Harry Truman, the 33rd elected president of the United States, is considered by most American historians to be one of the nation's greatest presidents. He developed a larger role for the United States in world affairs than it played before the Second World War.
Harry S. Truman; (1884-1972), 33rd president of the United States. In the 1950s, most Americans did not expect Harry Truman to be one of their most respected presidents. In 1952, just before he announced his decision not to run again, only 25% of people thought he was doing a good job. But within a decade, most American historians considered him one of the nation's greatest presidents. Of course, a “revisionist” perspective has developed, portraying him as ineffective in some areas, oppressive in others, and the architect of the Cold War, attacking his record at home and abroad. Still, positive evaluation seemed to be the dominant American opinion.
Evaluation of leaders depends on the observer's assumptions about what leaders should try to achieve and what they can achieve. Clearly, Truman was not as influential in domestic affairs as his predecessor Franklin Roosevelt was in the 1930s, but Truman's opportunities were smaller. He could have accomplished more had he put forward his proposals more boldly, but his assessment of political realities convinced him that he could not. He could not accept many new domestic offers in areas such as health and education, but he promoted them. He expanded and improved established programs and defended them against attempts by his enemies to weaken them. And he worked harder for civil rights than any of his predecessors.
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin D. Roosevelt and as a United States senator from Missouri from 1935 to January 1945. Assuming the presidency after Roosevelt's death, Truman implemented the Marshall Plan to rebuild the economy of Western Europe and established both the Truman Doctrine and NATO to contain the expansion of Soviet communism. He proposed numerous liberal domestic reforms, but few were enacted by the conservative coalition that dominated the Congress.
Looking rather owl-like behind short, thick glasses, Truman was not imposing on the face of it. He spoke in the flat, nasal tone of a Midwesterner. But he was extremely honest and earned a reputation for telling the truth.
EARLY CAREER
He was born on May 8, 1884. The letter "S" in his name was not an abbreviation. It reflected the family's reluctance to choose between his grandfathers, Anderson Shippe Truman and Solomon Young, when choosing his name.
Harry's thick glasses prevented him from participating in many childhood activities. With his mother's encouragement, he turned to the piano and books. He developed a talent for the piano that provided relief in his later years. He gained some historical information from the books that influenced his career.
Truman didn't go to college. His father's financial difficulties prevented him from doing so, and poor eyesight dashed his hopes of entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Working for a railroad and two banks for several years added more to Truman's experiences than his finances or sense of accomplishment. He then returned to work in the village where he was born at the age of 22. He spent the next 11 years as a farmer, helping his father run his farm. While working on a good farm in the "golden age" of American agriculture, he experienced a personality change and became less withdrawn, and much more sociable. He began to be actively involved in Democratic party politics and joined many other organizations, including the Freemasons, who later assisted him as a politician.
The First World War provided new opportunities. Commissioned by the National Guard, Captain Truman discovered his abilities as a leader who fought in major battles in France at the end of the war and won the love and respect of a group of people.
After returning home in 1919, he married his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth (Bess) Wallace, and established a clothing store in Kansas City. The marriage was successful, but the store did not. Truman was heavily indebted and had to think twice about his career.
Introduction to Politics
Encouraged by the Kansas City political organization headed by Thomas Pendergast, Truman turned to politics. Truman was elected a judge of the Jackson County Court in 1922, failed to be reelected in 1924, became president two years later, and was re-elected in 1930. These positions, administrative rather than judicial, enabled him to achieve a lot, in particular.
Eager to rise in politics in 1934, Truman accepted his offer to become a senator. He won the primary and defeated an anti-New Deal Republican in the general election. As a first-term senator, Truman supported the New Deal and worked hard on committee appointments.
After his reelection, Truman embarked on a series of Senate investigations that brought him fame and saved taxpayers billions of dollars. As chair of the Special Committee to Research the National Defense Programme, he has promoted economy and efficiency among defense contractors.
