Give em hell Harry

Harry S Truman was the 33rd President of the United States.  Truman by David McCullough is the fantastic story of this very ordinary man who in very extra-ordinary times became the President of the most powerful country in the world.

This biography of Truman by David McCullough won him a Pulitzer prize and it is not hard to see why. McCullough provides a bystander's picture of Truman's ancestors and their migration to the frontier in Missouri,  his unremarkable childhood and youth, the coming of age during the first world war, into politics, the presidency and the tumultuous years hence. The story is unbiased and based on detailed analysis including the innumerable letters that Truman the prolific writer wrote to his family, friends and connections.

Truman is descended from Scottish-Irish immigrants who carve out a life for themselves out of the westward migration and life on the frontier. These chapters are full of the hardy life of these pioneers who carved a nation out of the western wilderness. After a pretty average childhood and youth growing up in Independence, MIssouri Truman in his thirties discovers his capabilities for leadership when leading aa artillery battery with the 35th division in the Ardennes during World War I.  He gains valuable insights into his own character, lessons in leadership and builds lasting friendships that stand him in good stead.

McCullough deals honestly and in detail with Harry's relationship and backing from the Penderghast political machine in Kansas City. With their support and becoming a judge, Harry proves to be a uniquely straight and incorruptible politician focused on building roads and balancing the budget of his county. This is but the start of a political career where Harry is the epitome of a scrupulous, incorruptible man with a firm belief in serving the people who elected him instead of enriching himself. By twists and turns of fate, Harry wins the senate seat for Missouri.

Derisively called the "Senator from Penderghast", Harry fights to even gain basic respect in a senate populated by elitist politicians with the "right breeding", from political families or educated in a top University (Harry could not go to college since he couldn't afford to). Here we have a picture of a very ordinary man in the top political circles of the country. The country is in the third Roosevelt presidential term and in the midst of the "New Deal" attempting to bring the country out of the great depression. Harry can hardly get the ear of the whitehouse or the President and does not participate in any major legislation. He gains recognition when he gets to lead the "Truman committee" which is investigating defense spending during the chaotic first years of the second world war.

Running for reelection for a second term, Harry has no support from the white house or major politicians. He shows his innate American grit and determination when he goes on a hectic tour of his state meeting with farmers and city folk saying "I wanted to meet with you so you can see I dont have horns". Written off by pretty much everyone, Harry wins the election for a second term. This is a recurrent theme of his life where nobody gives him any chance of success, including many times himself. Harry however digs deep within himself and like America itself finds it in himself to be successful.

 David McCullough does a fantastic job recounting the lead up to the Democratic party convention for Roosevelt's fourth term where Harry finally gets nominated for the vice presidency. We feel like we are watching the scenes unfold on CNN when he takes us into the smoke filled rooms where the movers and shakers of the party maneuver and make decisions.

When the Roosevelt - Truman ticket is elected, Roosevelt is a very sick man. The allies are winning the war against Hitler's Germany and the empire of Japan. The post war big three conferences such as Yalta are designed to establish spheres of influence, sharing of power and establishing institutions to govern the peace. When Roosevelt dies and Truman is sworn in as President, he is viewed by everyone in Washington and around the country as effete and incapable of stepping into Roosevelt's shoes. Truman himself has self doubts and throughout his presidency comes across as a man who truly does not want the job.

The first term is one of tremendous changes around the world and tumultuous events that no other President has faced before or ever since. Truman, the ordinary man in an extraordinary situation is faced with

• Russian intimidation and Stalin's aggressive ambitions to control post war Europe and possibly the world
• The political and moral decision to drop the A-bomb on Japan to end the war
• Setting up the United Nations
• The Big 3 Potsdam conference and facing down Stalin
• Facing down massive strikes by organized labor, traditionally a democrat base
• Establishing the National Security Act of 1947 and the post war national security architecture
• Establishing a Dept. of Defense to establish firm civilian control over the armed forces
• Launching the "Fair Deal" his version of the New Deal
• Recognition of Israel to much opposition from Britain and other allies
• The start of the cold war
• The Berlin airlift - when Stalin cuts off access to Berlin
• Cutting back on runaway defense spending so social programs and job creation programs can be launched

This list is enough to take anyone's breath away. A Roosevelt, experienced with three Presidential terms under his belt and coming from an elite background might have found these challenges tough to face, leave alone an ordinary man from an ordinary Missouri farming family. Yet Truman comes out in flying colors earning the respect of friends and foes alike.

With labor and economic troubles, Truman faces the 1948 election campaign again facing much sceptisism and  derision from politicians and journalists alike. Yet with dogged frontier American determination Truman launches an aggressive whistle stop tour across the country to win the election against the Republican Dewey. His strategy was to "Give em hell" and not spare his Republican detractors. The crowds loved it at every stop shouting " Give em hell Harry".

Newspapers had already written him off as witnessed by a premature newspaper headline "Dewey beats Truman" that Truman enjoyed showing people from his train.

His second term is almost as eventful as the first with the Cold War in full swing. The second Truman presidential term included

• The launching of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• The red scare, MacCarthyism and even attacks against Truman himself
• The Korean war
• The firing of MacArthur and establishing the supremacy of civilian leadership over the military
• Trouble in Indo-China (which would later lead to the Vietnam war)
• Renovation of a White House that was literally falling down

After his second term, Truman decides not to run for a third term even though he could have, saying who would want this job any way. Returning home to Independence, Missouri Truman never forgot who he was or where he came from (in his own words). He never enriched himself during all his years as a politician and was close to broke returning to Missouri. Later, Congress granted retired Presidents a modest pension and with some proceeds from his book writing, Truman is able to make ends meet.

Truman is a true American story of a very humble, straightforward, simple and unassuming man of whom much was asked and much was delivered and David McCullough's narrative is outstanding and inspiring. In today's atmosphere of gridlock and partisan bickering in Washington DC, the politicians, current and future occupants of the white house can gain some valuable insights from this great American's story.