Domestic politics truman truman eisenhower
Truman presidency eisenhower JFK
Eisenhower
- Difficult establishing authority as president since only in white house - 1952 eisenhower republican won because democrats divided and
FDR died and safe choice against liberal henry wallace knocked off balance by mccarthyism and democratic candidate adlai
- Brouight in reforms to consolidate and extend FDRs policies stevenson would have found it difficult to hold the party togather
- Triesd to make the Fair Employment Practises commission - Eisenhower also war hero with national appeal
permaamnet and big national heatlh insurance cheme but furious - Had to face cold war, korea, indochina, western europe
backlash from conservatives in cingress - Eisenhower seen as both calm consensual leader bu supporters but
- Congress repeatedly blocked or watered down truman’s proposals president without political skills to others
and truman repeatedly veto measures passed by congress - Eisenhower incapacitated by stroke and heart attack, was an
- 1948 unexpected election victory but decisive vote popular and enthusaistic supporter for nixon and devasted when he lost
electoral college - Little to oppose mccarthyism - passive
- Attacked for not doing more for civil rights and too much for new - Eisenhower concern about military industrial complex
jewish state of israel + not being able to handle congress - Worries that an inhealthy allience bwteen industry, military and politicians
- Promised americans ‘fair deal’ after re election : reforms of tax emerging as cold war intensified
system, social security + civil rights, federal aid for small farmers, - Domestic policies supported 1956 interstate highways act, boosted road
education and public housing but opposition from congress meant that building and automobile industry, supported supreme court in attempts to
this was only partially implements bring out desegregation of schools in sotuh from 1954 but didnt do
- Pulled away from domestic policies since communist revolution in anything for civil rights
china, successful test of A bomb by USSR, beginning of korean war, - Promoted scientific education in schools and unis.
these sparked new red scare - Overall believed in small govt and laisezz faire economics
Mccarthyism
- 1950 senator joseph mccarthy gave speech wheeling west virginia
Election 1960
made claim that he had a list of 205 state department officials
- In comparison to nixon JFK seemed young and
known to be communist party members
inexperienced, he was an east coast liberal from a wealthy
- Caused wave of paranoia known as mccarthyism - caught the
irish catholic family - raised questions abot how strongly he
mood of times in anxious american bewildered by loss of china
would run in the south
- Many republicans followed mccarthy attach=k truman for being
- Jfk chose lbj to balance the ticket even though had been a
soft on communism
powerful rival for the democratic nomination
- Truman not know what to do with this since it has some true
- Regarded as ‘first tv election’ first time debate between two
elements + wanted to remain dignified + presidential
candidates on tv
- 1947 truman passed executive order 9835 h\to check loyalty of
- JFK good on Tv, clean cut and handsome, firm staccato
federal govt employees
speaking style and gained national recognition furing the long
- Between 1947-1951 ‘loylaty boards’ carried out these checks
season of primary elections in run up to convention
forced nearly 3000 out of their jobs
- Nixon also good debater however
- 1947 HUAC began new hearings to investigate + expose
- BUT JFk tv audience impressed by certainty and clarif=ty of
communist influence in america
body language but nixon shifty in comparison
- Nixon demanded action to halt the communist conspiracy infecting
- Also won b became kennedys youthful air of confidence and
the us
repeated calls for idealism ‘a new frontier’ sharp contrast to
- Much of obsession hunting down communists hysterical but some
cosy conventional eisenhower years and there had been
truth : 1945 candaian govt exposed society spies passing US
decade of anxiety mccarthyism before
military secrets moscow, 1948 HUAC allegatiojs that a key state
- 1961 jfk inagruated
department officer albert hiss was a communist, 1950 Klaus
-
Fuchs, german born british scientis who had been part of the team
developing the A bomb confessed to being a spy
- 1950 natioanl security council issued top secret report NSC-68 led
to a massive expansion of military spending and FBI + CIA set up
- Strengthened grip of anti communism on US politics
- 1950s mccarthy dominated political scene
- Truman not have any sympathy with McCarthy but too scared to
oppose him
- Republicam party broadlu supported mccarthy, democrats scared
- Alger hiss became focal point of mccarthys crusade against
communism + julius + ethel rosenberg sent to electric chair 1953
- Mccarthy strongly supported by catholics
- In the end mccarthyism blew itself out but many of mccarthys
claims were either exaggerated or baseless and man with a
drinking problem so alienated many
- 1954 scathingly attached on CBS TV by Ed morrow and then
clash with judge joseph welch at hearings into the US army
- BUT legacy of mccarthyism in society still
, Domestic politics JFK LBJ LBJ Nixon
JFK presidency + new frontier
Crisis of democratic party
- Came to power with agenda for action and renewal but was shot
- LBJ 1968 spoke to nation life on tv calling for end to divisiveness,
- Domestic agenda overshadowed by nuclear confrontation with ussr,
announced wouldnt run for election 1968
defence of s vietnam against communism, rise of movement for civil
- Made an offer of peace to north vietnam in 1968 opened way for wnd
rights for AA’s
of war
- JFk aroused enthusiam from voters, especially the young, promised
- Mmcarthty, bobby kennedy and hubert humphr fought out race to win
;new fronteir’
democratic nominatioj
- Great charmisma both domesticalluy and abroad
- 1968 martin luther king killed tennessee, bobby kennedy also killed
- Prestige + authorist enhanced by leadership 1961 berlin crisis and
- Chacago convention markked by scenes of violnce broadcast on tv
1962 cuban missile crisis
