Harry Truman Essay

Harry Truman, a president who witnessed and was a part of some of the most

When Truman entered the Presidency, World War 2 was in its final stages. The country was finally recovering from the costs of war. Truman had to help Americans envision the

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was a very influential president. He served in office for two terms taking the position after Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman was born on May 8, 1884, and died on December 26, 1972. His presidential term lasted from April 12, 1945, to January 20, 1953. Originally, Harry Truman was Roosevelt’s vice president but stepped up to the position when Roosevelt passed.

Depending on how old you are, it is possible that you have experienced many great presidents throughout your lifetime. Every single person in this world has their own view as to what a president’s role in the world should be, and how their values should reflect them. So far, the United States has gone through 42 Presidents who have all offered many new ideas that have aided our country tremendously. One of these great men was our 33rd President, Harry S. Truman who was thrown into the presidents’ seat on April 12, 1945 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt died suddenly.

Harry S. Truman became commander in chief of the United States after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. In the course of Truman’s eight years in office he came across with massive challenges in both foreign and domestic affairs. Truman’s approaches toward the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and overseas became a major way of leading foreign policy in America for generations. At home, Truman protected and reinforced the New Deal reforms of his predecessor, guided the American economy from a war-time to a peace-time footing, and advanced the cause of African-American civil rights.

Theodore Roosevelt was fond of quoting an old African proverb that admonished people to "speak softly and carry a big stick." Ironically, it was his thunderous voice that made him president, earned him enemies and brought him friends. That voice also made him the bulwark of the Progressive Movement.

Truman’s need to address foreign policy itself did not even exist until he actually became president in 1945, which may have had an impact on his decisions when it became a primary issue for him during his presidency. This began with the Potsdam Conference, which has been noted as the time when Truman started to carry views against the Soviets, because of his repulsion to compromising with Stalin. The fact that Truman’s enthusiasm fell after testing for the atomic bomb finished suggested that the two events directly correlated. On top of that, after Japan’s surrender due to the atomic bomb, Truman ended the Lend-Lease act that was originally initiated by Roosevelt. Considering these two examples of Truman’s foreign policy, it is

President Harry S. Truman wasn’t only just a president, he was a US army soldier, a democratic senator, presiding judge, and a vice president. Before his presidency, he fought in World War 1.

Following the war, Marshall made a plan to rebuild and restore stability to Europe. Marshall’s European Recovery plan, or the Marshall plan, was all about the aid of self help, not doing everything for them. The initiative to rebuild came from participating countries, not the US. The plan established the Economic Cooperation Administration which provided 13.3 billion dollars to the participating countries. Although Marshall tried to include the Soviet Union in all this, Moscow rejected the plan, thereby excluding them from the arrangement. The objectives were to increase productivity, stimulate economic growth, and to promote trade. All of these goals were realized by December 31, 1951, when the aid ended. The Marshall plan was one of the most successful foreign policy initiatives in United States history, and led to a strong NATO alliance.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, (1882-1945), 32nd president of the United States. Roosevelt became president in March 1933 at the depth of the Great Depression. He was reelected for three more terms, and died in office in April 1945. He was a fascinating idealist whose confidence helped carry on the American people during the strains of economic crisis and world war even though he had an attack of poliomyelitis, which paralyzed his legs in 1921.

The Marshall Plan was an American initiative to aid Europe, in which the United States gave $13 billion in economic support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948. The goals of the United States were to rebuild war-devastated regions, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, make Europe prosperous again, and prevent the spread of communism. The plan required a decreasing of interstate barriers, a dropping of many petty regulations constraining business, and encouraged an increase in productivity, labor union membership, as well as the adoption of modern business procedures.

The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan promised aid to all countries willing to stand up to the communist threat. This showed that the USA was heavily against the USSR’s plan to spread communism and would have created a lot

The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, was a program in which the US gave over 13 billion dollars to individual European countries to fuel the recovery of Europe between 1948 and 191. The plan was named after George C. Marshall who first introduced the idea in 1947. Americans perceive this as being an altruistic approach to helping the world regain their footing after WW2, however the Soviets did not share this notion. The Soviet Union viewed this plan as a way to infiltrate with foreign countries internal Affairs and refused to participate. They also prevented Poland and Czechoslovakia from being included in the program even know they needed it greatly. The undertaking of this plan contributed

However, It took Congress witnessing the Communist overthrow of Czechoslovakia before they finally approved the Marshall Plan which began providing aid to war torn Europe. Within days of the Marshall Plan’s approval, tons of wheat for starving Europeans was on route. Shortly thereafter,150 ships we're moving everyday transporting food and fuel to Europe. Over a period of three years the Marshall Plan provided 12.5 billion dollars in assistance to Europe bolstering European industrial production by 200%. The Marshall Plan was working, but at a huge expense to the U.S.. Perceptions of the Marshall Plan by the Soviets were that of mistrust and suspicion and helped bring to fruition the Cold War. As the Cold War began escalating containment became more expensive and more complicated and with the passage of the National Security Act in 1947 the Cold War had become institutionalized. More bureaucracy soon followed with the development of the Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency all created for the purpose of maintaining and perpetuating the policy of

The Marshall Plan of 1947 was presented by Secretary of State George Marshall and aimed at fueling Western European economies $12 Billion over four years to promote a climate in which free institutions could flourish. The economic rescue program was overwhelmingly successful, accelerating economic recovery and rebuilding damaged infrastructure. The Marshall plan highlighted the success and potential of free markets while strengthening ties between Western Europe and the United States. Another monumental Foreign Policy decision to deter Soviet aggression was the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949. NATO is a military alliance between the United States and initially eleven western European nations with the key principle that an attack on one member is an attack on