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TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM:
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Narrator:
IN THE FALL OF 1945,
AMERICA WAS STILL CELEBRATING
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00:00:19,889 --> 00:00:24,858
THE END OF THE GREATEST WAR
IN HISTORY...
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AND HARRY S. TRUMAN WAS
THE UNLIKELY LEADER
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00:00:28,197 --> 00:00:30,898
OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST NATION.
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00:00:42,345 --> 00:00:44,778
"NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS,"
TRUMAN WROTE
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00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,748
"DID I EVER THINK
OR WISH FOR SUCH A POSITION."
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00:00:47,850 --> 00:00:51,652
McCullough:
HE CAME FROM
AN OBSCURE BACKGROUND
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00:00:51,754 --> 00:00:55,456
WITHOUT MONEY, WITHOUT
THE PRIVILEGE OF EDUCATION
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00:00:55,558 --> 00:00:59,526
WITH NO SENSE THAT
HE IS A FIGURE OF DESTINY
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00:00:59,628 --> 00:01:01,295
TO BECOME IN HIS LIFETIME
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00:01:01,397 --> 00:01:03,477
THE MOST POWERFUL
HUMAN BEING ON EARTH.
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00:01:03,532 --> 00:01:06,967
Narrator:
HE WAS ONLY
A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE
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00:01:07,069 --> 00:01:08,503
A FARMER UNTIL HE WAS 33
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00:01:08,605 --> 00:01:10,571
A HABERDASHER
GONE BANKRUPT AT 38.
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00:01:10,673 --> 00:01:14,741
NO ONE IN WASHINGTON
HAD EVER HEARD OF HARRY TRUMAN
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00:01:14,843 --> 00:01:16,177
BEFORE HE WAS 50.
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Man:
HERE WAS A LITTLE HABERDASHER
FROM MISSOURI
24
00:01:20,750 --> 00:01:22,483
A SMALL BUSINESSMAN.
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00:01:22,585 --> 00:01:26,320
FOR HIM TO STEP INTO THE SHOES
OF THE GREAT F.D.R.
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00:01:26,422 --> 00:01:30,357
THERE WAS AN ENORMOUS
FEELING OF LETDOWN.
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Narrator:
AMERICANS HAD DOUBTED
HARRY TRUMAN
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AND HARRY TRUMAN
HAD DOUBTED HIMSELF.
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00:01:40,336 --> 00:01:46,240
BUT THEY HAD RALLIED BEHIND HIM,
AND HE HAD LED THEM TO VICTORY.
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00:01:52,915 --> 00:01:55,415
BUT NOW,
EVEN AS AMERICANS CELEBRATED
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00:01:55,517 --> 00:02:00,655
THEIR PATRIOTIC HARMONY
WAS BEGINNING TO COME APART.
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00:02:01,891 --> 00:02:06,860
TRUMAN WOULD FIND IT EASIER
TO LEAD THE COUNTRY IN WAR
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00:02:06,962 --> 00:02:09,129
THAN TO GOVERN IT IN PEACE.
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00:02:09,232 --> 00:02:14,401
HE WOULD SAY, "SHERMAN
WAS WRONG: PEACE IS HELL."
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00:02:35,892 --> 00:02:39,493
Narrator:
12 MILLION G.I.s
WERE COMING HOME.
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00:02:39,595 --> 00:02:42,729
THEY WANTED JOBS
AND HOUSES AND CARS...
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00:02:42,832 --> 00:02:46,433
COFFEE, BUTTER
AND MEAT ON THE TABLE.
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00:02:46,535 --> 00:02:48,936
AFTER YEARS OF GOING WITHOUT
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00:02:49,038 --> 00:02:53,040
THEY LONGED TO GET ON
WITH THEIR LIVES.
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00:02:53,142 --> 00:02:54,508
BUT HARRY TRUMAN KNEW
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00:02:54,610 --> 00:02:57,210
HE COULDN'T GIVE THEM
ALL THEY WANTED.
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00:02:57,312 --> 00:03:01,949
Man:
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE A PRESIDENT
HAVING MORE ON HIS SHOULDERS
43
00:03:02,051 --> 00:03:03,584
THAN PRESIDENT TRUMAN DID
44
00:03:03,686 --> 00:03:06,120
IN THOSE DAYS
AFTER THE END OF THE WAR.
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00:03:06,222 --> 00:03:08,289
THE WHOLE THING CAME DOWN
ON HIS HEAD.
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00:03:08,391 --> 00:03:12,459
THERE HAD NOT BEEN PLANNING
VERY WELL ON POSTWAR POLICY
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00:03:12,561 --> 00:03:16,263
BECAUSE THE ECONOMISTS
HAD BEEN GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND
48
00:03:16,365 --> 00:03:20,033
THAT THE WAR MIGHT LAST
UNTIL 1946 IN ANY CASE...
49
00:03:20,136 --> 00:03:21,501
THE WAR WITH JAPAN.
50
00:03:21,603 --> 00:03:26,006
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ATOMIC BOMB
THREW EVERYTHING OUT OF KILTER.
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Narrator:
FOR FOUR LONG YEARS,
AMERICANS EVERYWHERE
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00:03:30,413 --> 00:03:34,448
HAD WORKED TOGETHER
TO FIGHT AND DEFEAT FASCISM.
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00:03:34,550 --> 00:03:39,220
NOW THAT SPIRIT OF COOPERATION
HAD VANISHED.
54
00:03:42,258 --> 00:03:47,294
LABOR AND BUSINESS WERE ONCE
AGAIN AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS.
55
00:03:50,366 --> 00:03:54,201
THE GOVERNMENT HAD KEPT
A TIGHT LID ON WAGES AND PRICES
56
00:03:54,303 --> 00:03:58,138
AND IN RETURN, THE UNIONS
HAD AGREED NOT TO STRIKE.
57
00:03:58,241 --> 00:04:00,941
NOW, THEIR PATRIOTIC
SACRIFICE OVER
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00:04:01,043 --> 00:04:03,143
WORKERS WALKED OFF THE JOB.
59
00:04:03,245 --> 00:04:04,478
THEY WANTED HIGHER WAGES
60
00:04:04,580 --> 00:04:08,382
AND THEY WANTED TRUMAN
TO HOLD THE LINE ON PRICES.
61
00:04:08,484 --> 00:04:14,822
Reuther:
THE EXPECTATIONS
OF WORKING PEOPLE ZOOMED
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00:04:14,924 --> 00:04:17,290
TO MAKE UP FOR
ALL THE YEARS THAT WERE LOST.
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00:04:17,393 --> 00:04:21,361
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU KEEP PEOPLE
IN A STRAITJACKET
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00:04:21,463 --> 00:04:26,333
FOR AS MANY YEARS AS THE WAR
LASTED, YOU HAVE AN EXPLOSION.
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00:04:26,436 --> 00:04:30,737
Narrator:
TRUMAN WAS DETERMINED
TO KEEP PRICES FROM RISING
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00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:34,040
BUT FACING INCREASING PRESSURE
FROM BUSINESSMEN
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00:04:34,142 --> 00:04:37,778
WHO WANTED TO SET PRICES
THEMSELVES, TRUMAN WAVERED.
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00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,514
HE HELD THE LINE ON SOME PRICES
AND LET OTHERS GO UP.
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00:04:41,617 --> 00:04:46,320
Man:
HE DOESN'T GIVE THE COUNTRY
ANY SENSE OF DIRECTION
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00:04:46,422 --> 00:04:47,921
AND HE COMES TO BE THE PERSON
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00:04:48,023 --> 00:04:51,692
THAT A PUBLIC FED UP WITH
ONE STRIKE AFTER ANOTHER
72
00:04:51,794 --> 00:04:53,594
BLAMES FOR LABOR DISORDER.
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00:04:53,696 --> 00:04:55,774
Narrator:
BUT THE PRESIDENT WAS DETERMINED
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00:04:55,798 --> 00:04:59,800
TO PROVE THAT HE COULD LEAD THE
NATION, THAT HE COULD CARRY ON
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00:04:59,902 --> 00:05:03,371
IN THE TRADITION
OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT.
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00:05:03,473 --> 00:05:07,507
TRUMAN PROPOSED AN INCREASE
IN THE MINIMUM WAGE
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00:05:07,609 --> 00:05:08,909
AID FOR HOUSING
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00:05:09,011 --> 00:05:13,246
AND A BILL FOR THE FIRST
PREPAID MEDICAL INSURANCE
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00:05:13,349 --> 00:05:15,549
IN THE NATION'S HISTORY.
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00:05:15,651 --> 00:05:17,718
BUT A COALITION OF REPUBLICANS
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00:05:17,820 --> 00:05:20,553
AND CONSERVATIVE
SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS
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00:05:20,656 --> 00:05:22,288
REFUSED HIM EVERYTHING.
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00:05:22,391 --> 00:05:27,461
THE PRESIDENCY, TRUMAN WROTE,
WAS "LIKE RIDING A TIGER.
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00:05:27,563 --> 00:05:32,666
A MAN HAS TO KEEP ON RIDING
OR BE SWALLOWED."
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00:05:39,641 --> 00:05:42,376
CHRISTMAS MORNING, 1945.
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00:05:42,478 --> 00:05:48,214
TRUMAN WOKE TO FIND THE CAPITAL
COVERED IN ICE AND SNOW.
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00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,755
BESS AND MARGARET
WERE IN INDEPENDENCE
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00:05:54,857 --> 00:05:57,525
AND THE PRESIDENT MISSED THEM.
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00:05:57,626 --> 00:06:00,628
Man:
I'VE NEVER KNOWN AN INDIVIDUAL
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00:06:00,730 --> 00:06:03,964
WHO LOVED HIS WIFE
AND HIS DAUGHTER
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00:06:04,066 --> 00:06:05,766
AND HIS FAMILY SO DEEPLY
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00:06:05,868 --> 00:06:08,436
BUT THEY, OF COURSE,
WERE ALWAYS INTERESTED
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00:06:08,538 --> 00:06:13,006
IN TRYING TO GET EXCUSES
TO GO BACK TO INDEPENDENCE.
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00:06:15,144 --> 00:06:17,745
Narrator:
ANXIOUS TO SEE HIS FAMILY
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00:06:17,847 --> 00:06:20,647
DESPERATE TO ESCAPE
THE TURMOIL IN WASHINGTON
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00:06:20,749 --> 00:06:23,950
HE ORDERED THE PRESIDENTIAL
PLANE TO FLY HIM HOME.
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00:06:24,053 --> 00:06:28,055
EDITORIALS WOULD CALL THE FLIGHT
"FOOLHARDY," "ABSURD"
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00:06:28,157 --> 00:06:32,092
"ONE OF THE MOST HAZARDOUS
SENTIMENTAL JOURNEYS
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00:06:32,194 --> 00:06:34,862
EVER UNDERTAKEN."
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00:06:36,965 --> 00:06:43,270
THE PLANE, BUFFETED BY SLEET
AND SNOW, ARRIVED AN HOUR LATE.
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00:06:46,141 --> 00:06:50,544
Hamby:
WHEN HE FINALLY GETS
TO THE WALLACE HOUSE
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00:06:50,646 --> 00:06:54,615
ON DELAWARE STREET,
BESS IS FURIOUS AT HIM
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00:06:54,717 --> 00:06:57,484
FOR TAKING SO LONG
TO GET OUT THERE
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00:06:57,586 --> 00:07:01,221
FOR TAKING, UH...
SUCH A BIG RISK.
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00:07:02,491 --> 00:07:04,325
Narrator:
THREE DAYS LATER
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00:07:04,426 --> 00:07:10,163
BACK IN WASHINGTON, FORLORN,
TRUMAN WROTE BESS A LETTER:
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00:07:10,265 --> 00:07:12,899
"WELL, I'M HERE
IN THE WHITE HOUSE...
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00:07:13,002 --> 00:07:18,205
"THE GREAT WHITE SEPULCHER
OF AMBITIONS AND REPUTATIONS...
