Truman - The United States in 1945

Who was Franklin Delano Roosevelt related to and what position did that relative hold?

He was the fifth cousin of Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States

What major policies is FDR known for before WWII?

The New Deal - a set of large-scale government intervention and infrastructure projects to combat the Great Depression

What illness did FDR contract, and how did he manage public perception of it?

Polio; he avoided letting the public see his lack of mobility

Q: What percentage of the world's income and manufacturing output did the USA have by 1945?

A: 42% of the world's income and 50% of manufacturing output.

Q: What was the state of the USA's global position by the start of 1945?

A: The USA was the strongest global power—economically thriving and dominant in both Europe and the Pacific.

Q: What is meant by "American exceptionalism" and "manifest destiny"?

A: Beliefs that the US had a unique global role and a historic mission to lead and expand influence.

Q: When did FDR die, and how long did he serve as President?

A: He died on 12 April 1945; he served 12 years—the longest of any US president.

Q: What was FDR's approval rating at the time of his death?

A: 70%, and it never fell below 48% during his presidency.

Q: Why did Truman face difficulties when he took over as President?

A: He was seen as a compromise choice, inexperienced, and took over during a critical wartime period.

Q: What was Eleanor Roosevelt's response to Truman's condolences?

A: "Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now."

Q: What system limits presidential power in the US?

A: Checks and balances involving Congress and the Supreme Court.

Q: What are some powers of the US President?

A: Vetoing laws, appointing Supreme Court justices, leading foreign policy.

Q: What are some powers of Congress?

A: Introducing laws, controlling the budget, approving presidential nominations, and impeachment.

Q: What challenges arise from overlapping elections in the US system?

A: Possibility of different parties controlling the presidency and Congress, leading to legislative gridlock.

Q: Why was the US political system designed with checks and balances?

A: To avoid the kind of dictatorial rule seen in Europe, particularly in the 18th century.

Q: What term describes a president's influence or credibility in politics?

A: Political capital.

Q: Why was Truman expected to face challenges from Congress and the states?

A: Because Roosevelt had increased Executive power, and many wanted to reverse that trend post-war.

Q: Why did Truman find it easier to exert power internationally than domestically?

A: The Constitution is vague on foreign affairs, allowing more executive freedom in international matters.

Q: What does Thurgood Marshall argue about the US Constitution in Source 2?

A: That it was flawed from the beginning and required major amendments and social changes to achieve current freedoms.

Q: What is the tone of Marshall's commentary on the Constitution?

A: Critical and reflective, challenging the idea that the Framers' work was flawless or complete.

Q: What were the key cities in the North East of the US?

A: Washington DC, New York, and Boston.

Q: How did the North East view itself compared to other regions?

A: As more sophisticated and more responsible for US success.

Q: How many of the first 32 US presidents came from North Eastern states?

A: 18 presidents.

Q: What industries were most developed in the eastern and northern cities like Chicago and Detroit?

A: Heavy industry, especially the automobile industry in Detroit.

Q: Which states supplied raw materials for industry in the North and East?

A: Pennsylvania and the Carolinas.

Q: What limited the Midwest's influence in national politics?

A: It was sparsely populated and lacked major cities.

Q: What was the Midwest's economic strength?

A: Agriculture - wheat, corn, and rice production for domestic use and export.

Q: What was the South's economy primarily based on?

A: Plantation crops like cotton, sugar, and tobacco.

Q: What social system was still widely embraced in the South in 1945?

A: Segregation.

Q: How did the legacy of slavery and the Civil War affect Southern attitudes?

A: It influenced a more traditional and sometimes defensive political stance towards the rest of the US.

Q: Which states were located on the border with Mexico?

A: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California.

Q: What natural resource made the South-Western states economically important?

A: Oil.

Q: What demographic change was occurring in the South-West in the 1940s?

A: Population growth from Hispanic immigrants and internal migration from the North.

Q: Why was the political influence of the South-West limited despite growth?

A: The population remained relatively small.

Q: What are the major cities of California mentioned in the text?

A: Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Q: How did California see itself culturally?

A: Relaxed, liberal, and glamorous.

Q: What was California's main frustration in national affairs?

A: A perceived lack of political influence compared to the East Coast.

Q: What is the famous quote at the base of the Statue of Liberty, and who wrote it?

A: "Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" - by Emma Lazarus.

Q: How many white Americans were there in 1945?

A: Over 130 million.

Q: Which European-American groups strongly identified with their heritage?

A: Irish-Americans, Polish-Americans, and Italian-Americans.

Q: Why did German-Americans downplay their heritage during WWII?

A: Due to the negative association with Nazi Germany during the war.

Q: How many Asian-Americans were there in the 1940 and 1950 censuses?

A: Around 250,000 in 1940; 320,000 in 1950.

Q: What was the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 also known as?

A: The McCarran-Walter Act.

Q: What effect did the McCarran-Walter Act have?

A: It eased Asian immigration; by 1980, there were 3.5 million Asian-Americans.

Q: Which Asian group formed the largest community in the US by 1980?

A: Chinese-Americans.

Q: Where did many Chinese immigrants settle, and what work did they originally do?

A: They settled in the West and worked on the railways.

Q: Which Asian-American group suffered significant racism, particularly during and after WWII?

A: Japanese-Americans.

Q: Why did many Americans feel uneasy about the internment of Japanese-Americans?

A: It clashed with the national idea of the USA as a "melting pot" and a land of integration.

Q: What was the second-largest ethnic group in the USA after white Americans in 1945?

A: African-Americans.

Q: How many African-Americans lived in the USA in 1945, and what percentage of the population did they represent?

