Harry S Truman and post-war America 1945-1952

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  • Created by: evekav
  • Created on: 05-04-21 18:05
Who was Harry S Truman?
*33rd president of the USA
*VP under Roosevelt
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What was the USA's position at the start of 1945?
Strongest position of any country- had 7% of the global population, 42% of the world's income, 62% of its discovered oil, 50% of its manufacturing output, 80% of its cars and 33 million households owned a radio.
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What ideas had grown in the minds of Americans?
'American Exceptionalism' and 'manifest destiny'
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What was the situation with the economy?
It had recovered strongly from the Great Depression thanks to war spending and a strong sense of national unity.
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What did America think of President Roosevelt?
He was popular and there was little criticism of the political system.
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What happened on the 12th April 1945?
Roosevelt died following a stroke-he was the longest serving president, he presided over the Great Depression and Wall Street Crash, his approval rating stood at 70%.
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What are the president's powers?
*Veto congressional proposals for laws
*Appoints new members of the Supreme Court
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What powers do Congress have?
*Introduce new proposals for laws.
*Control the budget.
*Approve/disapprove of presidential nominations to the Supreme Court.
*Impeach the president if he/she accused of a crime.
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How can the government 'check' each other?
Neither branch can gain more power so there is a sensible system in place to keep, each branch is responsible for its own role, helping the system run effectively.
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What is political capital?
It refers to the trust and influence a politician has with the public and other politicians which forms a kind of currency that politicians can 'spend' to get things done.
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Why was Truman lacking political capital a problem?
It could result in uncooperative states and a congress controlled by a party that wasn't the same as the president.
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What did Truman have to deal with in terms of executive power?
Both congress and individual states felt Roosevelt had increased executive power at their expense, there was high belief executive power would be challenged at home with the new president.
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Where was Truman more suited to, home or abroad?
He found it easier to wield power internationally, rather than at home.
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How many presidents and members of congress were from the major parties?
All presidents and all but 8 members of congress came from the 2 major parties from 1945 to 1980.
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What are the advantages of being from either the Democrats or Republicans?
US system is a 'winner takes all' so there are no seats in congress for the candidates that come second and no other party has ever won but these two.
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Who are the Democrats?
*The modern side of the party was founded in 1828 with its stronghold in the South
*Woodrow Wilson and FDR created a more liberal platform with the party splitting by 'New Deal liberals' and Dixiecrats.
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Who were the Republicans?
*Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery activists, with a strong-hold in the North, Midwest and New England.
*Following the 1964 civil rights act, the southern states voted Republican consistently.
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In 1940, what did unemployment stand at?
8 million
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What was employment like in the war years?
There was full employment and even some shortages of workers in certain areas of the economy.
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What was the 'New Deal'?
A series of domestic programmes introduced by Roosevelt to kick-start the economy and provide jobs. They were in response to the Great Depression focusing on jobs for the unemployed and poor, restoring economic activity and reforming the financial system.
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What advantage did the USA have from the war?
Its rivals had been badly damaged by the war, other countries needed goods and raw materials to rebuild and the USA was in a good position to supply them, they also benefitted from a repayment of loans and reparations in post-war settlements.
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What did the reparations include?
Patents of German inventions such as 'Fanta'.
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Who were the main trade unions that grew during the war years?
The American Federation of Labour (AFL)
the Congress of Industrial Organisations (CIO)
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What did the AFL and CIO do?
Defend workers' rights and campaigned for pay rises.
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Regional divisions of the USA (north east)
Traditional political, financial and educational powerhouse incorporating Washington DC, NY and Boston. 18/32 presidents up to FDR came from here.
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Regional divisions of the USA (midwest)
Sparsely populated, lacked major cities=reduced its influence in national politics, had huge agricultural riches=sufficient wheat, corn and rice to fed the pop.
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Regional divisions of the USA (east and north)
Most sophisticated industry, especially automobile industry in Detroit supplied by raw material richness of Pennsylvania and the Carolinas.
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Regional divisions of the USA (south)
Traditional, segregation still embraced, rural communities focused on plantation crops.
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Regional divisions of the USA (states on border of Mexico)
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California=oil rich and expecting a pop. explosion caused by Hispanic immigrants and white Americans who were moving from the North.
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Regional divisions of the USA (west coast)
California=associated with the American Dream, home to major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. California=relaxed, glamorous than East Coast.
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Ethnic divisions of the USA
White Americans
Dominated pop. with over 130 million, Irish Americans, Polish Americans and Italian Americans were proud of their heritage, German Americans=willingness to assert German origins declined.
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Ethnic divisions of the USA
Asian Americans
Pop.=250,000 in 1940, 320,000 in 1950, Immigration and Nationality Act 1952 made immigration easier from Asia, by 1980=3.5 million Asian Americans.
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Ethnic divisions of the USA
African Americans
Pop.=14 million (about 10% of pop), concentrated in the South owing to the legacy of slavery-had been moving north/west (Great Migration).
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Ethnic divisions of the USA
Hispanics
2 million citizens in 1945, mainly concentrated in the SouthWest.
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Ethnic divisions of the USA
Native Americans
Smallest, most neglected group
350,00-members, expected to die out but numbers eventually increased.
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Social divisions of the USA
Wall Street Crash 1929 to end of WW2 levelled out many inequalities
Crash and Great Depression reduced wealth of MC-the very rich survived
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Social divisions of the USA
The poor
African Americans + Native Americans at bottom of social/economic hierarchy=likely to live in poverty and lack quality education, healthcare and housing.
Poor white people found in rural areas
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Social divisions of the USA
Social Mobility
Increased due to the war
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Social divisions of the USA
Women
Employed in munitions and parts of the economy as a result of men going to war.
By 1944, 36% of the workforce were female.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What was the USA's position at the start of 1945?

Back

Strongest position of any country- had 7% of the global population, 42% of the world's income, 62% of its discovered oil, 50% of its manufacturing output, 80% of its cars and 33 million households owned a radio.

Card 3

Front

What ideas had grown in the minds of Americans?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What was the situation with the economy?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What did America think of President Roosevelt?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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