Harry Truman: A New View

• Atomic Bomb
• Dean Acheson
• Franklin Roosevelt
• General MacArthur
• Korean War
• Marshall Plan
• Truman Doctrine
• World War II
• containment

1. How did Harry Truman become President? In what ways was Truman an atypical President?

2. How did World War I change Harry Truman's life? What opportunities did World War I give certain people? How did World War II effect Truman's life? What investigation made him popular?

3. What happened at the Potsdam Conference? Who attended this Conference? What was the Potsdam Declaration to Japan?

4. What does the phrase, "the baby is born," refer to? What was the Enola Gay? What happened on August 6 and 9, 1945?

5. What were some obstacles to post-war unity in Europe?

6. What was the Truman Foreign Policy? Why were the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan created?

7. What was the Berlin Blockade? What was Truman's response to the blockade? Was Truman's response successful? Why or why not?

8. What was the significance of Truman's address to the NAACP in 1948?

9. Who won the election of 1948? What is the importance of campaigning in the success of a politician?

10. What is NATO? What was the purpose of NATO in the 1950's? Today?

11. Why did the United States go to war against Korea in 1950? What were arguments for and against war in Korea?

12. What incident occurred between General Douglas MacArthur and President Truman during the Korean War? How did this incident affect Truman's popularity?

1. Consider the circumstances of World War II as they existed at the time of the Potsdam Conference. If you had been in Truman's position, would you have used the Atomic bomb or not? Explain your answer. Include in your explanation the reasons for making your decision. Present your findings to the class. Afterwards, pair up with someone whose answer was opposite yours and debate the decision.

2. In what ways did Truman's foreign policy set the tone for future American foreign policy? Choose a foreign policy issue that occurred after Truman's Presidency and explain how the policy used represents containment.

3. Draw or write a political cartoon, campaign poster, poem or song that supports or opposes Truman in his 1948 Presidential Campaign.

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Air Dates

• February 11, 2004