A: 14 million, roughly 10% of the population.

Q: What was the 'Great Migration'?

A: The movement of African-Americans from the rural South to cities in the North, Midwest, and West from 1910 to 1970.

Q: Why did African-Americans migrate during the Great Migration?

A: To escape Jim Crow laws, due to agricultural mechanisation, and to pursue better wages and job opportunities.

Q: What federal agency supported African-American employment during the war?

A: The FEPC - Fair Employment Practices Committee.

Q: How many Hispanic Americans were in the US in 1945, and where were they mostly located?

A: Nearly 2 million, mostly in the South West near the Mexican border.

Q: Which ethnic group was the smallest and most neglected in the US at the time?

A: Native Americans.

Q: How many Native Americans were there in 1945, and what was their political status?

A: Around 350,000, spread across various tribes with limited unity and political influence.

Q: What was the expectation about Native Americans' future population at the time?

A: Many commentators predicted their population would decline, but it actually increased.

Q: What was the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC)?

A: A commission set up by Roosevelt to ensure companies with government contracts did not discriminate based on race or religion.

Q: How was the FEPC created?

A: By Executive Order - a presidential directive with the force of law, not requiring Congressional approval.

Q: Why was the FEPC not fully effective?

A: It lacked sufficient funding and enforcement power.

Q: Define "social mobility".

A: The ability of individuals to move between social classes (e.g., from poor to wealthy).

Q: What effect did the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression have on US society?

A: It levelled class divisions by reducing middle-class wealth and promoting a culture of thrift and hard work.

Q: Which groups remained at the bottom of the social hierarchy in 1945?

A: African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and some Asian-Americans.

Q: What was the status of poor white Americans during this period?

A: They were often rural, especially in the Midwest and South, but their poverty was less visible due to post-war prosperity.

Q: How did the Second World War affect social mobility?

A: It increased it—many men left for war, opening jobs for others, especially women and African-Americans.

Q: What percentage of the workforce was female by 1944?

A: 36%.

Q: What post-war challenge did working women face?

A: Returning soldiers expected jobs, leading to pressure on women to leave the workforce.

Q: What challenges did African-American veterans face upon returning home?

A: Continued segregation under Jim Crow Laws and unequal access to benefits like the GI Bill.

Q: How many black men had applied for college through the GI Bill by 1946, and how many succeeded?

A: 100,000 applied, but only one fifth successfully registered.

Q: What political fear began to rise in the USA at the end of WWII?

A: Fear of communism, especially due to Stalin's influence in Europe.

Q: Why were Trade Unions (Organized Labour) viewed with suspicion?

A: Many Congressmen saw them as potential sources of communist influence in the USA.

Q: What did President Truman dedicate much of his presidency to combating?

A: The threat of communism, both domestically and internationally.

Q: What were the two major political parties in the USA between 1945 and 1980?

A: The Democrats and the Republicans.

Q: How many members of Congress were not from the two main parties during this period?

A: Only eight members.

Q: Could independent candidates run for president?

A: Yes. Strom Thurmond in 1948 and George Wallace in 1968 are examples.

Q: Why was political success mainly tied to the two major parties?

A: Because the US uses a 'winner takes all' electoral system, which disadvantages minor parties.

Q: What happens to votes for second-place candidates in the US electoral system?

A: They are effectively wasted; no seats are given for second place.

Q: Why is there little incentive to support popular minor parties in the USA?

A: Because they are unlikely to win under the electoral system.

Q: What type of legislative districts does the USA primarily use?

A: Single-member districts.

Q: How do single-member districts affect minor parties?

A: They make it harder for smaller parties to win, as only one candidate can be elected per district.

Q: Why was the US political system unlikely to change by 1945?

A: It was deeply entrenched, leaving no incentive for reform.

Q: What key advantages did Democrats and Republicans enjoy over minor parties?

A: Greater financial resources and the ability to shape broad policies appealing to the electorate.

Q: What is a 'segregationist'?

A: Someone who supported the separation of races.

Q: What is a 'Dixiecrat'?

A: A Southern Democrat who supported segregation; the term comes from 'Dixie', a nickname for the South.

Q: What is 'non-intervention'?

A: A political belief in minimal government involvement in citizens' lives.

Q: What does 'small government' mean?

A: A government with limited powers, few administrators, and lower taxes.

Q: What does 'emancipation' refer to?

A: The government-ordered freeing of slaves and the abolition of slavery.

Q: When was the modern Democratic Party founded?

A: In 1828.

Q: Where was the Democratic Party's traditional stronghold?

A: In the South.

Q: What racial policies did early Democrats pursue in the South?

A: Segregationist policies.

Q: Which presidents helped make the Democratic platform more liberal and interventionist?

A: Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR).

Q: How was the Democratic Party split in 1945?

A: Between New Deal liberals and Dixiecrats who often sided with Republicans on race issues.

Q: When was the Republican Party founded?

A: In 1854.

Q: Who founded the Republican Party?

A: Anti-slavery activists.

Q: Where was Republican support traditionally strong?

A: In the North, Midwest, and New England.

Q: What were traditional Republican values?

A: Non-intervention, small government, and a conservative stance on civil rights.

Q: Why was the Republican Party unpopular in the South historically?

A: Because of Abraham Lincoln's role in emancipating the slaves.

Q: What shifted Southern states to support the Republican Party?

A: The passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Q: What was the most significant impact of World War II on the US economy?

A: It fully restored the economy and led to full employment.

Q: What argument challenges the belief that the New Deal ended the Great Depression?

A: Many argue that WWII, not the New Deal, triggered real economic recovery.