President Truman

Question 1

How many days after becoming VP did Truman succeed Roosevelt?

Answer 1

82 days

Question 2

What was the aim of Truman’s foreign policy?

Answer 2

To contain and rollback communism using brinkmanship

Question 3

What did Eleanor Roosevelt say to Truman

Answer 3

“Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now”

Question 4

How long and far was Truman’s tour of the nation during the 1948 election?

Answer 4

33 days and 30,000 miles

Question 5

What slogan is associated with Truman during his campaign?

Answer 5

“Give ‘em hell Harry”

Question 6

Who were key family members used by Truman in his campaign?

Answer 6

His wife Bess and daughter Margaret

Question 7

What amount did the Republican-controlled Congress approve for the inauguration ceremony?

Answer 7

$80,000

Question 8

By how many votes did Truman defeat Dewey?

Answer 8

2 million votes

Question 9

What term did Truman use to describe the Republican Congress?

Answer 9

Do-nothing congress

Question 10

What did the Employment Act ensure for returning veterans?

Answer 10

‘Maximum employment’ for 12 million returning veterans

Question 11

How much money was given to veterans through the Employment Act?

Answer 11

$20 billion to 7.8 million veterans

This financial support included 52 weeks of unemployment pay.

Question 12

What was the inflation rate from 1945 to 1946?

Answer 12

25%

Question 13

What is the purpose of the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA)?

Answer 13

To advise the President on economic policy

The CEA was established to provide insights into economic conditions.

Question 14

What does the Taft Hartley Act (1947) allow the President to do?

Answer 14

Order an 80-day cooling-off period before strikes

This act was a response to significant strikes in 1946, where 116 million working days were lost.

Question 15

What was the poverty rate in 1952 compared to 1949?

Answer 15

Fell to 28% in 1952 from 33% in 1949

Question 16

What is the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 16

The American declaration of the cold war stating support for free people resisting subjugation

Delivered in 1947

Question 17

What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan?

Answer 17

US financial aid to rebuild European economies, offered to all countries including communists

$17 billion in aid approved by Congress in March 1948

Question 18

What was the outcome of the Berlin Blockade?

Answer 18

Truman’s successful response with airlifts of 1.5 million tonnes of supplies to Berlin, blockade lifted on May 12, 1949

Hailed as Truman’s finest hour in foreign policy

Question 19

What was the result of US aid to China under Truman?

Answer 19

Truman was blamed for China’s fall after spending $2 billion in aid

Truman was blamed for China’s fall

Question 20

What initiated the Korean War?

Answer 20

North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950

US involvement resulted in a 30% casualty rate until MacArthur took command

Question 21

What was the significance of the Korean War for Truman?

Answer 21

Containment succeeded, but it resulted in 36,914 American deaths and was considered ‘Truman’s War’

Armistice occurred in July 1953 (Ike)

Question 22

What role did Truman play in Indo-China?

Answer 22

Covered 78% of France’s costs against communist Ho Chi Minh

This was seen as a failure

Question 23

What was the US response to Israel’s declaration of independence?

Answer 23

Recognized Israel on May 14th, the same day it was declared

Neighboring Arab states attacked the next day

Question 24

What was the total amount of financial aid provided by the US in the Marshall Plan?

Answer 24

$17 billion

Question 25

Who was Thurgood Marshall?

Answer 25

NAACP lawyer who changed the separate but equal ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson ## Footnote Thurgood Marshall played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, particularly through landmark cases that challenged segregation.

Question 26

What did Powell do in relation to Congress?

Answer 26

Served on Congress 13 times and eventually joined the black power movement ## Footnote Powell coined the phrase 'black power' and was later rejected by Harlem in 1970.

Question 27

What was the Journey of Reconciliation?

Answer 27

Integrated interstate rides to test the Morgan v. Virginia ruling ## Footnote This initiative was organized by CORE to challenge segregation in public transportation.

Question 28

When was the Mississippi Progressive Voters League established?

Answer 28

1946 ## Footnote The league had 5,000 members by 1947, reflecting growing political engagement among African Americans.

Question 29

What was the outcome of Henderson v. US (1950)?

Answer 29

Made segregation on railroad dining carts illegal ## Footnote This case was a significant victory for the NAACP in challenging segregation laws.

Question 30

When was The President’s Committee on Civil Rights established?

Answer 30

1946 ## Footnote This committee was formed under Truman to address civil rights issues in the United States.

Question 31

What prevented Truman from pushing civil rights?

Answer 31

Southern racists using state rights ## Footnote Truman faced significant opposition from southern politicians who resisted civil rights reforms.

Question 32

How did Truman describe discrimination?

Answer 32

As a ‘Disease’ ## Footnote This metaphor highlights Truman's view on the harmful effects of discrimination in society.

Question 33

What is the Fair Deal?

Answer 33

A 21-point programme of economic and social measures to tackle societal divisions ## Footnote However, the Republican congress ensured few measures passed.

Question 34

What did the National Housing Act of 1949 aim to achieve?

Answer 34

810,000 federally subsidised houses for low-income Americans ## Footnote By 1952, only 156,000 were built, and they were of poor quality.

Question 35

What was the increase in college education level from 1939 to 1948?

Answer 35

Increased from 10% in 1939 to 15% by 1948

Question 36

What was the purpose of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952?

Answer 36

To make it easier to migrate from Asia

Question 37

What was the 'Great Migration'?

Answer 37

Blacks leaving the Jim Crow South for the industrial North ## Footnote This led to the development of city slums.

Question 38

What did Truman propose for health care?

Answer 38

A national health-insurance based on a 4% tax of $6.3k ## Footnote It was attacked as 'socialised medicine'.

Question 39

What did McCarthy claim about communists in the US government?

Answer 39

He claimed there were 205 communists in the US government ## Footnote This was part of the Red Scare.

Question 40

How did Republicans use the Red Scare in elections?

Answer 40

To defeat Democrats such as Adelie Stevenson

Question 41

What role did McCarthy play in congressional investigations?

Answer 41

He headed the 1952 congressional investigations ## Footnote This included Nixon's rise and 3 million investigations from '47 to '52.

Question 42

What was the House of Representative committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) responsible for?

Answer 42

Accusing the Hollywood Ten

Question 43

What advice did Truman receive regarding the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 43

To 'scare the hell' to pass the Truman Doctrine

Question 44

What did the Internal Security Act of 1950 require?

Answer 44

Members of communist-affiliated organizations to register with the government ## Footnote Truman vetoed it, but Congress overrode the veto.