Harry S. Truman

This is a reaction to David McCullough’s biography of Harry S. Truman. This book is part of my effort to read a biography of every President. This is an ambitious goal and will likely take a few years, but I feel better knowing most biographies will not be 991 pages. Also, shoutout Grover Cleveland, who served as President non-consecutively so there are only 45 biographies to read.

Having said that, I greatly enjoyed this book. McCullough really makes Truman (the man, not the President) shine on every page. That McCullough is able to do this is a testament to Truman’s supreme character. Many people know little about the “accidental President” or the “Senator from Pendergast.” His Presidency was very much in the shadow of FDR’s at the time and, at least during my mediocre American history education, is treated as merely the space between FDR’s New Deal and WWII, and LBJ’s Great Society and the Vietnam War. But those who are familiar with Truman and especially those who have read this McCullough biography hold a tremendous respect for him. I view him as a role model and a personal hero, despite having known almost nothing about him a few months ago.

The purpose of this post is to sort out why I felt such affection for him. In short, he was a man of high character. His virtues were uncommon for someone in his position and his ability to resist the corruption often associated with power is remarkable. At the same time, he comes across as deeply human and an everyman. His mistakes and self-awareness do not inspire disdain; rather, they reminded me of his humanity (something most political figures aim to rise above). He’s not a plaster saint, but he is a great man.

Loyalty

His loyalty sometimes had negative effects on his reputation, but overall it reflects well on him. He famously “never forgot a friend.” Well Harry, you might’ve done well to forget a few of them. His buddies from Missouri, like Jim Pendergast or Harry Vaughan, brought his administration disrepute and scorn. But he was remarkably defiant in spite of the inevitability of negative press. He attended Pendergast’s funeral even though he had been convicted and jailed. He kept people around his cabinet that were not providing value but he liked. We see the more positive side of this virtue in his relationship with trusted friends like George Marshall and Dean Acheson. It is rare for one’s friendship to be so uncalculating and selfless; regardless of the consequences, Harry Truman was committed to his friends.

Authenticity

Harry Truman was exceptional but he never strayed too far from the common man. He came from the struggling farming middle class. He didn’t go to college (the most recent President to not have a college degree). He served in WWI as an artillery officer, which was somewhat bourgeois but, as was consistent throughout his life, he never changed the way he carried himself. When he returned to Missouri, he tried to start a men’s clothing store that flopped. He lucked into a county judge position (by luck I mean political machinery), and through his skill as a government official (and illegal Pendergast machine operations), rose to county judge and then Senator. And then President! It’s said “beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.” Harry never felt a new enterprise required a change in clothes.

There are numerous examples throughout the biography about his dealings with strangers and those lower on the social ladder. He treats them as anyone else. He always treated the White House staff well:

If there were guests, he would introduce each of the servants, something none of them had ever known a President to do before… On the night of the German surrender, May 8, Truman’s birthday, the head cook, Elizabeth Moore, had baked him a cake. Dinner over, Truman had gone to the kitchen to thank her, and as Alonzo Fields would note, this was the first time a President had been in the White House kitchen since Coolidge, who had been in and out so often it was said he was only being nosy — to see no handouts were being given away. 387

He generally stood in great contrast to FDR, who was a wealthy aristocrat and benevolent practitioner of noblesse oblige.

To move Mrs. Roosevelt out had required twenty Army Trucks. To move the Trumans from Blair House across the street had required only one. 382

After his presidency, on a trip to Europe with his first personal passport, Truman noticed American tourists in awe of his presence. He would simply go up to them.

“How are you? I’m Harry Truman.’ ‘I’m Paul Schultheiss of Rochester, New York,’ responded the amazed tourist.” 953

Finally, there is his famous post-Presidency residency in Indepence-y. Mostly because he lacked the funds to do anything else, he went back to his house. He hopped on the Presidential train one last time and went home, going for the occasional walk, taking up an office in his new Presidential library, and managing his correspondence. People who wanted to see him could find him right where he started. He found some wealth through his inheritance and the sale of the farm, as well as profits from his memoirs, but he mostly did not seek financial gain, just as he had previously resisted temptations to profit from his position as county judge.

Compare Harry Truman to modern politicians and Presidents. They are either fabulously wealthy to start, or they use their platform to build a brand and profit (looking at you President Obama, Mr. Podcast / Martha’s Vineyard). I’m not sure a senior government leader doesn’t deserve the life of the rich, but it is striking that Truman did not seek it. One last reminder of his authenticity: he liked his life and he was proud of it.

