Everyone knew that FDR was in bad health, but it was still a shock when he died. Did any President inherit more problems that HST?
The war was winding down but the postwar problems were just beginning. Truman was informed of the atomic bomb for the first time. Roosevelt did not keep Truman abreast of what was going on as he should have.
It's eerie to read about the Potsdam conference. I had forgotten how long it lasted. The atomic bomb was tested and close to getting ready to use. Truman made his decision and based on McCullough's analysis he made the right decision though the decision has been debated ever since.
The book presents an arresting picture of Stalin. This quiet little man was one of the great if not not the greatest mass murderer of the 20th Century. He killed literally millions of people. It seems that nothing could have been done about Soviet advances into Eastern Europe. Truman thought he could deal with Stalin. Truman was naive. He thought he could reason with Uncle Joe. Perhaps Truman didn't understand what he was dealing with.
Churchill's Conservative Party was defeated by Labor. Sir Winston lost his job while at Potsdam.
Labor troubles beset the country after the war. The President broke the threatened railroad strike by threatening the strikers with being drafted into the army. The matter was settled while Truman was addressing Congress. The coal strike ended soon thereafter. A railroad workers strike would have devastated the economy.
After seeming bewildered and wishy-washy, HST suddenly seemed strong and totally in charge.
On P. 511 I enjoy McCullough's description of HST as a poker player. He enjoyed the game win or lose.
However, his troubles continued. By the first week of October, 1946, his approval rating had dipped to 32%. It's amazing how many ups and downs HST had during his Presidency.
P. 523 Republicans swept the '46 election, taking both houses of Congress for the first time since before the election. Truman stayed out of the election due to his unpopularity. Yet the election result emboldened Truman and he grew strong in 1947.
P. 542-43 Truman was the first American President to visit Mexico. That in itself is amazing given that this is the country on our Southern border. And his visit to the monument honoring 6 brave Mexicans from the US-Mexican War in 1847 in effect apologizing to the Mexican people! Can you imagine the outrage of the Republicans if a Democratic President did this today???
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