Essay plan for a Source Question
Politics
Unit 4 (The Superpower )
Making of a Superpower; USA AQA A-level Breadth Module
I found this very useful when planning essays and essay technique- achieved an A* with this essay technique
“Assess how convincing the arguments In these extracts are in relation to the US presidency between 1945 and 1960”
Extract A: Extract B: Extract C:
Argues that Truman’s presidency in these years was Graubard has a rather hostile view of Eisenhower’s Newton argues in Extract C that the American
seemingly overshadowed by FDR’s legacy and due to presidency in which he argues his elitist and presidency in 1960 took a toll on the loss the
the pressure from the bipartisan coalition that militartisic style of government failed to allow him to Republican party in 1960, both Eisenhower and
dominated Congress, he faced difficulty getting social become a social reformer, and instead remained out Nixon, the latter of whom ran against Kennedy.
reforms passed after his relection in 1948. of touch with the electorate. Newton’s argument may be corroborated for, despite
Corroborated as Truman came into the To an extent may be corroborated as- ‘lost touch with Eisenhower’s initial distrust of Nixon due to the 1952
administration as ‘safe pair of hands’- unintended the Kansas’ world maybe with his appointment of Slush Fund Scandal, the defeat was taken badly by
V.P- disliked by much of his own party. Indeed in billionaires into his Cabinet and lack of attempts to Eisenhower. Similary Nixon accused the election
1948 before the NC, liberals wanted George Wallace implement a NHI scheme like Truman prior to him. victory of ‘dirty tricks’ due the Mayor stuffing the
for the presidency, or some wanted Eisenhower, a He believed in a ‘small gvoernment’ which may ballot boxes in Illionois which allowed Kennedy’s
Republican. As the historians’ reflect, this poses a support Graubard’s depiction of him as an ‘alliance- several thousand win of the state, explaining Nixon’s
contrast to ‘Roosevelt’s ‘master coalition builder’ builder’ unable to connect to the poor and citizens of ‘bitter[ness]’ at the outcome of the election. The
especially in 1940 which was composed of the ‘Solid America. Indeed he focused on balancing the budget argument reflects how due to the inability of Nixon’s
South’, party organisations in the cities and the 3 times in 1959/1950 and was a fiscal conservative initial tactics in regards to supporting civil rights and
youth/ethnic minorities/workers. Indeed, unlike Republican. This ‘hidden-hand’ presidency thus diverting himselves from conservatives, to work in
FDR’s ability to overcome opposition from the Left declared a passivity to his administration and hence allowing him the victory, it pushed the Republican
and Supreme Court in his Second New Deal, Truman meant as Graubard considers, meant he was ‘out of party to adopt other tactics such as the later
limited by ‘legislative warfare’- especially with BB. his depth in the White House’ in regards to domestic ‘Southern Strategy’ which helped Nixon not only in
Reinforces Truman’s weakness of his political power. policies in comparison to foreign affairs. This passivity 2968 but also 1972. This corroborates Newton’s
Extract also argues due to Congressional opposition, is reinforced with his reactions to the rise of argument
many of Truman’s ‘Fair Deal’ reforms couldn’t occur, McCarthyism- did little but happy when imploded in
which can be corroborated since Truman aimed in his 1954- failed to support fellow army general, George
1945 Full Employment Bill to introduce a NHI scheme Marshall on his election tour in 1952- depicts him as
and farmer price reforms yet was opposed by ‘failed citizen’ and weakness as a president to help
lobbying interest groups like American Medical others. Did little to help CRM besides Little Rock and
Association. Though he was able to extend the Social desegregation of schools in 1954.
Security Act in 1950 and raise the N.M.W to 75 c, it Yet Graubard’s portrayal of Eisenhower as ‘blinded to
can be compared to the 1960’s presidents such as anything that might be mistaken for a social vision’ is
Kennedy and Johnson, of the limits of his social slightly exaggerated. He did continue Truman’s Fair
reforms and hence as argument suggests’ his Deal to an extent, with a rise in the NMW, added 4
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