CHAPTER 27
The Cold War and the Fair Deal, 1945–1952
TRUE/FALSE
1. Harry Truman was famously short-tempered and outspoken.
2. A number of historians today believe the cold war was an unavoidable consequence of
ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union.
3. In the civil war that broke out in Greece after the Second World War, the United States
assisted the British-supported government and announced what came to be known as the
Truman Doctrine.
4. The Berlin airlift saw the aerial evacuation of American personnel from Berlin after the
Soviets blockaded the city.
5. Israel’s creation in 1948 was followed immediately by a war with its Arab neighbors.
6. Due to shrinking military production, a deep recession followed the end of the Second
World War.
7. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act was also known as the GI Bill of Rights.
8. When Truman removed wartime restrictions on prices and wages, there were strikes and
other labor disputes in the steel, coal, and railroad industries.
9. In the ideological contest against the United States, Communists highlighted examples of
racism to win influence among newly emerging African nations.
10. Truman banned racial discrimination in the federal government and segregation in the military.
11. The Fair Deal was President Truman’s name for his approach to foreign policy in the early
days of the cold war.
12. The year 1949 saw both the Communists’ winning control of China and the Soviets’
development of an atomic bomb.
13. Henry Wallace ran for president in 1948 as the Progressive party candidate.
14. During the presidential election of 1948, Republicans saw little hope for victory.
15. At the end of the Second World War, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel.
16. Truman’s firing of MacArthur in 1951 was over MacArthur’s refusal to pursue the
war in Korea.
17. The celebrity status of the group known as the Hollywood Ten successfully prevented
the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) from subpoenaing them.
18. Whittaker Chambers accused Alger Hiss of supplying secret U.S. documents to the Soviets.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What were among the main U.S. foreign policy concerns following the Second World War and why?
a.
Because Nazism persisted on a large scale following the war, the United States and the Soviet
Union maintained their strong alliance and shared intelligence with one another; the onset of the
cold war several decades later, therefore, came as a shock to American leaders.
b.
Having become accustomed to the idea of fighting modern world wars, national leaders across the
globe were less cautious than ever before and proved eager to employ new technologies such as
atomic bombs as a means of advancing their own ends.
c.
Because the Second World War had exhausted so many American resources, domestic concerns
significantly overshadowed foreign affairs during the postwar years; any foreign policy concerns,
therefore, centered predominantly on European trade laws.
d.
With the elimination of German Nazism, the United States and the Soviet Union no longer seemed
to share a united goal; the power vacuums in Europe and Asia due to the defeat of the Germans and
Japanese left the Americans and Soviets competing for global influence.
e.
Because the United States had come out of the Second World War more powerful than before, its
empire proved immune to the anti-colonial liberation movements experienced by other empires and
instead focused on acquiring British, French, and Dutch colonies.
2. One of Truman’s strengths as he assumed the presidency was his
a.
tremendous personal charisma and oratorical ability.
b.
elite upbringing and connections in Washington.
c.
willingness to work with Republicans.
d.
many years of experience as vice president.
e.
genuine demeanor and ability to arise above his limitations.
3. The conventional view of cold war history holds whom or what MOST responsible for beginning this conflict?
a.
Truman and his aggressive policies
b.
American economic imperialism
c.
the efforts of the Soviets, led by Josef Stalin, to dominate the globe
d.
mistakes and overreactions by both the United States and the Soviet Union
e.
the collapse of British and French power at the end of the Second World War
4. Which of the following appears to have led to the cold war in retrospect?
a.
Truman’s refusal to adopt an antagonistic foreign policy and his ongoing efforts at collaboration
with the Soviet Union
b.
ideological competition between democratic capitalism and totalitarian communism and their
opposing views of what the postwar world should become
c.
the ongoing threat of Nazism following the Second World War around the globe, but most
especially in the United States and the Soviet Union
d.
the lack of Russian casualties and invasions in Russia during the Second World War that left the
nation more powerful than ever before
e.
the upholding of promises made at the Yalta Conference following the Second World War by all
parties involved and the independence of Eastern European nations
5. By the spring of 1945, the United States and Britain were becoming deeply concerned over
Soviet actions in
a.
