Harry S. Truman
by Andrew Davis
Personal Life
- Born May 8, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri
- Died December 26, 1972, in Kansas City, Missouri, due to complications with pneumonia
- As a boy, he was a bright student, and his poor eyesight led him to become an avid reader
- To pay for college, Truman held various jobs, including banking, farming, and oil drilling
Before the Presidency
Prior to World War I, Truman helped run his family farm while simultaneously serving in the Missouri National Guard. When the US finally did enter the war, Truman reenlisted in the National Guard and was shipped to France. After returning from the war, he married Elizabeth Wallace and opened an unsuccessful men's clothing store. In 1922, Truman was elected district judge of Jackson County Missouri, and in 1934 he was elected to the US Senate. In this position, Truman supported many of President Roosevelt's New Deal programs.
Truman as a young boy
Truman in his WWI uniform
For a short time Truman owned a haberdashery with one of his close friends
Unexpected President
In 1944, Truman was selected to be Roosevelt's running mate. Less than three months after winning the election, Roosevelt died from a brain hemorrhage. Within hours, Truman was sworn in as the new president.
Truman's First Administration
Within the first few months of Truman's presidency, Nazi Germany had surrendered and a peace treaty was being negotiated at the Potsdam Conference. In order to put a complete end to the war, Truman approved the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With a week, Japan surrendered. These events immediately to the arm's race between the Soviet Union and the US known as the Cold War. With the war now over, Truman now had to transition the US economy back to one of peacetime.
Achievements
The Marshall Plan
Here President Truman discussed the Marshall Plan, which gave $17 billion in economic aid to countries ravaged by the war.
Berlin Airlift
Truman initiated the Berlin Airlift, which flew food and supplies into sections of Berlin occupied by the Soviets and saved thousands of lives.
Israel becomes a country
Truman officially recognized Israel as its own independent country in 1951
Truman's Second Administration
Truman's choice of campaign slogans were interesting
- "I'm just wild about Harry"
- "Pour it on 'em, Harry!"
- "Give 'em hell, Harry!"
The Cabinet
- Vice President - Alben W. Barkley
- Secretary of State
- Edward R. Stettinius, Jr.
- James F. Byrnes
- George C. Marshall
- Dean G. Acheson
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Henry Morganthau, Jr.
- Frederick M. Vinson
- John W. Snyder
- Secretary of War
- Henry L. Stimson
- Robert P. Patterson
- Kenneth C. Royall
- Secretary of Defense
- James V. Forrestall
- Louis A. Johnson
- George C. Marshall
- Robert A. Lovett
- Attorney General
- Francis B. Biddle
- Thomas C. Clark
- J. Howard McGrath
- Postmaster General
- Frank C. Walker
- Robert E. Hannegan
- Jesse M. Donaldson
- Secretary of the Navy - James V. Forrestal
- Secretary of the Interior
- Harold L. Ickes
- Julius A. Krug
- Oscar L. Chapman
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Claude R. Wickard
- Clinton P. Anderson
- Charles F. Brannan
- Secretary of Commerce
- Henry A. Wallace
- William Averell Harriman
- Charles Sawyer
- Secretary of Labor
- Frances Perkins
- Lewis B. Schwellenbach
- Morice J. Tobin
In Office
Immediately after his first official election, Truman got to work on his new social reform agenda, called the Fair Deal. Some of these movements called for higher minimum wage, medical insurance, and federal housing programs. He also also issued executive orders to end segregation in the U.S. armed forces and to prohibit discrimination in federal government jobs. Truman also supported the creation of NATO. When South Korea was invaded by North Korea, Truman send military aid to South Korea. Although this decision lost Truman some of his popularity, it ultimately allowed South Korea to retain their independence.
Failures as President
Pro-Israel Stance
By choosing to acknowledge Israel as a new nation, Truman compromised future US involvement regarding oil in Arab nations.
The Cold War
Truman is credited with launching the US into the Cold War, which was seen as a costly and unnecessary mistake by many.
The Fair Deal
Although the Fair Deal was started with the best of intentions, it never gained any momentum and ultimately ended up costing taxpayers millions
Popularity
Although Truman did have several blunders throughout his presidency, he was still very popular. He made many attempts, quite a few of which were successful, to correct social injustices occurring in the nation. He desegregated the military, proposed the first Civil Rights Act, enacted the Marshall Plan, initiated the Berlin Air Lift, created NATO, the CIA, and the NSC, wrote the Truman Doctrine, recognized Israel as a state, and helped fend off communism in South Korea when North Korea invaded. For these reasons Truman is considered to be one the best US presidents in history.
In Today's Society
In my opinion, despite his effective nature as a president, I do not think that Harry Truman would be elected in today's society. His first term for election would be right after he authorized the nuking of Japan, and in today's overly conservative society this would never truly be justified to the public. Also, even though his foreign relation skills were quite adept, he would never be forgiven for sacrificing potential US oil sites in Arab nations. Also, his failed programs, though created with the best of intentions, failed miserably, and Truman would be forever criticized by the public. However, all this is not to say the Truman was a bad president; on the contrary, he was one of the best president the US has ever seen, and will always be known as such. However, in today's society I do not think that Truman would be well received by the general population of the US.
Fun Facts
An avid reader
Truman claimed to have read every book in Independence Public Library in Independence, Kansas.
No middle name
Harry S. Truman's middle initial actually not stand for anything. His parents have him the initial in order to honor Truman's grandfathers.
The very first
Truman's inauguration was the very first to be publicly broadcast on television.