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Harry Truman

 (May 8, 1884 - December 26, 1972)

Harry Truman was born in the state of Missouri to a family of farmers.  Growing up, he had many jobs, including a timekeeper for a railroad contractor, a clerk at a bank, served in the National Guard, and worked the family farm for ten years.  Truman served during the First World War as a Captain in the Field Artillery at the age of 33. In 1934, Truman became a Senator and focused on ensuring the military was not wasteful with the money they spent. He was elected as Vice President to Franklin Roosevelt in January of 1945, a position he only held a short time as President Roosevelt suddenly died and he became President in April of 1945.

© IWM (A 29846) President Truman at attention during the playing of the American Anthem on HMS RENOWN.

While the war in Europe was just finishing and there were many things he had to navigate with that, Truman received word that the atomic bomb had successfully completed testing and on August 6th and 9th, they were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in the surrendering of Japan.  Truman was a vital part of the formation of many peacekeeping initiatives such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Peace Treaty, and Marshall plan. Following the end of the war he was re-elected as President, but chose not to run a second time.