This document provides an overview of the domestic policies and agenda of Harry S. Truman during his presidency from 1945-1953. It highlights Truman's "Fair Deal" domestic agenda which aimed for full employment, tax cuts, and national health insurance. It discusses some of the successes of his agenda such as desegregating the military and increases to Social Security benefits. However, it also notes that many of Truman's programs struggled due to opposition in Congress and his focus shifting to foreign policy challenges in the Cold War.

1. Here we go….
– United States domestic policies of Truman, Eisenhower and
Kennedy
– Johnson and “the Great Society”; Nixon’s domestic reforms
– Canada: domestic policies from Diefenbaker to Chretien
– Causes and effects of the Silent (or Quiet) Revolution
– Populist leaders in Latin America: rise to power; characteristics
of populist regimes; social, economic and political policies; the
treatment of opposition; successes and failures (examples
include Peron, Vargas or any relevant Latin American leader)
– The Cuban Revolution: political, social, economic causes;
impact on the region
– Rule of Fidel Castro: political, economic, social and cultural
policies; treatment of minorities; successes and failures
– Military regimes in Latin America: rationale for intervention;
challenges; policies; successes and failures
– The Mexican Revolution and its impact on the Americas

2. Choose one of the first 5 Presidents
and complete a campaign poster
highlighting their domestic agenda

3. The Role of the President
• Please get into groups of three. Based on our
online posting, identify what it means to be a
good President. Ponder these questions:
– Is it more important to be just or compassionate?
– Is it fair to be judged solely by a comparison of
your colleagues, or are there some basic
preconceived ideas or benchmarks?
– Has the role of the President changed over time?
• Why do you feel the appreciation of a
Presidency is latent?

4. Harry S. Truman
“The Buck Stops Here”
“If you cant stand the heat, you
better get out of the kitchen.”

5. Profile• 1884-1972
• Born in Missouri
• Middle name..???
• Only President after 1897 not to have a college
degree
• Served in WWI
• Owned a failed men’s clothing store
• Became a judge
• 1935-Senator of Missouri
– The Truman Committee gave him respect and recognition
• VP under FDR (died in 4th
term)
– “When they told me what had happened, I felt like the moon,
the stars and all the planets had fallen on me”
• Democrat (obviously)
• 1945-1953 (33rd
President)

6. Early Political Career
• In 1922 he began the initiation process into the
KKK…never followed through
– He changed his attitude towards African Americans
after the war
• Connected to Tom Pendergast (Democratic
boss)
• Was reelected Senator in 1940
• Was selected as running mate to FDR in 1944
as a deal by Democratic chair
• He was rarely involved in decisions and 82 days
into Presidency FDR died

7. First Term
• The Potsdam Conference-paved the way for
the Cold War issues (different unit)
– Stalin, Truman and Churchill
• He was briefed on the Manhattan Project and
eventually authorized the bombs in 1945,
surrendered on August 14th
• “Sixteen hours ago an American airplane
dropped one bomb on Hiroshima. The
Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl
Harbor. They have been repaid many
fold….The force from which the sun draws its
power has been loosed against those who
brought war to the Far East”

8. The End of the War
• The Marshall Plan-spend more than $13
billion to rebuild Europe
• Supported the Jews, first to support Israel
• Occupied Japan until 1953
• The United Nations was established
• The Truman Doctrine and the Cold War
(different unit)

9. Domestic Policies
• Began to see a changing in the seats of
Congress after years of Democratic majorities
• Was bitterly against Congress over domestic
issues, to include:
– Tax cuts
– Removal of price controls
– The Taft-Hartley Act (overrode Truman’s Veto)
• Led to the “Fair Deal”
• Based on the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act,
national health insurance and an aggressive civil
rights program

10. The Election of 1948
• The Democratic party spilt over racial issues
– “My forebears were Confederates…But my very stomach
turned over when I had learned that Negro soldiers, just
back from overseas, were being dumped out of Army trucks
in Mississippi and beaten.”
– He issued an order to desegregate the military Executive
Order 9981
• He staged a “whistle stop” campaign, but
most people thought he would lose
• Dewey, Thurmond, Wallace and Truman
• Very aggressive campaigner—GW Bush in
1992

11. The Fair Deal
• “Every segment of the population, and
every individual, has the right to expect
from his government a fair deal.”
• Goals were full employment and an
improved economy
• Built upon the New Deal
• Strong opposition from Congress

12. Success???
• Desegregation of the military
• The Housing Act of 1949
– Urban renewal and more public housing
– Lengthened rent controls to 1951
• The Fair Labor Standards Act
– Increased min. wage from 40-75 cents
• The Social Security Act
– Increased benefits of the elderly by 77.5%
• The Agriculture Act of 1949
– Continued price supports( New Deal farm policy)

13. Struggles..
• The Fair Deal was an extension of the
New Deal but….
• Race relations started to deteriorate
• The nation was experiencing economic
prosperity and did not need New Deal
democracy
• Many of his programs struggled due to his
focus on the Cold War…discussion to
come

14. The Truman Legacy
• He did have many domestic successes, however, the
Cold War affected many decisions
– NATO
– McCarthyism and the Red Scare
– The Korean War, 1950
“I fired him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that’s not against the law
for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.”-the firing of Joseph
McCarthur….not seen as positive
• Assassination attempt 11/1/50
• Infiltration of commies in Truman’s government
• Numerous charges of corruption
• The 22nd
amendment-term limitations
• One of the most unpopular Presidents in history(22%
approval)…much better since then

15. Harry S. Truman
• Please get into small groups and answer
this question:
• Was the Fair Deal a success or do you
feel like there was not enough done to
improve relations?