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COMMEMORATE
BE INSPIRED
RE MI NI SC E
Relive the landmark year 1948 and Truman’s decisions still impacting our world today. 06
Meet the family who took their father, one of Truman’s greatest fans, on the trip of a lifetime. 20
Experience David McCullough’s inspirational Wild About Harry message again. 22
TRU MAGAZINE
1948 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE / SUMMER 2018
COVER: President Harry S. Truman waves from the speaker’s platform at the Naval Station in San Juan during ceremonies welcoming him to Puerto Rico in early 1948.
Whistle Stop
“Every political battle I have I fight with everything I’ve got, and when it’s over I get hold of my opponent and we have a bourbon and branch and say, “What can we do for the country?”
CONTE NTS
Highlights 6
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A Landmark Year
Decisions That Changed the World
Step into the President’s Shoes
Commemorate many of Truman’s most significant decisions on their 70th anniversaries.
Explore the decisions that defined Truman’s presidency and their lasting impact today.
Try your hand at navigating the world’s greatest conflicts at The White House Decision Center.
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M E SSAG E FROM EXECUTIVE D I R ECTOR Harry Truman famously said, “Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.” This quote is especially appropriate as we observe the 70th anniversary of Truman’s year of great decisions – 1948. Despite it being an election year, Truman boldly handled complicated issues ranging from the recognition of Israel to the desegregation of the military. Seventy years later, we still feel the impact of these important decisions. This special 1948 Commemorative Edition of TRU Magazine along with Truman Legacy Series programming will recognize, celebrate and explore the following milestone occasions: On April 3, President Truman signed the Foreign Assistance Act of 1948 – better known as the Marshall Plan – which provided $13 billion in aid to help rebuild Western European economies following the devastation of World War II. On May 14, 11 minutes after Israel declared its independence, President Truman became the first world leader to recognize the new State of Israel. On June 26, when the Soviet Union cut all surface traffic to West Berlin, President Truman authorized the Berlin Airlift. Over the following year, Western Allies used aircrafts to carry more than two million tons of supplies to Germany, helping alleviate a famine and serving as a symbol of the United States’ involvement in one of the first international crises of the Cold War. On July 26, President Truman signed his name on two documents — Executive Orders 9980 and 9981 — integrating the federal workforce and the United States Armed Forces, the most dramatic civil rights action by a sitting president since Abraham Lincoln. Finally, on November 2, Truman shocked the nation by winning the 1948 presidential election, undoubtedly the result of his tireless efforts to connect with American voters while on the historic Whistle Stop Campaign.
Despite it being an election year, Truman boldly handled complicated issues ranging from the recognition of Israel to the desegregation of the military.
As the Truman Library Institute prepares to embark on an ambitious plan to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Truman’s presidency in 2020, let’s take a long look at 1948 and the lessons that can be learned from Truman’s presidency, the relevancy his legacy has on today’s world … and how important our efforts are to share his story. The Truman Library’s mission to use Harry Truman’s leadership, decisions and character to teach and inspire citizens of all ages is vitally important — now more than ever before. And your continued support will be imperative to our efforts as we reenvision the Truman Library and expand our programmatic reach in order to ensure that the next generation can learn from and be inspired by Harry S. Truman. Thank you for your belief in the importance of this mission. Alex Burden Executive Director | Truman Library Institute Editor: Lacey Helmig Design: Elisa Berg Design Photographer: Mark McDonald Send comments, requests, and changes of address to: Truman Library Institute | 816.400.1220 5151 Troost Ave., Ste. 300 | Kansas City, MO 64110 info@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org | Visit us online at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org TRU is published for friends and members of the Truman Library Institute, the nonprofit partner of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, one of 14 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives.
Stay Connected The Truman Library Institute @TrumanLibInst Truman Library Institute @TrumanLibraryInstitute Subscribe to our e-newsletter at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org
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T RU LET TERS I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the lovely Members Night event at the Truman Library. While I have missed a number of your events, I have enjoyed those I attended at Unity Temple on the Plaza. I am really pleased to hear about some of the events scheduled in the next year. It is a great upcoming list, and I know the work it takes to make this kind of series possible — not only in money but in hours of work. Thank you for that. I look forward to the next event. Shirley J. Sands, Ph.D. Truman Library Institute Member
Thank you again for all of your hospitality to me at the Truman Library. I really felt very much at home at the HST Library and that's a compliment. It was a memorably great afternoon and evening. The audience and the people at the reception were particularly charming. Thank you for the chance to speak of a man whose stock in trade was courage and steadfastness and a sense of decency and fairness that could and should be a lesson for our day and time. The decisions that this man made — the Marshall Plan, using the A-Bomb against Japan, recognizing the Jewish state of Israel, firing MacArthur, desegregating the armed forces, were among the most important decisions anyone in the Oval Office ever made, and yet he had no government experience at all in
“Thank you for the chance to speak of a man whose stock in trade was courage and steadfastness and a sense of decency and fairness that could and should be a lesson for our day and time.” - B E N STE I N
the executive branch before becoming President. He managed to leave office with dignity and a magnificent legacy. Ben Stein Featured speaker at the Truman and Israel event
Read more about this event on page 12.
We enjoy our trip to the WHDC each year! Our students walk away having a blast while also getting some applicable experience working with real-life scenarios and how to develop problem solving, collaboration and public speaking skills. Our students are excited to bring their learning back with them to the classroom. Thanks for all you do for us. Ben Niewoehner Social Studies Teacher, Rock Bridge High School, Columbia Public Schools
The Columbia Public School District has been visiting The White House Decision Center for almost 20 years since the nationally-acclaimed education program opened. Read more about this innovative program on page 24.
Your strong community presence was truly felt at the first annual Harry’s Hop ‘n Hunt! I could not have thought of a better way to bring the community together than an Egg Roll on the lawn of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum.