East Asia.
d.
Western Europe.
b.
the Middle East.
e.
Eastern Europe.
c.
Latin America.
6. To what did Winston Churchill compare the boundary between Soviet-occupied Eastern
Europe and Western Europe?
a.
an open window
d.
a concrete ship
b.
an iron curtain
e.
a blast furnace
c.
a malleable screen
7. The Yalta pledges of democratic elections in Eastern Europe were
a.
violated by the Soviet Union.
b.
postponed for two years after the end of the war.
c.
fully backed by American military power.
d.
honored by the Soviet Union.
e.
not in the national interests of the United States.
8. Which of the following statements describes the role State Department official George
Kennan played in the onset of the cold war?
a.
He predicted that the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviets would continue
due to similarities between capitalism and communism.
b.
He said the United States should ignore recent events in Europe and focus on the defense of the
Western Hemisphere.
c.
He recommended that the United States contain Soviet expansionist tendencies through efforts to
undermine the appeal of Soviet communism.
d.
He urged the use of military force to liberate Eastern Europe from the Soviet Union and advised
Truman to bomb the Russians.
e.
He expressed certainty that the Soviet Union would come out ahead of the United States and
doubted that communism would ever destabilize or collapse.
9. Drawing on the assumptions of the “domino theory,” Truman believed the Soviet and Communist activities in
Greece would
a.
provoke an immediate war with the Americans and the British that would escalate into the third
world war.
b.
help them gain the rich natural resources of the Mediterranean countries and, thus, limit the claim
European countries had.
c.
be merely a game to test the strength of their diplomatic strategies and would not actually pose a
threat to the United States.
d.
allow for the fall of the other nations in eastern Mediterranean, followed by those in Western
Europe, if unchecked.
e.
free those countries from dictatorships and, thus, would ultimately prove beneficial to the United
States.
10. What was the role of the Truman Doctrine?
a.
It was an American commitment to using atomic bombs as a first line of defense.
b.
It promised that the United States would only intervene in the Western Hemisphere if necessary.
c.
It committed the United States to help “free peoples” facing pressure from communism.
d.
It was a policy at odds with the “domino theory” and, thus, proved widely unpopular at the time.
e.
It made it clear that the United States would not get involved in the affairs of Europe or Asia again.
11. What was the role of the Marshall Plan?
a.
It established the formation of an international alliance to resist communist aggression in Europe
and to make the United States less dependent on foreign markets.
b.
It was predominantly a call to action for international cooperation in relieving the blockade of
Berlin and sending large amounts of Western European supplies.
c.
It was an international economic recovery program that not only helped western allies but also
sought to ease tensions by benefiting the war-torn Soviet Union.
d.
It was an international economic recovery program that also sought to reduce socialist influence in
Europe and reestablish a strong Western Europe rooted in American values.
e.
It was an economic recovery program that focused on helping struggling families in the United
States after the Second World War through the buying and selling of bonds.
12. Truman’s response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948 was to
a.
divide the rest of Germany into occupation zones.
b.
mass American troops on the Soviet border.
c.
get the United Nations to officially protest.
d.
launch a massive airlift of supplies into West Berlin.
e.
meet with Stalin to diplomatically resolve the crisis.
13. Why was the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) significant to
American foreign policy?
a.
The commitment to NATO as a mutual defense alliance against the Soviet Union marked an end to
isolationism in the United States.
b.
In keeping with the decision of the United States not to join the League of Nations, the formation of
NATO indicated the return of isolationism in the United States.
c.
The creation of NATO demonstrated that the United States was unwilling to go to war on behalf of
its allies but factored its allies into economic decisions.
d.
The establishment of NATO represented a partnership with the Soviet Union that acted as a
stabilizing force despite the underlying tensions of the cold war.
e.
NATO was deeply unpopular among the American people at the time of its formation and eroded
popular support for the federal government in general.
14. Which of the following statements is true in regard to Israel’s founding in 1948?
a.