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00:07:18,307 --> 00:07:22,409
"YOU CAN NEVER APPRECIATE
WHAT IT MEANS TO COME HOME
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00:07:22,511 --> 00:07:23,877
"AS I DID THE OTHER EVENING
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00:07:23,979 --> 00:07:28,382
"AFTER DOING AT LEAST A HUNDRED
THINGS I DIDN'T WANT TO DO
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00:07:28,484 --> 00:07:31,151
"AND HAVE THE ONLY PERSON
IN THE WORLD
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00:07:31,253 --> 00:07:33,787
"WHOSE APPROVAL
AND GOOD OPINION I VALUE
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00:07:33,890 --> 00:07:38,558
LOOK AT ME LIKE I'M SOMETHING
THE CAT DRAGGED IN."
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00:07:40,930 --> 00:07:45,165
HE FINISHED THE LETTER,
BUT BESS NEVER GOT IT.
116
00:07:45,267 --> 00:07:50,671
HE LEFT IT TUCKED
DEEP INSIDE HIS DESK DRAWER.
117
00:08:00,916 --> 00:08:05,052
THE NEW YEAR BROUGHT
A NEW WAVE OF STRIKES...
118
00:08:05,154 --> 00:08:09,722
5,000 BEFORE THE YEAR WAS OVER.
119
00:08:12,895 --> 00:08:16,530
AS A DEMOCRAT, TRUMAN
NEEDED UNION SUPPORT
120
00:08:16,632 --> 00:08:19,433
BUT HE HAD REMOVED
THE LID ON PRICES
121
00:08:19,535 --> 00:08:23,804
APPEASING BUSINESSMEN,
AND THE UNIONS WERE ANGRY.
122
00:08:23,906 --> 00:08:26,773
THE COST OF ALMOST EVERYTHING
SKYROCKETED
123
00:08:26,875 --> 00:08:29,242
AND WORKING MEN
AND WOMEN DEMANDED
124
00:08:29,345 --> 00:08:30,711
THAT THEIR WAGES KEEP UP.
125
00:08:30,813 --> 00:08:34,047
AT ONE POINT, MORE THAN
A MILLION WORKERS
126
00:08:34,149 --> 00:08:37,851
WALKED OFF THE JOB
AT THE SAME TIME.
127
00:08:40,189 --> 00:08:45,025
TRUMAN BELIEVED THAT THE UNIONS
WERE HOLDING THE COUNTRY HOSTAGE
128
00:08:45,127 --> 00:08:46,694
AND PERSONALLY BETRAYING HIM.
129
00:08:46,795 --> 00:08:51,064
Reuther:
WHILE HARRY SUPPORTED LABOR
AND THE RIGHT TO STRIKE
130
00:08:51,166 --> 00:08:54,034
HE WAS NEVER HAPPY
WHEN THERE WAS A STRIKE.
131
00:08:54,136 --> 00:08:56,670
HE WAS SEEING IT
AS A SMALL BUSINESSMAN
132
00:08:56,772 --> 00:08:59,139
AND IT COULD WRECK
A SMALL BUSINESS.
133
00:08:59,241 --> 00:09:01,541
HE JUST DIDN'T LIKE
STRIKES OF ANY KIND
134
00:09:01,643 --> 00:09:04,344
AND HE WAS
VERY FRANK ABOUT THAT.
135
00:09:05,781 --> 00:09:09,716
Narrator:
THEN, IN MAY,
THE RAILWAY WORKERS WENT OUT
136
00:09:09,818 --> 00:09:12,586
FORCING THE COUNTRY
TO A STANDSTILL.
137
00:09:12,688 --> 00:09:16,256
TRUMAN WAS FURIOUS.
138
00:09:16,358 --> 00:09:19,793
WHILE NEGOTIATORS SEARCHED
FOR A COMPROMISE
139
00:09:19,895 --> 00:09:21,762
A FRUSTRATED TRUMAN PROPOSED
140
00:09:21,864 --> 00:09:24,498
A SOLUTION NO PRESIDENT
HAD EVER DARED:
141
00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:29,069
HE THREATENED TO DRAFT
THE STRIKING RAILWAY WORKERS
142
00:09:29,171 --> 00:09:30,370
INTO THE ARMY.
143
00:09:30,472 --> 00:09:34,508
THAT KIND OF A THREAT WASN'T
EVEN MADE DURING THE WAR!
144
00:09:34,610 --> 00:09:37,911
AND I THINK EVERYONE
IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT
145
00:09:38,013 --> 00:09:39,512
WERE QUITE SHOCKED BY THAT
146
00:09:39,615 --> 00:09:44,251
BUT THEY FELT, "WELL, THIS IS
AN OFF-THE-CUFF TRUMAN THREAT
147
00:09:44,353 --> 00:09:46,786
BUT HE WON'T
CARRY THROUGH ON THAT."
148
00:09:46,888 --> 00:09:49,356
Narrator:
BUT TRUMAN STUCK BY HIS PLAN.
149
00:09:49,458 --> 00:09:54,428
WHEN HIS ATTORNEY GENERAL
QUESTIONED ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY
150
00:09:54,530 --> 00:09:55,962
TRUMAN TOLD HIM
151
00:09:56,064 --> 00:09:59,166
"WE'LL DRAFT 'EM
AND THINK ABOUT THE LAW LATER."
152
00:09:59,267 --> 00:10:04,338
McCullough:
IT WAS AS HIGH-HANDED,
AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL A MEASURE
153
00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:05,772
AS IMAGINABLE.
154
00:10:05,874 --> 00:10:09,576
BUT HE MEANT IT, BECAUSE
HE SAW THE COUNTRY BEING...
155
00:10:09,678 --> 00:10:13,413
THE VERY LIFE OF THE COUNTRY
AT STAKE.
156
00:10:16,718 --> 00:10:20,921
Narrator:
NEVER BEFORE HAD THERE BEEN
A TOTAL NATIONWIDE RAIL STRIKE.
157
00:10:21,023 --> 00:10:25,159
MORE THAN
17,000 PASSENGER TRAINS...
158
00:10:25,260 --> 00:10:28,462
24,000 FREIGHT TRAINS...
159
00:10:28,564 --> 00:10:32,266
NEARLY ALL OF THEM
HAD STOPPED RUNNING.
160
00:10:32,368 --> 00:10:34,901
THE COUNTRY WAS PARALYZED.
161
00:10:35,003 --> 00:10:38,905
TELEGRAMS FLOODED
THE WHITE HOUSE:
162
00:10:39,007 --> 00:10:40,407
"ZERO HOUR IS HERE."
163
00:10:40,509 --> 00:10:42,175
"WHO IS TO RULE OUR NATION?"
164
00:10:42,277 --> 00:10:46,246
"WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND ACT
IN THIS NATIONAL CRISIS?"
165
00:10:46,348 --> 00:10:48,515
"LESS TALK AND MORE ACTION."
166
00:10:48,617 --> 00:10:51,584
Hamby:
TRUMAN'S ANNOYED AT CRITICISM.
167
00:10:51,687 --> 00:10:55,188
HE THINKS PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING
HIM SERIOUSLY ENOUGH
168
00:10:55,290 --> 00:10:56,890
AND MAYBE HE'S STILL GOT
169
00:10:56,992 --> 00:10:58,992
THIS SNEAKING SUSPICION
TO OVERCOME
170
00:10:59,094 --> 00:11:00,638
THAT HE'S NOT QUITE
UP TO THE JOB.
171
00:11:00,662 --> 00:11:06,967
TRUMAN FACED EVERY NEW CHALLENGE
WITH FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY.
172
00:11:07,069 --> 00:11:10,003
THIS LEADS TO A BUILDUP OF ANGER
173
00:11:10,105 --> 00:11:12,806
THAT ERUPTS EVERY
ONCE IN A WHILE
174
00:11:12,908 --> 00:11:18,044
WITH PARTICULARLY VIVID
CONSEQUENCES IN THE PRESIDENCY.
175
00:11:18,147 --> 00:11:22,149
Narrator:
DEEPLY TROUBLED, TRUMAN
SAT DOWN AT HIS DESK
176
00:11:22,251 --> 00:11:25,251
AND DRAFTED
ONE OF THE STRANGEST SPEECHES
177
00:11:25,353 --> 00:11:27,587
EVER TO COME
FROM A PRESIDENT'S PEN.
178
00:11:27,690 --> 00:11:31,592
"I AM TIRED OF GOVERNMENT
BEING FLOUTED," HE WROTE.
179
00:11:31,694 --> 00:11:34,460
"LET US GIVE THE COUNTRY
BACK TO THE PEOPLE
180
00:11:34,563 --> 00:11:39,632
"HANG A FEW TRAITORS, MAKE OUR
OWN COUNTRY SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY
181
00:11:39,734 --> 00:11:42,002
"TELL RUSSIA WHERE TO GET OFF...
182
00:11:42,104 --> 00:11:45,438
COME ON, BOYS,
LET'S DO THE JOB."
183
00:11:45,540 --> 00:11:47,085
Man:
HE CALLED ME AND SAID
184
00:11:47,109 --> 00:11:50,244
"I WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION
TO THIS SPEECH."
185
00:11:50,346 --> 00:11:55,682
AND I STARTED OUT,
AND I SAID, "OH, MY GOD...
186
00:11:55,784 --> 00:11:59,085
THIS IS THE WORST I EVER SAW."
187
00:11:59,187 --> 00:12:05,025
I BELIEVE IT WAS HIS WAY
OF LETTING OFF STEAM.
188
00:12:05,127 --> 00:12:06,693
AND I FINALLY ASKED HIM, SAID
189
00:12:06,795 --> 00:12:08,673
"DO YOU INTEND TO GIVE
THAT SPEECH?"
190
00:12:08,697 --> 00:12:11,831
AND HE SAID, "WELL,
NOT QUITE THIS SPEECH."
191
00:12:14,703 --> 00:12:16,570
Narrator:
ON MAY 25, 1946
192
00:12:16,672 --> 00:12:19,706
EVEN WHILE NEGOTIATIONS
TO SETTLE THE STRIKE CONTINUED
193
00:12:19,808 --> 00:12:24,410
THE PRESIDENT WENT BEFORE
A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS.
194
00:12:26,514 --> 00:12:32,385
THIS IS NO LONGER A DISPUTE
BETWEEN LABOR AND MANAGEMENT.
195
00:12:32,487 --> 00:12:33,686
IT HAS NOW BECOME A STRIKE
196
00:12:33,788 --> 00:12:37,790
AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
OF THE UNITED STATES ITSELF.
197
00:12:41,062 --> 00:12:43,429
I REQUEST THE CONGRESS
IMMEDIATELY
198
00:12:43,532 --> 00:12:44,730
TO AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT
199
00:12:44,833 --> 00:12:48,068
TO DRAFT INTO THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES
200
00:12:48,170 --> 00:12:52,072
ALL WORKERS WHO ARE ON STRIKE
AGAINST THEIR GOVERNMENT.
201
00:12:52,174 --> 00:12:55,575
Clifford:
HE WAS GETTING TO THE CRESCENDO
202
00:12:55,678 --> 00:12:57,010
AND I GOT A CALL
203
00:12:57,112 --> 00:13:00,814
THAT SAID, "THE RAILROAD STRIKE
HAS BEEN SETTLED."
204
00:13:00,916 --> 00:13:02,582
AND I WROTE ON A PIECE OF PAPER
205
00:13:02,685 --> 00:13:06,052
AND I TOOK IT TO LES BIFFLE,
THE SECRETARY
206
00:13:06,155 --> 00:13:09,055
AND LES THEN TAKES IT UP.
207
00:13:09,157 --> 00:13:12,292
ENORMOUSLY DRAMATIC.
208
00:13:14,629 --> 00:13:17,097
WORD HAS JUST BEEN RECEIVED
209
00:13:17,199 --> 00:13:19,633
THAT THE RAIL STRIKE
HAS BEEN SETTLED
210
00:13:19,735 --> 00:13:22,502
ON TERMS PROPOSED
BY THE PRESIDENT.
211
00:13:26,007 --> 00:13:28,809
GREAT CHEERS, GREAT CHEERS.
212
00:13:28,911 --> 00:13:32,713
IT WAS... THEY WORKED OUT
THE DETAILS AFTERWARD
213
00:13:32,815 --> 00:13:35,515
AND THE RAILROADS WERE RUNNING.
