Harry S. Truman
Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Missouri and for a few years he was a very prosperous farmer. He then enlisted into the Army during World War I and was stationed in France as an Artillery Captain. When he retuned to the United States after the War he married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace and opened haberdashery in Kansas City.
Truman was very active in the democratic party and in 1922 was elected as an administrative judge in Jackson County. From there Truman continued to pursue a career in politics and in 1934 he ran for and won a position on the US Senate. During the Second World War Truman was put in charge of the investigation committee, a committee which examined waste and corruption in the government. It is believed that Truman even helped save the United States 15 billion dollars. When President Roosevelt chose Truman as his running mate in the 1944 election, nobody believed that Roosevelt had such serious health problems and everyone, even Roosevelt himself believed that he would serve the full four year term. But on April 12, 1945, just 82 days into the first year, Roosevelt suffered a heart attack and died, leaving Harry Truman to continue out the rest of the term.
Truman was very active in the democratic party and in 1922 was elected as an administrative judge in Jackson County. From there Truman continued to pursue a career in politics and in 1934 he ran for and won a position on the US Senate. During the Second World War Truman was put in charge of the investigation committee, a committee which examined waste and corruption in the government. It is believed that Truman even helped save the United States 15 billion dollars. When President Roosevelt chose Truman as his running mate in the 1944 election, nobody believed that Roosevelt had such serious health problems and everyone, even Roosevelt himself believed that he would serve the full four year term. But on April 12, 1945, just 82 days into the first year, Roosevelt suffered a heart attack and died, leaving Harry Truman to continue out the rest of the term.
Many historians, media professionals, and the public have a method of determining the success of a president. This method, unofficially called the 100-day Standard, is used to gauge a presidents effectiveness after the first 100 days in office. In most cases presidents tend to be the most successful in the first 100 days, when the aura of victory is still powerful, and when their impact on Congress is usually at its height. For Harry Truman though, the first 100 days were wrought with tough decisions, skeptical citizens, and overall a serious lack of national executiv experience. Despite the troubles during Truman's first 100 days in office, it soon became clear that Truman was in fact, the right man for the job. In his first 100 days, Truman showed his decisiveness, his intelligence, and his personal sense of duty when put in a position of power.
By 1947, Truman was loosing the sparse popularity he had gained with his domestic policies, and in 1948 when campaigning began for the upcoming election, nobody expected him to win. The Republican candidate, Thomas Dewey was well liked, and had a successful career in politics before he ran for office. With a though competitor like Dewey, Truman knew that he had to begin the campaign process strong. Nobody was expecting the vigorous campaign that excoriated Republicans in Congress as much as it attacked Dewey and in November of 1948, Truman won the presidency, stunning thousands.
Trumans second term was decidedly more difficult, both domestically and in regards to foreign affairs. But, Truman would not budge in his policies and ideas. When Truman left office in 1953 and moved to Independence, Missouri he continued to be an important political figure and representative supporting one candidate or the other depending on who was running. On December 26, 1972 Truman passed away due to old age more than anything else leaving behind a legacy that historians today recognize as one of front runners in terms of social equality and economic stability.