Harry S. Truman

The Coming of the Cold War

Nicole L. Anslover

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781136175084
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Storia
• Subtopic: Storia nordamericana

Harry S. Truman presided over one of the most challenging times in American history—the end of World War II and the onset of the Cold War. Thrust into the presidency after Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office, Truman oversaw the transition to a new, post-war world in which the United States wielded the influence of a superpower. With his humble beginnings and straightforward manner, Truman was the personification of a typical American. As president, however, he dealt with decisions that were anything but typical. His presidency saw the decision to drop the atomic bomb, the integration of the military, and the development of an interventionist foreign policy aimed at 'containing' Communism, from providing aid in the Marshall Plan to entering the Korean War. In the post-Cold War era, Harry S. Truman: The Coming of the Cold War provides insight into a pivotal moment in history that laid the foundations of today's politics and international relations.

In this concise and accessible biography, Nicole L. Anslover addresses the president's political and personal life to explore the lasting impact that Truman had on American society and America's role in the world. Supplemented by a diverse array of primary documents, including presidential addresses, private letters, and political cartoons, this narrative presents a key American figure to students of history and politics.

CHAPTER 1

THE MAN FROM MISSOURI TAKES CHARGE IN WASHINGTON

When Harry Truman was born in 1884, America was still recovering from the ravages of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and economic turmoil. Automobiles did not exist; electricity and indoor plumbing had not yet made it to rural Missouri where the Truman family lived. This was America when Harry Truman arrived to join a family to whom hard work, farming, family, and faith were important. As he entered maturity, the world around him had changed remarkably—transportation and communication flourished, and not least of all the Great War would significantly alter the course of world events. Young Harry certainly never imagined that one day he would lead this new world as president of the United States.

When Truman took the oath of office in 1945, he swore to carry out his duties to the best of his ability. This meant providing leadership not just to Americans, but to the entire world. Still embroiled in World War II, peoples around the globe were desperate for leadership that would offer strength and stability. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had provided that leadership since 1933; now, suddenly, the unknown man from Missouri was to take the helm. Historians and students must place Truman's presidency in the context of changing world events—recovery from a global depression, a second devastating war in as many decades, nuclear weapons, and a burgeoning Cold War. Any president, even one as experienced and confident as Roosevelt, would have found confronting these tasks daunting. For Truman, with little experience in international affairs and no executive experience, many feared the job would be insurmountable. Truman's diplomacy evolved not because he wanted to radically alter the course of American foreign policy, but out of necessity. Those doubters likely did not know the story of Harry Truman, and therefore did not realize that he would serve with tireless dedication and use his straightforward manner to face the challenges ahead of him. In addition to a changing world, Truman dealt with many important shift s in American society, from an altered economic climate to dealing with burgeoning civil rights issues. In domestic policy, Truman oft en trusted his instincts and let his own life experiences guide his choices. Most importantly, we should acknowledge that while Truman certainly had his faults, but he was not afraid to tackle challenges.

In order to understand the presidency of Harry Truman, it is necessary to examine the man himself and the circumstances in which he grew. This chapter will focus on several key events and eras in Truman's pre-presidential life in an attempt to show his development into a world leader. Of particular importance in Truman's growth were his experiences as a soldier in the Great War, his role as a community leader in the Kansas City area, and his career in the United States Senate. His relationship with his wife, Bess Wallace Truman, also molded Truman into the man he would become.

As a young child, Harry was a bright and conscientious boy whose parents loved him. Harry was born to John and Martha Ellen Truman in the village of Lamar, Missouri, approximately 100 miles to the south of Kansas City. The family later welcomed son Vivian and daughter Mary Jane. Young Harry was a Missourian for life, other than his years spent in Washington. In 1887, the Trumans moved north to a farm near the small town of Grandview, and in 1890 they relocated once again to nearby Independence, which was much closer to the urban area of Kansas City.

Truman's southern roots went deeper than the basic geography of his birthplace in Missouri. His paternal grandfather, Anderson Shipp Truman, was a slave-owning Whig from Kentucky, who resided with his son's family until his death in 1887. Harry Truman had few memories of this grandfather, who oft en claimed that his grandson would become president some day. No one else in the family shared his belief.¹ But Anderson Shipp Truman's prediction was correct, and he would have perhaps been amused that his own name was mentioned during his grandson's swearing in. During his life and after, Americans frequently wondered what the “S” in Harry S. Truman stood for. Truman oft en clarified that he had no middle name and that the initial was a compromise between his paternal grandfather's middle name and his maternal grandfather's first name, Solomon. Apparently, the chief justice was not aware that the initial did not stand for anything, and, when swearing in the new president, asked him to repeat the oath, beginning with “I, Harry Shippe Truman …” Truman, wishing to be precise in his oath, responded, “I Harry S. Truman …” ²

Despite being represented in Truman's name, grandfather Truman was probably not a major influence in Harry Truman's life. He spent much more time with his maternal grandparents, Solomon and Louisa Young, who also hailed from Kentucky. Grandmother Young and her daughter Martha Ellen experienced some rough (though not violent) treatment at the hands of Union soldiers during the Civil War, and Martha Ellen hated northerners to her dying day.³ Although growing up amongst these strong opinions certainly must have made an impact on young Harry, his political opponents would find it hard to portray him as an anti-Northerner politician. His actions while in office did not reflect his family's prejudices.

