Ramina Abbasi

Hania Ghazi

Priya Rengaraj

Tricia Connolly

Brian Lee 

 

 

MYP Unit Question: How can the contributions of one person affect the direction of an entire nation?

 

Guiding Question: How did Culture and the Role of the President Shape Post-WWII America?

 

The 1940s

Featuring President Harry Truman

 

                      

 

      Business & the Economy

• The 1940s were one of the important decades, because it developed the business in America gradually. During the 1940's the economy achieved a rebound from the Great Depression, big businesses recovered their public reputation, wages also recovered and eve reached new heights, and new powers of the economy developed, especially the consumer goods and military hard ware productions. American business in the 1940s was dominated by preparation for World War II, since America only wanted to earn and collect the benefits from the war. By the end of the decade Americans' economy was rocketing through the sky.

      Education

• At first education was poorly organized, and incompetent, and, also known as wasteful, but soon it improved significantly to an established curriculum. American education was in years of change, well on its way to becoming uniform, proficient, precise, and national. Before the war, teaching was one of the more dreary jobs in the United States. Teaching regulations were different from state to state. Teachers pay was at a minimum during the World War but in the following years teaching became a more beneficial job

      Fashion

•  Fashion-

  American Fashion was altered in the 1940’s after World War II. Business was sky rocketing in this time because it was an up rise right after the Great Depression. The essential for fashion was the supplies that made clothing such as wool, cotton, linen, rayon, silk, and nylon, these fabrics made up the fancy attire of 1940’s. The Government restrictions that were put on fashion greatly affected fashion styles. Women would accessorize their out fit by wearing scarf’s and jewelry, and they would wear silk stockings. They would add red lipstick to emphasize their sense of fashion. On the other hand men started to wear suits that had single breast jackets and plain-front, with straight legged pants.

   

   Film and theater

• Hollywood had become successful during the 1940’s because film and theater productions had been doing so well. In the 1940’s on average 80 million people went to the movies each week. There had just been eight theater’s built at this time, and the eight theater’s had been running 90 percent of the production. In films they began to include topics of social issues for example sexuality had become mentioned openly.It was desired by the film industry to include political issues but they productions were to afraid that it would hurt their sales.  The 1940’s introduced a new era of theater musicals were highly popular at this time.

   

      Food &  Drink

• As WWII started an economic boom, American families had more disposable income. More people started working and wages went up and there were more consumer products available. Now families that lived in the suburbs bought more processed food and ate out more. Dunkin' Donuts franchises were created where people would stop for coffee breaks or breakfast. Stuckey's and McDonald's were visited for quick meals for families that were tired of doing their own dishes or workers on lunch breaks. Pizza became very popular and many Pizzaria's popped up in small towns and cities. And best of all M&M's were first created in the 1940s for a quick snack on the go.

      Print Culture

• WWII dominated print media bringing news about battles and photos of soldiers to American's doorsteps. Although WWII dominated the media and newspapers, Comic Books were also very popular. Aimed mostly at young readers, comic books about superheroes like the Green Lantern and Captain America, about detectives, and about just plain funny characters such as the kids in the Archie Comics were printed in abundance. Comic Books were not the only thing for young readers, they could also find many magazines and books written for youth. Highlights magazine offered educational reading entertainment. Seventeen gave advice on teenage life to young women. The Bobbsey Twins and Cherry Ames characters entertained young readers in their series of books. With the rise of comic books, magazines and paperback books for adults the pulp magazines that dominated in the 1920s and 1930s lost their popularity. By the 1950s, the pulps had virtually disappeared, with the exception of a small number of detective, science fiction, and fantasy magazines.

      Sports &  Games

• In 1940s, World War II shaped the genre of sports throughout the nation. The sports world did its best to maintain business as usual, but all organized games and contests were disrupted after 7 December 1941, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and the disruption continued until well after the end of the war in August 1945. Able-bodied men were expected to serve in the military, and most qualified professional athletes answered the call. Early in 1941 sports stars inducted into the armed forces included baseball player Hank Greenberg and football players Dave Smulker and Chuck Gelatka. By 1945, 509 active major league baseball players had served, some two hundred colleges had disbanded their football teams because players went to war, and four thousand boxers, including five world champions, had joined the military. With the affirmation of President Roosevelt's "green light," urging baseball to continue during wartime as long as eligible players did not avoid the draft, organized sports carried on but with tight budgets and a shortage of players. Still, sports events provided a welcome diversion that boosted the morale of the nation.