I applaud the associates of the Library, the Institute and the Square for putting together an event that created memories for all ages. I am proud to say that Jackson County has been and will continue to be your partner in this effort. Frank White, Jr. Jackson County Executive
Thank you so much for the field trip to the Truman Library and giving us awesome facts about Harry S. Truman. I learned so much — like how he got married in 1919. I also learned that he was the first president to have a TV in the Oval Office. It was also really cool to have an important president that lived where we do. I think that was cool because you can see all these awesome things he owned. It was amazing that when someone offered him a FREE car that he said NO! What a great man. Did you ever get to meet him? If so I bet it was awesome! Maycie 3rd grader
Correction: TRU Magazine incorrectly named the connection Harry Truman had with the Pendergast family in the “Special World War I Issue.” Captain Truman served in World War I with Jim Pendergast, the nephew of Thomas Pendergast, who later helped launch Truman’s political career.
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NEWS BRIEFS Welcome New Board Members The Truman Library Institute proudly welcomed three new board members to its Board of Directors this spring. Join us in welcoming the following individuals to the board: Josh Earnest, former White House Press Secretary under President Barack Obama who currently serves as United Airlines' Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer; Lisa White Hardwick, Judge, Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District; and Leigh Nottberg, Chair of the Leigh & Tyler Nottberg Family Foundation. The Board of Directors meets several times a year to oversee and provide direction for the Truman Library Institute.
7th Grade Harry Truman Fans Every year seventh grade social studies teacher Rob Doran in Norwell, Mass., allows each of his classes to choose a former president as their class name. This year one group chose to be known as Harry Truman. The class staged a “Constitutional Convention” in the fall while studying civics, and students worked to pass laws to improve their learning environment. While other classes passed laws eliminating assigned seats or banning homework over the weekend, the Truman class passed a law saying that they would celebrate Harry Truman’s birthday on May 8. The class sang “Happy Birthday,” listened to Chicago’s “Harry Truman” and played Truman trivia games in honor of Harry’s special day. Thank you, Mr. Doran, for sharing this story with us and for all you do educating the next generation!
Scholar’s Award Announced The Truman Library Institute’s 2018 Scholar’s Award has been granted to Anne Karalekas, Ph.D., for her forthcoming book, The Indispensable Partner: Robert A. Lovett, Architect of Post-War America (to be published by Oxford University Press). Karalekas will tell the story of Robert Abercrombie Lovett, who she argues is “one of America’s most talented architects of 20th century foreign policy,” yet remains relatively unknown. “Without Lovett the history of World War II and the Cold War is incomplete,” she wrote. Karalekas is an Associate of the Applied History Project at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. The biennial Scholar’s Award grants up to $30,000 to allow a postdoctoral scholar to complete manuscripts related to Harry S. Truman.
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PICTU R I NG H I STORY
On November 5, 1948, a newly-elected President Harry Truman and Vice President Alben Barkley arrived back in Washington, D.C., celebrating a victory in a challenging election that was a fitting culmination of a tumultuous year for the President of handling issues at home and abroad.
ABOVE: Hundreds of thousands of Americans lined D.C.’s streets to welcome Truman and Barkley, cheering for the president and singing “I’m Just Wild About Harry.” LEFT: The parade to the White House passed by The Washington Post's offices. Post reporters and editors, who had endorsed the Republican ticket, hung a sign outside their Pennsylvania Avenue offices reading “Welcome Home from the Crow-Eaters.”
The Washington Post's attempts to make amends with President Truman didn’t stop with the sign, however. That same day, the Post sent a telegram to the president inviting him to enjoy a “crow banquet” with Post writers and editors along with radio pollsters, commentators and columnists who incorrectly predicted that Dewey would defeat Truman. While guests would be forced to eat “breast of tough old crow en glace,” the telegram indicated that the president would be served a different, more pleasing bird — turkey. Like the menu, the dress for the event was vastly different for the president and those who underestimated him. President Truman was encouraged to dress in white tie, but political reporters, pollsters and commentators were instructed to dress in “sack cloth.” Truman responded that he had “no desire to crow over anybody or to see anybody eat crow figuratively or otherwise. We should all get together now and make a country in which everybody can eat turkey whenever he pleases.”
F O L LOW TRUMAN Tr um a n L i br a r y I ns t i t ut e @ Trum a nL i bI ns t @ Tr um a nL i bra r y I ns t i t ut e
Join the conversation online for inspiring Truman quotes, on this day in history and more.
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THE MANY MIRACLES OF
1948 TrumanLibraryInstitute.org
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Seventy years later, a look back at this history-jammed 12 months
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BY A.J. BAIME
In the early evening of November 2, 1948, a secret service car pulled up behind Harry Truman’s home in Independence, Missouri, and scooped up the President of the United States. The car motored north out of town and over the Missouri River. It was Election Night, and Truman had just completed the most exhausting campaign of his life. In the quiet town of Excelsior Springs, he checked into a room alone at the Elms Hotel. Few outside of Mrs. Truman knew of his whereabouts. Across the country, tens of millions of Americans huddled around radios. Some on the east coast were kneeling in front of their newfangled televisions, watching the news. Already, major publications had named Republican Thomas Dewey the next president. “Government will remain big, active and expensive under President Thomas E. Dewey,” the Wall Street Journal noted. “I predict he [Dewey] will be a first-class President,” wrote the nation’s most popular political columnist, Drew Pearson. As the returns came in, however, it became apparent that something amazing was happening — nothing less than the greatest election upset ever in America up to that time. Meanwhile, Truman sat alone in his hotel room, wearing a borrowed bathrobe and eating a ham and cheese sandwich. It is often said that all Americans of that era remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on two occasions: Pearl Harbor Day and Election Night in 1948. Seventy years have now passed since that election, which slammed an exclamation point on one of the most action-packed years in all of time. Besides Truman’s now-famous Whistle Stop presidential
Left – A victorious President Harry S. Truman and Vice President-elect Alben W. Barkley arrive at the Washington, D.C., train station after winning the 1948 election.
campaign and the Chicago Tribune’s momentous “Dewey Defeats Truman” gaff, the year 1948 saw the launch of the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift, Truman’s Executive Order 9981 ending segregation of the military, the founding of Israel, the start of the first Arab-Israeli war, and the shocking Alger Hiss case, which planted the seed of communist paranoia in the hearts of millions of Americans. There was the
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“Senator Barkley and I will win this election and make these Republicans like it — don’t you forget that!” Truman proclaimed during his acceptance speech delivered at 2 a.m. on July 15 at the Democratic National Convention.
