President Harry S. Truman

The Presidency of Harry S. Truman

Basic Information:Party: DemocratYears in Office: 1945-1953President Before: FDRPresident After: EisenhowerImportant Bio Information: WWI combat veteran Ties to Political Boss Tom

Pendergast in Kansas City U.S. Senator 1934-1944 WWII Truman Committee FDR’s running mate in 1944

(reliable Southern Democrat) Only 82-days as vice president

Franklin Roosevelt

FDR in 1932 at 50 years old

FDR in 1945 at 63 years old

On of the few photos of FDR in his wheel chair

The Cold War (1946-75)From Containment to the Fall of Saigon

Origins of the Cold War Ideological incompatibility

(Communism vs. Capitalism) Treatment of leftists in the US US intervention during the Russian Civil

War Failure to recognize the USSR Soviet Non-Aggression Pact with Hitler Strained ties during WWII – esp over

opening a 2nd front US A-Bomb intimidation Soviet occupation of E. Europe Reconstruction of West Germany Soviet test A-Bomb in 1949

Stalin remembers…..

Truman & the Cold War*Important to remember that Truman faced intense political pressure after WWII from Republicans to get tough on Communism & reign in taxes.

The Cold War was to be foughton the cheap.

Truman & US Cold War PolicyGeorge F. Kennan:• U.S. Diplomat to the USSR (Soviet Expert)• In 1946 he sent the “Long Telegram” to

Washington, which was followed by an article in Foreign Policy magazine in 1947, in which he presented his theory

on why the US should contain communism.

Document Analysis: According to Kennan…1. What are Soviet goals?2. What strategy will the Soviets utilize

against the US?3. What recommendations does he make

for US foreign policy?

George F. Kennan

Truman & US Cold War PolicyGeorge F. Kennan: Russians have a traditional

insecurity about foreign threats Soviet foreign policy is driven by

Stalin, who uses a threat like capitalist encirclement to justify his brutal regime

Kennan recommended that the USSR "be contained by the adroit and vigilant application of counter-force at a series of constantly shifting geographical and political points."

Truman & US Cold War Policy

The Truman Doctrine:• Influenced by Kennan and

Sec. of State George Marshall, Truman announces the Truman Doctrine, which declared the US policy to “help the free peoples of Europe to resist communist aggression” by providing them with military and economic aid.

Truman & US Cold War PolicyMarshall Plan:Truman-Marshall-Kennan initially sought to use US soft power to counter communism in post-war Western Europe. The best example of this was the 1948 Marshall Plan, which was a massive effort to prop-up international capitalism via a massive recovery of Western Europe.*This was also coupled with a concentrated effort to rebuild West Germany, which was created in 1949.

Truman & US Cold War PolicyThe Cold War Heats Up:• 1948 Western Allies plan to

create West Germany• 1948 The Soviets blockade Berlin

(Berlin Airlift)• 1949 The Soviets test an atomic

bomb• 1949 Communists in China

declare the People’s Republic of China (Red China)

• 1950 NSC-68 report issued• 1950 Korean War begins

NSC-68Document Analysis:1. According the National Security

Council, what is the threat from the USSR?

2. What foreign policy recommendations does NSC-68 make?

3. What domestic policy recommendations does it make?

Truman & US Cold War PolicyNSC-68 changes US policy:Truman-Acheson-Nitze radically change US policy toward the USSR. Favoring military over diplomatic action, NSC-68 recommended a policy of “calculated and gradual coercion” to address Soviet communism. • significant increase in peace-time military spending

($13 billion $46.5 billion)• expansion of conventional & nuclear forces• military aid to allies• expand world-wide covert operations*NSC-68 ultimate goal = US hegemonic ally dominant in the world**Charges of being soft on communism and the

beginning of the Korean War forced Truman to make NSC-68 official policy.

“Soft” vs. “Hard” PowerSoft Power – Kennan’s Containment (1946-50)

Struggle was between capitalism vs. communism Believed that Soviets would not use military power to achieve goals, but

would rather use political & ideological means Emphasized the importance of ensuring free nations as part of containment Accepted long-term power and presence of the USSR US should prioritize interests: Europe over Asia & 3rd World, political and

economic influence over military

Hard Power – NSC-68 (Paul Nitze) (1950 - ) USSR has military capability and are willing to use it to achieve goals Cold War will eventually become a Hot War US to remake international community in America’s image US must resist communism on all fronts To do this the US must rapidly build up economic, political, and

military power Cold War was a “life and death struggle”

The Korean War