   

   

   

• Music -Brian

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gIRlWBza4A

   

  "The Way We Lived"

• Due to the Great Depression, people often lived economically during the early 40's. For instance, they grew "victory gardens" to grow produce. They easily adopted to the new food and clothing restrictions due to the Second World War. In addition, they rushed to marry before soldiers left for war, and had many children when they returned, causing the baby boom. This, in turn, caused the economy to rise. Lastly, the Cold War had a large effect on everyday life. Many individuals feared the Soviet Union and Communism in general.

 

      Government & Politics

• (This section evaluates government and politics during the 1940-50s - not only through Truman's presidency, but the entire decade) Many changes and events occurred in the 1940s to transform government and politics in the US. One major change, occurring in the latter part of the decade was the reorganization of the government; The National Security Council, The Department of Defense, and Central Intelligence Agency were all created out of this reorganization. In addition, communism, as a form of government, was seen in a negative light. Often times, democracy had to be "defended", as seen in the eyes of America. Isolationism - the idea that the US should only attend to domestic affairs - was also a prominent idea in politics during this era, especially among Republicans. Finally, due to the "Democratic realignment" in this era, the Republicans split into two groups - those who preferred classical views (conservatives), and those who came to agree with Roosevelt's ideas, primarily the New Deal. The Conservatives grew to be weaker. Ultimately, the views of GOP economics and Isolationism failed.

 

       Law &  Justice

•  It was during the forties that the united states emerged as a world power. The war was over and Britain had lost its centuries old influence. Even though the war was over and America's economy was booming, it still was suspicious of many other countries. The suspicion at time got out of hand, particularly with communism. Many Americans were suspicious of communism being sparked in America and many accusations of Communism took place, especially by senator McCarthy, and these methods of intimidation he used questioned American democracy and justice. Despite these suspicions, all the discrimination of Jews in WWII made Americans more conscious of the African American civil rights movement and helped to create more openness in American society.

 

       Religion

• During the depression, church attendance had declined greatly from what it once, but after war, in the forties, there was a religious revival and church attendance went from 43% (which is what it was before the war) to 55%. Many people joined churches and religious groups. Religious leaders were given very high esteem during this time period. Thousands of people joined the Catholics and the southern Baptists. This religious revival may have been caused because of the war. Due to immigration in past couple of years, the number of Jews and Catholics had greatly increased and there were about 238 Jewish schools in just New York City. There were also a population of Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists, and Buddhists. Most Protestants lived in the rural areas. There was also still anti Semitism and tension between Catholics and protestants. In general, religion became a bit more liberal.

 

 

 

Harry Truman

 

 

 

 

Where I Live(ed):

Lamar, Missouri

Website: Official White House Biography

 

Date of Birth:

May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri

Date of Death:

December 26, 1972

Political Views:

Democrat

 

Religious Views:

Baptist

 

Years Served as President:

1945-1953

Occupations:

33rd President, Military Captain and Missouri farmer, judge of the Jackson County Court, Senator in 1934, Vice President  to FDR

 

Interests/Hobbies:

• Into History and the federal economy

• Reading

• Spending time with his wife and daughter 

• Golfing, swimming, morning walks

• Poker

• Riding his Shetland Pony

• Chasing frogs around the farm

 

Education:

• Independence high school

  Graduated in 1901 

 

Friends:

• Bess Wallace (wife, childhood sweetheart)

• Thomas J. Pendergast, ( an army buddy who helped out Truman a lot)

• Jim Pendergast

   

Sports:

• When Harry Truman was six years old, he was a sickly child with poor eyesight that forced him to wear thick glasses. This resulted n his lack of interest in any sports or games and turned instead to more solitary pursuits such as reading and playing the piano. After he was president he enjoyed golfing, swimming and morning walks.

 

 

 

 

During my stint as president, the political, social and economic factors and challenges that I had to deal with (at home) included:

 

 

• Political

  • President Truman presents George C. Marshall as the U.S. secretary of state.

  • The Succession Act is passed, therefore having the Speaker of the House of Representatives next in line for the presidency after the vice-president.

