Just click on one of the boxes below to learn about that part of Harry S. Truman's life.

Harry As a Kid: Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884. The town he was born in was named Lamar, Missouri. Soon after, he and his family moved to Grandview to live on his grandparents' farm.

Harry grew up in Independence, Missouri. His family moved there when he was six. Harry started wearing glasses about this time. He really liked to read and he said he had read all the books in the local library by the time he was 14.

Young Harry: When Harry S. Truman moved to Independence only 6,000 people lived there. The Truman family lived in three different homes but finally moved to Waldo Street where they lived for 9 years. That home was always a lively place in the neighborhood. The house on the corner of Waldo and River is still standing today.

Harry met Bess Wallace in Sunday School in Independence. He said that he had a crush on her from age six. They were friends throughout their school years. Ten years after graduating from high school, they finally started dating.

Harry also had an after-school job. He worked at Clinton's Drug Store. (This building is now a soda fountain). He also went to school at this time. He graduated from High School in 1901.

Harry wanted to go to college. However, he could not afford to go. He tried to get into West Point (a famous military college), but he could not see well enough to be accepted. So he took a job with the railroad. In 1906 his mother inherited his grandpa's farm. Harry went home to manage it from 1906 to 1917.

Early Politics: Harry Truman opened a men's clothing store with a friend in 1920. Harry took out a $15,000 loan to start the business. At first it went well, but then came a short depression. Local men could not afford to buy extra clothes. The store went out of business. Harry insisted on paying off his debts. It took him 15 years, but he did it. He was too honest to declare bankruptcy.

Harry was elected county judge in 1923 in Jackson County. A county judge was really an administrator not a court judge. Bess and Harry had one daughter born in 1924. She was named Mary Margaret, but they called her Margaret. After his term was up Harry lost reelection.

In 1926 Harry became the presiding judge (leader) of the Jackson County Court. He served in this position for 8 years.

Harry was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1934. This was a big step in his career. For 10 years he served as a senator. Senator Truman helped to stop fraud in defense contract spending. This was important because the United States was at war. The USA needed to spend its money wisely. Harry ended up saving the country a lot of money. This got him noticed by President Roosevelt.

President Roosevelt asked Harry to be his Vice President. Harry really did not want to be, but he agreed. Roosevelt and Truman won the election and Harry became Vice President.

Mister President: Harry S. Truman was only Vice President for 82 days. President Roosevelt died and Harry became the president of the United States.

For four years the United States had been fighting in the Second World War. Harry became president near the end of the war. In 1945 he went to Potsdam, Germany, to meet with the British leader Churchill and the Soviet leader Stalin. Churchill and Stalin were on our side. They had to try and work out what they would do after they won the war. Truman and Churchill knew that Stalin would want a lot of land after the war was over.

Truman also had to make an important decision. The United States was also fighting Japan. To make Japan surrender Truman decided to use the atomic bomb on two Japanese cities. He knew that it would cost a lot of lives, but he also knew it would save even more American lives. Soon after the Atomic Bomb was used Japan surrendered to the United States.

Truman made some very important decisions which helped the countries of Europe feed their people and to be free and have democracies. These decisions were the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan. Truman also started the United Nations and NATO.

In our country, he decided to give men of all races the right to have good jobs in the Army, Navy and Air Force and to work together rather than to be in separate groups. This was called Desegregation of the Armed Forces. He also pushed for other civil rights reforms.

In 1948 Truman had to run for reelection. Many thought he would lose to Thomas E. Dewey. But Truman rode all over the country in a train telling people what he had done as president and what he would do if they voted for him again. He worked hard and won the election.

In his second term, Truman had to finally deal with Stalin. Stalin wanted to take over the city of Berlin in Germany. Berlin was in the middle of the Soviet part of Germany, but part of the city was controlled by the United States and her friends. So Stalin decided to have his soldiers stop all food shipments coming over land to the city. He hoped to force the city to surrender. But Truman refused to give up. He had food flown in by plane. This was known as the Berlin Airlift. In the end Stalin had to give up.

Another big event was the Korean War. In 1950 Truman had to send American troops to South Korea. South Korea had been invaded by North Korea, which was on the side of the Soviet Union and Stalin. The war was not that popular. Truman had to fire General Douglas MacArthur, who was very popular with the American people. Truman had to do this because MacArthur disobeyed an order from Truman. Firing MacArthur was one of the most unpopular things Truman ever did. In 1952, Truman decided not to run for president again.

Harry Retires: When the Trumans left Washington, D.C., in 1953, a crowd met them at the train station to say good-bye. When they got back to Independence an even larger crown met their train.

Harry lived for 19 years after leaving office. He remained very active, taking long walks, reading several newspapers each day, and writing the story of his life and his years as president. His biggest project was the Truman Library. He gave his documents. pictures, and gifts to it. He also kept an office there.

In 1972 Truman died. He was 88 years old. His wife Bess would live another 10 years. Truman is still remembered and admired as an honest, hardworking man and caring president.