Treaty of Brussels (a forerunner of NATO), the communist coup in Czechoslovakia, and the atomic bomb tests on Enewetak Atoll in the South Pacific. The first televised political conventions, the founding of NASCAR and the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, the first tailfin on a Cadillac… In the center of all this horror and excitement was Harry S. Truman, who had no college degree, had never had enough money to buy his own home, and had now been elected to the Oval Office in his own right (he of course succeeded to the office as Vice President following Franklin Roosevelt’s death on April 12, 1945). When we look back at 1948 seventy years later, what sticks with us most today is conflict with the Soviet Union and the Truman administration’s response. What began as a quarrel between FDR and Joseph Stalin in the spring of 1945 had become, by ’48, the most important phenomenon shaping the geopolitical world. The term “Cold War” had cemented itself in the American lexicon, and many powerful figures in Washington believed that all-out war with the USSR was inevitable. It was just a matter of time. In 1948, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council were brand-new products of the National Security Act of 1947. Today, a look at documentation from these organizations opens a remarkable window on the world of 1948. On Election Day that year, a draft report by the National Security Council made the following prediction: “The will and ability of the leaders of the USSR to pursue policies which threaten the security of the United States constitutes the greatest single danger to the U.S. within the foreseeable future.
“Would the outcome have been the same, if in fact Dewey had defeated Truman in 1948? We can never know.” Right – President Harry S. Truman with his Cabinet in 1948, a year of challenges and great decisions remembered 70 years later.
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Many believed that Stalin was poised to invade Western Europe and that he would charge his Red Army through Greece and Turkey into the Middle East. In a document dated July 30, 1948, the CIA envisioned what a response would be from the U.S., in such a case: “The Western Powers would undertake immediate counteraction, including maximum employment of U.S. air power, using the atomic bomb at least against Soviet targets.”
so unprecedented, it would take 50 years before we would know whether his decisions would prove to be good ones. Historians today agree almost unanimously that the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan proved efficacious if not ingenious. They remained key to American foreign policy for decades. And in fact, we never did have a third world war.
It was a scary world indeed, and Truman would later say that his number one priority — above winning the election, above anything else — was “to prevent a third world war.”
Would the outcome have been the same, if in fact Dewey had defeated Truman in 1948? We can never know.
What to do? In 1947-1948, the Truman administration came up with the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. It is hard for many to understand today just how radical these foreign policies were at the time: To give billions and billions of taxpayer dollars to nations that had been crushed by the war and were at risk of communist infiltration, in the hopes that this money would help these nations rebuild themselves so they could stand on their own and embrace democracy. It was the biggest handout of all time. Henry Wallace, a former vice-president and a third-party candidate in 1948, openly predicted that the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan would cause war with the USSR. Many in America agreed, including some powerful figures on Capitol Hill.
Today the world is once again caught in a web of historic narratives, many of them as dangerous as those of 1948. The Trump administration is attempting to reenvision American foreign policy more radically than at any time since 1948. Will the Trump administration’s new policies be as far-sighted as Truman’s were 70 years ago? Like Truman said, it may take 50 years before we know for sure.
Communist ideology and Soviet behavior clearly demonstrate that the ultimate objective of the leaders of the USSR is the domination of the world.”
Truman once said that the problems he faced as president were
A.J. Baime is author of The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months that Changed the World and is currently working on a book about the 1948 election.
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THE MARSHALL PLAN April 3, 1948 Devastated by years of conflict during World War II, much of Europe was on the brink of famine with infrastructure demolished. As the leader of the only major world power not significantly damaged by the war, President Truman worked to provide assistance to these other nations. When Secretary of State George Marshall announced a proposal to help Europe, it was suggested it be dubbed “The Truman Plan.” The president responded, “Are you crazy? If we sent it up to that Republican Congress with my name on it, they’d tear it apart. We’re going to call it the Marshall Plan.” Since Truman referred to Marshall as “The greatest man of World War II,” he knew that his name would provide the plan with the support it needed. On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948, which led to more than $13 billion across 16 countries, representing a new element of U.S. foreign policy and ushering in a new post-war era. By bolstering free institutions with economic support, this new initiative helped revitalize European industry while stimulating the U.S. economy. Below – President Harry S. Truman, Secretary of State George Marshall, head of the Economic Cooperation Administration Paul Hoffmann and Secretary of Commerce Averell Harriman confer in the Oval Office on the Marshall Plan.
Below – The Marshall Plan included a wide range of aid to European countries, including even shipping Missouri mules to plow fields in Greece.
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“I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures … I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.” – HARRY S. TRUMAN
Right – Sixteen nations received aid through the Marshall Plan, including both Allied nations and Axis powers, with the largest portion of funds going to the United Kingdom.
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TRUMAN AND ISRAEL
A 70th Anniversary Commemoration On May 14, 2018, the Truman Library and the Truman Library Institute hosted an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of President Truman’s recognition of Israel with special guest, Ben Stein (pictured above). Karen Pack (pictured above), addressed the crowd at a private pre-event reception, the highlight of which was the unveiling of a new traveling exhibition, “Harry Truman and the Birth of Israel,” which was made possible by a generous gift from the Steven and Karen Pack Family Foundation.
“I had faith in Israel before it was established. I believe it has a glorious future before it – as not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.” – HARRY S. TRUMAN
BOOK THE TRAVELING EXHIBITION “Harry Truman and the Birth of Israel” is a seven-panel exploration of Truman’s decision to recognize Israel, including the arduous path to that event and the impact that it continues to have today. To inquire about booking this special exhibition, contact the Truman Library Institute at 816.400.1220 or info@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org.
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THE RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL May 14, 1948 Eleven minutes after Israel declared independence, Harry S. Truman issued a statement recognizing the new State of Israel, making the United States the first nation in the world to offer recognition. Truman later considered this decision to be one of the “proudest moments” of his life. Despite near-universal opposition from the “Wise Men” in the State Department, Truman drew from his knowledge of the Bible, history and his sympathy for the plight of displaced people to make his decision. Seventy years after the United States became the first country in the world to recognize the State of Israel, the decision and its impacts continue to shape the world today.