Truman spent most of his formative years living in Independence, and it was here that his personality and tastes truly developed. When he was young, Martha Ellen Truman decided that her eldest son should learn to play the piano. Truman persevered at the instrument through high school, until he could no longer afford lessons. Although he never regretted not pursuing a musical career, this early training instilled in him a lifelong love of classical music, which he passed on to his only daughter, Margaret. Like most children of the time, young Harry was expected to dutifully complete chores around the house, which he did. His work ethic further developed when he entered the first grade at age eight. While never considered brilliant, Truman's teachers noticed his determination and diligence. Truman developed a love for reading that extended beyond the classroom; he took great advantage of the town's public library. Volumes on history and works by Mark Twain were among his favorites.⁴ Although Truman easily graduated from high school in 1901, he did not continue on to college, making him the last American president to have no higher education. However, Truman's love of reading and history was a lifelong passion, and he continued to learn on his own for the rest of his life.

If Truman was interested in anything other than school, a part-time job, and playing with his friends, it was politics. As historian Alonzo Hamby notes, “In the tradition of the Trumans and the Youngs, he was an intensely partisan Democrat whose attachment to his party went beyond ideological considerations … The party allegiance that John Truman inherited from his father was not based on class conflict; it was a product of the guerilla warfare along the Missouri—Kansas border. He passed his faith along to his children, and they accepted it without question.” It must have been extraordinarily exciting for young Harry when he had the opportunity to serve as a page at the 1900 Democratic National Convention, held in Kansas City. Truman loudly cheered the nomination of William Jennings Bryan.⁵

Certainly, to Truman, the most important event of his life in Independence was meeting Bess Wallace. He noticed the young girl for the first time in 1890 at First Presbyterian Sunday school, and he remained devoted to her for the rest of his life. It was many years before the attractive, blueeyed, blonde-haired young lady returned his admiration. Throughout his school years, Truman did not have as many opportunities as he wanted to socialize with his crush. Social hierarchies were still very much in place in turn of the century Independence, and the Wallaces were a wealthy, established family, while the Trumans were not. It is easy to understand why Truman was interested in Bess, as she was comely, smart, vivacious, and even athletic.⁶ It is likely that his determination was a key factor when she eventually accepted Truman as her suitor in 1910.

After graduating from high school, Truman worked various jobs in nearby Kansas City, where his family eventually moved, including clerking at a bank. In 1906, Harry moved to the Trumans' 600-acre farm near the town of Grandview, a short distance south. Truman helped run and operate the farm, and oft en referred to himself throughout his life as simply a small farmer. 1914 was an eventful year for Truman. His father passed away, leaving him with greater responsibility on the farm. It was also at this time that he began heading down the path of public service, first as road overseer for a portion of Washington Township, and later as postmaster in Grandview. Both positions were appointed. Truman also began experimenting as a businessman, which typically did not work to his advantage. For instance, in 1915, he invested and lost money in a zinc-mining venture.

By 1917, Harry Truman had worked on the family farm, tried several business ventures, and fallen madly in love with Bess Wallace of Independence, Missouri. Despite his responsibilities to his family, his desire to find some way to earn a stable income, and his need to be near his beloved Bess, Truman did not hesitate to head to war when the United States entered the fray in Europe. At age thirty-three, he was not necessarily expected to fight. Nonetheless, Truman enlisted at once, and prepared to fight for the freedom of the country he loved.

Truman's sense of duty towards military service did not develop overnight once war broke out. In 1905, he joined the Missouri National Guard; he entered as a private, but rapidly advanced to corporal. He served until 1911, and then rejoined in June 1917, when the men elected him first lieutenant of Battery F of the 2nd Missouri. In August, Truman entered into regular army service as a member of the 129th Field Artillery regiment. The next month, he journeyed to Camp Doniphan in Oklahoma for training, and was appointed canteen officer. Eddie Jacobsen, a Jewish man who became Truman's lifelong friend, was his assistant.

One evening during his training, Truman's commanding officer gave a speech on the duties of artillery officers, of which Truman was one. The speech made quite an impact on Truman; oft en thoughtful and reflective, he wrote to Bess that he had, of course, given previous thought to the matter, but what these gentleman said stirred something in him. According to the officers, Truman and his fellow artillerymen had chosen to put themselves in the position of placing the American government above everything else in their lives. They were to do exactly as told, even, wrote Truman, if that meant going all the way to Berlin. Personally, he hoped that the Russians would reenter the war and save the Americans the trouble, but, he mused to his sweetheart, he sure wouldn't mind being present to see the defeat of the Germans.

