Born: 1884, Lamar, MO
Died: 1972

Missourian Harry Truman was a gutsy and straight-talking politician who suffered chiefly from having to fill the shoes of a giant, FDR. Truman ran the family farm until World War I sent him to the French front. After the war he married and launched an unsuccessful clothing store. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1934, he gained national recognition through his unflinching investigation of war contracts. Chosen as FDR’s running mate in 1944, Truman became President when Roosevelt died four months after the election.

Noted for his candor and wit, Truman originated the line, “The buck stops here.” Indeed, President Truman faced up to difficult decisions. When Japan vowed to continue fighting after Germany surrendered, he authorized the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing the war to an end. In the Cold War that followed, he stood firm against the Soviets. In Greece, Turkey, West Berlin and South Korea, Truman carried out a policy of “containment.” In domestic affairs, his Fair Deal proposals included civil rights legislation and a national health program. He won a surprise victory over Thomas Dewey in the 1948 election, living up to his campaign cheer, “Give ‘em hell, Harry!” He retired at the end of his term.

Thirty-Third President
Democrat