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Harry S. Truman
Biography
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Harry
S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, was born on May 8, 1884
in Lamar, Missouri. In 1890, the year the Little White House
was built, the Truman's moved to Independence, Missouri.
His poor eyesight prevented Truman from participating in sports but led him to
two of his greatest passions, reading and music. An avid reader, he was proud
of the fact that he had read every book in the Independence Public Library. Truman
was also a fine musician, playing the piano.
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An excellent student,
Truman's parents were unable to afford college for Harry and his eyesight prevented
him from attending West Point. Following his high school graduation in 1901,
Truman worked at a variety of jobs including farming, oil drilling and banking.
In 1917, with World War I in full force, Truman joined the Army. He served
in France and left the army as a captain in May of 1919. One month later, he
married
Elizabeth Wallace.
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| Harry S. Truman and his wife, Elizabeth "Bess" Wallace
during their wedding day in 1919. |
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After failing in
the haberdashery business, Truman ran for county judge (the title for a
county commissioner) in Jackson County, MO. In 1924, he
ran for re-election and lost, the only election he ever lost. In 1926 he
was again elected judge, a post he held until 1934 when he ran for the
U.S. Senate and won. During World War II, Senator Truman headed the Truman
Commission that investigated fraud in defense contracts. Truman was responsible
for saving the government several million dollars. He remained in the Senate
until President Franklin Roosevelt tapped him as his running mate for his
fourth term in 1944. |
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On April 12,
1945, less than three months as vice president, Harry S. Truman
was sworn in as the 33rd President of the United States following
the unexpected death of Roosevelt. Truman faced some of the most
complex issues to ever face any world leader.
Internationally these
decisions included the decision to drop the atomic bomb to end
World War II, the daunting task of re-building both Europe and
Japan, the changing of American foreign policy.
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| Harry S. Truman takes the oath
of office on April 12, 1945 while his wife Bess and daughter
Margaret look on. |
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| Harry S. Truman
in St. Louis the morning after defeating Thomas Dewey
in 1948. |
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The
creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),
the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and National Security
Council (NSC), the recognition of the State of Israel, the
response to the Cold War and our involvement in the Korean
War were also decisions that Truman faced.
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| Harry Truman aboard The Eagle,
a three-masted sailing barque. |
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Domestic issues proved
equally challenging with issues of labor unrest, expansion of
the GI bill for returning veterans, a proposal for national health
care and the issuing of four civil rights executive orders made
Truman not particularly popular during his terms in office. Yet
today, Truman is thought to be one of the best presidents in
U.S. history.
On December 26, 1972, Harry S. Truman died in Kansas City, MO
at the age of 88. In the year 2000, a C-Span Poll ranking of
all U.S. Presidents was conducted by 58 presidential historians
and scholars. Harry S. Truman ranked 5th behind Lincoln, Franklin
D. Roosevelt, Washington and Theodore Roosevelt.
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