2. Military Years Harry joined the Missouri National Guard in 1905.
Despite his poor eyesight, Harry was a captain in the army during World War I. In order to serve his country, he memorized the eye chart.

3. Early Political Career
After serving many years as a judge for his county, Harry was elected to the U.S. Senate in He won reelection in 1940.
As a senator, Harry gained a strong reputation as a politician.

4. The Vice Presidency Left: Harry Truman is sworn into office as
America’s Vice
President.
In 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt ran successfully for a fourth term in office with Harry as his running mate.
After serving only 82 days as Vice President, Harry Truman became the 33rd President of the United States due to Roosevelt’s unexpected death.

5. 1945: A “Year of Decisions”
Harry described his first year in the White House as a “year of decisions.”
As President, he was responsible for trying to resolve the aftermath of World War II in Eastern Europe and Japan.

6. Whistle Stop Campaign
When Harry ran for presidential reelection in 1948, he defeated opponent Thomas Dewey in what has been called the “upset of the century.”

7. DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN
“I accept [the presidency] with a resolve to do all the I can for the welfare of this Nation and for the peace of the world…It is fitting therefore, that we take this occasion to proclaim to the world the essential principles of the faith by which we live, and to declare our aims to all peoples.”

8. Presidential Highlights

9. Foreign Policy
The creation of the United Nations, a global peacekeeping organization.
The formulation of the Truman Doctrine, 1947, a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy which pledges America’s aid to nations struggling to remain free from Communist aggression.
The execution of the Marshall Plan, , an initiative that provided billions of dollars to help rebuild the economies of European countries devastated by WWII, $12.4 billion.
Joined NATO in 1949, allied with 12 other nations in a pledge of mutual defense.
“Lost China” to Mao Zedong’s Communists, 1949.
Reject Ho Chi Minh plea for US help against colonial French in Vietnam.
Korean War - US aid South Korea in civil war, 1950.
Mutual Security Treaty signed with Japan, 1951.

10. Domestic Policies
National Security Act, 1947, reorganized government into a Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, CIA.
Taft Hartley Act, passed against Truman’s wishes to limit power of unions
The signing of Executive Order #9981, an order that ended discrimination in U.S. armed forces, 1948.
NSC - 68, created larger military budget, 1950.
GI Bills, GI mortgages, Selective Service Act all allowed service men to benefit in the post war era, 1945.
Full Employment Act, New Deal policy that was destroyed by Congress, promised to raise minimum wage.
Fair Deal, promised every American: civil rights African Americans, Health care program, federal aid for education. (all rejected by Congress)

11. Cold War A war without fired weapons A war with weapon build up
A division of democratic and communist
Iron Curtain
Spheres of influence - world power
Involved First World (West), Second World (East) and Third World (non-industrialized - Asia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America)
Inevitable or series of decisions?

12. The Truman Doctrine
Sense of mission, hostility towards communism as threat to freedom, desire to combat forces of evil
Image of global emergency
3 goals:
Prove the soviet threat was serious
Only US could handle the threat
Establish that it would become basic US policy to accept the responsibility for this type of threat

13. Juxtaposition of Communism & Democracy
Communism believes “that man is so weak” that he “requires the rule of strong masters,” but democracy believes “that man has the moral and intellectual capacity…to govern himself.”
Communism subjects individuals to invidious state controls whereas democracy protects “the right of the individual.”
Communism maintains that social wrongs can be corrected only by violence” whereas democracy acheives “social justice…through peaceful change.”
Communism holds that the world is so widely divided into opposing classes that war is inevitable,” but “Democracy holds that free nations can settle differences justly and maintain a lasting peace.”

14. Plain Spoken
Not a gifted speaker, “achieved a symbiosis between his delivery & choice of language that worked well for him in confrontational situations.”
Wood-Chop gesture, “communicated a man hewing to the line of right and letting the chips fall where they may”
“short, punchy style of speaking seemed more like a drill sergeant’s…than a president’s. Yet Truman’s unvarnished delivery & diction had a certain effectiveness.”

15. TRUMAN’S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
“The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world. And we shall surely endanger the welfare of this nation.”

16. Farewell Address
I have had hardly a day in office that has not been dominated by this all-embracing struggle -- this conflict between those who love freedom and those who would lead the world back into slavery and darkness

17. The Return to Independence
Harry decided not to run for reelection in 1953.
After Dwight D. Eisenhower was inaugurated as America’s next President, Harry and Bess boarded the train home to Independence.

18. Iron Curtain Speech March 5, 1946
On March 5, 1946, Fulton, Missouri. President Harry S. Truman (right) had encouraged Churchill (seated) to speak on two themes: the need to block Soviet expansion and the need to form the Anglo-American partnership. Always eloquent and provocative, Churchill denounced the Soviets for drawing an "iron curtain" across eastern Europe. This speech became one of the landmark statements of the Cold War. (Harry S. Truman Library)

19. 4 Points “Our program for peace and freedom will emphasize four major courses of action.”
First, we will continue to give unfaltering support to the United Nations and related agencies, and we will continue to search for ways to strengthen their authority and increase their effectiveness.
Second, we will continue our programs for world economic recovery. Economic recovery and peace itself depend on increased world trade.
Third, we will strengthen freedom-loving nations against the dangers of aggression.
Fourth, we must embark on a bold new program for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of underdeveloped areas