Truman, Harry (1884–1972)

HARRY TRUMAN became the 33rd president of the United States on April 12, 1945, after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). Truman immediately encountered many monumental issues, especially with foreign policy. This was at first a daunting task for Truman, [Page 457]for as vice president, he was unaware of most of the important issues of FDR's presidency. He had no knowledge about the progress of the atomic bomb, nor was he fully appraised of the increasingly strained U.S. relationship with the Soviet Union. Roosevelt had largely ignored Truman, and the fact that Truman was able to step into the presidency and help guide America through one of its most momentous times is a credit to the strong will of his character. While historians remain ...