VE Day

Yesterday was Victory in Europe Day (probably better known as VE Day). On May 8th 1945, the Allied forces formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Interestingly, May 8th 1945 also marked the 61st birthday of Harry S. Truman, who was then President of the United States. For Truman, who became president just a few weeks earlier on April 12th, it was naturally the best birthday present he could have ever wished for. My “history” with President Truman goes back almost twelve years. As a foreign exchange student, in Truman’s own Missouri, I developed a deep admiration for the 33rd President of the United States (this admiration was fuelled by one of the best history professors I have ever had). After returning from Missouri, I started my Journalism study. Wrote quite a few articles and essays on Truman during my four years in Zwolle. Then I went to Groningen and later Amsterdam to get my master’s degree in American Studies. More articles and essays on my favorite president followed. My best Truman-related work was my 70-page Master Thesis, which was on President Truman’s strenuous relationship with the US press corps. With my recent job(s), I couldn’t have moved further away from by beloved field of American Studies (or should I say Truman Studies instead??).

It is sad of course. But I am happy to have a job, which also gives me the opportunity to make some nice trips.

And perhaps I still remember things from all the Truman projects I wrote during my study years.

Let’s see:

Harry Truman was…
- ...the last president to enter the Oval Office with only a high school diploma.

- ...one of the few presidents to stay loyal to his wife. Sorry, just couldn't resist this one ;).

- ...very straightforward. Too straightforward at times. When a journalist, Paul Hume, wrote a critical article on Margaret Truman's (Harry Truman's daughter) singing abilities, the president lashed back. He wrote a letter, which appeared in the newspaper Hume worked for: "When I meet you, you will need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes and perhaps a supporter below." Autsj.

- ...vice-president for only 82 days when his boss, president Franklin D. Roosevelt (who had just started his fourth term in office), died.

- ...largely unprepared when he assumed office. Roosevelt failed to inform his vice-president about various of his most important policy initiatives, like the development of the atomic bomb.

- ...a quick learner. Truman, who felt that “the moon, the stars and all the planets” had fallen on him when he assumed office, held his own during the tumultuous last few months of World War II. For example, not long after becoming president, he met with political heavyweights Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin in Potsdam. President Truman was fearless and quickly impressed the British prime minister (Truman and Churchill would later become good friends).

- ...the president who helped shape postwar American foreign policy. A tough stance against communism was advocated through the Truman Doctrine. Truman insisted that the Communist “ scare” would eventually fade, only if it would be met head-on in the early stages of the Cold War. A recovery plan for the war torn Europe was developed through the Marshall Plan. Truman believed that a stable and reconstructed Europe would prevent the Soviet Union from spreading its wings westwards. The president also felt that future wars, on the Western hemisphere, could be prevented through close (political and military) cooperation. Hence the creation of a western alliance called NATO in 1949. The European Union, an alliance Truman also advocated, was established later.
Note: The Marshall Plan was probably just as much Truman’s “ baby” as it was secretary of state’s George Marshall’s. Truman, however, decided that it would be best if the recovery plan carried Marshall’s name. He felt that Marshall, a man he idolized, was more popular and could therefore sell the plan better to other politicians and the public.

- ...the first world leader to recognize the state of Israel (am about to read a book on this historical event, cannot wait). One of the staunchest opponents of the recognition of Israel was one of president Truman’s own heroes, George Marshall. The president still decided to recognize Israel anyway, because he felt “ it was the right thing to do.” Marshall later complimented Truman for sticking with his motto "The Buck stops Here." This means taking your responsibility as (in this case) President of the United States and not being afraid of making difficult decisions.

- ...the president who, through an executive order, ordered the armed forces to be desegregated. This was the first real (presidential) measure against segregation. Even more interesting Executive Order 9981, as the order was called, came from a president from a midwestern state who was raised by two staunch Confederalist parents (his mother, for example, strongly disliked President Lincoln and refused to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom in the White House). Executive Order 9981 helped pave the way for other future presidents (like Kennedy and Johnson) to take a strong stance against segregation.

- ...thought to be the certain loser in the 1948 presidential elections. Truman, fortunately, believed otherwise. He campaigned vigorously and travelled thousands and thousands of miles by train (his campaign was later referred to as the whistlestop campaign or the give 'em hell campaign- one of Truman's nicknames was Give 'em Hell Harry). When election day came, Truman handily beat his Republican opponent Thomas Dewey. Much to the dismay of the American press corps, who had unanimously predicted his demise. The Chicago Tribune, for example, produced one of the greatest errors in journalistic history by printing this headline (on the front page): Dewey defeats Truman. How incorrect they were :D.

- ...troubled when he had to send American troops to Korea, when the Communist North Korea invaded the South. Truman disliked sending troops back to the front relatively short after the ending of World War II. He decided to act, because he felt that Communism should never get a stonger hold in the unstable Asian region. When General Douglas MacArthur, the commanding general of the armed forces in Korea, questioned the president’s authority and integrity, Truman fired him. MacArthur –Truman felt– was a loose cannon, a man who advocated dropping several atomic bombs on China to prevent the country from further intervening in the Korean conflict. Truman, rightfully so, believed that this radical tactic would certainly lead to World War III. Still, MacArthur was very popular in the United States, and Truman’s approval rating plummeted even further. It stopped at around 25%, the lowest approval rating of a president ever (this approval rating was matched only a few years ago, by President George W. Bush).

- ...largely rehabilitated when he died in 1972. Journalists and politicians, who had criticized him during his presidency, now complimented the honest, straightforward and courageous Truman. They also could not deny the positive, longterm, effects of President Truman's policy initiatives. The rehablitation of the president has continued in recent years. His approval rating is now around 80%. “The Man from Missouri” was widely praised at both the Democratic Convention and (interestingly) the Republican Convention in 2007. Various presidents also claim to admire Truman. Among them George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States. Especially in the last few years of his presidency, Bush (A REPUBLICAN!!) often referred to Truman (A DEMOCRAT!!)in his speeches. Bush43 liked to draw parallels between Harry Truman’s presidency and his own. President Bush can only hope that he will be rehabilitated just as much as President Truman was :D.

This is actually not too bad, I still remember quite a lot from all of my Truman projects I have done in the past (I have written all of the above without looking up any information). Unfortunately they do not “make” President’s like Harry Truman any more today. Although I have to say that the current US president, Barack Obama, is starting to grow on me. He is no Truman, but he is making difficult decisions to the best of his ability. And at least people are starting to see him as a “ normal” human being and not as a savior of some sorts.

I was actually going to write a little bit more about my sports weekend and something else. But after the tragic death of the talented Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt in the Giro d’Italia today, I just don’t feel like being too cheerful right now. I will probably post another blog later this week.