American Politics & Society After the War1945-1953

Problems with the Economy???• What should the

government do with 12 million returning soldiers?

• Army cut to 1.5 million men?

• Unemployment?• Women? Serving as

the workforce?• African-Americans?• Change industry back

to refrigerators, washers, and radios???

Labor Unrest (1946)• Reasons:Reasons:

▫ During the war, the government During the war, the government put restrictions on wages, put restrictions on wages, prices, unions prices, unions

▫ InflationInflation• StrikesStrikes

▫ 1945 1945 Automobile, electrical, steel Automobile, electrical, steel

industriesindustries▫ Railroad Railroad

Spring of 1946Spring of 1946 Lasted 1 month NationwideLasted 1 month Nationwide All Freight & Passenger Lines All Freight & Passenger Lines

shutdownshutdown Truman threatened to draft the Truman threatened to draft the

striking workers into the striking workers into the militarymilitary

GI Bill of Rights• Help veterans adjust to civilian

life after separation from service

• Benefits▫ Able to attend the college of their

choice free of charge as long as they met entrance requirements

▫ Loans for a home, farm, or business Zero Down, low interest loans

▫ unemployment pay of $20 a week for 52 weeks

▫ job-finding assistance • Eligibility

▫ WWII veteran, served 90 days or more after September 16, 1940 and a honorable discharge.

Reasons for Postwar Prosperity

• Permanent War Economy▫1948-$97 million, 1949-$128 million, 1951-1948-$97 million, 1949-$128 million, 1951-

$225 million$225 million• Research and Development

▫New technologies-TV?New technologies-TV?• Cheap Energy

▫Discovery of oil in Iran, Saudi Arabia, etcDiscovery of oil in Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc• Increases in Productivity/Energy

▫Shift from Wartime to Peacetime EconomyShift from Wartime to Peacetime Economy US had put away $140 Billion in savings during US had put away $140 Billion in savings during

the warthe war Average weekly wage up to $44/weekAverage weekly wage up to $44/week

The Fair Deal• Continuation of the Liberal

Practices of FDR’s New Deal• 21 Point program

▫ Expand Soc. Sec. benefits, Expand Soc. Sec. benefits, raise min. wage, Fair raise min. wage, Fair Employment Practices Act, Employment Practices Act, environment & public works environment & public works projects, gov’t supported projects, gov’t supported scientific research, scientific research, nationalized atomic energy, nationalized atomic energy, national health insurancenational health insurance

• 1946 Congressional elections = Republicans control both Houses▫ Defeat Fair DealDefeat Fair Deal

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)• Limited the Power of unions in the country after

the war• Outlawed closed shop unionsOutlawed closed shop unions

▫ Shops that would only hire union workersShops that would only hire union workers

• Continued to permit union shopsContinued to permit union shops▫ Worker joined union after hiredWorker joined union after hired

• Permit states to pass “right to work laws”Permit states to pass “right to work laws”▫ Allowed states to prohibit union shopsAllowed states to prohibit union shops

• President allowed to call for a “cooling-off” President allowed to call for a “cooling-off” period before a strikeperiod before a strike▫ Issue an injunction against work stoppage that Issue an injunction against work stoppage that

endangered national safety or healthendangered national safety or health

• Bill was passed over a Truman vetoBill was passed over a Truman veto

Executive Order #9981

•July 26, 1948•Integrated the

military

The Election of 1948

Candidates:

Harry Truman (Democrat)

Thomas Dewey (Republican, NY)-Ran in 1944, gained ground on FDR, expected to win the Presidency

Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat, SC)-Longest filibuster in US History, States’ Rights initiative, ran because of Executive Order #9981

Henry Wallace (Progressives)-Friend of the Communist Party, believed that we needed socialized medicine, friendly relations with USSR, etc.

Background on 1948• Early Polls

▫ Dewey 44%, Truman 31%, Dewey 44%, Truman 31%, Thurmond 16%, Wallace 9%Thurmond 16%, Wallace 9%

• Biggest Political Upset in US History

• Whistlestop CampaignWhistlestop Campaign▫ ““Give em hell, Harry!”Give em hell, Harry!”

• Dewey Defeats Truman???• Why?

▫ Truman went on the attack!Truman went on the attack!▫ Dewey never countered!Dewey never countered!▫ African-Americans and other African-Americans and other

minorities voted for Trumanminorities voted for Truman▫ Farmers remembered FDR Farmers remembered FDR

during the Great Depressionduring the Great Depression

Electoral Map of 1948

Revived Fair Deal•Raised minimum wage from $0.40 to $0.75•Extend Social Security to 10 million more

people & increased benefits by 75%•National Housing Act on 1949

▫Provide for construction of 810,000 low-income Provide for construction of 810,000 low-income housing units with long-term rent subsidieshousing units with long-term rent subsidies

•Civil Rights▫End discrimination in hiring for government End discrimination in hiring for government

jobsjobs▫Shelley v. KraemerShelley v. Kraemer (1948) (1948)

Courts could not be used to enforce private Courts could not be used to enforce private covenants meant to ban blacks from residential covenants meant to ban blacks from residential neighborhoodsneighborhoods

The Nuclear Age• Conflicting Views of Nuclear

Power ▫Fear = Awareness of Nuclear Fear = Awareness of Nuclear

WeaponsWeapons▫Awe = Technological Awe = Technological

innovationsinnovations ““secret of the atom” = secret of the atom” =

“prosperity and a more “prosperity and a more complete life,” “ gateway to a complete life,” “ gateway to a new world,” “ set man on the new world,” “ set man on the road to the millennium”road to the millennium”

2/3 of Americans think atomic 2/3 of Americans think atomic energy would do more good energy would do more good than harm in the long runthan harm in the long run

Nuclear Power Plants= cheap & Nuclear Power Plants= cheap & unlimited electricityunlimited electricity