214
00:13:44,126 --> 00:13:46,826
Narrator:
THE STRIKE WAS OVER.
215
00:13:46,929 --> 00:13:50,029
BUT TRUMAN HAD PAID
A HIGH PRICE.
216
00:13:50,131 --> 00:13:51,898
HIS GUT RESPONSE HAD COST HIM
217
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,668
THE SUPPORT OF THE UNIONS
HE SO DESPERATELY NEEDED.
218
00:13:55,770 --> 00:14:02,642
Hamby:
THE LABOR LEADERS AND THE
LIBERALS IN GENERAL ARE SHOCKED
219
00:14:02,744 --> 00:14:06,046
HORRIFIED, NOT WITHOUT REASON.
220
00:14:06,148 --> 00:14:07,314
AND FROM THIS POINT ON
221
00:14:07,416 --> 00:14:11,084
IT IS GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY TOUGH FOR TRUMAN
222
00:14:11,186 --> 00:14:14,354
TO DRUM UP
LABOR-LIBERAL ENTHUSIASM
223
00:14:14,456 --> 00:14:19,659
FOR THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET
IN THE '46 ELECTIONS.
224
00:14:21,563 --> 00:14:23,663
Narrator:
THE 1946 MIDTERM ELECTIONS
225
00:14:23,765 --> 00:14:27,233
WOULD BE, FOR TRUMAN,
A DISASTER.
226
00:14:27,335 --> 00:14:32,372
REPUBLICANS BLAMED THE PRESIDENT
FOR AMERICA'S PROBLEMS
227
00:14:32,474 --> 00:14:36,043
AND MOST AMERICANS
SEEMED TO AGREE.
228
00:14:37,045 --> 00:14:39,646
TRUMAN'S POPULARITY PLUMMETED.
229
00:14:39,748 --> 00:14:44,484
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT TRUMAN
REALLY HITS ROCK BOTTOM
230
00:14:44,586 --> 00:14:46,286
IN THE 1946 CAMPAIGN.
231
00:14:46,388 --> 00:14:48,421
FOR AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE
232
00:14:48,524 --> 00:14:52,659
HE'S STILL VERY MUCH
IN THE SHADOW OF F.D.R.
233
00:14:52,761 --> 00:14:54,801
McCullough:
HE WASN'T COPING VERY WELL
234
00:14:54,896 --> 00:14:57,998
AND PEOPLE WERE BEGINNING
TO MAKE FUN OF HIM:
235
00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:00,200
"TO ERR IS TRUMAN."
236
00:15:00,301 --> 00:15:02,135
"I'M JUST MILD ABOUT HARRY."
237
00:15:02,237 --> 00:15:03,370
THERE WERE PERIODS THERE
238
00:15:03,472 --> 00:15:07,274
WHEN TRUMAN DIDN'T
LOOK UP TO THE JOB.
239
00:15:07,376 --> 00:15:11,044
REPUBLICANS WOULD SAY,
YEAH, HE WAS A LITTLE MAN
240
00:15:11,146 --> 00:15:13,446
CAME OUT OF NOWHERE,
THE HABERDASHER.
241
00:15:13,548 --> 00:15:17,684
Narrator:
THERE WERE SHORTAGES
OF PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING:
242
00:15:17,786 --> 00:15:19,285
BREAD, MEAT, HOUSING.
243
00:15:19,387 --> 00:15:23,757
AND INFLATION WAS THREATENING
TO UNDERMINE THE ECONOMY.
244
00:15:23,859 --> 00:15:28,895
PRICES HAD SHOT UP SIX PERCENT
IN A SINGLE MONTH.
245
00:15:28,997 --> 00:15:32,732
WAS THAT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS
OF POTENTIAL DEMOCRATIC VOTERS
246
00:15:32,834 --> 00:15:34,512
PEOPLE WHO HAD VOTED
FOR ROOSEVELT
247
00:15:34,536 --> 00:15:37,637
THEY SAID, "TO HECK WITH IT,
THEY BUNGLED IT."
248
00:15:37,739 --> 00:15:40,640
AND THE REPUBLICANS SAID,
"HAD ENOUGH?"
249
00:15:40,742 --> 00:15:42,141
THAT WAS THEIR SLOGAN.
250
00:15:42,244 --> 00:15:43,843
PEOPLE AGREED WITH THEM.
251
00:15:43,945 --> 00:15:45,578
TRUMAN GETS BLAMED.
252
00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:46,946
THEY STAY HOME.
253
00:15:47,048 --> 00:15:50,250
THE REPUBLICANS SWEEP TO POWER.
254
00:15:50,352 --> 00:15:53,297
Narrator:
THE REPUBLICANS WON CONTROL
OF THE SENATE
255
00:15:53,321 --> 00:15:58,157
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
EVEN THE STATE GOVERNORSHIPS.
256
00:15:58,259 --> 00:16:03,063
Lichtenstein:
THE ELECTIONS OF '46
WERE A REPUBLICAN SWEEP
257
00:16:03,165 --> 00:16:05,098
A HUGE TURNAROUND, AND WHY?
258
00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:07,145
NOT BECAUSE EVERYONE
VOTED REPUBLICAN
259
00:16:07,169 --> 00:16:09,502
BUT BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS,
THE NEW DEALERS
260
00:16:09,604 --> 00:16:11,582
THE LABOR PEOPLE...
THEY STAYED HOME.
261
00:16:11,606 --> 00:16:14,741
Narrator:
DISCREDITED BY HIS OWN PARTY
262
00:16:14,843 --> 00:16:17,010
VOTED DOWN
BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
263
00:16:17,112 --> 00:16:23,850
HARRY TRUMAN, PUNDITS WERE
SAYING, WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT.
264
00:16:29,958 --> 00:16:31,991
THE DISASTROUS ELECTION OVER
265
00:16:32,093 --> 00:16:38,031
TRUMAN FLED TO HIS VACATION
HIDEAWAY ON FLORIDA'S KEY WEST.
266
00:16:38,133 --> 00:16:41,401
"DEAR BESS,
I'M SEEING NO OUTSIDERS.
267
00:16:41,503 --> 00:16:44,204
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN
HOW PUT OUT THEY GET.
268
00:16:44,306 --> 00:16:48,175
"I'M DOING AS I DAMN PLEASE
FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS
269
00:16:48,276 --> 00:16:50,176
"AND TO HELL WITH ALL OF THEM.
270
00:16:50,278 --> 00:16:54,414
"THE ONLY REGRET I HAVE
IS THAT YOU ARE NOT HERE.
271
00:16:54,516 --> 00:16:57,017
"YOU KNOW, I GUESS
I'M A DAMN FOOL
272
00:16:57,119 --> 00:17:00,086
"BUT I'M HAPPIER
WHEN I CAN SEE YOU.
273
00:17:00,188 --> 00:17:01,888
"EVEN WHEN YOU GIVE ME HELL
274
00:17:01,990 --> 00:17:05,224
I'D RATHER HAVE YOU AROUND
THAN NOT."
275
00:17:05,326 --> 00:17:10,629
BESS CONTINUED TO SPEND
AS MUCH TIME AS SHE COULD
276
00:17:10,732 --> 00:17:15,769
WHEN ASKED HOW IT FELT
TO BE FIRST LADY, SHE REPLIED
277
00:17:15,871 --> 00:17:17,270
"SO-SO."
278
00:17:17,372 --> 00:17:20,573
SHE LOOKED, HER HUSBAND
SAID APPROVINGLY
279
00:17:20,675 --> 00:17:25,745
"EXACTLY AS A WOMAN OF HER AGE
SHOULD LOOK."
280
00:17:27,916 --> 00:17:29,115
WHEN BESS AND HARRY TRUMAN
281
00:17:29,217 --> 00:17:30,994
HAD FIRST MOVED
INTO THE WHITE HOUSE
282
00:17:31,018 --> 00:17:34,588
BESS'S MOTHER, MADGE WALLACE,
HAD MOVED IN, TOO.
283
00:17:34,689 --> 00:17:37,290
AFTER MORE THAN A QUARTER
OF A CENTURY
284
00:17:37,392 --> 00:17:41,161
SHE CONTINUED TO CALL
HER SON-IN-LAW "MR. TRUMAN."
285
00:17:41,263 --> 00:17:44,330
SHE DIDN'T CARE MUCH FOR
THE PRESIDENT, SHE NEVER DID.
286
00:17:44,432 --> 00:17:48,401
THAT WAS THE THING
THAT STICKS OUT IN MY MIND.
287
00:17:48,503 --> 00:17:51,571
BUT SHE JUST NEVER, NEVER...
WE COULD NEVER FIGURE IT OUT
288
00:17:51,673 --> 00:17:53,793
WHY SHE JUST DIDN'T CARE
FOR THE PRESIDENT.
289
00:17:53,842 --> 00:17:57,877
Man:
I THINK THAT SHE FELT
THAT MISS BESS WAS ABOVE HIM.
290
00:17:57,979 --> 00:18:04,151
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PRESIDENT,
HE WAS BENEATH MISS BESS.
291
00:18:04,253 --> 00:18:08,287
HE WAS A FAILURE
IN HIS HABERDASHERY.
292
00:18:08,389 --> 00:18:11,024
SHE WOULD TELL YOU.
293
00:18:11,126 --> 00:18:14,393
OH, SHE DIDN'T MIND
TELLING YOU
294
00:18:14,496 --> 00:18:17,663
THAT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
295
00:18:17,765 --> 00:18:23,302
THAT SHE DIDN'T CARE MUCH
FOR HIM OR FOR HIS MOTHER.
296
00:18:23,404 --> 00:18:26,906
I'M SORRY, BUT THAT'S
THE WAY IT WAS.
297
00:18:27,008 --> 00:18:29,543
Narrator:
AS 1947 BEGAN
298
00:18:29,645 --> 00:18:33,846
HARRY TRUMAN HAD BEEN PRESIDENT
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS.
299
00:18:33,948 --> 00:18:36,249
HUMILIATED IN
THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS
300
00:18:36,351 --> 00:18:39,418
HE HAD LITTLE HOPE
OF ADVANCING THE LEGACY
301
00:18:39,521 --> 00:18:41,287
OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT'S NEW DEAL
302
00:18:41,389 --> 00:18:45,959
THROUGH THE STUBBORN,
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS.
303
00:18:46,061 --> 00:18:47,894
BUT IN THE TWO YEARS TO COME
304
00:18:47,996 --> 00:18:50,429
THE PRESIDENT WHO HAD BEEN
REJECTED AT HOME
305
00:18:50,531 --> 00:18:55,368
WOULD MAKE DECISIONS THAT WOULD
DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE WORLD
306
00:18:55,470 --> 00:18:57,837
FOR THE NEXT HALF CENTURY.
307
00:19:00,876 --> 00:19:03,310
EUROPE WAS DEVASTATED.
308
00:19:05,146 --> 00:19:09,415
THE WAR HAD LEFT A CONTINENT
IN RUINS.
309
00:19:11,853 --> 00:19:14,321
AS POVERTY AND STARVATION SPREAD
310
00:19:14,423 --> 00:19:19,225
CHAOS THREATENED TO OVERWHELM
THE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES.
311
00:19:19,327 --> 00:19:23,196
SOME FEARED THE ELECTION
OF COMMUNIST GOVERNMENTS;
312
00:19:23,298 --> 00:19:27,400
OTHERS, STALIN
AND THE RED ARMY.
313
00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,743
THE RUSSIAN DICTATOR
REMAINED AN ENIGMA
314
00:19:36,844 --> 00:19:39,779
HIS INTENTIONS UNCLEAR.
315
00:19:39,881 --> 00:19:42,548
STALIN DID NOT YET HAVE
THE ATOMIC BOMB
316
00:19:42,650 --> 00:19:45,918
BUT THE SOVIET UNION WAS
A GREAT MILITARY POWER
317
00:19:46,020 --> 00:19:48,888
ITS ARMIES SPREAD
ACROSS EASTERN EUROPE
318
00:19:48,990 --> 00:19:54,360
POISED TO ENFORCE STALIN'S WILL.
319
00:19:54,462 --> 00:19:59,198
AT POTSDAM, TRUMAN HAD BEEN
IMPRESSED WITH STALIN
320
00:19:59,300 --> 00:20:01,233
EVEN LIKED THE MAN.
