Harry S. Truman was the thirty-third president of the United States. His willingness to accept responsibility for difficult decisions made him one of the most controversial of all presidents. Before becoming president, Truman was vice president of the United States. His vice presidency lasted for only 82 days before he became president of the U.S. His president years were from 1945 through 1953.

Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884. His mother gave birth in their small house. Truman’s mother, Martha Ellen and father, John Anderson had three children. Truman was the oldest. He doesn’t have a middle name. The initial "S" was given to appease two family members whose names started with that letter.

At age six, Truman and his family moved to Independence, Missouri. There, he attended the Presbyterian Church Sunday School. He met five-year-old Elizabeth Virginia (Bess) Wallace there who he was later to fall in love with. At age eight he began regular school. Truman had to wear glasses, but it didn’t interfere with his two best interests which were music and reading. He would go to the local music teacher twice a week until he was 15. He read four or five histories and biographies a week and acquired complete knowledge of great military battles and the lives of the world’s greatest leaders.

Truman graduated from high school in 1901. He was unsure of what his future would be like. He wouldn’t go to college because of his family’s financial situation. He was interested in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but he wasn’t accepted because of his poor eyesight. Truman moved to Kansas City and found many jobs that said his eyesight didn’t matter or bother them.

Truman returned to his hometown in 1919. On June 28, 1919, he married Bess. In 1924 the Trumans had their first on only child. They named her Mary Margaret.

On January 20, 1945 Truman took the oath of office as vice president. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the U.S. president at the time. On April 12, 1945 Truman was taken to the White House, where Eleanor Roosevelt told him the president was dead. At 7:09 p.m. on April 12, 1945 Harry S. Truman was sworn in as president by Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone. At that moment, Truman knew what he had to do to keep the U.S. world together.

Truman made very wise decisions when it came to war and peace. He proposed what was called the Truman Doctrine. It had two objectives. One was to send U.S. aid to anticommunist forces in Greece and Turkey. The other was to create a public consensus so Americans would be willing to fight the Cold War. He told Congress that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. His request was fulfilled by Congress for one-hundred fifty million dollars for Turkey and two-hundred fifty million dollars for Greece.

In 1948 it was time to reelect and Truman won. Truman had many more accomplishments. He brought a lot of peace to the United States.

Truman retired in 1951. He went back to his home in Independence, Missouri. He still remained active in politics. In July 1957, he dedicated the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence where he maintained his office.

At age 88, Harry S. Truman died December 26, 1972. He is buried on the grounds of the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri.

Harry S. Truman sent out the message to all of the presidents. He said to stand up for your country and don’t hide who you really are. He realized that the voters needed to see if the person the elected is really the right one. Truman was a great decision maker and a very responsible president. He did his job just like most other presidents. Many people hope that there will be more like him in the future.

1. Netscape Navigator
2. Internet-www.whitehouse.gov/WH/glimse/presidents/html/ht33.html
3. "The American Nation" pages 661-667