| History By Day |
| Harry S. Truman |
| History by Day - Copyright 2009 |
Get your daily history via twitter - twitter.com/Historyday
| ***Books For Sale*** |
Born on May 8th, 1884, Harry S.
Truman was the 33rd President of
the United States as a member of
the Democratic Party. Truman
served from April 12th, 1945 to
January 20th, 1953.
During his few weeks as Vice
President, Harry S Truman scarcely
saw President Roosevelt, and
received no briefing on the
development of the atomic bomb or
the unfolding difficulties with Soviet
Russia. Suddenly these and a host
of other wartime problems became
Truman's to solve when, on April
12, 1945, he became President. He
Truman was the 33rd President of
the United States as a member of
the Democratic Party. Truman
served from April 12th, 1945 to
January 20th, 1953.
During his few weeks as Vice
President, Harry S Truman scarcely
saw President Roosevelt, and
received no briefing on the
development of the atomic bomb or
the unfolding difficulties with Soviet
Russia. Suddenly these and a host
of other wartime problems became
Truman's to solve when, on April
12, 1945, he became President. He
told reporters, "I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me."
Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri, in 1884. He grew up in Independence, and for 12 years
prospered as a Missouri farmer.
He went to France during World War I as a captain in the Field Artillery. Returning, he
married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, and opened a haberdashery in Kansas City.
Active in the Democratic Party, Truman was elected a judge of the Jackson County Court (an
administrative position) in 1922. He became a Senator in 1934. During World War II he
headed the Senate war investigating committee, checking into waste and corruption and
saving perhaps as much as 15 billion dollars.
As President, Truman made some of the most crucial decisions in history. Soon after V-E Day,
the war against Japan had reached its final stage. An urgent plea to Japan to surrender was
rejected. Truman, after consultations with his advisers, ordered atomic bombs dropped on
cities devoted to war work. Two were Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japanese surrender quickly
followed.
In June 1945 Truman witnessed the signing of the charter of the United Nations, hopefully
established to preserve peace.
Thus far, he had followed his predecessor's policies, but he soon developed his own. He
presented to Congress a 21-point program, proposing the expansion of Social Security, a
full-employment program, a permanent Fair Employment Practices Act, and public housing
and slum clearance. The program, Truman wrote, "symbolizes for me my assumption of the
office of President in my own right." It became known as the Fair Deal.
Dangers and crises marked the foreign scene as Truman campaigned successfully in 1948. In
foreign affairs he was already providing his most effective leadership.
In 1947 as the Soviet Union pressured Turkey and, through guerrillas, threatened to take over
Greece, he asked Congress to aid the two countries, enunciating the program that bears his
name--the Truman Doctrine. The Marshall Plan, named for his Secretary of State, stimulated
spectacular economic recovery in war-torn western Europe.
When the Russians blockaded the western sectors of Berlin in 1948, Truman created a
massive airlift to supply Berliners until the Russians backed down. Meanwhile, he was
negotiating a military alliance to protect Western nations, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, established in 1949.
In June 1950, when the Communist government of North Korea attacked South Korea, Truman
conferred promptly with his military advisers. There was, he wrote, "complete, almost
unspoken acceptance on the part of everyone that whatever had to be done to meet this
aggression had to be done. There was no suggestion from anyone that either the United
Nations or the United States could back away from it."
A long, discouraging struggle ensued as U.N. forces held a line above the old boundary of
South Korea. Truman kept the war a limited one, rather than risk a major conflict with China
and perhaps Russia.
Deciding not to run again, he retired to Independence; at age 88, he died December 26th,
1972, after a stubborn fight for life.
Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri, in 1884. He grew up in Independence, and for 12 years
prospered as a Missouri farmer.
He went to France during World War I as a captain in the Field Artillery. Returning, he
married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, and opened a haberdashery in Kansas City.
Active in the Democratic Party, Truman was elected a judge of the Jackson County Court (an
administrative position) in 1922. He became a Senator in 1934. During World War II he
headed the Senate war investigating committee, checking into waste and corruption and
saving perhaps as much as 15 billion dollars.
As President, Truman made some of the most crucial decisions in history. Soon after V-E Day,
the war against Japan had reached its final stage. An urgent plea to Japan to surrender was
rejected. Truman, after consultations with his advisers, ordered atomic bombs dropped on
cities devoted to war work. Two were Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japanese surrender quickly
followed.
In June 1945 Truman witnessed the signing of the charter of the United Nations, hopefully
established to preserve peace.
Thus far, he had followed his predecessor's policies, but he soon developed his own. He
presented to Congress a 21-point program, proposing the expansion of Social Security, a
full-employment program, a permanent Fair Employment Practices Act, and public housing
and slum clearance. The program, Truman wrote, "symbolizes for me my assumption of the
office of President in my own right." It became known as the Fair Deal.
Dangers and crises marked the foreign scene as Truman campaigned successfully in 1948. In
foreign affairs he was already providing his most effective leadership.
In 1947 as the Soviet Union pressured Turkey and, through guerrillas, threatened to take over
Greece, he asked Congress to aid the two countries, enunciating the program that bears his
name--the Truman Doctrine. The Marshall Plan, named for his Secretary of State, stimulated
spectacular economic recovery in war-torn western Europe.
When the Russians blockaded the western sectors of Berlin in 1948, Truman created a
massive airlift to supply Berliners until the Russians backed down. Meanwhile, he was
negotiating a military alliance to protect Western nations, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, established in 1949.
In June 1950, when the Communist government of North Korea attacked South Korea, Truman
conferred promptly with his military advisers. There was, he wrote, "complete, almost
unspoken acceptance on the part of everyone that whatever had to be done to meet this
aggression had to be done. There was no suggestion from anyone that either the United
Nations or the United States could back away from it."
A long, discouraging struggle ensued as U.N. forces held a line above the old boundary of
South Korea. Truman kept the war a limited one, rather than risk a major conflict with China
and perhaps Russia.
Deciding not to run again, he retired to Independence; at age 88, he died December 26th,
1972, after a stubborn fight for life.