Transcript Harry Truman

Thirty-Third United States President
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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.
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Harry Truman became president of the United
States on April 12, 1945 upon the death of Franklin
D. Roosevelt. During Truman's presidency
Germany surrendered (May 8, 1945) and Japan
surrendered (Aug. 14, 1945), ending World War II.
Truman always staunchly defended the atomic
bombings. Shortening the war, saving American
lives, and revenge are the main reasons he gave for
using them. In his first public explanation (Aug. 6,
1945, just after Hiroshima was a-bombed), he said:
" The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl
Harbor. They have been repaid many fold."
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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.
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Major Events While in Office:
Atomic Bombs Dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki (1945)
End of World War II (1945)
United Nations Created (1945)
Nuremburg Trials (1945-1946)
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Taft-Hartley Act (1947)
Israel Created (1948)
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"If there is one basic element in our Constitution, it is
civilian control of the military.“
"Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one
bomb on Hiroshima...The force from which the sun
draws its powers has been loosed against those who
brought the war in the Far East.“
"America was not built on fear. America was built on
courage, on imagination and unbeatable determination
to do the job at hand.“
"Within the first few months, I discovered that being a
President is like riding a tiger. A man has to keep on
riding or be swallowed."
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Harry Truman lived for nineteen years after leaving the White House in 1953. He and his
wife Bess returned to Truman's hometown of Independence, Missouri, where Truman
spent his post-presidential years guarding and constructing his legacy and place in
history. He also continued to comment on political events of the day.
In 1955, Truman published the first volume of his memoirs; the second volume followed
in 1956. Unfortunately, he hired ghostwriters and research assistants of questionable
ability to help him through the process. As a result, the volumes were poorly organized,
marred by leaden writing, and offered neither a comprehensive account of the Truman
presidency nor many insights. Nonetheless, both volumes sold well upon their release.
Truman remained active in American politics after he left the White House.
Eisenhower's handling of the presidency annoyed and angered Truman, who regularly
criticized the administration's policies and politics in public appearances. He actively
campaigned against Eisenhower in 1956. The personal relationship between the two
men, already strained after Ike declared in 1952 that he would run for the Republican
nomination, deteriorated throughout the eight years of Eisenhower's presidency.
Truman had better relations with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He expressed
reservations about Kennedy in 1960—thinking him too young and too Catholic to be a
successful Democratic presidential nominee—but once in office, Kennedy and his wife
charmed the ex-President. Truman felt even more comfortable with President Johnson,
with whom he had enjoyed cordial relations while Johnson was on Capitol Hill. He
never got along with President Nixon, however.
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/harry
struman
http://www.doug-long.com/truman.htm
http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/harrystruman/
a/quotetruman.htm
http://millercenter.org/president/truman/essays/bio
graphy/6
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/harrystruman/
a/ff_harrytruman.htm