The United States supported keeping Palestine a solely Arab state.
b.
The United States opposed the British departure from Palestine.
c.
The United States became the first country to recognize the Jewish state.
d.
The United States took no official stance, igniting controversy.
e.
The United States sent troops there to maintain peace in the Middle East.
15. Which of the following reorganized the American defense and intelligence establishment in
1947, creating the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense, National Security Council
and Central Intelligence Agency?
a.
Taft-Hartley Act
d.
National Security Act
b.
The Marshall Plan
e.
Serviceman Readjustment Act
c.
GI Bill
16. On the domestic front, President Truman soon made clear his intention to
a.
enlarge the New Deal.
b.
end the Depression.
c.
balance the budget.
d.
cut taxes.
e.
dramatically reduce government spending.
17. What was the role of the GI Bill?
a.
It provided loans to veterans for education, job training, and the building of homes and businesses.
b.
It protected American servicemen from abuse by their officers by laying out their rights under the
law.
c.
It desegregated the armed forces to honor the brave service of many African American veterans.
d.
It paid veterans from the Second World War large bonuses to remain in the military for the cold
war.
e.
It was legislation passed by Congress meant to increase funding for the military to unprecedented
levels.
18. Which of the following was a major economic problem that President Truman faced
immediately after the war?
a.
the weakness of organized labor
b.
declining birthrates that lowered consumer demand
c.
high rates of inflation
d.
the return of high unemployment
e.
food shortages
19. When confronted with strikes in the coal and railroad industries in 1946, President Truman’s
response was to
a.
declare martial law.
b.
temporarily seize those industries.
c.
assert that the government had no role in labor-management disputes.
d.
break the strikes through the intervention of unemployed veterans.
e.
freeze transportation and energy prices.
20. In response to Truman’s actions and policies up to that point, the 1946 congressional
elections resulted in
a.
Republican control of Congress.
d.
a decline in partisan divisions.
b.
the end of the New Deal.
e.
a decline in labor unions.
c.
a public vote of confidence in Truman.
21. Which of the following is true of the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947?
a.
It helped unions gain strength in the South.
b.
It allowed the president to impose a “cooling–off” period during major strikes.
c.
It only allowed strikes made by government employees.
d.
It abolished the National Labor Relations Board.
e.
It outlawed the passage of so-called right–to-work laws by the states.
22. One major reason that the Second World War inspired postwar changes in race relations
in the United States was the
a.
lack of an impact it had on the Great Depression.
b.
racist nature of opponents of the United States, such as the Nazis, during the war.
c.
number of northerners it inspired to move to the South.
d.
lessons in equality American soldiers learned from fighting with European soldiers.
e.
greater number of people receiving higher education.
23. Baseball was integrated in 1947 when ________ played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
a.
Ted Williams
d.
Babe Ruth
b.
Ty Cobb
e.
Jackie Robinson
c.
Cy Young
24. Which of the following statements accurately describes the experiences of Mexican Americans following the
Second World War?
a.
Mexican Americans tended to avoid racial discrimination entirely, especially due to the number of
them who had fought during the war and demanded equality at home.
b.
Mexican Americans tended to have the most advanced degrees of any minority group at the time,
and unlike African Americans, they remained unaffected by poll taxes to vote.
c.
In a number of southwestern states, schools segregated Mexican American children from white
children, and Mexican American veterans often were denied benefits available to white veterans.
d.
The U.S. military refused to accept Mexican Americans into its ranks during the war, which fueled
widespread postwar stereotypes that they lacked patriotism.
e.
The United States contained so few Mexican Americans that they were rarely subject to ethnic
prejudice and enjoyed equality with white Americans in postwar social programs.
25. Which of the following statements accurately describes the political climate as the 1948 election approached?
a.
Truman had not yet successfully cast away the widespread impression that he was not up to the role
of president, and most political analysts assumed he would lose the next election.
b.
The Democratic party was strongly united behind Truman due to his outspoken support of civil
rights and his decision to fire Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace.
c.
