#OTD20 | October 14, 1946

Truman Ends Meat Price Controls: A Post-War Economic Shift

October 14, 1946: President Harry S. Truman announces the lifting of price controls on meat, reflecting post-war economic adjustments.

Enforced during World War II to stabilize the economy, price controls curtailed inflation by setting maximum prices for goods. But, post-war America saw meat shortages and black-market operations flourish as the demand surged.

With public dissatisfaction growing, Truman's decision aims to encourage livestock production and stabilize the market. Though critics argue it might lead to inflation, many Americans welcome the move as it promises more meat in local butcher shops.

This decision signifies a broader shift from a wartime to a peacetime economy, setting the stage for the economic boom of the 1950s.

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The transition from the wartime to peacetime economy is explored in our award-winning video survey, "Post-War Years," from AMERICA IN THE 20th CENTURY.

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Additional Resources

Access more information from Media Rich Learning and curated off-site sources.

National Public Radio

Listen to (or read) this excellent radio story: "Price Controls, Black Markets, And Skimpflation: The WWII Battle Against Inflation" from NPR's Planet Money podcast.

National World War II Museum

Read this article on wartime rationing at the website of the National World War II Museum.

State of Oregon

Read the article "Holding the Line on Inflation: Price Controls Fight the Rise," on the Oregon.gov website.

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