key flashcards
(71 cards)
why did roosevelt increase presidential power
- to get country out of great depression
- to lead country in ww2 - country in state of emergency
two reasons why usa was richest nation in 1945
- rich in natural rescources such as coal and iron
- economic boom as factories worked to produce war material
how much of the world income did usa have in 1949
42%
why had the war decreased regionalism in usa
- 10% had left for training camps - most served overseas
- 13% had changed country of residence
- 8 mil located to diff state
where was mass migration from
agricultural south to industrial north
what are the two types of segreation
de jure
de facto
what demonstrated tensions between rich and poor in 1946
when 4.6 milion workers went on strike
what increased social mobility (when was this passed)
GI bill of rights passed in 1944 by congress
what did GI bill of rights offer
aid to returning military personnel through free vocational training and higher education
low interest loans for home buying and new businesses
impact pf GI bill of rights (3)
- number of college education grew so greater economic opportunities
- more homeowners
- american dream belief confirmed
when did truman become president
month and year
April 1945
when did ww2 end
year+month
sept 1945
why was truman at a disadvantage as president
- was excluded by FDR from military and fp discussions
- had a more combative personality
what was trumans most pressing foriegn policy issue when he became president
USSR - uneasy relationship - first communist state
- were allies in ww2 but still tense
- diff rules in their liberated countries from nazi rule
what were the issues and tensions in poland
british and usa wanted free elections in poland wheras stalin ensured they had a communist govt
apart from poland, what was ‘the elephant in the room’ in discussions with russia
development of atomic bomb that ussr knew about from spies
when was potsdam conference
month + year
july 1945
what was discussed at potsdam conferece
germany to be divided into 4 zones (usa, british, soviet and french)
berlin in soviet soviet zone but western half of city under control of other 3
– still disagreed over polands political system and us atomic bomb was tested at this time
what did stalin recognise had changed world balance of power, soviet need to defeat japan, and also increased tensions and hostility
atomic bomb
why were no post war treaties made despite council of foriegn ministers meeting throughout 1945-7
developing cold war between usa and ussr
in 1946 what 3 landmarks signalled development of cold war
- stalin speech on inevitable communist capitalist conflict
- disagreements ovet germany because soviets made their zones communist (democracy in 3 others)
- truman gave sympathetic hearing to george kennans long telegram speech
what was the long telegram speech
when, who, what
1946 george kennan
urged us containment of soviet expanisonism
how much aid did truman request in 1947 to prevent communist expansion in greece and turkey
400 million
why was the truman doctrine significant (4)
- virtual declaration of cold war
- very little american criticism
- demonstrated gaining american support often required excessive simplicity in us foriegn policy
- affected and dominated us foriegn policy for 50 years