Relations with the Soviets were clearly improving, which made voters more likely to wish to keep
the same administration in power and throw their support behind Truman.
d.
Truman was reluctant to run for reelection and refused to plan a campaign because he had long ago
lost the support of working-class voters such as farmers and labor unionists.
e.
The economy slid into a severe recession, and the Democrat–controlled Congress decided early on
to nominate a candidate who was better versed in economic issues.
26. At the 1948 Democratic convention, Minneapolis mayor and liberal Hubert Humphrey
urged his party to
a.
deny Truman renomination.
b.
take better care of veterans.
c.
adopt a strong civil rights plank.
d.
get tougher on the Russians.
e.
make him the vice-presidential nominee.
27. What was the stance of the Dixiecrats in the 1948 campaign?
a.
They built a biracial coalition between white and black Democrats in the South.
b.
They supported Dwight Eisenhower’s nomination for the Democrats.
c.
They supported states’ rights and racial segregation.
d.
They represented the liberal wing of the Democratic party.
e.
They called for greater power for the federal government.
28. The 1948 election is probably best remembered for
a.
Truman’s upset victory.
b.
the unlikelihood of Dewey winning.
c.
the new use of polls and television.
d.
Republicans winning both houses of Congress.
e.
the poor showing of Henry Wallace.
29. During the 1948 election, which candidate was MOST critical of the current administration’s anti-Soviet policies?
a.
Strom Thurmond, a Dixiecrat
d.
Harry Truman, a Democrat
b.
Thomas Dewey, a Republican
e.
George Marshall, an Independent
c.
Henry Wallace, a Progressive
30. Truman viewed the results of the 1948 election as a mandate for
a.
socialism.
d.
social welfare programs.
b.
bipartisanship.
e.
staunch conservatism.
c.
the status quo.
31. Which of the following is true of Truman’s Fair Deal proposals by and large?
a.
They were intended to most appeal to Dixiecrats and earn Truman their help and support on both
foreign and domestic issues.
b.
They passed more quickly than most legislation, as most of the programs concerned urgent national
security measures against the Soviet Union.
c.
Most of them were intended to wipe out the New Deal and completely eliminated policies such as
the minimum wage, Social Security, and other forms of federal aid.
d.
They virtually ignored the plight of African Americans and inadvertently helped establish Truman’s
lasting reputation as a communist sympathizer.
e.
Most of them were simply extensions or enlargements of New Deal programs, and a bipartisan
conservative coalition in Congress successfully stopped their passage.
32. What is one way the Chinese civil war proved significant for the cold war?
a.
It reassured Truman that the scope of the cold war was diminishing because communism had not
proved a major issue between the fighting Chinese factions.
b.
It led the U.S. military to intervene immediately and demonstrated the strong support Americans
showed early on for such a massive intervention.
c.
It resulted in the victory of Communists over Chinese Nationalists, and the Communists would go
on to intervene in the Korean War to aid their North Korean allies.
d.
It ended with the Chinese Nationalists’ victory over the Communists because of their detonation of
the first atomic weapons since the Second World War.
e.
It led to an alliance between the U.S. government and the Communist Chinese government, for
their version of communism was much different than the Soviet Union’s.
33. The Soviet acquisition of the atomic bomb in 1949 inspired Truman to
a.
arrange a summit conference with Stalin.
b.
order the resumption of the military draft.
c.
order the development of a hydrogen bomb.
d.
declare the foolishness of the nuclear arms race.
e.
arm American submarines with nuclear missiles.
34. Authored by Paul Nitze, ________ endorsed a massive militarized version of containment
that guided American foreign policy for decades.
a.
the Fair Deal
d.
the Atlantic Charter
b.
NSC-68
e.
the Long Telegram
c.
the Marshall Plan
35. Which of the following occurred in Asia with the end of the Second World War?
a.
Truman virtually ignored foreign affairs in Asia because, even once both the United States and the
Soviet Union both had atomic weapons, the Soviet Union continued to pose the greatest threat and
consume all of his attention.
b.
