FDR died on April 12, 1945 and Vice President Harry Truman came into office.
He was immediately faced with the challenge of handling the end of World War II, and transitioning from wartime to peacetime.
Perhaps the most daunting task was merely following FDR.
Roosevelt’s shadow would be difficult to escape especially considering that Truman lacked Roosevelt’s charisma.
Organizing the White House
Following arrival in the White House, Truman maintained Roosevelt’s advisors and cabinet before placing his own men in those positions.
Under Truman, the CEA was created under the employment act of 1946. The CEA served as an advisory unit for economic decisions.
Leading America after Depression, New Deal, and World War
Truman sought to build upon the New Deal as well as find a way to reintegrate the economy from wartime to peacetime.
In September of 1945, Truman presented Congress a long 21 point speech outlining the post-war economic agenda. Truman called for new public works program, higher wages and more social security.
He also called for the extension of the Fair Employment Practices Committee to assist in discrimination against African Americans.
Truman’s program was turned back by congress. The republicans in congress did not support the bills, and the public was torn over greater government intervention.
Truman had great difficulty dealing with labor strikes particularly in the steel industry.
Under Truman’s policies to reemerge the economy, the prices of food, meat particularly, rose sharply.
Republicans in Congress
During the mid-term congressional elections, it seemed as though Truman’s presidency would take a turn for the worst when the republicans won both the house and the senate.
However, Truman used this to his advantage in a few ways.
First, Truman vetoed a bill passed by congress to deal with labor unrest. The bill known as the Taft-Hartley Bill limited labor union power and gave the president the power to