  • President Truman approves the report of his Committee on Civil Rights for an end to segregation in, urging that steps be taken to implement political, equality.

  • President Truman signs a new Selective Service Act obliging all males eighteen to twenty-five to register for military service. The republicans nominate Thomas E. Dewey as their presidential candidate. The next day Earl Warren is named as his running mate.

   

  Social

  • President Truman signed the Executive Order #9981, an order that ended discrimination in U.S. armed forces. 

  • The number of working women rose from 11,970,000 in 1940 to 18,610,000 in 1945. By the end of the war one in every four wives was employed. Women comprised 36.1% of the civilian workforce and were enjoying the increases in income created by the wartime economy.

  • Ooh La La~

    

 

          Economic- How to maintain wartime prosperity without a war.

 

• In June 1946 Congress extended the life of the Office of Price Administration and Civilian Supply (OPA) that regulated production and prices in order to check runaway inflation, but stripped it of much of its power. Truman vetoed the bill, and when price controls expired on 1 July 1946 prices skyrocketed and the cost-of-living index rose 6 percent in one month. By 1947 the cost-of-living index had risen twenty-four points—twenty points more than it had risen in the previous year.

• Demobilization of its 17 million troops, Administration officials feared a rapid demobilization of the military would plunge the nation back into depression. The problem was partially solved by the Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill, which funneled many returning veterans into college, thus delaying their entry into the labor force and improving their working skills.

• From 1946 to 1948, as unemployment rose and the American economy slowed, strikes became common-place, and the Truman administration struggled with popular discontent with its economic policies.

 

 

During my stint as president, the political, social and economic factors and challenges that I had to deal with (abroad) included:

 

Political

• Dealing with the newly formed UN , and convincing others it could play an effective role in preventing war.

• The Soviet Union (preventing catastrophe due to the Cold War)

• The use and justification of nuclear weapons

• Interference between North and South Korea

• Truman Doctirine - what to do with Turkey and Greece, preventing them from turning Communist

• Election of 1948

 

Social

•  World War II caused Americans to change there usual lifestyle a lot during this time period. Due to the war many American men were away at war. Many Americans were in different countries.

• Dealing with concentration camps and anti semitism, racism, Nazi ideology,  holocaust

• The Alien registration act of 1940 encouraged immigrants to become American citizens. Lots of people wanting to come to America.     

•      The Olympic games in Finland are canceled because of the war. The games will not resume until 1948

• World War II (1939–45) disrupted professional sports events

•  People everywhere in the world have to change there lives a lot because of the war. Like give up luxuries, like fashion, sports etc..

•  post-war international relations

•   overseeing the final defeats of Germany and Japan

• Anti- communism

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki bomb droppings, many people displaced, dead and suffered radiation poisoning

• British troops invade Iran

•  

 

Economic

• Markets once open to the United States closed with the rise of German and Japanese imperialism.

• The Soviets in effect created an economic block and closed it to American trade

• The Europeans, devastated and bankrupted by the war, rarely objected to the conditions of Marshall Plan assistance and by 1950 had resumed domestic production and American trade on a greater basis than before the war.

•  The execution of the Marshall Plan, an initiative that provided billions of dollars to help rebuild the economies of European countries devastated by WWII.

 

 

Looking back at my presidential career, I had to wear several "hats."  Wearing these different "hats," these were my most significant achievements and failures:

 

Commander-in-Chief

As soon as president Truman came into office he began an important role as commander in chief. The first big decision made by Truman was if he wanted to launch the atomic bomb towards Japan. Truman’s decision of making the bomb was a follow up to the creation of the bomb the project which Roosevelt ran. After the success with the test for the bomb Truman was forced into sending the atomic bomb to Japan.

Chief Executive

Throughout Truman's term of presidency, he aimed the goal of nation to being a powerful nation, and benefit the economy. He passed the Truman Doctorine, protecting nations around the world from Communism. Truman also created the Organization to protect USA from Communism called NATO, which stands for North American Treaty Organization. Truman also had the Marshall Plan, which was giving economic aids to the Western Europe, boosting their economy and eventually helping American Economy in the long term.

 

Chief Diplomat

As Chief diplomat I signed the Truman doctrine which pledged the US to help countries threatened by soviet expansion. I also proposed the Marshall plan was meant to help western European cities rebuild and reconstruct. It helped to make sure communism does not take a foothold again.  It also created a market for American made goods.

