Atom Bomb at Hiroshima
Harry S. Truman spent many days of his presidency holed up on the US Naval Base in Key West, home of what is now known as The Little White House on the Truman Waterfront. Truman, the thirty-third President of the United States (1945 to 1953) was born one hundred and 26 years ago today on May 8, 1884. On May 14-15, 2010, the Little White House will host the 2010 Symposium: The Legacy of Harry S. Truman in East Asia: Japan, China, and the Two Koreas. With all the hoopla surrounding Harry’s birthday every year in Key West, it got us wondering, “Who the Hell Was Harry S. Truman Anyway?”
If nothing more, the man was highly quotable. Here’s a few of our favorite Harry S. Truman quotes:
“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
“The buck stops here!”
“Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.”
“Always be sincere, even if you don’t mean it.”
“You can’t get rich in politics unless you’re a crook.”
“The “C” students run the world.”
“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.”
“My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”
Harry S. Truman was the product of a Midwest farm upbringing and an overprotective mother who forbade young Harry to participate in sports because of the expensive, corrective eyeglasses he was forced to wear due to his poor eyesight. The self-proclaimed “sissy” was a veritable bookworm and an exceptional student of American History. Legend has it that his eyesight was so bad that he would later memorize the eye chart in order to get into the Army. His parents were of Scotch-Irish descent.
At the onset of World War I, Truman enlisted in the Missouri National Guard and soon found himself as a Captain in France at the Battle of the Argonne, considered to be the “bloodiest single battle in U.S. history.” American forces took one hundred and seventeen thousand casualties and losses. After witnessing the horrors of war, he returned to Missouri where he became a judge with a reputation for being honest and fair.
In 1934, he made a successful bid for the U.S. Senator seat as a big fan and supporter of then President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As a young senator he quickly put himself on the map steering the Truman Committee, whose job it was to monitor the activities of the nation’s defense contractors. Back in the nineteen thirties, he uncovered over five billion dollars in questionable spending. That, my friends, is a lot of seven hundred and twenty-five dollar hammers.
Much to his chagrin he was declined to return to active duty at the outbreak of World War II but in a reversal of luck, found himself as the successful running mate for Roosevelt’s 1944 campaign. He would only serve eighty-two days as the nation’s Vice President.
On April 12, 1945, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt greeted him with the words, “Harry, the President is dead.” Truman replied, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Mrs. Roosevelt shook her head and replied, “Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now.” – David G. McCullough, Truman (1993).
A multitude of historic events would become part of his legacy of his eight years at the helm of America but the one he will probably be best remembered for was that of the events leading to the end of World War II.
“We have unleashed the power of the sun.” – HST
At the time of FDR’s death, even though Truman was the number two guy, he was completely unaware of the United States’ atomic weapons program. Within four months of being briefed and brought up to speed, on August 6 and 9, 1945, atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. To some, it was the necessary means to bring the war with Japan to an end while to others it was one of the darkest days in human history.
“I’ve said many a time that I think the Un-American Activities Committee in the House of Representatives was the most un-American thing in America!” – HST
It really isn’t fair though to judge his legacy on this one event however. Under his administration he desegregated the U.S Armed Forces, recognized the state of Israel, engaged the U.S in the Korean War, launched the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), sparked the Cold War*, denounced McCarthyism and unveiled the Fair Deal – a program that raised minimum wage and expanded Social Security coverage.
His inability to create a National Health Insurance or to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act (a United States federal law that monitors the activities and power of labor unions) was left a major mark on his career record. He followed in Roosevelt’s footsteps with the strong belief that every American citizen had the God given right to a job, health care, a roof over one’s head, and a decent education with the assistance, if necessary, of the federal government.
In the 1948 Presidential election, Truman narrowly defeated his republican opponent, New York Governor, Thomas E. Dewey. His own party pushed to have Eisenhower nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Truman surprised everyone with his with his impassionate nomination speech in what is now considered one of the greatest moments in American politics.
Truman Defeats Dewey
When the polls had him running behind, Truman embarked on his famous “Whistlestop” train campaign tour across the country. The tour ended with a Truman victory and the now famous “Dewey Defeats Truman” photo.
“When even one American – who has done nothing wrong – is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth – then all Americans are in peril.” – HST
Truman’s presidential run ended in January of 1953 and spent the last twenty years of his life as “Mr. Citizen”, proudly organizing his presidential library. Harry S. Truman died on December 26, 1972 and his wife, Bess, passed away ten years later on October 18, 1982. They rest together in the Library’s courtyard in Independence, Missouri.
* The story is probably an entire book unto itself, but there was infighting between U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Henry Wallace and Truman over how to deal with the Soviet Union in the new post-World War II world. Wallace was a major advocate of creating a mutually beneficial business relationship with Russia while he perceived Truman’s policies to be overly aggressive and anti-commerce. Truman had Wallace fired and the Cold War was on.
- Visit the Truman Little White House online at www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com
- Visit the Truman Symposium online at www.trumansymposium.com
