American History 1930s-1980s

1. Discuss the major changes in American life brought about by the New Deal and consider its successes and failures.

President Franklin Roosevelt introduced the New Deal in 1933 to implement economic and social reforms to the Americans. When Franklin entered into office, most of the American banking and credit schemes were in a state of paralysis. The first major change adopted by the new deal was the closure of all the banks in which they were only to be opened after they were solvent (Kennedy 251). Roosevelt’s administration established a policy of modest currency inflation to promote commodity prices and offer relief to the debtors. Federal rules were imposed on securities’ sales and stock exchange.

Another major change brought by the New Deal was improving people’s lives through unemployed programs or short-term jobs. When Roosevelt took the oath of office, over 13 million Americans lacked jobs; this meant that over a quarter of Americans of the labor force were not employed. The New Deal adopted Civilian Conservation Corps Program for men aged 18-25. Those who enrolled in CCC worked within the army camps, participated in conservation projects, and got paid. Over 2million young men were enrolled in the CCC (Kennedy 251). However, the employment established by CCC was meant for a short duration.

The New Deal also led to the establishment of the Public Works Administration, which offered employment specifically to skilled construction workers. Among the successful accomplishment executed by the public works, administration participants included Grand Coulee and Bonneville Dams within the Pacific Northwest and the establishment of two aircraft carriers for the United States navy. Additionally, the Tennessee Valley Authority, including public planning and work relief programs, constructed an impoverished Tennessee river valley region via various dams developed to generate hydroelectric power and flood control (Kennedy 253). The establishment of cheap electricity within the Tennessee area facilitated economic progress, which private electric firms highly opposed, claiming that the strategy was “grassroots democracy.”

Moreover, in 1933-1935, the New Deal led to establishing the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, which distributed direct relief to thousands of Americans as direct payments to promote people’s social status. Roosevelt and his officials were concerned with the increased costs of the unemployment programs but continued to promote work relief instead of welfare. The National Recovery Administration was also developed, which aimed to end competition via setting fair codes that would enhance fair competition and generate more employment opportunities (Parrish 75). Though the Americans welcomed the program, the national recovery administration was later criticized for over-regulation and the inability to gain industrial recovery. In 1935, the program was declared to be unconstitutional.

The New Deal also initiated the promotion of agriculture through the establishment of the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which aimed to promote economic relief for the American farmers. The program promised to raise crop values by paying farmers a subvention to compensate for losses and voluntary setbacks within production. Payment funds were to be generated by a tax imposed on crop processing industries. In 1933-1935, farmers’ income had increased by over 50%, but it was only partially due to federal programs. Though the Act was successful for some time, it declined in 1936 under allegations that it was unconstitutional (Kennedy 255). The New Deal undertook rapid strategies to promote economic and social changes, but it was weakly implemented, failing.

2. Why did the United States drop atomic bombs on Japan? Discuss concerning Henry Stimson and Gar Alperovitz

According to Stimson, the American military personnel began the production process of the atomic bomb after realizing that Germany was working on producing a nuclear weapon (98). The Americans did not know when and whom they would use the atomic bomb against. The American president appointed a committee to monitor the progress of the atomic bomb and advise the president on when to use the weapon. The American government was eager to emerge as the first country to have used the atomic bomb (Stimson 100). The Second World Wars had affected America and were willing to use the atomic bomb against any country which threatened their peace. Following the wars, the European countries had allied themselves where Japan allied with Germany. The American State feared that the Japanese could learn the production of nuclear weapons from the Germans and attack the US in the future. America could not imagine being defeated by a small country like Japan. Thus, the atomic bomb had to be experimented on by bombing Japan to make them surrender. However, Alperovitz describes America’s use of the atomic bomb by Truman against the Japanese State as evil. This is because the atomic bomb was a horrific weapon to be used on people.