321
00:20:01,335 --> 00:20:06,640
WHEN THE WAR ENDED, THE
PRESIDENT, LIKE MOST AMERICANS
322
00:20:06,741 --> 00:20:11,077
THAT STALIN WOULD NOT IMPOSE
COMMUNISM ON EASTERN EUROPE.
323
00:20:11,179 --> 00:20:16,949
BUT TRUMAN'S OPTIMISM DWINDLED
AS HE SAW POLAND, ROMANIA
324
00:20:17,052 --> 00:20:20,186
YUGOSLAVIA, BULGARIA,
EAST GERMANY
325
00:20:20,288 --> 00:20:24,390
FALL BEHIND
A COMMUNIST IRON CURTAIN.
326
00:20:25,660 --> 00:20:29,629
THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE NOT
A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES.
327
00:20:29,731 --> 00:20:31,931
BUT IN THE BEGINNING OF 1946
328
00:20:32,033 --> 00:20:35,935
TRUMAN SAID HE WAS GROWING
TIRED BABYING THE SOVIETS.
329
00:20:36,037 --> 00:20:39,973
"I DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD PLAY
COMPROMISE ANY LONGER"
330
00:20:40,075 --> 00:20:41,974
HE WROTE HIS SECRETARY OF STATE.
331
00:20:42,076 --> 00:20:45,911
"UNLESS RUSSIA IS FACED
WITH AN IRON FIST
332
00:20:46,013 --> 00:20:48,748
ANOTHER WAR IS IN THE MAKING."
333
00:20:48,850 --> 00:20:50,817
ONE MONTH LATER, STALIN DECLARED
334
00:20:50,919 --> 00:20:54,987
THAT COMMUNISM AND CAPITALISM
WERE INCOMPATIBLE.
335
00:20:55,089 --> 00:20:58,224
HE CALLED WAR INEVITABLE.
336
00:20:58,327 --> 00:21:04,096
RUSSIA AND AMERICA WERE MOVING
INTO TWO OPPOSING CAMPS.
337
00:21:07,602 --> 00:21:11,771
THE TURNING POINT CAME
IN GREECE AND TURKEY
338
00:21:11,873 --> 00:21:16,743
WHERE TRUMAN FEARED
FURTHER COMMUNIST EXPANSION.
339
00:21:16,845 --> 00:21:17,965
IN A CIVIL WAR IN GREECE
340
00:21:18,046 --> 00:21:22,215
GREEK COMMUNISTS THREATENED
TO TOPPLE THE MONARCHY.
341
00:21:22,317 --> 00:21:26,486
IN TURKEY, THE SOVIET UNION
WAS DEMANDING CONTROL
342
00:21:26,587 --> 00:21:29,322
OF THE STRATEGIC
DARDANELLES STRAITS.
343
00:21:29,424 --> 00:21:32,692
TWO LOCAL CONFLICTS
WOULD BECOME THE CATALYST
344
00:21:32,794 --> 00:21:36,128
FOR A WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE
AGAINST COMMUNISM.
345
00:21:36,230 --> 00:21:37,709
Man:
I THINK AT THIS POINT
346
00:21:37,733 --> 00:21:42,235
TRUMAN BEGINS TO SEE STALIN
AS AN EXPANSIONIST DICTATOR.
347
00:21:42,337 --> 00:21:45,204
AND AT THAT POINT YOU CAN BEGIN
TO SEE TRUMAN CHANGE
348
00:21:45,306 --> 00:21:49,041
AND BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY THING
THAT THE SOVIETS UNDERSTAND
349
00:21:49,143 --> 00:21:51,577
AS HE SAYS, IS STRENGTH,
NOT NEGOTIATIONS.
350
00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,546
Narrator:
TRUMAN HAD CHANGED HIS MIND.
351
00:21:54,649 --> 00:21:57,550
NOW HE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE
THE MINDS
352
00:21:57,652 --> 00:22:00,653
OF STILL-AMBIVALENT AMERICANS.
353
00:22:01,556 --> 00:22:03,623
HE WOULD HAVE
TO CONVINCE CONGRESS
354
00:22:03,725 --> 00:22:06,058
THAT A CRISIS
IN TWO FARAWAY COUNTRIES
355
00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,061
THREATENED THE SECURITY
OF THE UNITED STATES...
356
00:22:09,163 --> 00:22:12,832
THAT $400 MILLION
IN MILITARY AID WAS NEEDED
357
00:22:12,934 --> 00:22:14,400
TO SAVE GREECE AND TURKEY.
358
00:22:14,502 --> 00:22:17,462
LaFeber:
TRUMAN HAD TO GO
TO THIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESS
359
00:22:17,538 --> 00:22:21,708
THAT HAD GOTTEN INTO POWER
IN THE ELECTIONS OF 1946
360
00:22:21,810 --> 00:22:26,245
BY PROMISING TO CUT TAXES
AND TO CUT AID OVERSEAS.
361
00:22:26,347 --> 00:22:28,307
TRUMAN WAS NOW
GOING TO HAVE TO GO
362
00:22:28,382 --> 00:22:30,650
TO THESE PENNY-PINCHING
REPUBLICANS
363
00:22:30,752 --> 00:22:31,617
AND GET $400 MILLION.
364
00:22:31,719 --> 00:22:33,919
THE QUESTION WAS,
HOW DID YOU DO THIS?
365
00:22:34,021 --> 00:22:38,324
Narrator:
UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE
DEAN ACHESON HAD THE ANSWER.
366
00:22:38,426 --> 00:22:41,761
ACHESON WOULD ONE DAY BECOME
SECRETARY OF STATE
367
00:22:41,863 --> 00:22:47,266
AND TRUMAN WOULD CALL HIM HIS
"TOP BRAIN MAN" IN THE CABINET.
368
00:22:47,368 --> 00:22:50,302
IN 1947, ACHESON, TRUMAN
369
00:22:50,404 --> 00:22:54,039
AND SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE
MARSHALL GATHERED TOGETHER
370
00:22:54,142 --> 00:22:58,344
A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL MEN IN CONGRESS
371
00:22:58,446 --> 00:23:02,515
AND ACHESON LAID OUT
TRUMAN'S REQUEST FOR AID
372
00:23:02,617 --> 00:23:04,050
IN THE STARKEST TERMS.
373
00:23:04,152 --> 00:23:06,985
Man:
IF YOU WANT THE CONGRESS
TO SUPPORT
374
00:23:07,088 --> 00:23:08,354
THE APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED
375
00:23:08,457 --> 00:23:11,424
THERE HAS TO BE A BIT
OF A CRISIS ATMOSPHERE.
376
00:23:11,526 --> 00:23:14,627
AND SO ACHESON MADE
A VERY IMPASSIONED SPEECH
377
00:23:14,729 --> 00:23:16,762
AND HE LAID IT ON VERY HEAVILY
378
00:23:16,864 --> 00:23:21,134
ABOUT HOW THE RUSSIANS
WOULD SWEEP ACROSS EUROPE.
379
00:23:21,236 --> 00:23:22,713
LaFeber:
WHAT ACHESON SAID WAS
380
00:23:22,737 --> 00:23:26,372
IF THE SOVIETS COULD WIN
IN GREECE AND IN TURKEY
381
00:23:26,474 --> 00:23:28,174
THEN THEY WOULD BE IN A POSITION
382
00:23:28,276 --> 00:23:31,444
WHERE THERE WOULD BE
SOVIET PRESSURE ON ITALY
383
00:23:31,546 --> 00:23:32,378
ON THE MEDITERRANEAN.
384
00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,225
ONCE THAT PRESSURE
WAS ESTABLISHED
385
00:23:34,249 --> 00:23:36,260
THERE WOULD BE PRESSURE
ON WESTERN EUROPE
386
00:23:36,284 --> 00:23:39,418
AND PRETTY SOON THE UNITED
STATES WOULD BE STANDING ALONE.
387
00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:43,356
SENATOR VANDENBERG, WHO WAS
A LEADER OF THE REPUBLICANS
388
00:23:43,458 --> 00:23:44,991
SAID TO ACHESON AND TO TRUMAN
389
00:23:45,093 --> 00:23:47,527
"IF YOU CAN GET
THAT KIND OF A VIEW ACROSS
390
00:23:47,629 --> 00:23:49,895
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
WE'LL SUPPORT YOU."
391
00:23:49,997 --> 00:23:53,232
LaFeber:
THERE WAS THE STORY
THAT VANDENBERG SAID TO TRUMAN
392
00:23:53,334 --> 00:23:57,003
"MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO SCARE HELL
393
00:23:57,104 --> 00:23:58,771
OUT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE."
394
00:23:58,873 --> 00:24:00,685
WHETHER OR NOT
VANDENBERG SAID THAT
395
00:24:00,709 --> 00:24:03,543
THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT HARRY TRUMAN DID.
396
00:24:12,620 --> 00:24:15,655
Newsreel narrator:
PRESIDENT HARRY S. TRUMAN COMES
397
00:24:15,756 --> 00:24:17,890
BEFORE A JOINT SESSION
OF CONGRESS
398
00:24:17,992 --> 00:24:19,703
TO MAKE A MOMENTOUS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
399
00:24:19,727 --> 00:24:23,729
A TENSE ATMOSPHERE PREVAILS, FOR
THE NATION'S LAWMAKERS REALIZE
400
00:24:23,831 --> 00:24:26,165
THAT THIS MAY BE
THE CURTAIN RAISER FOR EVENTS
401
00:24:26,267 --> 00:24:29,135
THAT WILL SHAPE THE DESTINY
OF AMERICA AND THE WORLD.
402
00:24:29,237 --> 00:24:34,573
THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION
WHICH CONFRONTS THE WORLD TODAY
403
00:24:34,675 --> 00:24:36,175
NECESSITATES MY APPEARANCE
404
00:24:36,277 --> 00:24:38,577
BEFORE A JOINT SESSION
OF THE CONGRESS.
405
00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:44,317
I BELIEVE THAT IT MUST BE
THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES
406
00:24:44,419 --> 00:24:49,088
TO SUPPORT FREE PEOPLES WHO ARE
RESISTING ATTEMPTED SUBJUGATION
407
00:24:49,190 --> 00:24:52,559
BY ARMED MINORITIES
OR BY OUTSIDE PRESSURES.
408
00:24:52,661 --> 00:24:56,528
Man:
HE WAS REMINDING AMERICANS OF
WHAT GRADUALLY HAD BEEN SINKING
409
00:24:56,630 --> 00:25:01,434
INTO THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS,
THAT THE AIM OF THE SOVIET UNION
410
00:25:01,536 --> 00:25:06,672
WAS TO EXPAND ITS HEGEMONY
OVER AS MUCH OF THE WORLD
411
00:25:06,774 --> 00:25:11,577
AS IT POSSIBLY COULD, AND
THAT WAS NOT TO BE PERMITTED.
412
00:25:11,679 --> 00:25:15,180
WE WOULD HELP FREE PEOPLES
MAINTAIN THEIR FREEDOM.
413
00:25:15,282 --> 00:25:17,683
IF WE FALTER IN OUR LEADERSHIP
414
00:25:17,785 --> 00:25:20,520
WE MAY ENDANGER
THE PEACE OF THE WORLD
415
00:25:20,622 --> 00:25:25,491
AND WE SHALL SURELY ENDANGER
THE WELFARE OF THIS NATION.
416
00:25:29,464 --> 00:25:33,932
LaFeber:
TRUMAN, THE MIDWESTERN
POLITICIAN, UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY
417
00:25:34,034 --> 00:25:37,402
HOW YOU SELL THESE KINDS OF
THINGS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
418
00:25:37,504 --> 00:25:41,373
BECAUSE WHAT HE DID WAS TO GIVE
A DEFINITION OF THE WORLD
419
00:25:41,475 --> 00:25:43,309
THAT AMERICANS COULD UNDERSTAND
420
00:25:43,411 --> 00:25:46,312
AND WHICH THEY COULD
BECOME COMMITTED TO
421
00:25:46,414 --> 00:25:47,913
BECAUSE WHAT TRUMAN SAID WAS
422
00:25:48,016 --> 00:25:52,918
"THE WORLD IS ESSENTIALLY
NOW DIVIDED IN TWO.
