Today we continued with the presidential assigned blogs. We then moved into the Vietnam War.
Harry Truman - He became VP for FDR in January of 1945. He took over for FDR when he died in April of 1945. One of the most unpopular presidents of all time when he left office - 22% approval rating. His rating has improved greatly over the last 60 years. Truman was president when WWII ended with Germany and Japan. He was at the Potsdam Conference. He decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan. He had to deal with the transition from wartime economy to peacetime economy. He helped organize and later joined the United Nations. He took a hard-line stance against communism and the Soviet Union-Policy of Containment. Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan were passed. He desegregated the US military. He also created the CIA and the National Security Council. Truman had the Fair Deal which was similar to the New Deal by FDR.
Dwight Eisenhower - He was a famous WWII general. He decided to join the Republican Party after WWII. Eisenhower dominated by the Cold War Containment Policy. He used the CIA to do covertops to disrupt communist government. He opened relations with Spain. He ended the Korean Conflict as promised in his 1952 election campaign. The Eisenhower Doctrine was stating tha t the United States would help fight off any communism that is invading the Middle East. The Brown vs. Board of Education case in 1954.
John F. Kennedy - He and his VP didn't get along that well. He ran against Richard Nixon. The 1960 election was the first televised debate. Many people say this helped JFK win the election. He was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Lyndon B. Johnson - The Great Society was Johnson's plan to aid education, attack diseases, Medicare and Medicaid, urban renewal, beautification, conservation, development of depressed regions, war on poverty, control and prevention of crime, and removal of obstacles to the right to vote. Vietnam ruined Johnson's presidency.
Richard Nixon - Nixon won by 1% popular vote. Nixon was big into being environmental friendly. He declared warn on drugs in 1971. Title 9 in 1972 which prohibited gender discrimination in all federally funded schools. Richard helped women during his presidency. The Equal Employment Opportunity Act was signed. Nixon went to China and the Soviet Union which we led to the US getting along better with the two countries. Two Washington Post reporters were given clues by "Deep Throat" who was Mark Felt. Mark told the men to "follow the money."
Gerald Ford - He had two assassination attempts within three weeks. Both attempts were made by women. Ford pardoned Richard Nixon.
Vietnam War - France had gained control of Indochina in a series of colonial wars in the mid-later 1800's. During WWII, Vichy France worked with Japanese forces in controlling Indochina during WWII. After the Japanese surrendered, the French fought to retain control of their former colony against the Viet Minh independence movement, led by Communist Party Ho Chi Minh. After the Viet Minh defeated the French colonial army at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the French withdrew, and the colony was granted independence.
Class dismissed.
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