Life & Background

-Born in Lamar, Missouri on May 8, 1884 as an oldest child of John Anderson and Martha Ellen Young Truman
-2 younger siblings, John Vivian Truman & Mary Jane Truman
-Family moved frequently, thus Truman never attended school until 8
-Interests in music, reading, and history
-His mother was his best mentor throughout life
-Graduated from Independence High School (now William Chrisman High School) in 1901
-Didn't attend college, instead worked in many clercial jobs and helped with family's farm
-1905, joined Missouri Army National Guard to fight in WWI
-Earned reputation as qualified and successful leader
-After war, returned to Independence and married Bess Wallace, the same day Treaty of Versailles was signed
-Daughter named Mary Margaret Truman
-His haberdashery and investments went bankrupt
-Grew interest in politics and became Eastern District Judge of Jackson County easily, with support of Tom Pendergast
-1926, elected as Presiding Judge and re elected in 1930
-Served in U.S Senate from 1935-1945
-Appointed Vice President of former President, Franklin D. Roosevelt

Election and Re-election

Harry S. Truman did not go under election for his first term as a president. Only 82 days after he was appointed as the Vice President, FDR suddently died. This incident automatically made Harry Truman the 33rd President. Due to the sudden transition, there was no Vice President under him during 1945-1949. Truman hadn't had much opportunity to discuss with FDR, and thus, didn’t have much idea about foreign or domestic affairs. He was even unaware of the Manhattan Project until later on. Truman sincerely asked FDR’s cabinet members to stay and give him advices.

After he finished the remaining terms of FDR, Truman decided to run for his 2nd term as President. However, majority of the population predicted that Truman would lose the election. Truman’s public approval rating was down to 36%. Experts believed that Truman had no chance against his Republican rival, Thomas E. Dewey. However, in spite of many experts’ thoughts, Truman won the election against Thomas E, Dewey, and won his presidency for second term. His popular vote was 49.6% and Thomas’ was 45%. Truman’s Electoral vote was 303, and Thomas’ was 189. People called this unexpected turnover, the "Truman’s stunning come-from- behind victory”. His running mate, Alben W. Barkley, became his vice president during 1949-1953.

Foreign Policy and Affairs

At the time Truman was appointed the President, the WWII was at its conclusion. On May 7, 1945, the Allies defeated Germany in Europe, and Truman only had to deal with another opponent of the WWII in Pacific, Japan. Truman quickly learned the existence of Manhattan Project and ordered the dropping of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945. The Japanese had casualty of 220,000 and surrendered couple days later on August 14.

Despite the end of WWII, the international conflict didn’t seem to cool down. Previously in the Yalta Conference, the Soviet Union promised that he would allow free elections to be held in Eastern Europe, however, at Potsdam Conference, Stalin declared to forbidden free elections in Poland and other Eastern European countries they occupied. Moreover, the Soviets desired to spread communism and refused to unite Germany. They created the Berlin Wall or the “Iron Curtain” and prevented East Germany from receiving supplies. These disagreements between U.S and Soviet Union eventually led to the “Cold War”

During the Cold War, Harry Truman introduced the Truman Doctrine, which stated that U.S would keep communism from expanding throughout the world. Truman’s main concern was to “contain” communism from spreading into Greece, Turkey, China, and Korea. He sent troops to defend the democracies in these nations. He also passed the Marshall Plan to assist the reconstruction of postwar Europe. 16 European countries that participated in the war including, Britain, France, Italy, West Germany, others were aided with approximately $13 billion. East Germany however, was blockaded and couldn’t receive aid due to Soviet control over them. Truman and the Allies successfully led a campaign known as Berlin Airlift to deliver food, medical, and other necessary supplies into East Europe by utilizing the aircrafts in 1948. Throughout the Berlin Airlift, 278,228 flights delivered 2,326,406 tons of supplies.

In addition, Harry Truman ensured peace between nations in North Atlantic by forming alliance called NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and organized the meeting of the United Nations.

Domestic Policy and Affairs

Truman was engaged with the foreign policies, and wasn’t as successful with the domestic affairs. He presented a new legislative program, similar to FDR’s “New Deal”, called the “Fair Deal”. This program stated that “every citizen had a right to expect a fair deal from the government”. Universal Health care, federal aid to education full and fair-employment-practices bills, federal control of the unemployment compensation program, low-cost housing, 75-cent minimum wage, and development of natural resources were included in the program. Yet, they weren’t approved and many of the initiatives didn’t pass.


To ensure the security at home, Truman passed the National Security Act of 1947 on January 26, 1947. The Act combined Department of War and Department of the Navy into Department of Defense strengthening the nation. Furthermore, Department of the Air Force and CIA were created from this act as well.

Truman also had to cope with the people’s fear of communism, known as the Second Red Scare. Initiated by U.S Senator Joseph McCarthy, civilians were falsely accused of communism without proper evidence. Hundreds were imprisoned and thousands either left or were fired from their jobs. Film industry and famous actors, aka the Hollywood Blacklist, were amongst the victims of McCarthyism. Truman called these practices "the use of the big lie and the unfounded accusation against any citizen in the name of Americanism or security. It is the rise to power of the demagogue who lives on untruth; it is the spreading of fear and the destruction of faith in every level of society.” He counter attacked by charging “that McCarthy’s attacks were in effect sabotaging the nation’s bipartisan foreign policy efforts and thus aiding the Soviet Union.”

Death & Legacy

After resigning, Truman spent his remaining life at Missouri. Truman died at the age of 88, due to multiple organ failure on December 26, 1972. Truman and his wife were laid under the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri.
Though Truman wasn’t considered one of the best presidents at first, today, he is ranked among the top 9 U.S presidents. Many of the initiatives that were not approved back then have become laws in the present day. He fulfilled his role as a president sincerely and diligently. Harry S. Truman truly tried his best to secure his country, “contain” communism, and bring peace to the world. Without a doubt, Harry S. Truman was a praiseworthy president.