US History: President Harry Truman?

Question

Do you think harry truman deserves to be considered as a great president? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Truman was absolutely one of the greatest and most honest of our presidents. When he became president after FDR's death, he didn't have a clue as to the status of the war, etc. because FDR did not keep him in the loop on decisions. It is astonishing how he was able to step in and make decisions that have impacted us positively ever since.

He had to deal with strikes, an economy that was out of balance because of WWII. He began desegregation, fired the Communists that were in office, instituted the Truman Doctrine to contain communism, instituted the Marshall Plan and NATO.

He was so honest that he paid for the stamps to put on his letters to his mother!

Even though I usually vote Republican, I am an admirer of Truman.

Answer 2

Yes I think Harry Truman was one of the greatest US presidents. because his legacy lasted beyond his administration. The diecisions taken by his administration still affect the world today.
- he approved and implemented the Marshall Plan which is an example of what it takes to win a post war peace. In the USSR there are still areas of WWII war damage that have not been rebuilt. Democratic Europe does not have these areas.
- The European Union, which has kept Europe at peace for the longest time in the continent's history, was a creation of his administration
- He was one of the founders of the United Nations
- He was selected by Roosevelt as Vice President because of the anti corruption investigations he headed during the second world war. He saved the US taxpayers billions.

As a president he did not take opinion polls before he took a decision. He took tough decisions like dropping the atom bomb and lived with them. He put his country ahead of his party and his connections.

His defeat of Dewey against the Republican Party machine showed that he was an asture campaigner.

Harry Truman was the last honest president and was replaced with plastic wrapped and spin doctored politicians.

Answer 3

Probably not. He dropped the bomb and that took guts, but then it killed a lot of people. Some argue that more would have been killed otherwise. Regardless of whether it was good or not, I think he picked one of the options. He responded to what was happening in the world. He didn't create anything or come up with any brilliant ideas as far as I know although I am not an historian.