423
00:25:53,020 --> 00:25:55,755
"ARE THE TOTALITARIAN
AND THE ENSLAVED PEOPLES.
424
00:25:55,857 --> 00:25:58,190
ON THE OTHER SIDE
ARE THE FREE PEOPLES."
425
00:25:58,292 --> 00:26:00,137
HE THEN LOOKED
AT THE REPUBLICANS
426
00:26:00,161 --> 00:26:01,838
AND SAID,
"WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
427
00:26:01,862 --> 00:26:05,531
"IF YOU ARE ON THE SIDE
OF THE FREE PEOPLES
428
00:26:05,633 --> 00:26:09,401
THAT PUT THE REPUBLICANS IN
A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE POSITION
429
00:26:09,503 --> 00:26:10,737
WHICH IS EXACTLY, OF COURSE
430
00:26:10,839 --> 00:26:12,416
WHAT ACHESON AND TRUMAN
HAD IN MIND
431
00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:16,341
AND TRUMAN GOT HIS $400 MILLION
WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS.
432
00:26:16,443 --> 00:26:19,211
Newsreel announcer:
PRESIDENT TRUMAN SIGNS THE BILL
433
00:26:19,314 --> 00:26:21,547
FOR $400 MILLION AID
TO GREECE AND TURKEY.
434
00:26:21,649 --> 00:26:25,151
Narrator:
THE PRESIDENT HAD COMMITTED
AMERICANS TO A BATTLE
435
00:26:25,253 --> 00:26:29,121
AGAINST COMMUNISM
ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
436
00:26:29,224 --> 00:26:33,626
THE POLICY BECAME KNOWN
AS THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE.
437
00:26:33,728 --> 00:26:35,439
Man:
I WAS SCARED BY IT.
438
00:26:35,463 --> 00:26:38,798
I WONDERED HOW FAR-REACHING
THIS WAS GOING TO BE.
439
00:26:38,899 --> 00:26:40,066
WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?
440
00:26:40,168 --> 00:26:42,301
THIS IS A SWEEPING,
SWEEPING DECISION
441
00:26:42,403 --> 00:26:45,137
ASKING FOR AN OPEN-ENDED
FAITH IN A POLICY
442
00:26:45,239 --> 00:26:48,908
OF PROTECTING THE FREE PEOPLE
AND BRINGING FREEDOM
443
00:26:49,010 --> 00:26:51,511
WHERE IT DIDN'T EXIST,
AROUND THE WORLD.
444
00:26:51,613 --> 00:26:54,847
AND THAT WAS THE... THAT HAS
NO LIMITS... HAD NO LIMITS
445
00:26:54,949 --> 00:26:58,785
AND IT WAS AWFULLY HARD TO KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE THOSE LIMITS WERE.
446
00:26:58,887 --> 00:27:02,722
Shulman:
IT LED TO A MORE ABSOLUTE
VIEW OF THE CONFLICT.
447
00:27:02,824 --> 00:27:06,658
AND I ONCE REMONSTRATED
WITH ACHESON ABOUT THIS
448
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,595
IN MY INNOCENCE...
I WAS VERY YOUNG THEN...
449
00:27:09,697 --> 00:27:14,934
AND HE MADE IT CLEAR TO ME THAT
IF YOU WANT TO GET THINGS DONE
450
00:27:15,036 --> 00:27:17,370
YOU HAVE TO GET
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT
451
00:27:17,472 --> 00:27:20,406
AND YOU HAVE TO DO
WHAT'S NECESSARY TO GET IT.
452
00:27:20,508 --> 00:27:22,808
AND THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY
WHAT CAME TO BE
453
00:27:22,910 --> 00:27:25,211
THE LANGUAGE
OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
454
00:27:25,312 --> 00:27:30,182
IT BECAME
MORE AND MORE ALARMIST.
455
00:27:30,284 --> 00:27:34,653
Narrator:
THE PRESIDENT WOULD RESIST
COMMUNIST AGGRESSION ABROAD.
456
00:27:34,755 --> 00:27:39,391
HE HAD ISSUED A DECLARATION
OF COLD WAR.
457
00:27:41,963 --> 00:27:45,097
BUT IN WESTERN EUROPE,
THERE WAS MORE TO FEAR
458
00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:49,868
FROM STARVATION AND CHAOS
THAN FROM THE RED ARMY.
459
00:27:51,772 --> 00:27:57,142
IT HAD BEEN THE WORST WINTER
IN LIVING MEMORY.
460
00:27:57,244 --> 00:28:01,013
THE WAR HAD BEEN OVER
FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS
461
00:28:01,115 --> 00:28:06,919
AND WESTERN EUROPE SEEMED
ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE.
462
00:28:07,021 --> 00:28:09,900
LaFeber:
IF WESTERN EUROPE WAS
NOT HELPED, AND QUICKLY
463
00:28:09,924 --> 00:28:13,326
MASS STARVATION WOULD BREAK OUT,
AND THERE WAS THE REAL DANGER
464
00:28:13,427 --> 00:28:17,029
THAT WESTERN EUROPE WOULD BEGIN
MOVING TO THE LEFT VERY RAPIDLY.
465
00:28:17,131 --> 00:28:20,900
THE ANALYSIS MADE WITHIN THE
STATE DEPARTMENT AT THIS POINT
466
00:28:21,002 --> 00:28:25,204
INDICATED THAT THE WAY TO DEAL
WITH THIS WAS NOT MILITARILY.
467
00:28:25,306 --> 00:28:27,907
THE WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS
WAS ECONOMICALLY
468
00:28:28,009 --> 00:28:31,677
TO PUMP IN BETWEEN EIGHT
AND 17 BILLION DOLLARS
469
00:28:31,779 --> 00:28:34,313
SO THAT THE EUROPEANS
WOULD HAVE THE MONEY
470
00:28:34,415 --> 00:28:37,883
TO BUY FOOD
FROM THE UNITED STATES...
471
00:28:37,985 --> 00:28:42,889
Narrator:
TRUMAN HAD ALREADY MANAGED
TO PERSUADE A RELUCTANT CONGRESS
472
00:28:42,991 --> 00:28:47,392
TO GIVE HIM $400 MILLION
FOR THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE.
473
00:28:47,494 --> 00:28:53,165
NOW HE CONVINCED CONGRESS
TO GIVE HIM 13 BILLION MORE.
474
00:28:53,267 --> 00:28:56,235
NO PRESIDENT HAD EVER RECEIVED
SO MUCH MONEY
475
00:28:56,337 --> 00:28:58,403
TO AID PEOPLE
WHO WEREN'T AMERICANS.
476
00:28:58,506 --> 00:29:02,007
HE CALLED HIS ECONOMIC AID
PROGRAM THE MARSHALL PLAN
477
00:29:02,109 --> 00:29:04,877
AFTER HIS SECRETARY OF STATE,
GEORGE MARSHALL
478
00:29:04,979 --> 00:29:08,280
A MAN WHO COMMANDED THE RESPECT
OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
479
00:29:08,382 --> 00:29:12,752
Elsey:
SOME OF THE WHITE HOUSE STAFF
SUGGESTED TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN
480
00:29:12,854 --> 00:29:14,698
THAT THEY DIDN'T MUCH
LIKE THIS IDEA
481
00:29:14,722 --> 00:29:18,324
OF GENERAL MARSHALL
GETTING CREDIT FOR IT.
482
00:29:18,426 --> 00:29:22,261
"THE CONGRESS WILL DO ANYTHING
THAT GEORGE MARSHALL WANTS.
483
00:29:22,363 --> 00:29:23,262
"IF MY NAME IS ON IT
484
00:29:23,364 --> 00:29:25,431
"IT PROBABLY WILL BECOME
CONTROVERSIAL.
485
00:29:25,533 --> 00:29:28,968
"I DON'T WANT IT
TO BECOME CONTROVERSIAL.
486
00:29:29,070 --> 00:29:32,805
WE'LL HAVE NO MORE TALK
ABOUT CHANGING THE NAME."
487
00:29:39,647 --> 00:29:41,257
LaFeber:
TRUMAN WOULD LATER SAY
488
00:29:41,281 --> 00:29:43,782
THAT THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE
AND THE MARSHALL PLAN
489
00:29:43,884 --> 00:29:45,918
WERE TWO HALVES
OF THE SAME WALNUT.
490
00:29:46,020 --> 00:29:47,097
THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE WAS
491
00:29:47,121 --> 00:29:49,032
THE MILITARY AND
POLITICAL COMMITMENT.
492
00:29:49,056 --> 00:29:52,991
THE MARSHALL PLAN WAS THE $13
BILLION IN ECONOMIC COMMITMENT
493
00:29:53,094 --> 00:29:56,695
TO REBUILD WHAT TRUMAN CALLED
"THE FREE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD."
494
00:29:56,797 --> 00:29:58,998
IT BECAME VERY POPULAR
VERY QUICKLY.
495
00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:01,400
NO ONE EXPECTED
THAT SORT OF ALTRUISM
496
00:30:01,502 --> 00:30:04,069
THAT SORT OF SWEEPING THING
COMING OUT OF US.
497
00:30:04,171 --> 00:30:06,806
THIS WAS MUCH BIGGER
THAN ANYBODY HAD REALIZED.
498
00:30:06,908 --> 00:30:10,509
Donovan:
A GREAT APPEAL OF
THE MARSHALL PLAN WAS
499
00:30:10,611 --> 00:30:13,378
THAT THESE BILLIONS THAT
WERE BEING APPROPRIATED
500
00:30:13,481 --> 00:30:15,581
WERE BEING SPENT
IN THE UNITED STATES
501
00:30:15,683 --> 00:30:17,149
TO FARMERS AND MANUFACTURERS.
502
00:30:17,251 --> 00:30:18,729
THAT MONEY WASN'T
SPENT IN EUROPE.
503
00:30:18,753 --> 00:30:24,022
IT WAS SPENT HERE, AND THAT WAS
A GREAT APPEAL TO CONGRESS.
504
00:30:24,124 --> 00:30:26,870
Reuther:
THIS WAS A TERRIBLY
IMPORTANT DECISION.
505
00:30:26,894 --> 00:30:32,198
ALSO, IT WAS A COMPASSIONATE
ONE, AND UNDERSTOOD AS SUCH.
506
00:30:32,300 --> 00:30:37,503
IT WAS A REAL BADGE OF HONOR
FOR HARRY TRUMAN.
507
00:30:48,816 --> 00:30:51,783
Narrator:
WHILE THE PRESIDENT
WAS RESCUING EUROPE
508
00:30:51,885 --> 00:30:54,887
AND MOBILIZING AMERICANS
TO FIGHT COMMUNISM OVERSEAS
509
00:30:54,989 --> 00:30:59,391
REPUBLICANS CHARGED THAT THERE
WERE COMMUNISTS HERE AT HOME...
510
00:30:59,493 --> 00:31:01,193
IN TRUMAN'S OWN ADMINISTRATION.
511
00:31:01,295 --> 00:31:03,529
IN THE '30s,
REPUBLICANS HAD CLAIMED
512
00:31:03,631 --> 00:31:07,333
THAT THERE WERE COMMUNISTS
IN ROOSEVELT'S NEW DEAL.
513
00:31:07,435 --> 00:31:10,635
NOW THEY WERE DEMANDING
THAT TRUMAN TAKE ACTION.
514
00:31:10,738 --> 00:31:14,907
Clifford:
AND THERE WERE LOTS
OF PRESSURES DEVELOPING
515
00:31:15,009 --> 00:31:18,744
ABOUT COMMUNISTS INFILTRATING
OUR WHOLE SYSTEM
516
00:31:18,846 --> 00:31:21,313
AND HE FELT OBLIGED
TO DO SOMETHING.
517
00:31:21,415 --> 00:31:26,151
HE DID NOT BELIEVE
THERE WERE DISLOYAL EMPLOYEES.
518
00:31:26,253 --> 00:31:27,386
HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT.
519
00:31:27,488 --> 00:31:33,191
HE SAID ON A NUMBER OF
OCCASIONS, "OUR ENEMY IS ABROAD.