Left – Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel, presents a Torah to President Truman while visiting the White House just a few weeks after the official recognition of Israel.
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THE BERLIN AIRLIFT June 26, 1948 As World War II came to an end in 1945, the Allied powers split the defeated Germany into zones, giving the eastern part of the country to the Soviet Union and the Western part to the U.S. and Great Britain. Even though Berlin was located entirely within the Soviet part of the country, Germany’s capital was split between east and west, while tension mounted between the Allies and the Soviet Union.
In June 1948, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies’ road, rail and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under western control, starting the Berlin blockade. West Berlin had barely a month’s supply of food, so President Truman and his allies chose to take action to prevent a famine.
Above – C-47 planes are loaded at the Wiesbaden air base with supplies for the people of Berlin. Some 2.3 million tons of supplies were delivered from 1948 to 1949.
Above – Berliners eagerly watched as more planes arrived delivering muchneeded supplies during the blockade.
On June 26, 1948, President Truman ordered the Berlin Airlift to begin, carrying planes full of food, water, medicine, clothing and fuel to West Berlin. Within a month, planes were landing every four minutes around the clock, with pilots flying two or more roundtrip flights each day. The Soviets lifted the blockade in May 1949, but the airlift continued until September of that year, for a total delivery of 2.3 million tons of supplies.
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BY THE NUMBERS 8,000 – Tons of supplies delivered
each at the peak of the airlift
278,228 – Number of flights delivering supplies
2,300,300 – Total tons of cargo delivered by the Allies
Right – The planes lined up at Templehof Airport in Berlin, where they delivered supplies approximately every four minutes.
“We are going to stay — period.” – HARRY S. TRUMAN ON WHETHER TO RETREAT FROM BERLIN WHEN THE SOVIET UNION STARTED THE BLOCKADE
The Candy Bomber When Lieutenant Gail Seymour Halvorsen was working as a pilot during the Berlin Airlift, he saw a group of about 30 children lined up behind a barbed wire fence. When he met them and realized how little they had, he opened his pocket and gave them two sticks of gum. The kids broke it into little pieces and shared it, and those who did not get any sniffed the wrappers. He promised to return the next day with more, and he told them he would drop it out of his plane. When one child asked, “How will we know it is your plane?” Halvorsen told them he would wiggle his plane’s wings. That night Halvorsen pooled his candy rations with some of his fellow soldiers, then he made three parachutes out of handkerchiefs to ensure the kids would not be injured by the falling candy. The next day, when he made his regular supply drops, he also dropped three boxes of candy attached to the handkerchiefs. As he made that drop once a week for three weeks, more children heard of these deliveries and eagerly anticipated them. Word of this project reached the airlift commander in September 1948, who ordered it expanded and called it Operation “Little Vittles,” a play on the airlift’s name of Operation Vittles. Within months Little Vittles was overloaded with candy and handkerchief donations sent from America. The project continued throughout the Berlin Airlift, with a total of more than 23 tons of candy dropped using more than 250,000 parachutes.
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“Whether discrimination is based on race, or creed, or color, or land of origin, it is utterly contrary to American ideals of democracy.” – HARRY S. TRUMAN
Top – While out on his morning walk in October 1950, President Truman encountered U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Edward Williams, who had served in the Air Force for nine years at the time, a career spanning both a segregated and integrated military. Bottom – The Committee on Civil Rights presents to President Truman their landmark report, To Secure These Rights, which helped lay the groundwork for his decision to desegregate the military and the federal workforce.
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DESEGREGATION OF THE ARMED FORCES AND FEDERAL WORKFORCE July 26, 1948 Harry S. Truman was an unlikely person to set the course of civil rights for the 20th century. Raised in the border state of Missouri, he was the grandchild of slaveholders. And yet, Truman was sympathetic to the plight of his fellow Americans. After World War II, when President Truman learned that African-American veterans returning home from fighting for freedom abroad were being met with racism and even violence, he resolved that the federal government must address civil rights. The United States must fulfill the promise of democracy. On July 26, 1948, President Truman issued Executive Orders 9980 and 9981, ordering the desegregation of the federal workforce and the military. President Truman’s decision to issue these orders – and his actions that led up to that decision – set the course for civil rights for the rest of the century. Sixteen years after Truman issued Executive Orders 9980 and 9981, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act into law. Later, Bill Moyers, one of Johnson’s top aides, commented, “Truman’s hand steadied his.”
Top – President Truman speaks to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Truman was the first president to address the nation’s leading civil rights organization. Bottom – Stressing the need for interracial solidarity in the post-war world, African-American and white soldiers gathered together as part of the Army’s general education program at a heavy bomber base in Italy in March 1945. Truman took action soon after World War II to integrate the armed forces.
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WHISTLE STOP CAMPAIGN September 6, 1948 – November 2, 1948 The 1948 election was looking like such a foregone conclusion in favor of Thomas E. Dewey that a major pollster declared his organization would no longer survey public opinion about the election because “Dewey is almost as good as elected.” Nevertheless, President Truman set out in September 2018 on his Whistle Stop Campaign, a train journey covering more than 30,000 miles that included stops in major cities and small towns across the country in advance of the upcoming election.
Truman tailored each speech to the specific audience he was addressing, thanks to the Democratic National Committee’s newly formed Research Division, a team of seven that would investigate and send fact sheets ahead about the issues most relevant to each community. In early October, Newsweek surveyed 50 political writers about the outcome of the 1948 election, and all 50 predicted a Dewey victory. Truman’s Special Counsel Clark Clifford hesitated to share this with the president, but when he finally handed over a copy of the magazine, Truman reviewed it and said “Don’t worry about that poll, Clark. I know every one of those 50 fellows, and not one of them has enough sense to pound sand into a rathole.” After making more than twice the amount of campaign stops as his competitor, Truman shocked the nation by winning the election on November 2, 1948.
