Korea and the Cold War

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Readjustment

-millions of troops demobilized, 10 million are released in 1946

-G.I. Bill

education

low cost loans

-Suburbia—mass produced housing outside of cities

Levittowns Levit and Sons builders

-affluent society for white middle class

great demand for goods

Truman

-”The Buck Stops Here”—restore economy and stop communism

-postwar economy was first major domestic problem—prevent a 2nd depression

-threat of gov’t control of industry in order to prevent strikes---union power curbed doesn’t want strikes to hurt economy

-Taft-Hartley Act: overturns many labor rights won by New Deal

Civil Rights

Equality for all human beings!-Truman takes a firm stand on

civil rights, 1st president to do so

-1948 Truman integrated the military – by executive order!

-asked Congress for civil rights legislation

-Congress refused to pass any new laws and Truman angered party members who supported segregation

1948 Election

-Truman – Dem.

-Thomas Dewey –R

-Dixiecrats S. Democrats upset with new, more liberal leanings of Dem. party

Strom Thurmond

-Truman was the underdog, “Give them Hell Harry” helps him win

-called Congress into session and used inaction against them

-Truman wins in major upset!

Fair Deal

-Truman proposed an extension of the New Deal

-Congress supported some and ignored others

-health insurance (no)

-crop subsidies (no)

-extension of social security (yes)

-low income housing (yes)

-aid to schools (no)

Minimum wage raised!

Why so many no’s? Dixiecrats and Republicans join together in Congress.

Domestic Legacy

-Social Policies

-begins desegregation policies

-military integration – by executive order

-Economic and Political Policy

-tried to extend New Deal

-many of his domestic policies would become reality in the 1960’s

Doesn’t run for re-election because by 1951 his approval was only 23%

Foreign Policy Legacy

-”The buck stops here” not passing responsibility on to somebody else

-Ended WW II

-Atomic Bomb decision Nagasaki and Hiroshima

-Marshall Plan rebuild war-torn Europe

-Truman Doctrine provide aid to countries to contain communism

-Korean War MacArthur fired, containment

Communist China

-Chang Kai-shek

U.S. backed leader, nationalist

-Mao Zedong

communist

-Communists win China

-Nationalist go to Taiwan

-U.S. doesn’t recognize China, US is stunned that containment didn’t work

Korean War

-Korea split along 38th parallel, North surrenders to Soviets

-Northern Communists invade the south, 1950

-War starts as a UN “police action” to repel the communist aggression

-U.S. enters to save South Korea

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, 90% of troops fighting are American

Inchon Invasion saves South Korea over ½ of the N. Korean troops surrender

-MacArthur launches counter and pushes into N. Korea

Korean War

-China enters war on side of North Korea (**communists**)

-War stalemates (further action blocked, standstill)

MacArthur wants to attack China, disagrees with Truman who wants limited war

-MacArthur criticizes the President

-Truman fires MacArthur

-War drags on for two more years

-War finally ends in 1953 near the 38th parallel where it started, Soviets suggest ceasefire

- never gained a formal peace treaty

Fear of Communists

-Communist spies discovered in U.S.

-USSR gets atomic bomb

-loyalty boards-review and dismiss those not loyal to US

-Bill of Rights questioned

-House Un-American Activities Committee: investigate communist activity

Hollywood Ten: group of actors accused of being communist that refused to testify

-”blacklisting” ruined careers, unable to find work

Fear of Communists

-Alger Hiss

-state dept. official accused of spying

-Rosenbergs

-accused of passing atomic secrets

-found guilty and executed

“worse than murder”

-Joseph McCarthy Senator

“Witch Hunt”: attacks on suspected communists

“McCarthyism”

Senate investigations

1954 Army Hearings—led to McCarthy’s fall from power

Essential Questions

3. How did Truman’s policies impact the military?

4. How does a nation’s involvement in international conflicts affect politics and society at home?

Review Questions

1. All of the following are achievements of Truman’s presidency EXCEPT

a. Final victory in WWII

b. Supported civil rights legislation

c. Maintaining the support of Congress and the American people

d. Dealing with labor disputes

2. Why was General MacArthur fired?a. He disobeyed orders from President

Trumanb. He criticized the president publicallyc. MacArthur failed to keep China out of the

Korean Ward. All of the above

3. How did the United Nations react when North Korea invaded South Korea?

a. It couldn’t agree on any action

b. It decided to remain neutral in the conflict

c. It sent troops to protect South Korea

d. It provided food and nonmilitary aid to South Korea

4. Who was the communist leader that took over control of China after the revolution?

a. Chiang Kai-shekb. Mao Zedongc. Kim Jong Ild. None of the above

5. Why did the United States get involved in the Korean War?

a. To control the spread of communismb. The U.S. really wanted an excuse to go

after Chinac. To test Truman’s integration of the troops

in a war settingd. Inchon was a valuable trading city to the

U.S.

6. Why did the House Un-American Committee target Hollywood during its communist investigations?

a. They believed Hollywood was too liberal

b. Leaders in Hollywood were in direct contact with leaders of the U.S.S.R.

c. HUAC believed Hollywood was sneaking propaganda into its films

d. McCarthy told them to investigate Hollywood

7. Why did the cases of Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs heighten the anti-Communist mood of Americans?

a. They added to the impression that the U.S. was being betrayed by spies

b. People were concerned about the research into dangerous new weapons

c. Television told the people to worry about communism

d. None of the above

8. Which statement BEST describes how McCarthyism affected the U.S.?

a. Union activity decreasedb. The number of Communists increasedc. People feared speaking out on public

issuesd. Movies and the arts were censored