520
00:31:33,294 --> 00:31:35,995
OUR ENEMY IS NOT HERE AT HOME."
521
00:31:36,097 --> 00:31:39,098
LaFeber:
TRUMAN IS IN
A TERRIBLE POSITION HERE
522
00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,044
BECAUSE IF HE HAD
NOT DONE ANYTHING
523
00:31:41,068 --> 00:31:43,269
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN
TO THE ACCUSATION
524
00:31:43,371 --> 00:31:45,438
THAT HE WAS TOUGH
ON COMMUNISM ABROAD
525
00:31:45,539 --> 00:31:47,084
BUT HE WAS OVERLOOKING
COMMUNISTS
526
00:31:47,108 --> 00:31:51,710
WITHIN HIS OWN GOVERNMENT,
WHATEVER FEW THERE WERE.
527
00:31:51,812 --> 00:31:57,048
Narrator:
ON MARCH 21, 1947,
AGAINST HIS OWN BETTER JUDGMENT
528
00:31:57,151 --> 00:32:01,687
THE PRESIDENT ISSUED AN
EXTRAORDINARY EXECUTIVE ORDER:
529
00:32:01,789 --> 00:32:03,756
HE ESTABLISHED A LOYALTY PROGRAM
530
00:32:03,858 --> 00:32:08,293
MAKING THE POLITICAL BELIEFS
OF EVERY FEDERAL EMPLOYEE
531
00:32:08,395 --> 00:32:11,630
SUBJECT TO INVESTIGATION
BY THE F.B.I.
532
00:32:11,732 --> 00:32:17,069
Woman:
TRUMAN, TRYING
TO MOBILIZE PUBLIC OPINION
533
00:32:17,171 --> 00:32:18,970
FOR THE COLD WAR
534
00:32:19,072 --> 00:32:21,874
EXAGGERATED
THE COMMUNIST MENACE.
535
00:32:21,976 --> 00:32:27,947
HE PRESENTED THE COLD WAR
AS A KIND OF CRUSADE
536
00:32:28,049 --> 00:32:31,684
AGAINST COMMUNIST
TOTALITARIANISM.
537
00:32:31,786 --> 00:32:33,730
AND YOU DON'T BREAK UP
YOUR CRUSADE
538
00:32:33,754 --> 00:32:37,389
INTO "THIS IS THE EUROPEAN
PART... WE'LL FOCUS ON THIS
539
00:32:37,492 --> 00:32:40,459
AND LET'S NOT LOOK
AT THE AMERICAN PART."
540
00:32:40,561 --> 00:32:43,261
IT WAS A TOTAL CRUSADE.
541
00:32:54,042 --> 00:32:59,077
Narrator:
HARRY TRUMAN WAS LEADING AMERICA
IN A NEW KIND OF WAR
542
00:32:59,180 --> 00:33:01,146
AND HE PREPARED THE COUNTRY
543
00:33:01,248 --> 00:33:05,184
AS IT HAD NEVER
BEEN PREPARED BEFORE.
544
00:33:06,353 --> 00:33:09,755
HE CREATED THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE.
545
00:33:12,460 --> 00:33:15,761
HE ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL
546
00:33:15,863 --> 00:33:18,830
AND THE C.I.A... THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY...
547
00:33:18,932 --> 00:33:23,903
PUTTING THE UNITED STATES IN
THE BUSINESS OF PEACETIME SPYING
548
00:33:24,004 --> 00:33:26,471
FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN ITS HISTORY.
549
00:33:26,574 --> 00:33:29,275
SOON THERE WOULD BE
ANOTHER FIRST:
550
00:33:29,377 --> 00:33:32,811
NATO, AMERICA'S FIRST
PEACETIME ALLIANCE...
551
00:33:32,913 --> 00:33:37,015
A BULWARK SET IN WESTERN EUROPE
AGAINST COMMUNISM.
552
00:33:37,117 --> 00:33:41,520
TRUMAN WAS CHANGING THE WAY
AMERICANS LOOKED AT THE WORLD
553
00:33:41,622 --> 00:33:42,622
AND AT THEMSELVES.
554
00:33:42,656 --> 00:33:46,892
LaFeber:
I THINK TRUMAN'S
GREAT CONTRIBUTION
555
00:33:46,994 --> 00:33:50,963
WAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET
AMERICANS TO COMMIT THEMSELVES
556
00:33:51,065 --> 00:33:53,466
TO A WAR WHICH WAS COLD
RATHER THAN HOT
557
00:33:53,568 --> 00:33:55,634
A WAR WHICH HAD
NOT BEEN DECLARED
558
00:33:55,736 --> 00:33:57,369
A WAR WHICH IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX
559
00:33:57,471 --> 00:34:00,840
AND YET WHICH TRUMAN DEFINED
AS A RATHER SIMPLE WAR
560
00:34:00,942 --> 00:34:03,508
BETWEEN THE ENSLAVED
AND THE FREE PEOPLES.
561
00:34:03,610 --> 00:34:06,712
THIS IS HOW HE GOT AMERICANS
TO COMMIT THEMSELVES
562
00:34:06,814 --> 00:34:10,515
TO THE COLD WAR, IN WHICH
RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN SOLDIERS
563
00:34:10,617 --> 00:34:14,720
WERE BEGINNING TO PEER ACROSS
BOUNDARIES AT EACH OTHER.
564
00:34:14,822 --> 00:34:17,623
Narrator:
THE COLD WAR HAD BEGUN
565
00:34:17,725 --> 00:34:22,995
AND IT WOULD LAST
FOR THE NEXT HALF CENTURY.
566
00:34:30,871 --> 00:34:34,973
AFTER THREE YEARS IN OFFICE,
TRUMAN WAS AT LAST ENJOYING
567
00:34:35,075 --> 00:34:38,444
BEING PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
568
00:34:40,814 --> 00:34:45,117
DOZENS OF NEWSPAPERS DESCRIBED
THE "NEW" HARRY TRUMAN...
569
00:34:47,622 --> 00:34:48,820
CALM...
570
00:34:48,923 --> 00:34:51,223
FORCEFUL...
571
00:34:51,325 --> 00:34:52,524
RADIATING AUTHORITY.
572
00:34:52,626 --> 00:34:56,061
McCullough:
HE HAD DECIDED
THAT HE REALLY LIKED THE JOB
573
00:34:56,163 --> 00:34:57,974
AND THAT HE WAS
PRETTY GOOD AT IT.
574
00:34:57,998 --> 00:35:00,043
AND HE TOOK THE PRESIDENCY
VERY SERIOUSLY
575
00:35:00,067 --> 00:35:04,936
BUT HE DIDN'T TAKE HARRY TRUMAN
ALL THAT SERIOUSLY ALL THE TIME.
576
00:35:23,457 --> 00:35:25,891
AND SOMETIMES HE DIDN'T SEEM
VERY PRESIDENTIAL
577
00:35:25,993 --> 00:35:28,160
AND OF COURSE
HIS OPPONENTS SAW THOSE
578
00:35:28,262 --> 00:35:32,530
AS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES
TO BELITTLE HIM.
579
00:35:32,632 --> 00:35:36,935
Narrator:
REPORTERS MADE FUN OF HIS SHIRTS
AND HIS POKER GAMES
580
00:35:37,037 --> 00:35:40,839
CRITICIZED HIS CRONIES AND
HIS FONDNESS FOR GOOD BOURBON.
581
00:35:40,941 --> 00:35:44,610
BUT TRUMAN ALWAYS
REMAINED HIMSELF.
582
00:35:44,712 --> 00:35:46,712
Shulman:
HE NEVER MADE ANY EFFORT
583
00:35:46,814 --> 00:35:48,814
TO CREATE
A PUBLIC-RELATIONS IMAGE.
584
00:35:48,915 --> 00:35:53,017
HE WAS WHAT HE WAS AND
HE NEVER PRETENDED OTHERWISE.
585
00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:54,619
AND IT WAS EARTHY
586
00:35:54,721 --> 00:35:55,954
IT WAS, UH...
587
00:35:56,056 --> 00:35:58,257
IT CAME OUT
OF THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA
588
00:35:58,359 --> 00:36:01,193
WITH ALL ITS VIRTUES
AND ITS LIMITATIONS, TOO.
589
00:36:01,295 --> 00:36:04,029
HE ALWAYS SAID HE WAS
A FARMER FROM MISSOURI
590
00:36:04,131 --> 00:36:05,431
TRYING TO DO HIS DAMNEDEST.
591
00:36:05,533 --> 00:36:08,333
I THINK HE GAVE EVERYONE
THE IMPRESSION
592
00:36:08,435 --> 00:36:10,669
NO MATTER WHAT YOUR POSITION WAS
593
00:36:10,771 --> 00:36:12,805
THAT YOU WERE AN IMPORTANT PART
594
00:36:12,907 --> 00:36:15,240
OF WHAT HE WAS
TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
595
00:36:15,342 --> 00:36:16,709
I REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST TIME
596
00:36:16,811 --> 00:36:18,655
THAT THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES
597
00:36:18,679 --> 00:36:22,348
INVITED ME, AS A JUNIOR STAFF
MEMBER, TO COME TO DINNER.
598
00:36:27,788 --> 00:36:31,056
PRESIDENT TRUMAN
SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO.
599
00:36:31,158 --> 00:36:35,060
I BEGAN TO SOAR INTO THE CLOUDS.
600
00:36:37,398 --> 00:36:39,497
AND AFTERWARDS,
HE TURNED FROM THE PIANO
601
00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:43,301
AND LOOKED AT ME
AND SORT OF SMILED AND SAID
602
00:36:43,403 --> 00:36:46,604
"IF I HADN'T GOTTEN INTO TROUBLE
BY GETTING INTO POLITICS
603
00:36:46,706 --> 00:36:49,975
"I WOULD HAVE MADE
A HELL OF A GOOD PIANO PLAYER
604
00:36:50,077 --> 00:36:51,443
IN A WHOREHOUSE."
605
00:36:51,545 --> 00:36:53,211
AND THIS... THIS WAS...
606
00:36:53,313 --> 00:36:56,381
OF COURSE BROUGHT ME
DOWN TO EARTH.
607
00:36:58,686 --> 00:37:03,588
HE TENDED TO LOOK DOWN
ON HIMSELF AS A PERSON
608
00:37:03,690 --> 00:37:08,227
YET HE REVERED
THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE.
609
00:37:10,197 --> 00:37:12,976
Shulman:
AND ONE TIME,
IN A MOOD OF REFLECTION
610
00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:16,868
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, THE
PRESIDENT REALLY IS TWO PEOPLE
611
00:37:16,970 --> 00:37:19,471
AND ONE OF THEM
IS THE PRESIDENT."
612
00:37:19,573 --> 00:37:21,874
AND THEN HE SORT OF
STRAIGHTENED IN HIS CHAIR
613
00:37:21,976 --> 00:37:25,643
AND YOU COULD FEEL THE SENSE
OF OBLIGATION THAT HE HAD
614
00:37:25,745 --> 00:37:26,979
WHICH LIFTED HIM
615
00:37:27,081 --> 00:37:28,547
AND HIS... HIS DIGNITY
616
00:37:28,649 --> 00:37:31,750
AND HIS SENSE
OF PRINCIPLED COMMITMENT.
617
00:37:31,852 --> 00:37:34,753
AND THEN HE SORT OF SLUMPED
A LITTLE BIT AND SAID
618
00:37:34,855 --> 00:37:38,157
"AND THEN THERE'S ALSO
THE PRESIDENT AS A HUMAN BEING
619
00:37:38,259 --> 00:37:42,261
AND THE WEAR AND TEAR
THAT GOES WITH THE JOB."
620
00:37:42,363 --> 00:37:47,900
Narrator:
TRUMAN HAD SAID MANY TIMES
HE NEVER WANTED TO BE PRESIDENT.
621
00:37:48,002 --> 00:37:49,868
NOW HE HAD CHANGED HIS MIND...
622
00:37:49,970 --> 00:37:53,071
HE WANTED THE JOB
FOR FOUR MORE YEARS.