Ceremonial Head of State

 

This job includes attending ceremonies and presenting speeches to foreign countries. Truman made several speeches abroad, with mixed reaction. For instance, he delivered several speeches concerning communism. Specifically, it is reported on March 18, 1948, Western Europe “warmly welcomed” one of these speeches while Communist-driven media received it as a threat, a “firebrand-talk” and “panic speech”. However, considering the anti-communist views of America and Truman at that time, on could conclude Truman was successful in getting his point across about communism and representing the views of his nation. In this area, he was successful.

 

Prescott Evening Courier

Thursday, March 18, 1948

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QdQKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G1ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=1120,3095072

 

Manager of the Economy

 

As manager of the economy, I helped the economy boom. With the end of WWII there were more jobs available and wages were increasing. Soon enough the standard of living increased and all together the American society was happier. But the real problem was maintaining wartime prosperity without a war. Some challenges that occurred were the rise of Japan and German imperialism and the Soviet Union closing to American trade. Another thing was what to do with the 17 million troops coming back from war. This was easily solved because they were put into college and became more skilled and in the long run this helped America prosper even more.

Party Leader

 

Party leader 

Truman could be best described as a mix between liberal and conformer. He expanded the Democratic Party to include minorities, yet he failed in depicting his party (liberal VS conservative).  However, he did clearly address the difference between Republicans and Democrats in his speech, the annual message to the congress on the state of the union, stating things like

“Governments are created to serve the people”,

“Our first goal is to secure fully the essential human rights of our citizens”,

“Our ultimate aim must be a comprehensive insurance system to protect all our people equally against insecurity and ill health” and

“On the foundations of our greatly strengthened economy and our renewed confidence in democratic values, we can continue to move forward”

All in all, he highlighted his democratic views in this speech very well.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=13005

 

 

These are some ways which depict his successes and failures as party leader.

 

National Leader

Truman had to make some of the toughest decisions during his presidency, like how to make Japan surrender, and how to help the country back on his feet. He was president during one of the largest wars in our history, WWII and often he had to make many controversioal decisions, like dropping the atomic bombs in Japan which may have brought down his approval ratings. Overall, he did take help the country a lot, he fought against racism, he signed the Marshall Plan, and the Truman Doctrine.

 

Favorite Quote About Me by a Famous Historian:

"I don't give a damn what history thinks of me. I know what I did and that's enough for me." - Harry Truman

 

 

Positive Political Cartoon

 

 

 

Negative Political Cartoon: harry truman.jpg

 

The White House after 140 years had become ruined. This was relavent to Truman when the leg of his piano went through the floor. The white house had to be rebuilt. The major architectual change was what is now called the Truman balcony. The Trumans had to move out of the White House and lived in Blair House across the street.

 

Guiding Question: How did Culture and the Role of the President Shape Post-WWII America? 

 

Truman’s presidency started off rough because he came right into the recovery of the Great Depression in the mid 1940's. As the president he made many tough decisions in an effort to help rebuild the United States. AS Commander in chief he also played a role because he had to face the tough choice of whether or not to launch the bomb over to Japan. Truman had a tough presidency coming in from the recovery of the death of Roosevelt to the rebuilding the United stats after the Great Depression, and one of the major choices made as commander in chief Harry S. Truman shaped his era because his presidency turned out to be a good one even though he was faced with such big conflicts. 

 

Truman derfinitey shaped his presidency because  he had to make many controversial decisions, like dropping the atomic bombs, Truman Doctrine, and Marshall Plan. He is the one who made those decisions, and they changed the lives of many people. They changed the social and political aspects of both abroad and in the country. He also changed the ecomony. Overall his decisions left many lasting affects.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

"Annual Message to the Congress on the State of the Union.." The American Presidency Project. 2009. University of

     California. 17 Jun 2009 <http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu>.

 

"Europe Divided on Familiar Lines To Two Speeches." Prescott Evening Courier 54(1948): 6. Print.

 

 

Cooke, Jacob E. "Washington, George." Presidents: A Reference History. Ed. Henry F. Graff. 3^rd ed. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. 1-     21. Gale      Virtual Reference Library. Gale. International Academy High School. 30 Apr. 2008 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.