The president of the United States is the head of the state of the United States. During 1945, Democrat Harry S Truman succeeded Roosevelt at the conclusion of World War II; he was committed to accommodating the Soviets and structuring a peaceful post-war global system. Before his Presidency ended, the United States was involved in an armed conflict in Korea, and the Cold War was firmly entrenched. Thirty years later, Republican President Ronald Reagan was elected on a strong anti-Soviet stance. A decade later, he had overseen the end of the Cold War. This discussion assesses the foreign policy of these two presidents and compares and contrasts the shifts during their time in office.
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the United States from 1945 to 1953. Truman was in office for two terms. He became president on April 12, 1945 when Franklin D. Roosevelt died. While in office for the first couple of weeks, Truman had won the war in Europe.
English: US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Gen...
Harry S. Truman (1884 – 1972), 1945 – 1953 the...
Official Portrait of President Ronald ReaganTruman started the foreign policy of containing Communism, a policy that which later became known as the trademark of the Cold War. He kept up the wellbeing of the policies that was established under his successor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman helped to make an impact on the power in the executive branch, a movement begun under President Roosevelt. Truman's readiness to accept responsibility for difficult decisions made him one of the most controversial presidents. He chooses to use the new atomic bomb against Japan to end WWII. All through his administration, Truman ineffectively rallied congressional support for most of his program of domestic legislation, called the Fair Deal. However, he did secure sufficient legislative backing to create an exceptional record in foreign affairs, especially in meeting what most Americans felt was the challenge posed by...