What a great biography of a great man and a great President! I enjoyed it as much the second time around as the first back in (I think) 1997.
So much happened during his Presidency. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan is controversial to this day. McCullough makes the case that Truman did the right thing under the circumstances. You have to keep in mind the circumstances, the possibility of an all-out land invasion of Japan which would cost maybe 250,000 American lives and more Japanese lives. The world is a dirty place in particular during wars.
The Truman Doctrine saving Greece and Turkey is accepted today as the right thing. NATO and the GI Bill were momentous. Seizing the steel mills was a mistake, one of Truman's few mistakes. The so-called corruption during his latter years is hard for me to evaluate. Truman's handling of the Berlin airlift is universally praised.
His intervention in Korea was the right thing to do. As always happens, Americans at first tend to back military action but the people turn against it when it drags on and on. Korea led to his low popularity ratings by the end of his Presidency.
Today HST is considered one of our greatest Presidents. Truman and FDR saved Western Civilization. Doubt it not!
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