1. How does Truman run the country after WWII?
Post War America
How does Truman run the country after WWII?

2. Mass Produced Homes
Lack of home building & GI Bill of Rights causes housing shortage
Assembly line method of production of homes creates affordable housing & birth of the suburbs (Levittown, NY first suburbs)
$7,000!

4. Truman Avoids Depression
Truman worried about possible Depression, $35 mil war contracts canceled, one million defense workers laid off
1) Gov encourages people to spend saved money, 2) Marshall plan gives $ to Europe, 3) GATT reduces tariffs
Result: economy booms w/ new jobs in retail & manufacturing
Strikes Plague Recovery
Strikes causing shortages of goods, Truman tries to limit strikers (natl interests at stake )
Shortages allow Republicans to win back Congress, pass Taft-Hartley Act limiting union’s powers

5. Truman & Civil Rights Truman wants to end racial discrimination
1)Proposes Anti-lynching laws, 2)ban on the poll tax & 3)permanent civil rights commission
Congress votes all three down
In response, Truman uses Executive Order to integrate the armed forces
Baseball integrates, Brooklyn Dodgers sign Jackie Robinson, other MLB teams follow
- Truman announces “Fair Deal” supporting education, social security, and min wage

6. 1948 Election
Upset Southerners form States Rights Party “Dixiecrats” to challenge Truman:
1) Democrats – Harry Truman
2) “Dixiecrats”– Strom Thurmond
3) Republicans- Thomas Dewey
Truman wins in an upset, criticizes Republican policies, so Congress “kills” Fair Deal