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Section 1
Adjusting to Peace -We spent 4 years fighting a war -We had to demobilize (shift from war to peace) -Changing from making tanks to bicycles -Reduction of work force -Mostly women -Economy took off a few years after war
Postwar Economy -People started buying things they didn’t during WWII -Cars, toasters, etc. -Caused inflation -Prices rose (lots of money, few products) -Housing -Levittown (mass produced housing)
Labor Unrest and Civil Rights -During WWII, unions promised not to go on strike -Lots of strikes after war -African Americans still discriminated against - Committee on Civil Rights -Created by Truman in 1946 to look at race problems in the country -Came out with report in 1947 outlining civil rights violations -Truman issues executive orders banning discrimination in the military, federal gov’t (1948) -But backed off more changes (democrats in Congress)
1948 Election -After WWII, Republicans took over Congress -Democratic Convention -Issue: Civil Rights -Southern delegates did not want civil rights laws -Walked out of convention -Formed own political party: Dixiecrats -Strom Thurmond ran for president -Issue: Labor -Pro-labor democrats walked out of convention -Angry at Truman for his anti-labor actions -Formed own political party: Progressives -Henry Wallace ran for president -Truman selected to run -Democrats split 3 ways (Dem, Dixiecrats, Progressives) -Very tough to win -Thomas Dewey selected by Republicans to win -Had huge lead -Everyone thought Dewey was going to win -Truman wins election with 49% of the vote (24.1m votes) -Dewey had 45% (21.9m votes)
Fair Deal -Nickname of Truman’s administration -New building projects, public housing, ending discrimination -Most of his proposals failed in Congress
Beginning of Cold War-Cold WaràFight b/w USA and USSR for world superiority -No war between them; just a lot of arguing -Soviets were communists -Gov’t ran economy, controlled people’s lives -Most Americans had capitalistic, democratic ideals -Soviets began to expand territory -Captured several eastern European countries during war -Not giving them back after war ended -Including East Germany -Turned them into Soviet-controlled communist nations -Churchill gives speech in Fulton, MO -“Iron curtain” speech -Western Europe will isolate Soviets -Allies developed policy to handle Soviets -Containment -Just don’t let them get more land -Eventually they will fall apart
Cold War Issues-Soviets got the bomb in 1949 -Standoff b/w 2 nuclear nations -Containment -Truman Doctrine -US would support anyone who is resisting a takeover -Helping out Europe -Europe devastated because of WWII -Vulnerable to takeover -Needed to get Europe up and running again -Marshall Plan -US gave 12b to help out Europe economically -Berlin Crisis -Soviets wanted to get westerners out of Germany -Blockaded all roads into Berlin (capital) -To keep westerners in BerlinàBerlin Airlift -For 10 months, US and GB dropped food and supplies to people in West Berlin -SuccessàSoviets embarrassed, end blockade -West Germany founded
NATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization -Purely a defensive agreement -Help out if member is being attacked -Fear of Soviets -US helped out member nations -Soviets started own groupàWarsaw Pact
Another Red Scare -1947àTruman sets up Loyalty Review Board -Investigate all federal employees -House Committee on Un-American Activities -Investigated “Hollywood Ten” -Film directors refused to answer questions -Sent to jail -Searched for spies -Senator Joseph McCarthy led hunt for communists
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