Harry S. Truman: The Man From Mi

the screen News Digest presented by South Carolina Electric and Gas Company we try to make life easier a Missouri farm boy overcoming poor eyesight to become a good student [Music] and serving with distinction as a captain in the field artillery during World War I after the amus when his clothing store goes bankrupt he works for years to pay off his creditors then he enters Missouri politics and in 1934 is elected to the US Senate during World War II he wins wide spread respect as head of a senate committee investigating defense production and in 1944 at 60 years of age he is elected vice president of the United States a Heartbeat Away from the most powerful office in the Free [Music] World 1945 Harry Truman wife Bess and daughter Margaret arrive at the White House on January 20th for his inauguration as vice president [Music] the big three of World War II president Rosevelt of America prime minister Churchill of Great Britain and Premier Stalin of Russia meet in February at Yalta to plan for peace in postore Europe Roosevelt is in failing Health FDR and his vice president meet just once during the first three months of 1945 [Music] then on vacation in Warm Springs Georgia America's only four-term president dies on April 12th the Fateful news has flashed around the world we interrupt this program to bring you a special News Bulletin from CBS world news a press Association has just announced that President Roosevelt is dead I har yes Truman do solemnly swear that I will Faithfully execute the office when Franken Roosevelt died I felt there must be a million men better qualified than I to take up the presidential task but the work was mine to do and I had to do it and I've tried to give it everything that is in me Nazi Germany is in its death Agony On May 8th surrender comes the ruins of the third German Reich are Grim reminders of the Reconstruction ahead as another big three conference to coordinate the final assault on Japan is held in July in bam Germany here Truman receives a cryptic message the baby is born America has tested the world's first atomic bomb from poan and ultimatum to Japan unconditional surrender or prompt and utter destruction millions of leaflets fall on the island Empire gathered like propaganda souvenirs their warning is ignored [Music] Truman X the anola gay an American bomber named after the Pilot's mother takes off from a Pacific air strip on August 6th the lives of American fighting men are the president's concern but as years pass historians will question America's use of the atomic bomb a short time ago an American a plane dropped one bomb on hirosima and destroyed its usefulness to the enemy it is an atomic bomb it is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe we have used it in order to shorten the agony of war in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of Young Americans we shall continue to use it until we completely destroy Japan's power to make war August 9th an atomic bomb is dropped at Nagasaki total casualties in the two attacks more than 15,000 kill a week and a day after Hiroshima Japan surrendered America celebrates but soon there will be new crises on the home front in 1946 a National Railroad Strike provides Harry Truman with the opportunity to demonstrate that he can be as decisive and forceful in dealing with domestic affairs as he was during wartime I request the Congress immediately to authorize the president to draft into the Armed Forces of the United States all workers who are on strike against their [Applause] government word has just been received that the rail strike has been settled on terms proposed by the [Applause] president in the postwar Years refugees flee Westward as communism engulfs Eastern Europe Truman and George Marshall his secretary of state respond the Truman Doctrine pledges us support to keep Greece and Turkey free and the Marshal plan of economic aid prevents further communist expansion in Western Europe in 1948 Berlin becomes a pawn in the Cold War East Germany blockades the city the Berlin airlift trumax again a city of 2 and 1 half million people is sustained completely by American and Allied transport planes that land every 3 minutes day and night for a year food and supplies flow into Berlin millions and millions of tons a miracle of the air age finally the barricades go up traffic flows again to and from the city the Free World has won a great Cold War for victory at home Truman comes to grips with another explosive issue earlier by executive order he had ended segregation in the armed forces now civil rights become a presidential Crusade there is no justifiable reason he says for discrimination because of ancestry religion race or color Southern delegates react angrily at the Democrat atic National Convention in 1948 35 walk out in a divisive stormy session Democrats pick their team Truman and Barkley Thomas E dwey the Republican candidate is considered a shoe in rebellious Democrats have formed a state rights party and nominated J St Thurman for president [Music] Henry Wallace who served as vice president during Roosevelt's thirdd term is chosen to run on the Progressive Party ticket further splintering The Divided [Music] Democrats 1948 is the last of the great Whistle Stop campaigns with candidates crisscrossing America by train in search of votes Harry Truman is a master campaigner Crowds Are enthusiastic I've got to give him a go he says before they'll give me their votes despite the president's popular appeal veteran political experts say that Thomas E dwey will be elected in a landslide not so Truman scores one of the greatest upsets in US political history a surprise for millions of Americans but not for Harry as Truman I right here on the 19th of February 1948 and told you we're looking at the next president [Music] [Applause] well June 24th 1950 Communist forces stream out of North Korea and across the 38th parallel in an attempt to unite Korea by force after a white house meeting the president and deed Ates his secretary of state term The Invasion a threat to peace the UN Security Council meets an emergency session Russia is absent and unable to veto a resolution authorizing troops and supplies for the defense of South [Music] Korea GIS land again on foreign soil General MacArthur is named commander of all UN forces and launches a brilliant Counterattack Truman Praises MacArthur it is fortunate for the world that we had the right man for this purpose a man who is a very great Soldier general Douglas MacArthur but soon the general and the president come into conflict MacArthur makes military decisions involving political issues without receiving approval from Washington he sends un troops across the 38th parallel into North Korea [Music] flying to Wake Island in October 1950 the president emphasizes the threat of red Chinese involvement and the possibility that the Korean conflict May escalate into a third world [Music] war meeting privately with Truman MacArthur predicts Victory by Year's End he doubts red Chinese intervention the general is wrong on November 26th 200,000 so-called communist volunteers attacked from across the mangurian border American troops are overwhelmed and forced to retreat the snow swep slopes of North Korea become a modern-day Valley [Music] Forge in April 1951 Truman fires MacArthur civilian control of the military is reaffirmed as the president explains his action the question we had to face is whether the Communist plan of Conquest can be stopped without a general War our government and other countries associated with us in the United Nations believe that the best chance of stopping it without a general war is to meet the attack in Korea and defeat it there a number of events have made it evident that General MacArthur did not agree with that policy I have therefore considered it essential to relieve General MacArthur so that there would be no doubt or confusion as to the real purpose and aim of our policy it was with the deepest personal regret that I found myself compelled to take this action General MacArthur is one of our greatest military commanders but the cause of world peace is much more important than any individual in July 1951 Korean peace talks begin at panjam they continue as casualties Mount and President Truman's term of office runs [Music] out we like Ike Americans say in 1952 and Republican Dwight Eisenhower defeats Democrat adelay Stevenson to succeed Truman as president The Truman years are history but the father husband president has left his mark on his country he has walked with King yet never lost the common touch in perspective historians rank him among America's 10 greatest presidents always good copy Harry Truman comes to be called everybody's president the nation has taken the first family to its heart and as he leaves the White House in January 1953 Harry Truman shares with his countrymen some final personal thoughts and hopes in speaking to you tonight I have no New Revelations to make no political statements no policy announcements there are simply a few things in my heart I want to say to you I want to say goodbye and thanks for your help the president is required to put in long hours usually 17 hours a day with no payment for overtime I sign my name on the average of 600 times a day and see and talk to hundreds of people every month Shake hands with thousands every year and still carry on the business of the largest going concern in the world regardless of your politics whether you are Republican or Democrat your fate is tied up with what is done here in this room the president is President of the whole country so as I empty the drawers of this desk and as Mrs Truman and I leave the White House we have no regret we feel we have done our best in the public service I hope and believe we have contributed to the welfare of the nation and to the Peace of the world and now the time has come for me to say good night and God bless you the screen 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