b.The crisis united the nation behind Truman and he was reelected
c.In 1949 the blockaded was lifted.
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* This marked the end of the initial phase of the "Cold War."
G.Point Four Program
- economic and technical aid to poor free nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America
H.Trouble in Asia
1.Yalta (1945) - Decision on Asia
a.Russia would dominate northeast Asia
b.U.S. would control the Pacific, Japan and its empire
- Gen. Douglas MacArthur set up a "constitutional democracy" in
Japan
- Japanese Constitution:
-- condemned war
-- rely on U.S. for defense
2.China: Civil War Chiang Kai-shek (Nationalists) vs. Mao Tse-tung's Communists
a.U.S. supported the Nationalists; Soviets, the Communists.
b.Corruption led to the downfall of the Nationalists
c.By 1949 the Communists pushed the loyalists out of China
- settled in Taiwan (Formosa)
d."White Paper" blamed the loss of China to poor leadership and
stated China was out of U.S. control
* February 1950: Sino-Soviet Treaty was signed.
e.Result:
- U.S. focused in on Japan as its ally in Asia.
- Military buildup in the Pacific
* 1952: U.S. occupation of Japan ended.
IV.Post-War Era:
A.Returning to Peace Time:
1.Demobilization
2.G.I. Bill of Rights (1944)
(Servicemen's Readjustment Act)
a.unemployment pay
b.medical care
c.loans: home, farm, business, education
d.cost 14.5 billion
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B.Economic
1.Employment Act (1946)
a.responsibility of the government to
employment"
b.established Council of Economic Advisors
2.Problems:
a.not lack of jobs, but lack of materials
b.strikes and inflation
"promote
maximum
C.Labor Problems - seeking high wages
1.Taft-Hartley Act (1947)
(Labor Management Relations)
a.placed restrictions on unions
b.outlawed "closed shop," not "union shops."
c."cooling period" - President could, for national safety, order 60 days
no strike or lockout
d.no political contributions
e.sign statement - "not Communist"
* passed over President's veto.
2.Steel Strike of 1952
a.Truman seized the mines, declaring wartime measure.
b.Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional - violated 5th Amendment
- due process.
D.80th Congress - Republicans won control of House and Senate
1.Description - return to simpler times
a.wanted to cut government spending
b.viewed taxes as too high
- "soak the rich taxes"
- would destroy the profit motive
c.wanted to cut aid to farmers, public housing, Social Security and
education
d.opposed New Deal and F.D.R.
2.Conflict with Truman
a.called the "Do Nothing Congress"
- despite effective laws that were passed
b.defeated "Fair Deal" proposals
- civil rights legislation, anti-lynching law, anti-poll tax law
c.Employment Practice Comm.
d.compulsory health insurance
e.federal aid to education
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3.Accomplishments:
a.Presidential Succession Act (1947)
b.22nd Amendment
c.National Security Act (1947)
- unified Army, Navy and Air Force
- Department of Defense
- Joint Chiefs of Staff - military leadership
- National Security Council - plan and coordinate defense
- also established the C.I.A.
E.Election of 1948:
1.Split in the Democratic Party
a.Dixiecrats (States Rights) - opposed Truman's stand on civil rights
- J. Strom Thurmond
- States rights and segregation
b.Progressive Party - against containing communism
- Henry Wallace
- repeal the draft, civil rights, cooperation with Russia, ban the bomb,
freedom of speech for communists.
2.Republicans - nominated Thomas E. Dewey
- moderate
- NY-California ticket: Earl Warren
- bi-partisan foreign policy and approved many New Deal programs
* Due to a cautious campaign by Dewey and Truman's "give 'em hell" tactics,
Roosevelt's old supporters held together.
* Truman won and Democrats gained control of Congress.
F.Fair Deal: Truman's attempt to expand the New Deal
1.faced opposition of Congress
2.very little of it made it through
- raised minimum wage
- expanded Social Security
- desegregated the military
G.The Second Red Scare: Result of the "Cold War"
1.Alger Hiss - was a State Department official accused of being a Soviet spy.
- in 1950 he was convicted of perjury (lying to Congress) and sentenced to
five years.
Anne
... Canadian Spy Ring (1946)
... Whittaker Chambers (Communist) - suicide pact with brother - One-eyed
... Pumkim - microfilm
... Richard Nixon
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2.Truman formed Loyalty Review Board (1947)
- check government workers who were disloyal
- later dismissed people as "security risks"
3.Nation not happy or secure
1949:China Comm.
Soviet A-Bomb
Klaus Fuchs (G.B.) sold Russians A-Bomb secrets
4.Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were accused of conspiracy to transmit atomic
secrets to the Soviets.
1951 - found guilty
June 19, 1953 - they were electrocuted
* Oppenheimer, "Father of the Atomic Bomb," was labeled a security risk.
V.Korean War: Since 1945 Korea was divided at the 38th parallel
U.S.S.R. occupied the North (Communist) - (KimI Seng)
U.S. backed the South (Syngman Rhee)
- in 1949 both sides pulled out occupying forces
1.June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded the South (U.S. blamed Soviets)
2.U.N. Security Council secured a resolution condemning North Korea and
called for member nations to engage in a "police action"
3.The War last three years
- Sept. 1950 - North Korea advanced to Pusan Peninsula
- Sept. 15, 1950 - Gen. MacArthur landed troops at Inchon, cutting off North
Korean forces in the South.
* President Truman moved away from the goal of restoring the 38th parallel to unification
of Korea by force.
- Oct. 1950 - U.N. forces crossed the 38th parallel
- Nov. 1950 - U.N. forces were on the verge of the Chinese border
- Dec. 1950 - Chinese forces push U.N. forces out of North Korea
- by 1951 U.N.-Chinese, North Korean forces were at a standstill.
- April 11, 1951 - MacArthur was removed from U.N. Force
command.
4.Results:
- U.S. was humiliated
- U.S. rearmed
--- 3.5 million in the armed forces
--- defense budget of $50 billion (1952)
--- U.S. committed to global contest with U.S.S.R. militarily and
economically
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