Book Review: Truman

Truman wasn't the greatest president. He wasn't the smartest. He had no elite education. He was a failure in his civilian career. He made quite a few mistakes in office. But his saving grace was this: he was a man of conviction. In everything that he did, Harry S. Truman endeavored to do it well.

As a bankrupt farmer boy, Truman had great ambition. He wrote to his fiancee that his goal was to be the governor of a state, a seemingly unimaginable position for someone like him. He had never been in "high society". He was a very poor speaker. He had no political connections. His farm soon failed. He tried shopkeeping and failed at that too.

David McCullough is one of the best historians of our time and his book Truman is a massive masterpiece. His strong opinions shine through but without bias towards conservative or liberal viewpoints. He clearly detests Joe McCarthy or J. Edgar Hoover, but avoids making judgments about Eisenhower (a Republican) and his rivalry with Truman (a Democrat).



Harry S. Truman, a Missouri county judge, first entered politics because of the Kansas City political machine. In other words, the "boss" of the area, Joe Prendergast asked him if he wanted to run, stuffed the ballot box, and got him in power. In return, Harry had to give Prendergast's cronies government jobs and contracts. Although this background always haunted him, Harry never explicitly did something wrong. He refused to give jobs to those who were clearly unqualified. He never took bribes or abused his position. He showed no signs of graft or corruption. By the time he ran for Senator, the people genuinely liked him.

In a few years' time, Truman presided over the board of the War Materials Commission, which soon came to be known as the Truman Commission. He investigated every contractor and found massive military waste. Contractors were selling the government all sorts of fraudulent products at outrageous prices. Truman calmly but capably set about clearing the messes up. Within two years of being the chairman of the committee, he had been named Man of the Year by TIME.

Soon, FDR was looking for a running mate. When Truman was suggested, FDR agreed. Truman's reputation would help silence some of the rumors about New Deal corruption. But the Democrat bosses got a lot more than they bargained for. Early in the term, FDR died and Truman, the farm boy from Missouri was now President of the United States.

During the course of his presidency, Truman authorized the atomic bomb, occupied Japan, confronted the Soviets and began the Cold War, and ordered American troops to defend South Korean allies. He didn't always make the best decision. But he always did what he felt was right without compromise.

I can't say I agree with his decisions. He had many character flaws. But integrity was not one of them. Truman is a great president, not because he was a great leader, speaker, or general. He is a great president because he represents what America is all about. If you work hard, deal with integrity, and follow what you think is right, you can and will succeed.

A great book that I recommend for anyone.