Congress passes the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (McCarran-Walter Act) over President Truman’s veto on June 27, 1952, codifying a racialized immigration quota system that allocates 85 percent of the 154,277 visas available annually to individuals of northern and western European …
Pat McCarranFrancis E. WalterHarry S. TrumanU.S. CongressHerbert Lehmanimmigrationracial-discriminationquota-systemlegislative-overrideanticommunism
President Harry S. Truman received National Security Council directive NSC-68, a 66-page top-secret policy paper that would fundamentally transform American defense policy by calling for “full mobilization of the U.S. economy during peacetime”—an unprecedented measure that created the …
Harry S. TrumanPaul NitzeDean AchesonGeorge KennanLouis Johnsonmilitary-spendingdefense-policycold-warpermanent-war-economyinstitutional-capture
On February 9, 1950, junior senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin delivered a Lincoln’s birthday address to the Women’s Republican Club of Wheeling, West Virginia, claiming he possessed a list of communists working in the State Department. McCarthy declared: “While I cannot take …
Joseph McCarthyHarry S. Trumanred-scarepolitical-persecutiondisinformationinstitutional-corruptionauthoritarian-tactics
Twelve nations sign the North Atlantic Treaty (Washington Treaty) on April 4, 1949, establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and marking a fundamental transformation in U.S. foreign and defense policy by committing the United States to an ongoing role in European defense. The …
Harry S. TrumanU.S. CongressNorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationDefense Departmentcold-warmilitary-alliancedefense-spendingmilitary-industrial-complexnato
President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, abolishing discrimination “on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin” in the United States Armed Forces and repudiating 170 years of officially sanctioned discrimination. The order states “there …
Harry S. TrumanIsaac WoodardPresident's Committee on Equality of Treatment and OpportunityOmar BradleyKenneth Royallcivil-rightsmilitarydesegregationexecutive-orderracial-justice
The Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program) begins on April 3, 1948, as the United States initiates a $13.3 billion economic recovery program for Western Europe ($137 billion in 2024 dollars). Announced by Secretary of State George Marshall in June 1947 and signed into law by …
George MarshallHarry S. TrumanU.S. CongressEuropean Recovery Programcold-warforeign-aidcorporate-welfaremilitary-industrial-complextrade-policy
President Harry S. Truman signs the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (Public Law 80-402), popularly called the Smith-Mundt Act after sponsor Congressman Karl E. Mundt (R-SD), on January 27, 1948. The Act regulates broadcasting of programs for foreign audiences produced under …
Harry S. TrumanKarl E. MundtU.S. CongressState DepartmentVoice of Americapropagandainformation-warfarecold-warstate-departmentvoice-of-america
President Truman signs the National Security Act, merging military departments into the National Military Establishment (later Department of Defense), creating the CIA and National Security Council, and establishing the National Security Resources Board to coordinate military, industrial, and …
Harry S. TrumanU.S. CongressDepartment of DefenseCentral Intelligence AgencyNational Security Councilmilitary-industrial-complexnational-security-stateintelligence-agenciesdefense-industryinstitutional-capture
President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9835 on March 21, 1947, nine days after announcing the Truman Doctrine, establishing the first general loyalty program in United States history designed to root out Communist influence in the federal government. The order mandates loyalty …
Harry S. TrumanFederal Bureau of InvestigationCivil Service CommissionHouse Un-American Activities Committeecivil-libertiesmccarthyismred-scaresurveillanceloyalty-oath+1 more
President Harry S. Truman addresses a joint session of Congress on March 12, 1947, requesting $400 million in military and economic assistance for Greece and Turkey, establishing what becomes known as the Truman Doctrine. The speech marks a fundamental shift in American foreign policy from …
Harry S. TrumanU.S. CongressGeorge F. KennanDean Achesoncold-warmilitary-aidcontainmentforeign-policymilitary-industrial-complex
President Harry S. Truman becomes the first sitting president to propose a comprehensive national health insurance program, sending a special message to Congress calling for federal health insurance that would cover all Americans regardless of employment status. Truman declares healthcare …
Harry S. TrumanAmerican Medical AssociationMorris FishbeinRobert TaftWhitaker and Baxterhealthcareinstitutional-capturelobbyingpropagandaama+1 more
The Truman Committee reveals that Curtiss-Wright’s Lockland, Ohio plant supplied defective aircraft engines to the Army Air Force through falsified tests, forged inspection reports, and collusion with military inspectors. Despite holding more defense contracts than any company except General …
Curtiss-Wright CorporationTruman CommitteeHarry S. TrumanArmy Air Forcewar-profiteeringdefense-industrycorporate-impunitycongressional-oversightinspector-general-failure
Senator Harry S. Truman establishes the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program (Truman Committee) after witnessing widespread waste and profiteering in war production. Over the next four years, the committee will save an estimated $10-15 billion by uncovering fraud and …
Harry S. TrumanU.S. SenateDefense contractorswar-profiteeringcongressional-oversightdefense-industryinstitutional-accountability