Truman's War: A Critical Look at Its Implications on Civil Liberties

Truman, the cold war and the Korean dilemma

Introduction

It can be said that President Harry S. Truman's first presidency began on a bitter-sweet note. The demise of President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the most crucial period of the Second World War pushed him into a critical role unprepared. During Truman's short vice-presidency, he was clueless regarding the state strategy, tactics, and decisions on the war front. He had very little contact with Roosevelt, and was unaware of the details of the Manhattan project, the first American testing of the nuclear bomb.

However, he continued the same cabinet team and with the Allies victory in Europe, opted for atomic bombing to force Japan to surrender over initiating a military invasion. He also executed the American mandate in Japan, placing General Douglas MacArthur as the acting-head of its government. Yet, he was one of the most unpopular presidents' by the end of his tenure. He faced opposition by steel and coal lobbies at home, and the Korean War had harmed his reputation on the foreign policy front after the sacking of MacArthur. MacArthur's sacking served the biggest blow to his popularity given the former's heroic reputation.

With fair and impartial deliberation, this article will seek to understand the implications and consequences of his policy with regards to the Korean War, and its effects on civil rights and freedom domestically and abroad.

World War II, Far-East Asia, and Truman's Legacy

Truman's presidency began at the most crucial point in history, pivotal for United States' role in global politics. His most significant decisions were regarding the atomic bomb, successful international diplomacy post-WWII, the recognition of the state of Israel, creation of the United Nations, the Truman doctrine which called for limiting communist expansion, and the Marshall Plan for post-war Europe. His second term, however, carried critique, scandals, and controversies. Allegations of corruption, ineffectiveness against Soviet espionage, and industrial labor strikes lowered his approval rating to one of the lowest in American history.

That being said, some of his most significant decisions, although not popular at the time, were regarding the Korean Peninsula and the subsequent Korean War, which gave a model for the idea of limited warfare.

The Korean Peninsula, the Joint Commission and Eventual Escalation

For the mandate of the Korean region, a US-Soviet Joint Commission established in December 1945 drew two administrative zones, with the United States controlling the South and the Soviet Union in the North. They had decided to grant independence after a five-year acting government would stabilize and rehabilitate the region.

The Southern mandate had a rocky start, with General Hodge as the Military Governor for the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK). The USAMGIK rejected acceptance of the temporary government of the Peoples Republic of Korea, and instead reinstated Japanese administrators. This instigated grassroots revolt, with the acting government banning strikes and any activity which would support the idea of Peoples Republic of Korea.

This resulted in further uprisings, with a mass railroad worker strike in ...