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BY THE NUMBERS 31,700 – Miles traveled by rail 356 – Speeches Truman delivered,
1948
mostly on his train’s rear platform
47 – Days on the campaign
“You have to get around and listen to what people are saying. Dewey learned that in ’48. He didn’t listen, he just talked — and didn’t say much, either.” – HARRY S. TRUMAN
Left – Truman attracted large crowds in small towns and big cities across the country, generally speaking from the back of his car on the train, the Ferdinand Magellan, the only train car custom built for the president of the United States in the 20th century.
Right – The Truman Library has some 2,000 campaign buttons in its collection, including many from Truman’s 1948 campaign along with others ranging from William Henry Harrison in 1840 to Bill Clinton in 1996.
“Give ‘em hell, Harry!” As Truman was about to embark on the campaign, his running mate Alben Barkley said, “Go out there and mow ‘em down.” Truman responded, “I’ll mow ‘em down, Alben … and I’ll give ‘em hell.” For the rest of the campaign, shouts of “Give ‘em hell, Harry!” often emanated from crowds listening to Truman. He later said, “I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.”
Campaign Advice from Harry Truman: “Cut your speech to 25 minutes, shake hands with as many people as you can for a little while. Afterward, even if you have time left, leave. If you have no place to go, you can always pull off the road and take a nap.”
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THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME Truman fan’s greatest wish comes true
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“My dad’s knowledge, love and respect for Harry was contagious.”
The Truman Library Institute pulled out all the stops for a memorable bucket-list experience for the Nappi family, including a special opportunity to meet Harry Truman’s grandson Clifton Truman Daniel. Pictured here are Tommy Nappi, Debbie Mayo, John Nappi and Daniel with the legend himself, Harry Truman.
John Nappi was 14 when Harry Truman became president in 1945. From that moment until Mr. Nappi’s passing late last year, Truman was not just his favorite president but his hero. “Harry represents everything my dad values about this country and the American Dream,” said Debbie Mayo, Nappi’s daughter. “Harry grew up in a working class family – like my dad, was an avid reader – like my dad, and stood by his convictions, even if they were unpopular – like my dad. Harry was the classic underdog who worked hard, had grit and determination and never gave up.” Despite his deep passion for and knowledge of Truman, Mr. Nappi had never made the trip from Fort Myers, Fla., to visit the Truman Library in Independence, Mo. “For as long as I can remember, my father talked about visiting the Truman Library and Museum,” Debbie recalled. When Mr. Nappi’s health began to decline, Debbie and her brother Tommy Nappi took action to ensure that their father would get this experience he had dreamed about for so long. Before making plans, Debbie contacted the Truman Library Institute to discuss how to make this trip the best possible experience for one of Truman’s greatest fans. Debbie and Tommy decided to join The Buck Stops Here Society on behalf of their father, earning them The Society benefit of a VIP tour of the museum. Shortly after that, the Truman Library and the Institute stepped into action, scheduling a tour, an opportunity to view original Debbie Mayo snapped this selfie with her brother Tommy Nappi and her father John Nappi as they were leaving the Truman Library after their unforgettable trip. This ended up being the last photo she ever took with her father.
documents from the archives and even a visit with President Truman’s grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel. “The Truman Library Institute rolled out the red carpet for us and gave my dad, my brother and me the trip of a lifetime,” Debbie said. “Our experience at the Library was amazing from start to finish.” Mr. Nappi passed away just a few months after this unforgettable trip. “My brother and I are forever grateful that we were able to fulfill my dad’s bucket list trip before he passed away,” Debbie said. “My dad’s knowledge, love and respect for Harry was contagious. My brother and I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to Harry because of my dad, but after the trip I think we are both are in agreement that Harry Truman is, indeed, our favorite president, as well!” The Nappi family visited the Truman Library in September 2017, and Mr. Nappi passed away in December 2017. Upon his passing, his family requested that donations be made in his memory to the Truman Library Institute's the Bus Stops Here Field Trip Grant Program, which provides funding for financially-challenged school groups so they can visit the Truman Library at little to no cost. With the Nappi family’s generosity, perhaps the next generation of Truman fans will be as inspired by the Truman Library as Mr. Nappi was.
THE BUCK STOPS HERE SOCIETY Membership in The Buck Stops Here Society starts at $1,000 annually and unlocks exclusive VIP benefits, including a private tour of the museum, invitations to exclusive events, unique travel opportunities and more. Join today at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org or by contacting Kim Rausch, Director of Development, at 816.400.1214 or Kim.Rausch@ TrumanLibraryInstitute.org.
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TRU MAGAZINE
1948 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE / SUMMER 2018
THE TRUMAN BIOGRAPHER
AN EVENING WITH DAVID McCULLOUGH More than 850 passionate Harry Truman fans packed into the Muehlebach Hotel on April 19, 2018, for the 19th annual Wild About Harry, featuring honored guest David McCullough. The Pulitzer Prizewinning author of the definitive biography Truman was honored that evening with the Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award then gave the following remarks. TRU Magazine is honored to share an excerpt from his speech: Good evening and thank you very, very much. I feel back home again. I feel the feeling that I have in general that we are a good people, we are a good country, we are good citizens, we care about the future, and we care about the past. And to have so much of that feeling, a projection of that attitude all in one room is heartening in the extreme. And what a proud moment to have an award presented by Harry Truman’s grandson. History is about people. History is human. In the course of human events, there’s a saying, “Gone but not forgotten.” My very strong feeling is if they’re not forgotten, they’re not gone. And as long as we don’t forget people like Harry Truman and what they stood for … we’ll be on track. We will be continuing with the American mission.