623
00:37:53,173 --> 00:37:56,975
HE HAD FAILED HIS PARTY IN 1946.
624
00:37:57,077 --> 00:38:01,146
HE WANTED TO REDEEM HIMSELF
IN 1948.
625
00:38:01,248 --> 00:38:04,449
BUT HE WAS ABOUT TO RISK
FRACTURING THE DEMOCRATS
626
00:38:04,552 --> 00:38:08,920
BY REACHING OUT TO AMERICANS
WHO BY TRADITION AND CULTURE
627
00:38:09,022 --> 00:38:12,424
HE HAD DISMISSED
NEARLY ALL HIS LIFE.
628
00:38:16,596 --> 00:38:21,433
IN THE SOUTH, SEGREGATION
RULED BY LAW AND CUSTOM
629
00:38:21,535 --> 00:38:24,603
AS IT HAD FOR GENERATIONS.
630
00:38:26,774 --> 00:38:31,443
ALL ACROSS AMERICA, AFRICAN
AMERICANS CONFRONTED POVERTY
631
00:38:31,545 --> 00:38:34,113
PREJUDICE, LIMITED OPPORTUNITY.
632
00:38:34,215 --> 00:38:36,014
AND BLACK SAILORS AND SOLDIERS
633
00:38:36,116 --> 00:38:39,184
WHO HAD FOUGHT OVERSEAS
FOR AMERICA'S FREEDOM
634
00:38:39,286 --> 00:38:43,088
DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY FOUND
WHEN THEY RETURNED HOME.
635
00:38:43,190 --> 00:38:46,024
Man:
HERE WE ARE AT THE END
OF WORLD WAR II.
636
00:38:46,126 --> 00:38:50,629
WE HAD DEFEATED ONE OF THE
GREAT RACISTS IN HUMAN HISTORY...
637
00:38:50,731 --> 00:38:53,565
HITLER, AND OF COURSE
MUSSOLINI AND JAPAN...
638
00:38:53,667 --> 00:38:58,203
BUT THE WHOLE CLIMATE SAID,
"WE ARE GOING TO REMAIN THE SAME
639
00:38:58,305 --> 00:39:00,105
"EVEN THOUGH THE WAR AIMS WE HAD
640
00:39:00,207 --> 00:39:03,475
"WERE LOFTY AND IDEALISTIC
AND BEAUTIFUL AND...
641
00:39:03,577 --> 00:39:06,377
"AND PRESAGED A NEW WORLD,
AND SO FORTH
642
00:39:06,479 --> 00:39:08,079
BUT YOU ARE STILL A NIGGER."
643
00:39:08,181 --> 00:39:13,285
THE UNITED STATES WAS ADVERTISED
AS THE ARSENAL FOR DEMOCRACY
644
00:39:13,387 --> 00:39:16,154
BUT WHEN IT COMES
TO THE RACE QUESTION
645
00:39:16,256 --> 00:39:19,624
THINGS HAVE GOT
TO REMAIN THE SAME.
646
00:39:21,428 --> 00:39:27,265
Narrator:
IN 1946, A HORRIBLE SERIES
OF RACIAL MURDERS IN THE SOUTH
647
00:39:27,367 --> 00:39:29,701
SHOCKED AMERICA.
648
00:39:29,803 --> 00:39:32,570
TRUMAN WAS OUTRAGED.
649
00:39:32,673 --> 00:39:37,576
AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEADERS
CLAMORED FOR ANTI-LYNCHING LAWS
650
00:39:37,678 --> 00:39:42,280
BUT DIDN'T EXPECT MUCH FROM
THE PRESIDENT FROM MISSOURI.
651
00:39:42,382 --> 00:39:45,083
Hamby:
IT SEEMS A PRETTY SURE BET
652
00:39:45,186 --> 00:39:47,251
THAT PRIVATELY HE BELIEVED
653
00:39:47,354 --> 00:39:51,923
THAT MOST BLACKS WERE INFERIOR
TO MOST WHITES
654
00:39:52,025 --> 00:39:53,592
AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY
655
00:39:53,694 --> 00:39:56,861
THAT NEITHER HE NOR BESS
WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASED
656
00:39:56,964 --> 00:40:01,032
IF MARGARET HAD BROUGHT
SIDNEY POITIER HOME FOR DINNER.
657
00:40:01,134 --> 00:40:04,569
UH, BUT HE ALSO CAME
FROM A BACKGROUND
658
00:40:04,671 --> 00:40:09,574
THAT SAID EVERYONE DESERVED
AN EQUAL CHANCE IN LIFE.
659
00:40:09,676 --> 00:40:15,580
Narrator:
ON JUNE 28, 1947, TRUMAN
WROTE HIS SISTER A LETTER.
660
00:40:15,682 --> 00:40:17,493
"I'VE GOT TO MAKE
A SPEECH TOMORROW
661
00:40:17,517 --> 00:40:20,952
"TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
662
00:40:21,054 --> 00:40:23,355
"AND I WISH I DIDN'T
HAVE TO MAKE IT.
663
00:40:23,457 --> 00:40:25,591
MAMA WON'T LIKE WHAT I SAY."
664
00:40:25,693 --> 00:40:29,828
THERE IS NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON
665
00:40:29,930 --> 00:40:34,366
FOR DISCRIMINATION
BECAUSE OF ANCESTRY
666
00:40:34,468 --> 00:40:40,405
OR RELIGION OR RACE OR COLOR.
667
00:40:40,507 --> 00:40:43,909
Narrator:
NO PRESIDENT HAD
EVER BEFORE ADDRESSED
668
00:40:44,011 --> 00:40:45,788
THE NEARLY 40-YEAR-OLD
N.A.A.C.P.
669
00:40:45,812 --> 00:40:50,615
TRUMAN BECAME THE FIRST, AS
HE SPOKE TO A RALLY OF THOUSANDS
670
00:40:50,717 --> 00:40:52,383
AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
671
00:40:52,486 --> 00:40:54,853
A SOUTHERNER BY BIRTH
AND INCLINATION
672
00:40:54,955 --> 00:40:57,889
HE ARGUED FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
FOR ALL AMERICANS.
673
00:40:57,991 --> 00:41:02,694
WE CANNOT ANY LONGER AWAIT
THE GROWTH OF A WILL TO ACTION
674
00:41:02,796 --> 00:41:06,998
IN THE SLOWEST STATE OR
THE MOST BACKWARD COMMUNITY.
675
00:41:08,402 --> 00:41:11,236
OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
MUST SHOW THE WAY.
676
00:41:12,373 --> 00:41:14,984
Woman:
WELL, I THINK EVERYBODY
WAS THRILLED
677
00:41:15,008 --> 00:41:19,344
AND I THINK THE APPEARANCE
THAT HE HAD WITH THE N.A.A.C.P.
678
00:41:19,446 --> 00:41:20,979
RESOUNDED ALL OVER.
679
00:41:21,081 --> 00:41:23,948
TRUMAN PROVED TO BE
QUITE A SURPRISE.
680
00:41:24,050 --> 00:41:28,553
HE WAS VERY DIFFERENT
FROM WHAT WE HAD THOUGHT OF
681
00:41:28,655 --> 00:41:31,623
IN TERMS OF A PERSON
OF HIS BACKGROUND.
682
00:41:31,725 --> 00:41:33,469
Narrator:
BUT TRUMAN HESITATED
683
00:41:33,493 --> 00:41:36,528
TO PUT CIVIL-RIGHTS LEGISLATION
BEFORE CONGRESS.
684
00:41:36,630 --> 00:41:40,132
HE FEARED THAT IF HE ACTED
TO HELP AFRICAN AMERICANS
685
00:41:40,233 --> 00:41:43,602
HE WOULD LOSE THE SUPPORT
OF SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS.
686
00:41:43,704 --> 00:41:46,003
Hamby:
THERE'S A GREAT CONFLICT HERE
687
00:41:46,105 --> 00:41:48,606
AND POLITICALLY
TRUMAN HAS TO CHOOSE...
688
00:41:48,708 --> 00:41:50,875
IS HE GOING TO GO
WITH THE SOUTH
689
00:41:50,978 --> 00:41:53,945
OR IS HE GOING TO GO WITH, UH...
690
00:41:54,047 --> 00:41:58,583
THE NORTHERN LIBERALS
AND THE, UH...
691
00:41:58,685 --> 00:41:59,718
BLACK CONSTITUENCY
692
00:41:59,820 --> 00:42:03,221
AND THE CIVIL-RIGHTS PROGRAM
THEY FAVOR?
693
00:42:06,593 --> 00:42:11,196
Narrator:
ON FEBRUARY 2, 1948, TRUMAN
BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT
694
00:42:11,298 --> 00:42:16,868
TO SEND A SPECIAL MESSAGE
TO CONGRESS ON CIVIL RIGHTS.
695
00:42:16,970 --> 00:42:22,140
HE CALLED FOR ANTI-LYNCHING
LAWS, ABOLITION OF THE POLL TAX
696
00:42:22,242 --> 00:42:25,710
ESTABLISHMENT OF
A COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
697
00:42:25,812 --> 00:42:29,514
DESEGREGATION
OF THE ARMED FORCES.
698
00:42:29,616 --> 00:42:31,536
Jarrett:
IT WAS A GREAT MESSAGE.
699
00:42:31,618 --> 00:42:35,287
YOU HADN'T HAD ANYTHING
LIKE THAT BEFORE!
700
00:42:36,623 --> 00:42:39,625
PRIOR TO THAT,
WE COULDN'T EVEN GET A PRESIDENT
701
00:42:39,727 --> 00:42:41,159
TO MAKE AN ORATORICAL STATEMENT.
702
00:42:41,261 --> 00:42:44,462
HE RECOGNIZED THAT THE CHANCES
OF MUCH LEGISLATION...
703
00:42:44,564 --> 00:42:47,665
ANY LEGISLATION,
GETTING THROUGH THAT CONGRESS
704
00:42:47,767 --> 00:42:49,000
WAS PRACTICALLY NIL.
705
00:42:49,103 --> 00:42:52,003
THE POINT WAS,
YOU HAD TO START SOMETIME
706
00:42:52,105 --> 00:42:55,072
AND HE WAS GOING TO START.
707
00:42:55,175 --> 00:42:57,055
Narrator:
SOUTHERN NEWSPAPERS
708
00:42:57,110 --> 00:42:59,644
CALLED TRUMAN'S
CIVIL-RIGHTS LEGISLATION
709
00:42:59,746 --> 00:43:03,648
A "DISMAYING DOCUMENT"
BASED ON A "PERNICIOUS FALLACY."
710
00:43:03,750 --> 00:43:06,918
"HERE WE HAVE THE MAKING
OF A VERITABLE GESTAPO."
711
00:43:07,020 --> 00:43:10,455
Man:
MOST OF THE SOUTHERN SENATORS
FELT IT WENT TOO FAR.
712
00:43:10,557 --> 00:43:13,858
SENATOR BYRD, SR., WAS IN THE
SENATE AT THAT TIME AND HE FELT
713
00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:17,528
THAT SOME OF THE CIVIL-RIGHTS
LEGISLATION WENT TOO FAR
714
00:43:18,766 --> 00:43:22,467
EQUAL THIS, EQUAL THAT...
THE WHOLE THING JUST REEKED
715
00:43:22,569 --> 00:43:25,904
IN TERMS OF HOW
THE SOUTHERNERS LOOKED AT IT
716
00:43:26,006 --> 00:43:27,739
WITH CONCESSIONS TO NIGGERS.
717
00:43:27,841 --> 00:43:31,409
LET'S PUT IT THE WAY...
THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID.
718
00:43:31,511 --> 00:43:34,579
I RECALL MRS. LEONARD THOMAS
719
00:43:34,681 --> 00:43:37,749
ONE OF THE ALABAMA
NATIONAL COMMITTEEMEN
720
00:43:37,851 --> 00:43:40,318
CAME TO TRUMAN AND SAID TO HIM
721
00:43:40,420 --> 00:43:44,189
"PLEASE DON'T FORCE
MISCEGENATION ON THE SOUTH.