- Student protestord snd liberal commentators accused mayor of
chicago of organised police brutiality
- Use of tear gas, dogs andf baton
JFK Presidency + civil rights - Hubert won but prospects of winning election badly damaged
- 1961 martin luther king emerged charismatic national leader
- Power of tv focus discrimination on south and liberal voices pushing
JFk to use powers of federal govt to brign change
- Difficult because of pushed through for civil rights would aliente
1968 election
southern democrats
- Nixon 1968 elected
- Some improvement, gave government posts and federal judgeships to
- Positioned himself as a moderate - claimed to represent the silent
black apointees, desegregtion enforced in interstate transport,
majority of americans who supported the war and opposed the
discrimination in federally owned public housing banned
unpatriotic revelations
- 1962 start of new academic year mississippi state uni the federal
- Election close, running of george wallace took votes from the south-
courts insisted uni accept the enrolment of aa student james meredith
wom deep south
and state govt led organised resistance by white supremacists against
- Nixon tried to go harder with his southern strategy 1972
this
- 400 federal marshals and troops sent to mississippi to protect him -
similar demonstrations and use of federal tropps 1963 alabama when
govt george wallace opposed enrolment of black students at high Nixon presidency domestic politics
school in huntsville - Key advisers HR Hadleman and John Ehrlichmn loyal + efficient-
- Defiance of walline in alabama pushed jfk into making support for civil regarded a “berlin Wall” since tight control of govt and realtions with
rights televised speech 1963 press
- 1963 put forward civil riogths bill that outlawed discrimination based - Nicon believed much more in federal govt intervention than other
on race, required fair votimng registration, and banned segrigation epublicans
- Obstructionist forces in congress - many people doubted jfks ability to - In ways continued parts of Johnsons “great society” eg reforms on tax
overcome opposition. system. Attempted to establish national healthcare insureance but
- Jfk shot 1963 so left to LBJ southern democrat to take over - defeated in congress, family assistance scheme to provide federal
assasination caused panic about possible conspiracy theories funding for state welfare payments to poor families. 1970
environmental protection agency advise govt on enviromental issues
- Conservative when it came to race relations, encouraged Vp to appeal
Johnson/LBJ presidency + great society to discontented white southerners - slowed down desegregation of
- Task in living up to JFK hardened by involvement in southeast asia, schools in mississippi; blocked movesto extend the 1965 voting rights
jfk 1961 sent arms and advisers to strengthen the govt of south act and appointed conservative judge
vietnam against communist rebels backed by n vietnam + china, - Obsessed with law and order - wanted to implement huston plan
intevrention expanded 1963 so administation divided as how far us empowering FBI CIA to carry out wire- tapping and covert surveillance
involvement should be escalated but hoover vetoed this and Nixon set up secret white house
- Lnj smooth continuation of govt and committed himself to continuing intelligence unit known as ‘plumbers’ under former FBI agent Liddy
jfks agenda and Hunt
- In first 100 days johnson able to get through legislation previously - 1972 crushing reelection victory helped by weakness of opponent
planned by JFK but stalled by congress eg tax reduction, foreign aid, George Mcgovern who was easily portrayed as ‘ultra liberal’ - also
reform of higher education and civil rights act because george wallace became paralysed by assasination attempt.
- Won reeelection 1964 but would be faced with problems with vietnam
- Chances of democrat victory in elections very high, improved by
republican party leant to the right
- Landslide victory with large democratic majorities in house and
senate
- Johnson got through civil rights ar since willing to face down with Nixon fall from presidency
southern democrats - June ‘plumbers’ burgled democratic party offices in watergate building
- 1965 voting rights act washington DC and caught by security guard and washington post
reporters traced them back to nixons committee to reeelct the
president
- Opted for an elaborate cover up instead of admitting truth
LBJ + war on poverty - Unravelling: 1973 senate set up Committee on Presidential campaign
- Great faith in use of powers of big govt Activitied
- Federal spending on education and welfare massively increase - Nixon had to sack one of his advisers John dean and accept
- Higher education act easier access to college courses resignations of haldeman anf Ehrlichman
- National teachers corps set up to get teachers working in areas of rural - In May the senate commitee began televising hearings carried nightly
poverty by national networks - John dean claims Nixon directly involved in
- Medicare provided to ensure health for people older than 65 and watergate cover up- another tape revealed tape recordings of all white
medicaid gave funding to states so they could offer helth care to any house conversations
ages and wealth background - 1973 Nixons Vp had to resign over tax evasion
- 1965 housing and urban development act and 1966 model cities act - Nixon abolished his own atergte taskforce and demanded special
improved urban planning - action taken to improve urban mass prosecutor be sacked - ;eft the resident exposed and public opinion
transportation systems + regulate automobile industry to make cars turned awat from him
safer and protect environment - 1974 house of representatives put forward articles of impeachment
- Many schemes ineffect9ive and total funding never enough to cover all accusing Nixon of obstruction of Justice, abuse of power, and attempt
needs for congress
- Despite this LBJ reputation tarnished by reputation of VIetnam war - To avoid this Nixon resigned 1974 so Ford now president
- More young men drafted for unpopular war and casualty rates
continued to rise and more criticism of confuct of war
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