As a senator, he supported Franklin Roosevelt in domestic and foreign affairs. He considered military might of great importance, worked for a stronger armed force, and blamed the "pacifists" and "isolationists" after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. During the war, he worked for the establishment of an international organization to keep the peace.
By 1944, he was elected vice president, replacing Henry Wallace. He was appointed vice president by Roosevelt in June 1944. This mission took 82 days. He became the 33rd President of the United States upon the death of President Franklin Roosevelt on April 12, 1945.
Harry Truman stated that the domestic and foreign policies of the USA would not change after he became president, and the practices in the Roosevelt era would continue. He presided over the San Francisco Conference on June 26, 1945, at which the United Nations was established. In July 1945, he participated in the Potsdam Conference, which was convened to resolve the problems that emerged after the surrender of Germany in the Second World War. On August 2, 1945, he signed the peace treaty on behalf of the United States.
He authorized the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, on his orders, on the pretext of ensuring Japan's surrender, ending the ongoing war with Japan at the cost of hundreds of thousands of deaths and crippling. Addressing his people on the radio on August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced that the "war was lost". On September 2, 1945, aboard the United States Navy's famous Missouri Ship, Japan signed the "unconditional delivery documents."
After the war, the fact that the USSR became the greatest power in Europe ended the cooperation between the Allies and brought Western Europe under the umbrella of the USA, and thus the Cold War period began.
Great Britain handed over the world's gendarmerie to the USA. Truman believed in the principle that the USSR and its pro-countries should be fought at all costs. Truman, in his speech at the US Congress on March 12, 1947, which would later be called the “Truman Doctrine”, emphasized that the USSR's influence in Europe increased and that Turkey and Greece should be protected against the USSR threat due to their strategic importance and gave 400 million dollars aid to the aforementioned countries. To this end, Truman, together with Secretary of State, General George C. Marshall, developed an aid package called the Marshall Plan to improve the economic situation of Western European countries after the Second World War. This request was passed by Congress and became legal. After the Truman Doctrine, the new plan prepared in line with these views in order to eliminate the destruction suffered by European countries during the war was named after Marshall, the foreign minister of the period. The Marshall Plan was implemented in 1948. 300 million dollars of this aid was paid to Greece and 100 million dollars to Turkey.
He won the 1948 presidential election for the second time. In January 1949, he presented the 29-point program called the Fair Deal, which was the continuation of the New Deal, to Congress. Only a part of this program, which aims to solve the economic and social problems of the USA, was enacted. During his second presidency, anticommunist movements reached their peak in the United States. In 1950, the McCarran Homeland Security Act, despite its veto, was outlawed by the Senate, while the US Communist Party was dissolved. With the list prepared by a commission chaired by Senator McCarty, an investigation was launched against hundreds of artists and scientists, including many officials, on the grounds that they were communists.
In 1949, the product of the Cold War led to the establishment of NATO. On the other hand, after the revolution in China in 1949 and the USSR detonated the first atomic bomb, it approved the construction of the hydrogen bomb in 1950.
In 1950, upon the outbreak of the Korean War, McArthur sent troops under his command to aid South Korea, which provoked violent reactions. So much so that he had to dismiss General McArthur, who was considering attacking China. 15 countries that are members of the newly established United Nations joined the war along with the USA.
He announced that he would not participate in the 1952 presidential elections after he was thoroughly worn out. In September 1951, it signed the ANZUS Pact with Australia and New Zealand.
Harry Truman was President of the United States from April 12, 1945, to January 20, 1953.
After the election, he transferred his duties to Republican Dwight David Eisenhower on January 20, 1953, and retired to his farm in Independence; He wrote his memoirs.
Harry Truman married Elizabeth Virginia “Bess” Wallace in 1919. They had a daughter named Margaret (b.1924-d.2008).
Harry Truman died on December 26, 1972, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA at the age of 88.