Truman Day commemorates the life and achievements of US President Harry S. Truman. In the United States, Harry Truman Day is a national holiday.

Who was Harry S. Truman?

Harry S Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri on May 8, 1884.

Truman began his political career in 1922 when he was appointed to the County Court of the Eastern District of Jackson County, Missouri. He held a number of other official positions. He was elected to the United States Senate for the Democratic Party in 1934 and re-elected in 1940. When his preparation group, known as the Truman Committee, discovered the squandering of military resources, he became more well-known and respected.

In 1944, the Democratic Party chose Truman to be the vice-presidential candidate for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was running for re-election to his fourth term as President of the United States. Roosevelt was elected president on November 7, 1944, and Truman was sworn in as vice president on January 20, 1945. However, Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, as a result of a major stroke, and Truman was elected president.

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Why is Truman day celebrated?

Truman served two terms as President until January 20, 1953. He guided the US through the end of WWII and led major developments in international affairs in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

These included the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the struggle between mainland China and Taiwan, the Korean War, the First Indochina War, and the Soviet Union’s development as a nuclear power. Following his presidency, he returned to Independence, Missouri, and established the Harry S Truman Presidential Library and Museum.

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Truman orchestrated one of the most stunning comeback triumphs in American political history – the depressing mid-term elections in 1946 that gave Republicans control of Congress, along with the prospect of facing an established Republican contender like New York governor Thomas Dewey, lowered Democratic prospects for a Truman victory in the 1948 presidential election.

Truman campaigned tirelessly and effectively, making House Republicans the central issue of the election. In November 1948, when almost no experienced observers gave him a chance, he defeated Dewey decisively.

Truman’s accomplishments in both foreign and domestic affairs were the most challenging problems faced by any American president.