I grew up in a traditionally Republican family in Pittsburgh. At 15, in 1948, I was a junior in high school and I was very interested in politics and the election of 1948. I tried to stay awake to hear the outcome. I don’t think the word came through until about two in the morning, and I was too tired. I fell asleep. The next morning I got up and my father was shaving, and I went to him and said, “Dad! Dad! Who won?” He said, “Truman.” Like it was the end of the world. About 25 or 30 years later, I was back home, and after dinner we sat down for a chat. He started in, as he often did when I was growing up, saying that the country was going to hell, the world was going to hell. Then he paused and said, “Too bad old Harry isn’t still in the White House.” Like many of you, I find myself thinking that more and more every day. Imagine a man of character, a man of integrity, a man who spoke the truth, a man who didn’t dodge the draft and went to serve beyond the age that was required, and a man who was traditionally American. I loved it when he said, “I tried never to forget who I was, where I came from, and where I would go back to.” He knew where his origins were. He knew where his strength came from … The kind of book that I write is really a joint effort. When I came out here for the first time to begin looking into the story of Harry Truman and I met some of the wonderful people over at the Truman Library, I realized almost instantly what an important part they were going to
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There has never been a decision made under this man’s administration affecting policies beyond our shores that has not been in the best interest of this country. – DAVI D McCU LLOUG H
play in my work. If you look at the acknowledgement section in my Truman book, it goes on in very small type for pages because that many people helped. I interviewed over 125 people still living who had taken part in his administration or in his life and then the marvelous people at the Library who were so infinitely helpful over 10 years of work. Had I known it was going to take 10 years, I never would have done it. No, I really would not have. I didn’t know what I was getting into. I didn’t know the depth of those woods and how much work I had to do. There are over 1,000 letters between Truman and Bess. There are over 1,000 letters between Truman and any number of other people. Two-thousand letters, and thanks be to the Lord, he had beautiful handwriting. You read those letters and you realize this was no backcountry, uneducated man from who knows where. This was a very intelligent, thoughtful man. We don’t know enough about his love of music. We don’t know enough about what he read and read again and read intelligently and closely. We don’t know enough about what he put up with in life against the odds. Looking back on my work, I realize the degree to which over and over I’ve been writing about people who faced severe, unpredictable adversity but who came through it because they would not give up. George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Washington Roebling building the Brooklyn Bridge. On and on, they would not give up and that’s character. Harry Truman had strength of character. Oh, how we need that … I want to say here and now that there has never been a decision made under this man’s administration affecting policies beyond our shores that has not been in the best interest of this country. It’s not the courage of his decisions that will live but the integrity of the man. We need that. We need to be reminded of that. We need to teach that in our schools, talk about it at the dinner table with our children and grandchildren. We need to be reminded of what we stand for. And I feel very strongly that the Truman Library isn’t just for Independence, Missouri, isn’t just for Kansas, isn’t just for Missouri; isn’t just for the memory of Harry Truman; it’s for the betterment and the good of our country. When we give to the Truman Library, when we give to the increased influence and importance of this great institution, we are doing our part for the country in a way that I think will have direct effect…
speakers; great, eloquent and moving leaders; and tragic leaders, martyrs, if you will; but this is a life that’s admirable right through his retirement years … The time I spent doing research on Truman just flew … When I graduated from college, I had no idea that I wanted to write history or biography. It never occurred to me. I thought about being a writer. I thought a lot about being a writer, and I tried to learn to be a writer all the way through grade school, high school and college. I was an English major — I wasn’t a history major. But I happened to find some photographs at the Library of Congress when I was working with the Kennedy people that started me on my first book, which was about the Johnstown Flood. And once I started research and doing interviews and writing about things that really happened and people who really were, I knew this is what I wanted to do all my life. When I finished my book on Theodore Roosevelt, Mornings on Horseback, I met with my editor and my publisher and my agent to discuss what would be next. My editor, Michael Korda, said “You know, you’ve just finished doing Theodore Roosevelt. There’s no good onevolume biography of Franklin Roosevelt.” And there wasn’t at that point. And I said, “No, no. I’ve been with the Roosevelts now for four years. I think that’s enough.” I said, “If I were ever gonna write a book about a 20th century president, it wouldn’t be FDR. It would be Harry Truman.” I have no idea why I said that … It just came out of me, and all three of them around the table said, “That would be great. Oh, yeah. Harry Truman would be.” I said, “Wait a minute...” they wanted to sign me right up. I said, “Wait a minute. Let me find out if Margaret will cooperate,” which it turned out she was very willing. “And let me go out to Kansas City, to Independence, to the Truman Library and see what’s there,” which I did. And when I saw what was there, what is there, I knew I hit a goldmine of material, like nothing I’d ever encountered before. But I come back again to the point that I couldn’t have done it without the help of those people. I’m very aware of how important the staff of that Library is to anyone who comes to do research, whether it’s a student or a writer or anyone, and we must never underestimate the importance of that. I want to thank all of you for taking pride in and taking a part in the institutions of your community, including the Truman Library. It’s important and it will have a long-reaching effect…
Harry Truman is a great American story. There were great men; great
Keep it up! On we go! Thank you.
EVENT: The 19th annual Wild About Harry took place April 19, 2018, and raised more than $530,000 in support of Harry Truman’s presidential library.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: Stand with Truman and his presidential library by donating to the Truman Library Institute today. Donate at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/Donate or by calling 816.400.1220.
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TRU MAGAZINE
1948 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE / SUMMER 2018
YOUR TURN AS PRESIDENT Step Into the West Wing at The White House Decision Center
The year is 1948. The Soviet Union has imposed a blockade on West Berlin, cutting off all land and rail routes. More than 2.5 million people risk mass starvation, and the power of the Western Allies is called into question. It is the first crisis of the Cold War.
The president and his team must respond. You step into the role of president and the decision lies in your hands. Gather your advisors, review the latest intelligence, collaborate and negotiate to develop a response to the crisis in Berlin. Welcome to The White House Decision Center, a unique venue for experiential and collaborative learning. Set in a recreated West Wing, The White House Decision Center challenges participants to step into the roles of President Truman and his advisors to tackle some of the greatest challenges ever faced by a world leader. Choose your simulation, including many of the landmark decisions of 1948 like the recognition of Israel or addressing civil rights in the military, and try your hand at serving as commander in chief or one of President Truman’s advisors.
