Changes

===Truman to Kennedy: 1945–1963===

===Truman to Kennedy: 1945–1963===

 

Harry Truman took over unexpectedly in 1945, and the rifts inside the party that Roosevelt had papered over began to emerge. Former Vice President [[Henry A. Wallace]], a progressive, denounced Truman as a war-monger for his anti-Soviet programs, the [[Truman Doctrine]], [[Marshall Plan]], and [[NATO]].  By cooperating with internationalist Republicans, Truman succeeded in defeating isolationists on the right and pro-Soviets on the left to establish a [[Cold War]] program that lasted until the fall of Communism in 1991. Wallace supporters and fellow travelers of the far left were pushed out of the party and the CIO in 1946-48 by young anti-Communists like [[Hubert Humphrey]], [[Walter Reuther]], and [[Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.]]. [[Hollywood]] emerged in the 1940s as an important new base in the party, led by movie-star politicians such as [[Ronald Reagan]], who at this point in time strongly supported Roosevelt and Truman. Reagan was elected president of the [[Screen Actors Guild]] and left the party over communist infiltration of his union.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=I4-UBnd20K4C&pg=PA155 Ronald Reagan in Hollywood: Movies and Politics]</ref>

Harry Truman took over unexpectedly in 1945, and the rifts inside the party that Roosevelt had papered over began to emerge. Former Vice President [[Henry A. Wallace]], a progressive, denounced Truman as a war-monger for his anti-Soviet programs, the [[Truman Doctrine]], [[Marshall Plan]], and [[NATO]].  By cooperating with internationalist Republicans, Truman succeeded in defeating isolationists on the right and pro-Soviets on the left to establish a [[Cold War]] program that lasted until the fall of Communism in 1991. Wallace supporters and fellow travelers of the far left were pushed out of the party and the CIO in 1946-48 by young anti-Communists like [[Hubert Humphrey]], [[Walter Reuther]], and [[Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.]]. [[Hollywood]] emerged in the 1940s as an important new base in the party, led by movie-star politicians such as [[Ronald Reagan]], who at this point in time strongly supported Roosevelt and Truman. Reagan was elected president of the [[Screen Actors Guild]] and left the party over communist infiltration of his union.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=I4-UBnd20K4C&pg=PA155 Ronald Reagan in Hollywood: Movies and Politics]</ref>

On the right, the Republicans blasted Truman's domestic policies. "Had Enough?" was the winning slogan as Republicans recaptured Congress in 1946.  Many party leaders were ready to dump Truman, but they lacked an alternative. The party was split three ways. [[Henry Wallace]], who Roosevelt threw off the ticket in 1944 ran as a [[Progressive]] while [[J. Strom Thurmond]], who remained a staunch supporter of FDR split off and ran as a [[Dixiecrat]].  Republican overconfidence led to many failing to show up at the polls and Truman was reelected in a stunning surprise.  However, all of Truman's Fair Deal proposals, such as universal health care were defeated by the [[Conservative Coalition]] in Congress.  His [[nationalization]] of the steel industry was reversed by the Supreme Court.   

On the right, the Republicans blasted Truman's domestic policies. "Had Enough?" was the winning slogan as Republicans recaptured Congress in 1946.  Many party leaders were ready to dump Truman, but they lacked an alternative. The party was split three ways. [[Henry Wallace]], who Roosevelt threw off the ticket in 1944 ran as a [[Progressive]] while [[J. Strom Thurmond]], who remained a staunch supporter of FDR split off and ran as a [[Dixiecrat]].  Republican overconfidence led to many failing to show up at the polls and Truman was reelected in a stunning surprise.  However, all of Truman's Fair Deal proposals, such as universal health care were defeated by the [[Conservative Coalition]] in Congress.  His [[nationalization]] of the steel industry was reversed by the Supreme Court.   

 

In foreign policy, Europe was occupied but divided between the Western alliance and the Communist bloc as troubles mounted in Asia. American troops were now facing down the New Deal's Stalinist allies in the streets of Berlin.  Kuomintang China, a major ally in the war against [[Japan]], fell to the Stalinist communist bloc in 1949. Truman, under the [[UN]] banner, entered the [[Korean War]] without formal Congressional approval—the last time a president would ever do so. When the war stalemated in 1951 because of Truman's reluctance to use nuclear weapons, he fired General [[Douglas MacArthur]], a hero to conservatives. Republicans blasted Truman's failure to stop Communist gains in Asia. A series of petty scandals among friends and buddies of Truman further tarnished his image, allowing [[Dwight Eisenhower]] and the Republicans in 1952 to crusade against "Korea, Communism and Corruption." Truman dropped out of the presidential race early in 1952, leaving no obvious successor. The convention nominated [[Adlai Stevenson]] in 1952 and 1956, only to see him overwhelmed by two Eisenhower landslides.  Stevenson, a New Deal liberal, adopted the traditional Democratic Southern Strategy of choosing a Southern white male for Vice President in both elections to appeal to Southern voters, who regularly would not allow African Americans to register to vote.

In foreign policy, Europe was occupied but divided between the Western alliance and the Communist bloc as troubles mounted in Asia. American troops were now facing down the New Deal's Stalinist allies in the streets of Berlin.  Kuomintang China, a major ally in the war against [[Japan]], fell to the Stalinist communist bloc in 1949. Truman, under the [[UN]] banner, entered the [[Korean War]] without formal Congressional approval—the last time a president would ever do so. When the war stalemated in 1951 because of Truman's reluctance to use nuclear weapons, he fired General [[Douglas MacArthur]], a hero to conservatives. Republicans blasted Truman's failure to stop Communist gains in Asia. A series of petty scandals among friends and buddies of Truman further tarnished his image, allowing [[Dwight Eisenhower]] and the Republicans in 1952 to crusade against "Korea, Communism and Corruption." Truman dropped out of the presidential race early in 1952, leaving no obvious successor. The convention nominated [[Adlai Stevenson]] in 1952 and 1956, only to see him overwhelmed by two Eisenhower landslides.  Stevenson, a New Deal liberal, adopted the traditional Democratic Southern Strategy of choosing a Southern white male for Vice President in both elections to appeal to Southern voters, who regularly would not allow African Americans to register to vote.