North and South Korea had different government manifestos where the former was communist and the latter anticommunist, aligned with America. These actions by Truman shaped the relationship the U.S had with other countries. Truman feared that his fierce reactions might lead the country into a nuclear war, which would adversely affect its stability. According to him, the resolution was the most ideal as opposed to undertaking the use of the atomic bomb (McCullough 254).

However hard the decision was, Truman felt it was the most important choice he ever made during his tenure. Following this incident, Truman had to make the most difficult decision to call on Korea in 1950. When 260,000 Chinese troops stormed Korea, it was one of the hardest times in his tenure. Throughout his leadership, he was known as a man who never reprimanded subordinates. He assertively made the decisions, which let the country win the Second World War.Īccording to David McCullough, in his term as the president, Truman had to make some tough decisions to safeguard the country’s interests. Even though he was not conscious of his predecessor’s military secrets and war strategy, Truman accepted the job with enthusiasm. This shows that he was fully cognizant of the fact that a difficult task lay ahead of him. He likens the incident to a load of hay falling on him and further says that the news of Roosevelt’s death made him feel as if the moon, stars, and the planets had fallen on him. As reported in the article, Truman at first expressed fears when he learned about Roosevelt’s death by telling some reporters to pray for him as he prepared to assume the top leadership (McCullough 252).

From this article, it is evident that Truman faced serious challenges, which called for candid decisions on behalf of the country. This essay will examine the experiences and choices Truman had to take in crucial matters facing America during his tenure as president.ĭavid McCullough’s article, “Harry Truman: One Tough Son-of –a Bitch of a Man,” gives an account of Truman’s experiences in the office. Assuming the presidency office in such an expected manner at the moment when the country was facing myriad threats was definitely a daunting task. His appointment was a big surprise not only to him but also to the majority of American citizens. According to many people’s opinion, Truman did not possess the relevant executive experience to qualify for holding the highest position in the country. As it is recorded in historical accounts, Truman had only two-one-on-one with his predecessor, meaning that he had limited first-hand knowledge on how his predecessors directed matters of the country (Foner 909). His swearing-in as the president was in line with the country’s Constitution, which allows the vice president to be sworn in as the president following the latter’s demise. Harry Truman assumed office as the 33rd president of America after the death of Franklin Roosevelt.

Truman by david mccullough summary