Korea was left under the control of Japan as a gesture of consolation during the postwar
negotiations in the wake of the dropping of the atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
c.
Korea was placed under joint American and British occupation early on after the war in a decision
that successfully prevented Soviet involvement in Asia and helped establish a close relationship
between Korean officials and the United States.
d.
Korea and Japan quickly emerged as regional powers, as Asia had experienced little destruction due
to the war and remained the most stable region of the world compared to Europe and the United
States.
e.
Korea became divided into northern and southern halves, with the Soviets organizing a Communist
government in the north and the Americans then helping to establish a democratic government in
the south.
36. What is significant about the way Truman got the United States involved in the Korean War?
a.
He was able to build bipartisan support on an unprecedented level.
b.
He used his stunning upset victory in 1948 and public opinion to strong-arm Congress.
c.
He was able to do it without a congressional declaration, bypassing a constitutional provision.
d.
He opposed intervention but got involved because public opinion demanded it.
e.
He supported the war even though it was completely contrary to the Truman Doctrine.
37. What was the international response when North Korea attacked South Korea?
a.
South Korean forces repulsed the invaders early on, making international intervention unnecessary.
b.
Working with Truman, the United Nations authorized military intervention against the aggressors.
c.
Truman persuaded Congress to declare war without the backing of the United Nations.
d.
Stalin convinced North Korea to end the invasion because the Soviets lacked nuclear weapons.
e.
The Soviets used their Security Council veto to prevent United Nations action.
38. Inch’ n was the site where
a.
Chinese forces overran UN positions, coming out ahead.
b.
UN forces were able to establish a perimeter in far-south South Korea.
c.
it became clear that Korea would unite as a Communist country.
d.
General MacArthur turned the Korean War around with an amphibious landing.
e.
peace negotiations dragged on for two years following the Korean War.
39. UN forces reaching the Yalu River brought about
a.
a massive Chinese intervention.
b.
North Korea’s surrender.
c.
the bombing of mainland China.
d.
a cease-fire followed by peace negotiations.
e.
Korea’s current division along the 42nd parallel.
40. Why did Truman fire General MacArthur?
a.
for incompetence
d.
for reasons that are still unknown
b.
because of party politics
e.
because of switching sides
c.
for insubordination
41. An impact of the Korean War was that Truman authorized increased assistance for French
troops fighting a Communist independence movement in a French colony in ________,
beginning U.S. military involvement there.
a.
India
d.
Southeast Asia
b.
North Africa
e.
Berlin
c.
Turkey
42. In 1947, President Truman took actions to banish Communists from ________ by issuing an
executive order known as the Loyalty Order.
a.
teaching
d.
Hollywood
b.
the federal government
e.
unions
c.
the military
43. Which of the following was a result of the Hiss-Chambers case?
a.
Individuals who had dropped an atomic bomb were punished for war crimes.
b.
Senator Joseph McCarthy rose to national prominence.
c.
The Communist party in the United States and its leadership grew in strength.
d.
Alger Hiss was convicted of lying about espionage.
e.
Whittaker Chambers served a lengthy prison term.
44. Who were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg?
a.
Jewish organizers for American support for Israel after the Second World War
b.
spies for Communist China who left the country before being convicted
c.
part of the Hollywood Ten called to testify about their relationship to communism
d.
American citizens convicted for spying and passing atomic bomb secrets to the USSR
e.
esteemed scientists who helped develop the atomic bomb
45. In his Wheeling speech, Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed to have a list of Communists in
a.
the White House.
d.
Congress.
b.
the State Department.
e.
the movie industry.
c.
the FBI.
46. Senator McCarthy was very effective in
a.
passing major legislation.
d.
protecting American freedoms.
b.
nabbing actual Communists.
e.
exploiting public fears.
c.
gathering proof to back his accusations.
47. Why did President Truman veto the McCarran Internal Security Act?
a.
He wanted to shore up his popularity ratings.
b.
He wanted to protect some Communist friends.
c.
He was angry with Congress.
d.
He felt it promoted thought control.
e.
