The 1948 Election And The Battle For America's Soul

A Watershed Moment in American Politics

Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul

by A. J. Baime

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	10952 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	445 pages

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The 1948 presidential election was a watershed moment in American politics. It marked the end of the New Deal era and the beginning of the Cold War. The election pitted incumbent Democratic President Harry S. Truman against Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey. Truman won the election in a stunning upset, but the campaign was bitterly fought and the results had a profound impact on the future of American politics.

The End of the New Deal Era

The New Deal was a series of economic and social reforms enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression. The New Deal helped to end the Depression and put America back on the path to prosperity. However, it also led to a significant increase in the size and scope of the federal government.

By the late 1940s, many Americans were growing weary of the New Deal. They felt that the government had become too powerful and that it was interfering too much in their lives.

The Rise of the Cold War

The Cold War was a global conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from 1947 to 1991. The Cold War was fought primarily through political, economic, and ideological means, but it also involved several proxy wars.

The Cold War had a profound impact on American politics. It led to a sharp increase in military spending and a heightened sense of national security. It also led to a crackdown on dissent and the rise of McCarthyism.

The Election of 1948

The 1948 presidential election was a referendum on the New Deal and the Cold War. Truman ran on a platform of continuing the New Deal and opposing communism. Dewey ran on a platform of ending the New Deal and taking a more conciliatory approach toward the Soviet Union.

The election was close, but Truman ultimately won by a narrow margin. Truman's victory was due in part to the strong support he received from organized labor and African Americans.

The Impact of the Election

The 1948 election had a profound impact on American politics. It marked the end of the New Deal era and the beginning of the Cold War. It also led to a sharp increase in partisanship and a decline in public trust in government.

The legacy of the 1948 election is still felt today. The Cold War ended in 1991, but the partisan divide that emerged during the election has only grown wider.

Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul

by A. J. Baime

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	10952 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	445 pages

FREE