Harry Truman-
- became vice president for FDR in January, 1945.
- took over for FDR when he died in April 1945.
- one of the most unpopular presidents of all time he left office-22% approval rating.
- rating has improved greatly over the last 60 years.
- president when WWII ended with Germany and Japan.
- decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan.
- had to deal with the transition from war time economy to peacetime economy.
- helped organized and later joined to United Nations.
- took a hard-line stance against communism and the Soviet Union-Policy of Containment.
- Truman Doctrine and Marshall plan were passed.
- desegregated the US military.
- created the CIA and the National Security Council.
- "The Buck Stops Here." meaning that he is the leader and that he takes responsibility for what happened.
- the Fair Deal- similar to FDR's new deal of the 1930's
- aimed to promote economic development and social welfare.
- faced a lot of opposition from southern democrats and republicans
- most fair deals proposals did not get passed.
- recognized Israel as a home place for Jewish people.
- got the US involved in Vietnam by giving aid to France.
President Dwight Eisenhower-
- famous WWII generals.
- decided to join the Republican party after WWII.
- this all but guaranteed him a win in the 1952 election.
- Richard Nixon was his Vice-President.
- diagnosed with Chrones disease.
- Opened relations with Spain.
- SEATO was formed.
- defensive alliances were signed with South Korea and Taiwan.
- Increased US involvement in Southeast Asia-US advisers were sent.
- NASA was created due to Soviet Sputnik Launch.
John F. Kennedy-
- served in WWII.
- was a US representative and senator form Massachusetts before becoming president.
- first and only catholic president.
- youngest elected president and second youngest president.
- assassinated in 1963 in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvard Oswald.
- ran against vice-president Richard Nixon.
- first presidential televised debates took place.
- many say this helped JFK win the election.
- Cold War issues dominated his presidency.
- Berlin wall was built in 1961.
- Kennedy increased the number of helicopters, military advisers and undeclared U.S. special forces in the Vietnam War.
- the CIA helped the Baath party government overthrow communists in Iraq.
- this new party murdered large numbers of Iraq's educated people.
- Saddam Hussein is said to have participated in this massacre.
- Nuclear test ban treat was signed.
- the new frontier-education, medical care for the elderly, economic aid to rural regions, government intervention to talk the recession, end racial discrimination.
- peace corps was established in 1961 where American volunteer to help underdeveloped nations in areas such as education, farming, health care, and construction.
President Lyndon B. Johnson-
- JFK's Vice-President.
- took over as president after JFK was assassinated.
- set up the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowments for the Arts.
- Economic opportunity act helped start head start, food stamps, work study, medicare and medicaid.
- put together the Warren Commission to investigate the JFK assassination.
- Passed Civil rights Act of 1964, which outlawed most forms of racial segregation.
- started affirmative action laws.
- the Vietnam conflict dominated much of Johnson's presidency.
- Believed in Domino Theory.
- gulf of Tonkin Resolution(1964)-congress gave Johnson power to wage war in Vietnam as he saw it.
- Johnson's planned to:
- aid education.
- attack disease.
- medicare and medicaid.
- urban renewal.
- beautification. conservation, development.
Richard Nixon-
- vice president of Eisenhower.
- lost 1960 election to JFK.
- the only person to be elected twice to both the presidency and the vice presidency.
- only president to resign from the office.
- started pulling troops out of Vietnam as promised.
- Vietnam Conflict dominated much of his presidency war became very unpopular.
- Paris peace accords signed in 1973 stopped the fighting and hot the US our of the war.
- saw large scale integration of schools in the south.
- supported affirmative action.
- signed title IX(9) prohibiting gender discrimination in all federally funded schools.
- in 1972, president Nixon traveled to china where the president was to have direct talks with china.
- this eased china and was recognized as the official China.
- Anti-ballistic missile treaty was signed which banned the development of systems designed to intercept with missiles.
- Nixon lowered the maximum U.S. speed limit to 55 miles per hour to conserve gas during the crisis.
Ford:
- offered conditional amnesty program for Vietnam war draft dogers who had sled to countries such as Canada.
- education for all handicapped children act established special education school throughout the US.
- "Whip inflation now" called for Americans to reduce their spending and consumption in an attempt to stop inflation.
- ford wanted to help south when north Vietnam invaded in 1974 but congress refused.
- by April 1975, all of Vietnam became communist.
- Indochina migration and refugee assistance act was passed to allow refugees to immigrate to the US.
- France had gained control of Indochina in a series of colonial wars in the mid-late 1800's
- during World War 11 Vichy France worked with Japanese forces in controlling Indochina during WWII.
- 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.
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