As much as Truman was willing to place America over most everything in his life, there was one thing on which he would not compromise: his love for Bess. In this same letter, he once again tried to convince Bess of his feelings for her. He wrote of his desire to make her smile, and effused, “Bess, I'm dead crazy to ask you to marry me before I leave but I'm not going to because I don't think it would be right for one to ask you to tie yourself to a prospective cripple or a sentiment.”⁷

Although Truman arrived on the front as a single man, he promised Bess that he would be as faithful as any married man; he delivered on that promise. Throughout his time in France, he religiously wrote her lengthy letters and carried a portrait of his darling in his breast pocket, which he gazed upon adoringly. These letters have proved invaluable to historians, as they detail not only the events Truman witnessed and participated in, but because they offer valuable insight into the formation of his character. Truman retained the habit of writing lengthy letters to Bess throughout his presidency, as she oft en chose to remain in Independence rather than keep her husband company in Washington. His years as a soldier solidified in Truman several of his most important qualities: loyalty, hard work, integrity, bravery, and devotion. What is more, he was cognizant of how important this time in his life was. Truman felt truly honored to be able to fight for his country and to improve his own character. He wrote to Bess, “I think I am the luckiest person in the world to be here and if I can deliver the goods and come out all right it will be the greatest honor a man can have. If I don't deliver I'll have failed trying my best and that's all any man can do.”⁸ By this point, Truman was assigned command of Battery D, composed of 188 men and 167 horses. In September, he and his men saw their first combat in the Vosses Mountains in France. Truman does not seem to have spent much time later in life dwelling on either the horrors of the Great War or his combat experience. Instead, his military service seems to have intensified some of his key traits: loyalty, hard work, and love of country.

Truman's pride swelled when his battalion played an important role in the drive that helped force the Central Powers to ask for peace. He was also proud of the way he led his men, and felt that he had learned some very important life lessons. In fact, he estimated that he was earning “a university education and then some” in the war.⁹ Although Truman valued this form of education, he still insisted that he never expected to do anything in his life other than to marry Bess and be a small farmer. However, it seems that his experiences in Europe also prompted him to start thinking about world affairs.

Towards the very end of the brutal fighting, Truman began voicing his opinions on what he thought the fate of the Germans should be. In his typical Missourian vernacular, he told Bess, “The Hun is yelling for peace like a stuck hog and I hope old daddy Foch makes him yell louder yet or throttles him one.”¹⁰ Although he spoke also of wanting to “devastate” Germany, and perhaps even scalp some Germans, Truman still insisted that he was uninterested in world affairs.¹¹ In fact, he stated, “I don't give a whoop (to put it mildly) whether there is a League of Nations or whether Russia has a Red government or a purple one …”¹² It is certainly true that Truman was much more concerned about his own contribution to the war and the way that his men perceived him. In February, General Pershing himself inspected Truman's men, and remarked that the 35th Infantry Division had made an immense contribution in bringing the war's end and that Truman had done an excellent job with his men.¹³ This was perhaps the proudest moment of Truman's life, although he modestly asked Bess not to make a big fuss over any honors he received. Despite his denial, Truman was beginning to think about foreign affairs. The fact that he mentioned several times his views on the fate of the Germans makes that clear. He also weighed in on the issue of American aid to Europe; “France has to do something to get American money after we are gone. I'm for the French anyway. They fought bled and died more than all the rest of the world (except poor old Russia) and if they want to bleed a little money out of us I'm for 'em.”¹⁴ As time went on, Truman continued to solidify his views on the way he thought the world should run. Although he did not collect much useful experience in foreign affairs before he inhabited the Oval Office, this early formulation of his opinions made an important impact on his presidency. Truman tended to form an opinion and stick to it, oft en to his political detriment. His experiences in the army illustrate that loyalty, not just to his friends, but to his own ideas, was an important component of Truman's character.

In the years following the war, Truman tried his hand at various careers, most notably opening a haberdashery in downtown Kansas City with his old army buddy Eddie Jacobson. Truman's loyalty to his friends and willingness to buck popular opinion are evidenced by his decision to go into business with Jacobson, a Jew, during a time when Ku Klux Klan activit...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Routledge Historical Americans
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1 The Man from Missouri Takes Charge in Washington
• Chapter 2 Ending “The Good War”
• Chapter 3 New Direction in Foreign Policy: The Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, and Israel
• Chapter 4 From New Deal to Fair Deal
• Chapter 5 Troubles at Home: The Miracle of ′48 and Fair Deal Failure
• Chapter 6 Containing Communism at Home and Abroad: Korea and McCarthyism
• Chapter 7 Independence Revisited: Truman's Post-White House Years
• Document Log
• Selected Bibliography
• Notes
• Index