Page 60 NCSCOS Goal 10

Communists and Nationalists had been fighting for control of China since the Russian Revolution and WWI. They joined together to fight off the Japanese just before and during WWII, but the civil war resumed after WWII ended. Eventually, Communists, under Mao Zedong, will rule China. -Chang Kai-shek U.S. backed leader -Mao Zedong communist Fighting to win control of China -Communists win China -Nationalists go to Taiwan -U.S. doesn’t recognize China Recognize Taiwan as Chinese government Because rebellious leaders seized control from elected leader Communist China

-Korea split along 38 th parallel North = Communist South = Democratic -Northern Communists invade the south, 1950 – South asks the UN for help -War starts as a UN “police action” to repel the communist aggression -U.S. enters to save South Korea Gen. Douglas MacArthur – leaves Japan to fight Korea Inchon Invasion saves South Korea – 2- part invasion pushes North Korea to 38 th parallel -MacArthur launches counter and pushes into N. Korea – almost takes all of Korea Korean War

“Our trenches…were only about 20 meters in front of theirs. We were eyeball to eyeball…We couldn’t move at all in the daytime without getting shot at. Machine-gun fire would come in, grenades, small-arms fire, all from within spitting distance. It was like World War I. We lived in a maze of bunkers and deep trenches…There were bodies strewn all over the place. Hundreds of bodies frozen in the snow.” - China enters war on side of North Korea Do not want America in China -War stalemates MacArthur wants to attack China, disagrees with Truman who wants limited war Truman does not want WW3 -MacArthur criticizes President -Truman fires MacArthur -War drags on for two more years -War finally ends in 1953 near the 38 th parallel Ends in stalemate at 38th Neither side made any gains; communism was halted Korean War

Fear of Communists HUAC believed Communists were sneaking propaganda into films. The committee pointed to pro-Soviet films made during WW2, when the Soviet Union was an ally. HUAC subpoenaed 43 witnesses from the film industry in Many were “friendly,” supporting the accusation that Communists were in the film industry. Ten “unfriendly” witnesses were called to testify but refused. The Hollywood Ten did not cooperate because they believed the hearings were unconstitutional. Because they refused, they were sent to prison -Communist spies discovered -USSR gets atomic bomb Spies leaked atomic secrets -loyalty boards Investigated government employees -Bill of Rights questioned Especially 4 th Amendment -House Un-American Activities Committee – investigated communist infiltration in U.S. Hollywood Ten Would not cooperate; believed it unconstitutional; imprisoned -”blacklisting” Would not hire Communists Fear of Communists

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg -Alger Hiss state dept. official accused of spying – passing atomic documents to Soviets; convicted of perjury -Rosenbergs -accused of passing atomic secrets -found guilty and executed -Joseph McCarthy Believed communists were taking over the government “Witch Hunt” Accused many people of being Communist Senate investigations 1954 Army Hearings Accused army officials of being Communist; discredited on TV Fear of Communists

In 1950, the German-born physicist Klaus Fuchs admitted giving the Soviet Union information about America’s atomic bomb. The information probably enabled Soviet scientists to develop their own atomic bomb years earlier than they would have otherwise. Implicated in the Fuchs case were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, minor activists in the American Communist Party. When asked if they were Communists, the Rosenbergs denied the charges against them and pleaded the Fifth Amendment, choosing not to incriminate themselves. They claimed they were being persecuted both for being Jewish and for holding radical beliefs. The Rosenbergs were found guilty of espionage (spying) and sentenced to death.

Taking advantage of people’s concerns about communism, McCarthy made one unsupported accusation after another. These attacks on suspected Communists in the early 1950s became known as McCarthyism. At various times, McCarthy claimed to have in his hands the names of 57, 81, and 204 Communists in the State Department (he never actually provided a single name). He also charged the Democratic Party was guilty of “20 years of treason” for allowing Communist infiltration into the government. He was always careful to do his name-calling only in the Senate, where he had legal immunity that protected him from being sued for slander.

Foreign Policy Legacy -”The buck stops here” Truman makes decisions and accepts all responsibility for his decisions -Ended WW II -Atomic Bomb decision -Marshall Plan -Truman Doctrine -Korean War Foreign Policy Legacy

Readjustment Must rebuild their lives -millions of troops demobilized -G.I. Bill education – paid partial tuition low cost loans – gave money for homes, farms, businesses -Suburbia Mass-produced, cheap homes Levittowns – all look the same (cookie-cutter) -affluent society great demand for goods Americans used to saving now have money to spend; economy booms In 1945 and 1946, returning veterans faced a severe housing shortage. Many families lived in cramped apartments or moved in with relatives. In response to this housing crisis, developers like William Levitt used efficient, assembly- line methods to mass-produce homes. Levitt, who bragged that his company could build a house in 16 minutes, offered homes in small residential communities surrounding cities, called suburbs, for less than $7000.

Truman Takes Control Americans desire stability -”The Buck Stops Here” -postwar economy was first major domestic problem End of wartime production, millions laid off, others threaten strikes -threat of gov’t control of industry in order to prevent strikes – union power curbed Would not tolerate labor strikes in major industries; threatened to draft strikers Taft-Hartley Act “The buck stops here.” Truman’s policies end up angering many Americans, who elect a Republican Congress in 1946.

Civil Rights -Truman takes a firm stand on civil rights 1 st President to tackle civil rights Truman integrated the military Executive order over Congress -asked Congress for civil rights legislation Anti-lynching laws, ban on poll taxes, civil rights commission -Congress refused to pass any new laws and Truman angered party members who supported segregation Republican Congress does not want civil rights legislation “I am asking for equality of opportunity for all human beings, and if that ends up in my failure to be reelected, that failure will be in a good cause.” ~Harry Truman

1948 Election -Truman – Democrat -Thomas Dewey –Republican -Dixiecrats Strom Thurmond Protest the emphasis on civil rights -Truman was the underdog Did not have much support going into the election -called Congress into session and used inaction against them Tries to make them pass laws “Do-Nothing” Congress -Truman wins in major upset As the election approached, polls gave Republican Dewey a lead. Truman poured his energy into his campaign. He called Congress into special session and challenged it to pass laws supporting the Democratic Party platform. Not one lass was passed. Then he took his campaign to the people. He traveled from one end of the country to the other by train, speaking from the rear platform in a sweeping “whistlestop campaign.” Day after day, people heard the president denounce the “do-nothing 80 th Congress.” Truman’s campaign worked, and he won the election in a close political upset.

Truman’s Fair Deal -an extension of the New Deal Some felt it too ambitious Truman Proposed: -health insurance (no) -crop subsidies (no) -extension of social security (yes) -low income housing (yes) -aid to schools (no) -Congress supported some and ignored others Despite Truman’s social and economic victories, his approval ranking sank to an all-time low of 23 percent. The stalemate in the Korean War and the rising tide of McCarthyism, which cast doubt on the loyalty of some federal employees, became overwhelming issues. Truman decided not to run for reelection. The Democrats nominated Adlai Stevenson of Illinois to run against Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower, popularly known as “Ike.”

Domestic Legacy -Social Policies - desegregation Military integration Began federal government’s policy of extending civil rights to blacks -Economic and Political Policy -tried to extend New Deal -many of his domestic policies would become reality in the 1960’s Legacy lays the groundwork for future Democrats JFK and LBJ