Attempts to Establish a Post-War Peace

Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)

• US (FDR), Britain (Churchill), and USSR (Stalin) meet in to discuss post-war plan for Europe while war still on-going– USSR wants a friendly Poland and US/UK agree to

recognize pro-Soviet/communist Polish govt. on the condition that free elections will be held

– Allies divide Germany into four sections and determine that Soviets will NOT get war reparations, only trade goods

– Declaration of Liberated Europe: promise by Allies to allow all European countries to choose their own forms of government

Cont.

• USSR does not allow free elections in Poland and pressured Romania into communist government

• FDR criticizes Soviet action but dies in April 1945

Potsdam Conference (July 1945)

• Meeting held after conclusion of war in Germany, but before end of war with Japan– Actions on Germany

• USSR is taking machinery and reparations from their section of Germany

• Truman refuses to give USSR reparations from other zones to allow economy to recover

• USSR could get industrial equipment, but had to pay with food from Soviet section

• Stalin makes it clear that he has no intention to allow for free election in Eastern Europe, especially CZ and Poland.

• Soviets are made aware of the atomic bomb, and promise to help USA invade Japan.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ2Um7pZ-gc

Cont.

– Plans for Japan• Japan is given ultimatum and does not respond• US drops bombs the week after the conference• A second bomb is dropped 3 days later without

presidential approval.

• Tensions between US and USSR increase and help lay foundation for the Cold War

Iron-Curtain Descends

• Presence of Soviet forces in Eastern Europe allows for creation of pro-Soviet communist governments

• Eastern Europe dominated by Soviet satellite nations

• Iron Curtain speech discussing divided Europe delivered by Churchill on March 5, 1946 in Fulton, Missouri

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvax5VUvjWQ

United Nations

• Discussion begin in Washington, DC in 1944– Agreed to General Assembly – Security Council with 11 members

• 5 permanent members have veto powers– main countries fighting against Axis Powers– USA, USSR, Britain, France, and China

• Formally chartered in San Francisco on April 25, 1945– General Assembly votes on resolutions and budget,

chooses non-permanent Security Council members– Security Council responsible for international

peace/security and investigating international disputes and problems

UN 2011

Trouble at Home

• Just like in WWI, returning soldiers had a difficult time finding jobs.– Production declines as supply of workers increases.

• Strikes are also a major problem.– Industry no longer seen as a war effort, workers want

more rights.

• Truman was one of the most popular presidents ever at end of WWII, but its starting to decline.

Election 1948

• Truman’s approval rating bottomed out in 1948 at 36%. – Hurt by economic hard times– Democrats wanted to nominate Eisenhower

• Divided Democrats

– Truman supported civil rights and integrated military with executive order 9981.-Angered Southern Democrats

• Ran against Thomas Dewey, popular New York Governor.– Republicans were making a rebound.– http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=KytYJZnhA80&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

Truman makes a comeback• In the end, Truman’s personality saves him.

– Very personable in front of large crowds, an “everyman’s man” called his wife “the boss”

– Makes a 22,000 mile train trip around country– Speaks at train platforms then moves on-could reach

several hundred thousand in a day. – Earns nickname “Give em Hell Harry”

• Dewey was awkward, in front of crowds.– Had little ideas on what he would do as president. – No presidential candidate in the future will be so inept that four of his

major speeches can be boiled down to these historic four sentences: Agriculture is important. Our rivers are full of fish. You cannot have freedom without liberty. Our future lies ahead

– Lousivelle Courier Journal

• Truman wins despite losing by every pre-poll count

1948 Election

Has difficult Second Term

• Becomes very unpopular when he “fires” General Douglas Macarthur. – General was a hero in WWII but disobeys presidential

orders, crosses into China, and plans to bomb China with Nuclear Weapons.

• Joe McCarthy attacks Truman administration in Red Scare Witch Hunt. – Opposed mandatory loyalty oaths, seen as soft.

• Took control of private steel mills for war effort. – Saw it as his duty as commander and chief

Election of 1952

• During Truman’s 2nd term, the 22nd amendment is ratified. – Officially limits president to two terms.– Did not apply to Truman, but he decides not to run-

opponent.

• Former Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, General Dwight D. Eisenhower gets Republican nomination and easily defeats Adlia Stevenson – War popularity and Voter Fatigue all but assure

Eisenhower’s victory. – Washington, Jackson, Grant, Roosevelt, Eisenhower.