He knew there were no Communist spies in the United States.
48. As a result of the global burdens the United States assumed after the Second World War,
how did the federal government change?
a.
Although it grew larger in general, most power remained with Congress, as Congress came to assert
its authority far more frequently such as by making the decision to declare war in Korea.
b.
It became much smaller in response to conservatives’ criticisms that big government represented a
threat to liberty in America and that taxes funding the federal government were too high.
c.
Although it grew smaller at the federal level, local and state governments swelled as they took on
additional responsibilities, including those that had previously fallen under federal agencies.
d.
It became smaller due to pressure from the disenchanted American public after people soon realized
that the paranoia brought by the Red Scare was in many ways politically motivated.
e.
It became larger, more powerful, and more secretive, in part due to the actions of both major
political parties and the lobbying efforts of the military–industrial complex.
49. How has the public and historical perception of Truman’s presidency evolved over time?
a.
During Truman’s presidency, many Americans celebrated the outcomes of his agenda, believing
that he had surpassed the achievements of FDR through his Fair Deal, and years later, admiration
for his presidency has grown all the more.
b.
During Truman’s presidency, many Americans lauded his handling of various wars and paid little
attention to domestic issues, but years later, many have viewed him with disappointment because he
failed to achieve as much as FDR did when it came to civil rights.
c.
During Truman’s presidency, many Americans blamed him for a weak economy, the growth of
cold war tensions, and red-baiting at home, and years later, many also admonish him for virtually
ignoring economic warning signs and plunging the nation into an unprecedented depression.
d.
During Truman’s presidency, many Americans were frustrated by his focus on communism abroad,
which the general public never considered a threat, but years later, many have applauded his and
McCarthy’s efforts to thwart the numerous Communist spies within the federal government.
e.
During Truman’s presidency, many Americans blamed him for issues such as higher taxes and
higher prices for consumers brought by the war, but years later, many have come to view him more
positively, appreciating that he dealt with a complex set of problems.
ESSAY
1. What factors contributed to the coming of the cold war? What were some of the key
developments leading to this conflict?
2. Why did Truman win the presidential election of 1948? Why was his victory considered
a major upset?
3. What did Truman mean by a Fair Deal? How did it compare to FDR’s New Deal?
4. Describe the Red Scare that followed the end of the Second World War. What factors caused it?
What were its major results?
5. Explain the cold war policy of containment. What were the origins of this policy, and what are
two important examples of its application between 1947 and 1953?
6. Trace the development of building the United Nations. What issues did the United Nations
have to deal with almost immediately after the war?
7. Discuss the causes and major events that led to the announcement of the Truman Doctrine.
8. Detail the early civil rights movement in the 1940s. In what ways did the Second World War
help push this movement into reality?
9. How did the cold war and American foreign policy affect the daily lives of typical Americans?
10. What were the consequences of the cold war and subsequent Red Scare on civil liberties in
the United States between 1945 and the election of Dwight Eisenhower?
MATCHING
Match each description with the item below.
a.
authored the “Long Telegram” and advised containing Soviet expansionism
b.
organized the GI Forum to foster equal treatment of Mexican American veterans
c.
was governor of South Carolina and the Dixiecrat presidential candidate in 1948
d.
wrote The Crucible, inspired by the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)
e.
was the first African American to play major league baseball and drew more diverse crowds
f.
was part of the same Soviet spy ring as Klaus Fuchs, a German-born English nuclear physicist
g.
was the consul in charge of U.S.-occupied Japan and served as supreme commander of the UN
forces
h.
was a senator from Wisconsin who took advantage of anti-Communist anxieties
i.
was the secretary of state in 1947 who devised the plan of economic recovery aid to Europe
j.
was appointed by Truman to lead UN forces in Korea after April 1951
1. Jackie Robinson
2. Arthur Miller
3. Ethel Rosenberg
4. George F. Kennan
5. George C. Marshall
6. Douglas MacArthur
7. Joseph R. McCarthy
8. Matthew Ridgway
9. J. Strom Thurmond
10. Hector Perez Garcia