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“Our group had a great time with valuable learning experiences. One participant who played Truman said making the decision on how to end the war was the most pressure she’s ever felt – real or otherwise. She noted that all future decisions would seem minor. That’s pretty powerful!” - WA LM A R T LE A D E R S H I P ACA D E M Y
ASSUME THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT STEP 1: CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE • 2- to 5-hour sessions offered Monday through Saturday • Office hours or after hours • Catering and open bar, optional • $25 per person for groups of 6-72 (minimum charge: $450)
STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR DECISION
Some 90,000 participants have now experienced The White House Decision Center, and they have left saying things like, “The program is unbelievable!” and “The history is truly ‘hands on.'” The nationallyacclaimed program is sought after by both school groups and adults alike, including corporations and associations like Black & Veatch, Visit KC, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service and more. Experience this world-class program yourself. The White House Decision Center is open to corporate and adult groups in addition to student groups from throughout the region. Book your group today, or sign up for our email updates to be informed of community days at The White House Decision Center, including an upcoming opportunity this fall.
SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES
• Ending the War with Japan • Addressing Postwar Civil Rights in the U.S. Armed Forces • Reacting to the Soviet Blockade of Berlin • Responding to the Communist Invasion of South Korea • Addressing the End of the British Mandate in Palestine
STEP 3: RESERVE NOW! • Learn more or book your session today. Contact Angela Estep, Director of The White House Decision Center at TheWhiteHouseDecisionCenter@gmail.com or 816.268.8241.
VISIT FOR FREE WITH CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP Corporate members at the West Wing Council Level ($3,000) or higher receive a complimentary session in The White House Decision Center. Become a member today to unlock this benefit. Join at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/Join or by calling Kim Rausch at 816.400.1214.
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1948 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE / SUMMER 2018
TRU EVENTS 01
HARRY S. TRUMAN: SOLDIER FROM INDEPENDENCE PUBLIC PROGRAM Thursday, August 23, 2018, 6:30 p.m. Program National World War I Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, Mo. 64108 Join us for a free public program featuring Dennis Giangreco, author of The Soldier from Independence: A Military Biography of Harry Truman, as he examines how the pivotal decisions of the young soldier’s life influenced his later political career. This program is presented in conjunction with the special exhibition "Heroes or Corpses": Captain Truman in World War I and in partnership with the Truman Library and the National World War I Museum and Memorial. RSVP for this free program at TrumanLibraryInsitute.org or by calling 816.400.1220.
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HISTORY HAPPY HOUR PUBLIC PROGRAM Select Fridays throughout the summer, 4 p.m. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, 500 W. Hwy. 24, Independence, Mo. 64050 Share your passion for history with friends and other history enthusiasts while enjoying a selection of fine drinks at the Truman Library's program series, History Happy Hour. Learn about our favorite president, Harry Truman, and other fascinating historical topics while at one of Kansas City's finest cultural venues — ranked as America's best presidential library. View the entire series schedule and RSVP at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org.
MORE EVENTS AND EXHIBITS ONLINE: Subscribe to Truman eNews for complete details on public programs, members-only events, exhibition openings and more. Snap the QR code to sign up or visit TrumanLibraryInstitute.org.
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2018 TRUMAN BOOK AWARD FEATURING KEVIN PERAINO PUBLIC PROGRAM Thursday, September 27, 2018, 6 p.m. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Program Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, 500 W. Hwy. 24, Independence, Mo. 64050 Join us for a special public program presenting the 2018 Harry S. Truman Book Award to Kevin Peraino for his book A Force So Swift: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949. Following the award ceremony, Peraino will give remarks focused on A Force So Swift, a fast-paced narrative about the moment that China began to climb back to the center of world power. RSVP for this free program at TrumanLibraryInsitute.org or by calling 816.400.1220.
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SAVE THE DATE: THE BENNETT FORUM ON THE PRESIDENCY SIGNATURE EVENT Saturday, November 3, 2018, 6 p.m. Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47th St., Kansas City, MO 64112 The Bennett Forum on the Presidency has grown to become Kansas City’s most anticipated politically-themed program. Save the date for this invigorating discussion on the presidency, with more details to be announced in the coming months.
CREATE YOUR OWN TRUMAN EVENT: The Truman team has speakers available to provide their knowledge for a customized presentation for an upcoming gathering or meeting. To create your own event, please contact us at info@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org.
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TRU MAGAZINE
1948 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE / SUMMER 2018
TR U SUCCE SS
Kevin Peraino Honored with Harry S. Truman Book Award
The Truman Library Institute has awarded Kevin Peraino with the 2018 Harry S. Truman Book Award for his latest book, A Force So Swift: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949. This special honor is awarded biennially by a committee of scholars in recognition of the best book focusing on the period of U.S. history during Harry S. Truman’s presidency or covering Truman’s life or career. A Force So Swift is a fast-paced narrative about the moment that China began to climb back to the center of world power. Peraino focuses on the Truman administration’s response to the rise of communist forces in China in 1949 and how that political revolution continues to shape East Asian politics today. Peraino is a veteran foreign correspondent who worked as senior writer and bureau chief at Newsweek for a decade. He is also the author of Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and The Dawn of American Power. Peraino joins 27 other distinguished authors including Dean Acheson, Alonzo Hamby and Wilson D. Miscamble who have received this prestigious biennial award for their work.
2018 TRUMAN BOOK AWARD Thursday September 27, 2018 6 p.m. Reception | 6:30 p.m. Program Harry S. Truman Library and Museum RSVP at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org or by calling 816.400.1220.
“There we were watching New York’s skyline diminish, and wondering if we’d be heroes or corpses,” Harry Truman later recalled as he departed New York for the battlefields of France in the spring of 1918. Truman returned a hero, as his service helped set him on the path to the presidency. This year only, view the Truman Library’s special exhibition telling the captivating story of Truman’s military service through never-before-exhibited photographs, personal letters and more than 40 artifacts from Truman’s World War I collection.
PLAN YOUR PRESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE TODAY
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THE HOWARD AND VIRGINIA BENNETT
FORUM ON THE PRESIDENCY
SATURDAY,
UNITY TEMPLE
MEMBERS
November 3, 2018
On the Plaza
Attend Free
TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/Bennett The number of free tickets is determined by membership level. Tickets are available to members beginning on October 1 and go on sale to the general public October 15. Additional details to follow.
