United States Presidents

Truman Successes and Limitations

Successes

  • GI Bill- successfully brought WW2 veterans and re-integrated them back into society

- 52 weeks unemployed relief

- gained education, homes and jobs

  • Federal Housing Administration - gave mortgages up to 90% and increasing home ownership to 60% by 1960

- Lead to the growth of the suburbs

  • x250 growth of the economy in the next decade

  • Consumer Society

  • Truman Doctrine

- strong stance on cold war with the Department of defense established

  • Had Clear Policies unlike the republican’s

- Taft Harley act (Restricted the power of labour/work unions

  • Desegregation of the Military

  • 810,000 houses built for low income households

  • Had Republican’s take the blame for 1948 food bill not going through since they told the public to ‘eat less’ to the public sparking outrage, Truman gained favour.

Limitations

  • 22nd Amendment - Meant Truman couldn’t run a 3rd term limiting presidential power overall

  • Attempted veto of Taft-Hartley act 1947

- reduced union powers and the veto was overturned

  • No advancement in Healthcare due to the red scare

  • Overall more focused on foreign policy limiting civil rights progress

  • Dixiecrats (Southern Democrats)

- Limited Truman’s ability to work on the civil rights movement.