05 Jan That same year Kennan formulated

Week 1 discussion

DQ1 Internal, Aftermath of WWII

Objective: Students will explore the end of WWII and how post world war recovery helped shape policy under the Truman Administration.

As World War II drew to a close, the death of FDR ushered in a new president and a new direction for Americans.

On April 12th, 1945 Truman assumed the Presidency

In July he was made aware of the Manhattan Projects successful nuclear testing. There after, Truman sanctioned the “atomic solution” to end the WWII.

August 6th, 1945, Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and 3 days later, on Nagasaki.

Japan surrendered August 14th, 1945.

Dropping the atomic bombs not only had a catastrophic effect on the people of Japan, it also set Stalin’s agenda for post world war policies. Despite Stalin alliance with Great Britain and America during WWII, he was not privy to the decision to drop the bombs and he was not a recipient of American post world war relief aid. These factors coupled with differing agendas on post world war recovery caused a sharp distinction between the U.S and USSR.

Read Truman’s Inaugural Address from January 20. 1949 (from Week One Learning Resources)

1st Post: Taking into consideration his address and the economic, political, and social changes that occurred post WWII, what would you argue were Truman’s most significant challenges and forthright aims for the American society and why?

Be sure to include primary source material from your Learning Resources and also cite other references consulted.

Word to the Wise Start good habits but referencing your discussion rubric before you post to the discussions.

2nd & 3rd Post: Read over your fellow students posts. Select two that highlighted a different challenge or aim and counter, agree, and/or add additional information to extent the student discussions.

Be sure to consult the Discussion Rubric and strategies for participating in discussion topic from the course syllabus.

DQ2 External, Foreign Policy

Objective: Students will analyze U. S foreign policy that developed from the Cold War relations.

Post WWII, nations were no longer divided by Allie and Axis powers but by the threat of the Cold War and the balance of power between the east and western nations.

In 1945 the United Nations (UN) form in an effort to maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.

March 12th, 1947 Truman issues forth a doctrine announcing U.S assistance in supporting Greece against the threat of communist takeover.

The National Security Act of September 1947, mandated a major reorganization of the military and intelligence agencies in an effort to build up U.S defense domestically and abroad.

That same year Kennan formulated the policy of “containment,” the basic United States strategy for fighting the Cold War.

By 1948, Truman’s Doctrine on American support against the threat of communism lead to The Marshall Plan and directed its efforts to providing economic support to help stabilize post WWII countries in Europe.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

June 1950, under the auspices of the United Nations, U.S military troops were sent to South Korea to provide support against the threat of a communist takeover.

Read Truman and the Cold War, The Truman Doctrine, Kennan’s Telegram, and Marshall Plan and any other additional material under the Learning Resources and Course Resources under eReserves to answer the following discussions.