He also enjoyed the piano, and turned the pages for an American GI at Potsdam. What a thought: the President turning the page for a corporal pianist.

Industriousness

Another virtue which is certainly related to his success as President is his industriousness. He was a hard worker and, more importantly, it was sustainable for him. Everyone has seen the before-and-after presidency pics. Truman entered pretty old and stayed just as fit. Of course, it’s not that impressive to be industrious as the President… you sorta have no choice. Duty calls!

One striking story from the biography was how he willed his way to re-election. Everyone, and I mean everyone, thought Dewey would win in a landslide. The Democrats’ days were over. Well, McCullough pitches it like the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Dewey is confident and conservative. No one who knows him really likes him and he stays distant and reticent during the campaign. All he has to do is not blow it, or so the Republicans think. Meanwhile, Truman is touring the country covering more miles by train than any President before. He’s making several stops a day and pouring his energy out to whoever appears at his stop. He uses his charisma and the principle that he had a chance so long as he could talk to someone (McCullough harps on this) to build genuine support:

While Dewey was intoning essays sounding like the worst bombast of university professors, Truman was down on the ground, clowning with the circumambient morons. He made votes every time he gave a show, but Dewey lost them. 712

When he retires, he continues to hold court in Independence. He responds to every letter he receives. His diligence is inspiring. When he releases his autobiography, he signs “four thousand autographs in just five and a half hours.” 948

Devotion to Family

One thing I really admired about Truman was that he had a successful family life. It wasn’t affected and his marriage was no political alliance. His marriage was in sharp contrast to FDR’s:

But they did everything together — read, listened to the radio, played the piano, and mostly talked to each other. In twelve years Franklin and Eleanor had never been in residence in the White House alone. Rarely had they ever taken a meal together.

How often do successful politicians have happy family lives? I don’t think there is much resembling “love” between Trump/Melania, Barack/Michelle and Hillary/Bill. Maybe the Bushes had happy family lives?¹

Truman also had a tremendous tenderness for his daughter and his mother. His role as “mamma’s boy” was well-reported at the time. One part I particularly enjoyed was when FDR dies and he becomes President, his sister seems annoyed. Bear in mind, this is during the final stages of WWII and she is bugging him about Mother’s Day in a nagging letter:

Of immediate concern was whether he could get home for Mother’s Day or whether she and Mamma would have to come to Washington, as he had suggested

I can imagine Truman thinking “look Mary Jane, I am trying to save the world… I’m not going to make it home for Mother’s Day!”

Humility and Destiny

While I touched on “humility” in the section on “authenticity,” I think it’s worth pointing out that Truman didn’t want to be Vice President (or so McCullough leads us to believe). He didn’t want to be President and seems greatly inconvenienced by the whole ordeal at first. It wasn’t that he felt incapable of it, but let’s face it: by definition, for all but one person in the United States (the actual best candidate), it is hubris to think you are the best candidate for President. He stands in contrast to men of the time, like Thomas Dewey and FDR who felt destined for greatness. Dewey was noted saying privately “it is written in the stars.” What a nutjob! There have been other notable men of destiny to become President: Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama. It is off-putting to me.

Back at West Point, Firsties (seniors) filled important-ish leadership roles in the “brigade” of cadets. People had to volunteer to be in these roles. There is a selection effect for people who want power and prestige and, accordingly, a lot of the people who want the jobs shouldn’t have them. Rather than represent the cadets, they stand apart from the cadets and behave in a less-than-desirable manner. The problem is most of the people who would do the job well don’t want the job. Something similar is likely true in politics. I mean who in their right mind would participate in a campaign and drag themselves and their families through the mud? It takes someone who either doesn’t mind it, or wants the job so badly they are willing to sacrifice a lot.

Outbursts

Truman had many flaws and chief among them were hasty decisions and vindictiveness sometimes leading to scandal.

He was especially impatient with journalists, whom he referred to as “prostitutes of the mind.” On more than one occasion he threatened them with physical violence:

You might tell the gentleman named Holmes that if he comes out with a pack of lies about Mrs. Truman or any of my family his hide won’t hold shucks when I get through with him. 819

When a music critic wrote that his daughter Mary “cannot sing very well - is flat a good deal of the time… has not improved in the years we have heard her…” Truman writes a furious letter back.

Mr. Hume:

I’ve just read your lousy review of Margaret’s concert. I’ve come to the conclusion that you are an “eight ulcer man on four ulcer pay.”

It seems to me that you are a frustrated old man who wishes he could have been successful. When you write such poppy-cock as was in the back section of the paper you work for it shows conclusively that you’re off the beam and at least four of your ulcers are at work.

Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you’ll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!

Pegler, a gutter snipe, is a gentleman alongside you. I hope you’ll accept that statement as a worse insult than a reflection on your ancestry.

H.S.T.

Can you imagine the President threatening to break a reporter’s nose? For saying his daughter’s voice wasn’t good? Absolutely unbecoming and… in a way… charming.

This also happens during a railroad strike in 1946 when he threatens to draft every worker into the military. And again when he nationalized the steel industry in 1952 and seized the steel mills to end a strike. He had something of an impetuous streak.

He became a bit of a loose cannon on his re-election campaign, stating “a vote for Thomas Dewey is a vote for fascism.” And later on, he would get involved in campaigns in a way that reflected poorly on him, like with Adlai Stevenson and JFK.

At the same time, he maintained composure and caution when it counted. He was naive in retrospect when dealing with Stalin, but his caution and optimism reflected an understanding of the danger of the Cold War. He was prudent in crisis, like in Korea, at Potsdam, and with Israel. He held a tremendous respect for the office of the Presidency. As Avery Harriman wrote, “he always kept in mind how his actions would affect future presidential authority.” 789

Not Suffering Fools

While I think being volatile and impetuous is probably no virtue, I was amused by the way he writes people off. MacArthur, in particular, was poorly behaved and Truman never liked him. Truman “expressed ‘little regard or respect’ for MacArthur, called him a ‘supreme egotist’ who thought himself ‘something of a God.” 793 He later referred to him in his diary as “Mr. Prima Donna, Brass Hat, Five Star MacArthur… Don’t see how a country can produce such me as Robert E. Lee, John J. Pershing, Eisenhower, and Bradley and at the same time produce Custers, Pattons, and MacArthurs.”

He felt borderline the same way about Eisenhower. While Eisenhower wasn’t as bad, he did campaign with Senator McCarthy and basically tell political lies fomenting the concerns about communism. He even stood idle while McCarthy lambasted his mentor and all-around stellar person General George Marshall. Truman, who valued loyalty perhaps above all else, was so disturbed by this he never forgave Eisenhower and didn’t talk to him until his inauguration.

Conclusion

As I stopped at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, MO on my cross-country move, the following quote from Truman is painted on the wall:

Readers of good books, particularly books of biography and history, are preparing themselves for leadership. Not all readers become leaders, but all leaders must be readers.

I think Truman would be proud that his biography would yield 280,000 words of leadership preparation.

Random Quotes I Enjoyed

On Mamma Truman’s visit to Washington. “Oh, fiddlesticks!’ she exclaimed, seeing how many had turned out to meet her…. Margaret asked Mamma teasingly if she would like to sleep in the Lincoln bed. Mamm, her confederate blood rising, said if that was the choice she would prefer the floor.” 385

On Bess as taskmaster of the White House: “This time she waited until morning to complain to J. B. West. They were the worst old-fashioned she had ever tasted. She and the President did not care for fruit punch. West spoke to Fields, who, the thrid night, his pride hurt, poured her a double bourbon on ice and stood by waiting for the reaction as the First Lady took a sip. ‘Now that’s the way we like our old-fashioneds,’ she said smiling.” 386

“In addition, there was the example of General Marshall, who lent every one confidence and raised morale, not just at the State Department but throughout the administration. ‘Gentlemen, enlisted men may be entitled to morale problems, but officers are not,’ Marshall would tell those who served with him. ‘I expect all officers in this department to take care of their own morale. No one is taking care of my morale.’ Morale improved steadily.” 560

“At their first meeting, as Truman remembered, he had not known how to pronounce ‘Chaim.’ ‘So I called him ‘Cham.’ He like it. He was a wonderful man, one of the wisest people I think I ever met… a leader, one of the kind you read about.” 604

On his 1948 campaign, he kept introducing Bess as “the boss.” Bess never tolerated nonsense and kept Truman in check. “It was shortly after this that Bess told the candidate that if he called her ‘the Boss’ one more time, she would get off the train.” 690

“With the city in flames, the commanding general of the 24th Division, William F. Dean, disappeared, reportedly last seen trying to stop an enemy tank with his Army .45 revolver.” 788

MacArthur called the amphibious assault on Inchon a “5000 to 1 shot” and still pushed for it! Crazy. 797

“All in all the father of the bride is a pitiable creature. No one bothers with him at all. He is always in the way — a sort of backward child — humored but not participating in the big decisions. His only comfort is a bottle of good bourbon. Have you plenty on hand?” from a letter from Acheson to Truman, 951.