Post World War II, technological advances allowed U.S. farmers to increase chicken production. As a result, they began to seize a large share of the global chicken market. Feeling pressure from European farmers, many of whom went out of business, several European countries imposed tariffs and trade controls on American-imported chicken and other birds. Simultaneously, the U.S. auto industry was experiencing similar pains due to lost sales to foreign-based auto manufacturers. In response, President Johnson, seeking to improve U.S. auto sales and driven by retaliation, imposed tariffs on imported trucks, potato products, and certain spirits.