The U.S. and the Korean War - Essay Example

When he left office on January 20, 1953, Harry Trumans popularity rating stood at just 22%. In the decades since his presidency, he has risen to between 6-8 in most historians rankings. What was it about the presidency that caused this revaluation of him? President Harry S. Truman’s is more popular today because he is credited dropping two atomic bombs on Japan that ended World War II. Truman’s strong support of the Marshall Plan for rebuilding Europe, the creation of the United Nations, the “containment” of communism, the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO and the creation of the State of Israel also helped his popularity.

He supported Roosevelt’s New Deal programs and was known as a President who was not afraid to make decisions. He famously wrote on a plaque on his desk “the buck stops here”. (3) NATIONAL SECURITY-Was there any way to ensure national security against the communist threat than the methods used during the late 1940s and 1950s (sometimes called, collectively, "McCarthyism")? Explain,With the benefit of hindsight, the ‘containment’ policy of the U.S was the best option to confronting the spread of communism.

The eventual success of American cold war policy supports this assertion. Although, it is possible the U.S could have achieved success with more diplomatic overtures towards communist regimes like the Soviet Union and China. There is little proof that this method would have been more effective, however. ReferencesMcPhee I. (2008). Harry Truman's First Term: The Rising Popularity of One of Americas Great President. Retrieved from http://americanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/harry_trumans_first_term#ixzz0DjFR0hJc&BThe National Archives.

Teaching With Documents: The United States Enters the Korean Conflict. [Online]. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, MD 20740-6001. Retrieved from <http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/korean-conflict/>