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WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS The Buck Stops Here Society Joanne and Gene Cable Martha Comment Jan and Tom Kreamer Nicole and Elliott Pearce Lois and James Pearce Curt Thomas and Peter Sunderman Kay Barnes and Tom Van Dyke Ambassador Level Rachel Loeb and Zach Block Diplomat Level Mary and Edwin Hood Annie Presley and Jay Selanders Connie and David Ross Harry Singh Donald Stinson Marilyn Swatuck Kathryn and Gene Tryon Thomas White Associate Level Ruth Baird Mary Hininger and George E. Bukaty Kenneth I. Fligg, Jr. Karen and Harry Gallagher Ghafoor Cook Ellis LLC Rose Ann Inzenga and Tracy Kjar Jeffrey Meador Lisa and George Shadid Veneda Slicer Ken and Dianne Yockey
Family Level Kris and Neal Abrams Christine Adams Julia and Rick Allen Mark R. Allen Kate Andersen Brower Alan Balthrop Caryn and Brian Barbee Stacy and Phillip Barter Yvonne and Jesse Bechtold Michelle and Daniel Bowers Margie and Stanley Brand Kevin Cagg Ann and Rocky Cannon David Cook Jody and William Craig Heywood Davis Laurie and Marc Del Percio Donna and Barry Denslow Don Dickey Gregory Eckfeld Dolly and Chuck Emerson Marsha and Shlomo Fredman Tammy and Ryan Gettings Elizabeth Hale Virginia and Charles Hart Betty and Brian Hathhorn Jolene and Scott Hayes Scott Hecht Karen Hernandez Margaret and Doug Hick Carla and Frank Homan Denise Hughes Nancy and Chuck Hutchins
Dorene and Eric Johnson Marsha and Arnold Katz Elizabeth Kersting Enza and Stephen Ketcham The Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation Carol and Cliff Koenig Lisa and Corey Koenig Jill and Craig Koenig Linda and James Lewis Susan and Mark Maciorowski Carolyn A. White and Jerome R. Mandelstamm Jennifer and David Marrs Denise Miller Teresa and Ed Minor Roberta and Robert Minor Laurie Mitchell and Rob Beeson Shannon and Daren Moon Deborah and Tom Neel Susan and John Newsam Angela and Dan O'Neill Jennifer and Jonathan Patterson Sue and Larry Pennington Nina Perry Sarah Preisinger Stephen Raynor Jenifer Renzel Irene and Richard Robinson Sue and Charles Rogers Veronica Roggemann and Heidi Creasman Jill and Carlos Romero Judith and Douglas Rope Carmen Sabates Alessandro Sanford
Beverly J. Shelton Gina and Jason Sloan Rosie Baker and Michael R. Smith Sharon and David Stackelhouse Lisa and Dan Stacy Claudia and Timothy J. Staffel Carla and Cary Stelmachowicz Katie and Tim Tucker Judith Coe and Brian Unger Simon Visser Jennifer Vitela and Eric Kraft Sherrard and Tom Wallingford, Jr. Alice and Todd Wilhelmus Shirley and Jack Wilson Mary K. and Michael Wilson Joan and Ken Worden Basic Level Beverlee Agut Janine Bell Carol and Nelson Borys Thomas Bowen David Buck Jacquel Buschhorn Paula Campbell Karna and Ken Converse Kathleen B. and Benjamin F. Davis, III Jeri Dobson Jan Ferguson Susan E. Ferguson Shirley Fine Julia and Michael Fitzgerald Joyce Gillespie Trudi and Milton Grin
Jeanne Hamacher Tanya and Dwayne Hellams Jeannine and Dennis Higashi Sharon I. Kelley Mary Jo and Gerhard Knutson Judith and Stephen Lewis Kimberly Mackay Chris Major Jan Marshall Patrick McGiffert Jessica Nash Nancy Pinkston Brian Rodekopf Rebecca Sanders Janet Schallet Angela Schear and Chris Schear Rita and Mark Scherer Clare Sequeira Michael Shaver Vijaya Somu Blair Tarr Meaghan and Jeremy Teal Mary Lou and Don Wade Regina Watson Catharine Weber and Mark McClellan Student/Teacher Level Charles Bianco Brenda Dumler Frances and Winston Hsieh Terry McCarthy Patricia Mundy Frankie Robinson Trevor Stone New memberships received 1/1/18 - 6/30/18
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1948 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE / SUMMER 2018
A WOR D FROM HAR RY Independence, Mo. November 1, 1948, Election Eve My fellow citizens: I want to thank Senator Barkley for his generous introduction, and to say what I have said before — that no candidate for President ever had a finer running mate… During the past two months the Senator and I have been going up and down the country, telling the people what the Democratic Party stands for in government … Everywhere the people showed great interest. They came out by the millions. They wanted to know what the issues were in this campaign, and I told them what was in my mind and in my heart… Now it is up to you, the people of this great Nation, to decide what kind of government you want — whether you want government for all the people or government for just the privileged few… Now maybe you would like to know why I have made this fight for the people. I will try to tell you. It is a matter of the things I believe in. I believe in a free America — strong and undivided. I believe in the principles of the Declaration of Independence — that we the people shall govern ourselves through our elected representatives — that every man and woman has a right to an equal voice in the management of our Nation's affairs.
TR Uism # 42
“If you do your duty as citizens of the greatest Republic the sun has ever shone on, we will have a Government that will be for your interests, that will be for peace in the world, and for the welfare of all the people...” H A R RY S . T R U M A N
I believe that the Constitution, which rightly protects property, is still more deeply pledged to protect human rights. I believe that the Democratic Party is the party of the people. I believe that through the Democratic Party, all classes of our citizens will receive fairer treatment and more security… I believe with all my heart and soul that Almighty God has intended the United States of America to lead the world to peace. We were in that position 30 years ago. We failed to meet our obligation then, and World War II was the result. This time we must live up to our opportunity to establish a permanent peace for the greatest age in human history… Go to the polls tomorrow and vote your convictions, your hopes, and your faith — your faith in the future of a nation that under God can lead the world to freedom and to peace.
303
The number of Electoral College votes earned by the Harry S. Truman and Alben Barkley ticket in 1948. Republican Thomas E. Dewey captured 189 of the votes, and Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond drew 39 votes.
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