Stimson notes that on June 1^st, 1945, the United States, following the Interim Committee and the Scientific Panel, unanimously made recommendations including the atomic bomb against the Japanese. The bomb was to act as a dual target, a war plant or military installation adjacent or surrounded by houses susceptible to damage. The bomb was to be utilized without prior caution regarding the weapon’s nature (Stimson 100). Later, the committee changed its thought regarding not warning about the atomic bomb as they thought Japan would not easily surrender to the war. Thus, the committee believed that sending a warning to Japan and bombing the country would threaten them to surrender. The warning included informing Japan to withdraw from the war, and if it did not, the American State would be forced to use the atomic bomb. The objective of the atomic bomb was to weaken and destroy the Japanese military would lead to lasting peace.

However, after the Americans threatened Japan, Japan proved not ready to surrender that it sought support and mediators from the Soviet group, including Russia. Therefore, the United States was forced to utilize the atomic bomb because it feared that Japan was determined to resist till the end in all areas of battlefields. The cooperation between Japan and the Soviets meant that the USA’s use of atomic bombs could lead to massive destruction, bringing future prejudice against US supremacy (Stimson 103). Thus, the United States aimed at destroying a small number of people in Japan, and if Japan gained support, the USA would be forced to kill a larger number of people, which was not their goal.

Additionally, America was determined to send a threatening message to the Soviets, which could only be attained through the bombing of Japan. Japan had allied itself with the Soviets, and it had a great army. The United States knew that attacking Japan would make the entire division end. Thus, the United States chose to use the atomic bomb to immediately end the war, which had prolonged for a long time in European countries. The atomic bomb was applicable in this case because the United States’ committee discovered that if they went to war with Japan, there would be many deaths, including millions of Americans and that of the Japanese (Stimson, 105). Thus, to save more lives, the United States opted to use the atomic bomb on Japan. The United States military forces bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, forcing Japan to surrender.

3. Choose an important event, person, strategy, or idea in American foreign policy and discuss. You can choose a topic from the Second World War through the present.

After the Second World War, most countries emerged weak with deteriorated economy, such that they needed to take action to combat the problem. The United States led the world to establish trade policies to reduce barriers for countries to engage in international commerce and trade. The key tools for liberalizing global trade include negotiating multilateral reciprocal trade policies in which America and other countries would reduce the trade barriers (Zeiler 212). The United States engaged in various agreements to promote bilateral trade and regional free markets where all members involved would eliminate any barrier to promote free trade. The American policymakers believed that the country and the entire world needed to promote the economy severely affected by the Second World War through trade agreements. The Americans had suffered Great Depression, and the trade policies were meant to promote peace and create more employment opportunities for Americans and other people across the world (The American Yawp 22). Thus, countries led by the United States came together to establish the General Agreement on Tariffs (GATT). The GATT began in 1947, and the United States led other countries within eight rounds of negotiations on reducing trade barriers.

The initial aim of the GATT was to conduct negotiations regarding tariff concessions and establish a code of procedures and conduct trade dispute resolutions through negotiations. The United States viewed the participation efforts in GATT as a strategy of promoting multilateral trade plans and encouraging international cooperation that would prevent the political tension within the region. Thus, the American government was looking forward to a strategy that could assist the world in promoting harmony. The GATT formation was founded on multilateralism and non-discrimination principles where countries met in New Hampshire Bretton Woods to discuss ways of promoting free trade. GATT policies included tariffs on imports which indicated that if imports of a certain state were lowered, then the goods for the particular country from other states had to be lowered (Parrish 76). The GATT members had to be lowered with the United States focusing on allying with China to continue their trade which they had established during the British Imperialism. Thus, the GATT treaty aimed at favoring the United States more than any other country.

In the 1970s, the United States and the other GATT countries faced stiff competition from western European states and Japan, and it strategized to change some of its rules which were perceived as unfair. GATT sponsored a sequence of international trade negotiations referred to as rounds to lower the tariff practices and rules constantly. This led to the extension of GATT services such as patents and trademarks (Zeiler 214). Under the rule of President Reagan of the United States approved the protectionist measures to promote GATT performance. The US also engaged in bilateral arrangements with other states such as Canada. GATT has faced challenges over the years because some of the members, like the United States, have increased foreign debt in states such as Mexico, making it hard for such members to attain the organization’s goals effectively.

4. What are some of the main ideas associated with the American conservative movement that swept Ronald Reagan into office in 1981? What factors help account for his victory?

Ronald Reagan moved into the White House in 1981 with strong conservative values. He promised the conservatives and moderates about social change and his influence on the world stage. During his campaign, Reagan promised the voters that the conservative movement aimed to promote economic changes and promote people’s social life by reducing the high taxes that the previous government had imposed. Reagan and the conservatives believed that the American government had so much power that it needed to be limited because it violated citizens’ rights (Howison 113). The conservative movement consisted of the wealthy and capitalist Americans who believed that the American society needed social reforms and, therefore, a conservative leader would initiate them. This led to many people supporting Reagan into office.

The main ideas proposed by the conservative movement included cutting the high taxes imposed by the government. The United States’ history of taxation had begun during the colonial government, and when the country gained independence, the government inherited the practice. The independent nation was accused of collecting high import taxes, and the states or localities engaged in collecting poll taxes on property taxes regarding commercial buildings, land, and voters (Whitney 173). The Federal government and the State conducted excise taxes and imposed income taxes on all individuals regardless of their status. The excise taxes were imposed on specific services or goods such as tobacco. The government also had the power to impose direct taxes on property owned by the Americans, an act that the conservatives felt was against people’s rights. Therefore, the conservatives advocated for reducing taxes levied on the Americans as they were a burden to many.

Secondly, the conservative movement advocated for free markets by establishing trade policies with the neighboring countries. The American economy had been harshly affected by the 2nd World War and the cold wars that emerged after the end of the second world war. The poo economy had rendered many Americans poor and jobless (Whitney 174). The conservative movement felt that the poor state of the American economy deserved to be enhanced through the free market. The free market would allow Americans to trade with other countries without discrimination, promoting their economy.

The conservative movement also proposed deregulation and privatization measures to eliminate inflationary pressures and barriers to the economy. Privatization laws would allow privatized companies to attain a monopoly within a specific industry. This meant that conservatives wanted a change of laws to allow private firms to increase their productivity to promote the American economy. Privatization could only be achieved through new policies under a new government. The conservatives also wanted the reduction of government spending and the foreign debt, which was deteriorating the country’s economy (Howison 115). The Great Depression in America had marked the worst economic decline in America, leading to the stock market crash. Since the Great Depression, the country had been affected by debt which made the conservativisms accuse the federal government of overspending.

Various factors made Reagan win against his opponent Carter during the 1980 presidential polls. The Americans were dissatisfied with Carter’s leadership because the American economy seemed to worsen within the previous four years of his leadership (Whitney 176). The worsening condition indicated the constant promotion of capitalist activities, which Carter’s government practiced. Carter’s failure to stabilize the states’ economy led to Reagan winning the election.

Reagan had effective campaigning plans where he advocated for less government power, appealed for the threat of Soviet expansion, and reduced taxes. Reagan promised to increase national defense by investing more in military acts and promoting fair leadership as he believed American problems emerged from the government. If the American government had solved the economic issues, the American society would result in social change (Howison 120). Reagan also advocated for good morals based on religious aspects, which attracted many Christians and Protestants to vote for him because they felt that he was the right leader who respected their social values.

Works Cited

Howison, Jeffrey D. The 1980 presidential election: Ronald Reagan and the shaping of the American conservative movement. Routledge, 112-125.

Kennedy, David M. “What the New Deal Did.” Political Science Quarterly 124.2: 251-268.

Parrish, Michael E. “The Great Depression, the New Deal, and the American Legal Order.” Wash. L. Rev. 59: 72-83.

Stimson, L. H. Harper’s Magazine: The decision to use the atomic bomb, 97-120.

The American Yawp. A massively collaborative open US history textbooks, 1-3.

Whitney, Gleaves. “Ronald Reagan and the Conservative Movement.” 172-178.

Zeiler, Thomas W. Free trade, free world: The advent of GATT. UNC Press Books, 201-215.