722
00:43:44,291 --> 00:43:47,859
"PLEASE TELL THE SOUTH
THAT YOU REALLY DON'T BELIEVE
723
00:43:47,961 --> 00:43:50,928
"AND YOU'RE GOING TO
TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID
724
00:43:51,030 --> 00:43:52,563
ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS."
725
00:43:52,665 --> 00:43:53,899
AND TRUMAN LOOKED AT HER
726
00:43:54,001 --> 00:43:56,634
AND PULLED OUT A COPY
OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS
727
00:43:56,736 --> 00:44:00,137
AND SAID, "I'M THE PRESIDENT
OF ALL THE PEOPLE.
728
00:44:00,240 --> 00:44:02,640
THAT I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE BACK
A WORD OF WHAT I SAID."
729
00:44:02,709 --> 00:44:06,945
Narrator:
THE BATTLE OVER CIVIL RIGHTS
WAS A POLITICAL DISASTER.
730
00:44:07,047 --> 00:44:11,116
A GALLUP POLL SHOWED THAT
THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS
731
00:44:11,217 --> 00:44:13,251
OPPOSED THE PRESIDENT'S STAND.
732
00:44:13,353 --> 00:44:15,219
CIVIL RIGHTS WAS HURTING
733
00:44:15,321 --> 00:44:16,966
TRUMAN'S CHANCES
FOR RE-ELECTION.
734
00:44:16,990 --> 00:44:20,591
McCullough:
AT THE SAME TIME
AS HIS CIVIL RIGHTS MESSAGE
735
00:44:20,694 --> 00:44:22,271
WAS SPLITTING
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
736
00:44:22,295 --> 00:44:25,930
THE ISSUE OF WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN
IN PALESTINE COMES TO THE FORE.
737
00:44:26,032 --> 00:44:31,103
Narrator:
SINCE THE END OF THE 19th
CENTURY, THE JEWISH PEOPLE
738
00:44:31,205 --> 00:44:35,039
HAD ASPIRED TO ESTABLISH
A HOMELAND IN PALESTINE.
739
00:44:35,141 --> 00:44:38,309
NOW, AFTER THE DEVASTATION
OF THE HOLOCAUST
740
00:44:38,412 --> 00:44:40,145
JEWS FIERCELY LOBBIED TRUMAN
741
00:44:40,247 --> 00:44:42,914
TO RECOGNIZE A NEW
JEWISH STATE THERE
742
00:44:43,016 --> 00:44:45,183
EVEN ENLISTING EDDIE JACOBSON
743
00:44:45,285 --> 00:44:48,119
HIS OLD PARTNER
IN THE HABERDASHERY
744
00:44:48,221 --> 00:44:50,254
TO WIN TRUMAN TO THEIR CAUSE.
745
00:44:50,356 --> 00:44:53,558
BUT SECRETARY OF STATE
GEORGE MARSHALL FEARED
746
00:44:53,660 --> 00:44:56,728
THAT ARABS, CLAIMING
PALESTINE AS THEIR OWN
747
00:44:56,830 --> 00:44:59,630
WOULD CUT OFF
THE WORLD'S SUPPLY OF OIL
748
00:44:59,733 --> 00:45:02,467
AND THROW THE MIDDLE EAST
INTO TURMOIL.
749
00:45:02,569 --> 00:45:05,002
McCullough:
MARSHALL WAS THE AMERICAN
750
00:45:05,104 --> 00:45:08,373
THAT HARRY TRUMAN ADMIRED
MORE THAN ANY OTHER.
751
00:45:08,474 --> 00:45:11,476
NOW, FOR TRUMAN
TO GO AGAINST GEORGE MARSHALL
752
00:45:11,578 --> 00:45:15,613
WAS FOR HIM ONE OF
THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS
753
00:45:15,716 --> 00:45:20,919
Narrator:
FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
THE ADVICE OF GEORGE MARSHALL
754
00:45:21,021 --> 00:45:23,721
AND HIS SYMPATHIES
FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE
755
00:45:23,823 --> 00:45:29,094
TRUMAN, ON MAY 14, 1948, GAVE
DE FACTO RECOGNITION TO ISRAEL.
756
00:45:29,196 --> 00:45:31,228
HE DID WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT
757
00:45:31,331 --> 00:45:35,466
AND AT THE SAME TIME WON
THE VOTES OF JEWISH CITIZENS.
758
00:45:35,568 --> 00:45:40,071
IN 1948, TRUMAN WOULD NEED
ALL THE VOTES HE COULD GET.
759
00:45:40,173 --> 00:45:42,133
IN SPITE OF
HIS TRIUMPHS OVERSEAS
760
00:45:42,209 --> 00:45:46,344
MANY AMERICANS STILL QUESTIONED
HIS EFFECTIVENESS AT HOME.
761
00:45:53,887 --> 00:46:00,825
Narrator:
ON JUNE 21, THE REPUBLICANS
CONVENED IN PHILADELPHIA.
762
00:46:02,095 --> 00:46:04,696
AFTER THREE DAYS
OF CELEBRATING FREE ENTERPRISE
763
00:46:04,798 --> 00:46:08,800
AND DENOUNCING HARRY TRUMAN,
THEY NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT
764
00:46:08,902 --> 00:46:13,838
THE URBANE, PROGRESSIVE GOVERNOR
OF NEW YORK, THOMAS DEWEY.
765
00:46:13,940 --> 00:46:16,307
I PRAY GOD THAT I MAY DESERVE
766
00:46:16,410 --> 00:46:19,711
THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
767
00:46:19,813 --> 00:46:23,715
IN ALL HUMILITY,
I ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.
768
00:46:27,721 --> 00:46:31,356
Narrator:
FOUR YEARS EARLIER,
DEWEY HAD RUN A STRONG RACE
769
00:46:31,458 --> 00:46:33,758
AGAINST THE UNDEFEATABLE
FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT.
770
00:46:33,860 --> 00:46:37,795
THIS TIME AROUND, REPUBLICANS
GIDDILY ANTICIPATED VICTORY
771
00:46:37,897 --> 00:46:40,798
AGAINST ROOSEVELT'S STAND-IN...
772
00:46:42,202 --> 00:46:44,603
HARRY TRUMAN.
773
00:46:44,704 --> 00:46:50,141
Hamby:
HE STILL APPEARED TO A LOT
OF AMERICANS TO BE A LITTLE GUY
774
00:46:50,244 --> 00:46:53,511
AN ORDINARY MAN,
SOMEONE WHO UTTERLY LACKED
775
00:46:53,613 --> 00:46:57,182
THE CHARISMA
OF HIS PREDECESSOR, ROOSEVELT.
776
00:46:57,284 --> 00:46:59,084
AMERICANS STILL REALLY WONDERED
777
00:46:59,186 --> 00:47:03,755
WHETHER SOMEONE WHO APPEARED
TO BE SO MUCH LIKE THEMSELVES
778
00:47:03,857 --> 00:47:08,326
COULD REALLY HANDLE
THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
779
00:47:08,428 --> 00:47:11,062
OF THE PRESIDENCY.
780
00:47:17,904 --> 00:47:22,941
Narrator:
IN JULY, THE DEMOCRATS GATHERED
IN THE SAME PHILADELPHIA HALL
781
00:47:23,043 --> 00:47:24,342
WHERE TWO WEEKS EARLIER
782
00:47:24,444 --> 00:47:28,613
THE REPUBLICANS HAD GIVEN THEIR
NOMINATION TO THOMAS DEWEY.
783
00:47:28,715 --> 00:47:32,717
FOR THE FIRST TIME, TELEVISION
WAS THERE TO REPORT THE STORY.
784
00:47:32,819 --> 00:47:35,420
To the people's interests,
a way in which
785
00:47:35,522 --> 00:47:40,524
rescued the American economy
of free enterprise...
786
00:47:40,627 --> 00:47:43,406
Narrator:
TRUMAN WATCHED
FROM THE OVAL OFFICE
787
00:47:43,430 --> 00:47:45,174
WHAT NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE
WOULD CALL
788
00:47:45,198 --> 00:47:48,366
"THE WORST-MANAGED,
MOST DISPIRITED CONVENTION
789
00:47:48,468 --> 00:47:50,301
IN AMERICAN HISTORY."
790
00:47:51,938 --> 00:47:57,341
Donovan:
THERE WAS NO AIR CONDITIONING,
AND IT WAS FROM THE BEGINNING
791
00:47:57,443 --> 00:48:00,978
A SWELTERING CONVENTION
IN THE HOTEL ROOMS
792
00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:03,481
AS WELL AS IN THE HALL.
793
00:48:03,583 --> 00:48:08,320
IT WAS A DISMAL CONVENTION FROM
THE START BECAUSE THE CONVENTION
794
00:48:08,421 --> 00:48:11,756
THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GOING
TO NOMINATE A LOSER.
795
00:48:11,858 --> 00:48:18,129
NO ONE IN THAT CONVENTION HALL
THOUGHT TRUMAN COULD WIN.
796
00:48:18,231 --> 00:48:21,299
Narrator:
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
WAS SPLITTING APART
797
00:48:21,401 --> 00:48:25,069
AND NO ONE THOUGHT HARRY TRUMAN
COULD HOLD IT TOGETHER.
798
00:48:25,171 --> 00:48:27,638
LEFT-LEANING DEMOCRATS
HAD ALREADY TURNED
799
00:48:27,740 --> 00:48:32,543
TO THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY AND
THEIR CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT
800
00:48:32,645 --> 00:48:33,912
HENRY WALLACE.
801
00:48:36,716 --> 00:48:39,317
CONSERVATIVE SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS
802
00:48:39,419 --> 00:48:41,819
FURIOUS OVER TRUMAN'S
STAND ON CIVIL RIGHTS
803
00:48:41,921 --> 00:48:45,256
WERE THREATENING TO WALK OUT
OF THE CONVENTION.
804
00:48:45,358 --> 00:48:46,636
THE DELEGATION FROM MISSISSIPPI
805
00:48:46,660 --> 00:48:49,594
COULD NOT BE TRUE TO THE PEOPLE
OF THAT GREAT STATE
806
00:48:49,696 --> 00:48:51,173
IF THEY DID NOT JOIN
IN THIS WALKOUT.
807
00:48:51,197 --> 00:48:55,065
Narrator:
IN THE END, THREE DOZEN
SOUTHERN DELEGATES BOLTED.
808
00:48:55,168 --> 00:48:57,301
AND WE BID YOU GOOD-BYE.
809
00:48:58,304 --> 00:49:00,471
Narrator:
TWO DAYS LATER
810
00:49:00,573 --> 00:49:02,451
THEY FORMED THEIR OWN PARTY,
THE "DIXIECRATS."
811
00:49:02,475 --> 00:49:07,145
McCullough:
AND IT SEEMED
ANOTHER DEVASTATING BLOW
812
00:49:07,247 --> 00:49:09,380
TO TRUMAN'S PROSPECTS.
813
00:49:09,483 --> 00:49:11,916
THE COMBINATION
OF THE SOUTHERNERS WALKING OUT
814
00:49:12,018 --> 00:49:15,820
AND HENRY WALLACE LEADING HIS
OWN PROGRESSIVE PARTY CAMPAIGN
815
00:49:15,922 --> 00:49:19,290
PLUS ALL THE GLOOM AND DOOM
THAT SEEMED TO PREVAIL
816
00:49:19,392 --> 00:49:20,891
THROUGHOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
817
00:49:20,993 --> 00:49:23,795
SPELLED ONLY DEFEAT,
SPELLED A VERY BLEAK FUTURE.
818
00:49:23,897 --> 00:49:28,633
Narrator:
BUT AS HARRY TRUMAN
ARRIVED IN PHILADELPHIA
819
00:49:28,735 --> 00:49:32,136
IN A SMALL, WINDOWLESS ROOM
BENEATH THE CONVENTION FLOOR
820
00:49:32,238 --> 00:49:37,242
HE SAT WITH VICE-PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINEE ALBEN BARKLEY
821
00:49:37,343 --> 00:49:41,478
McCullough:
THEY KEPT HIM WAITING TILL
ALMOST 2:00 IN THE MORNING.
822
00:49:41,581 --> 00:49:44,015
EVERYBODY WAS EXHAUSTED.
823
00:49:44,117 --> 00:49:45,995
THEY FELT DEMORALIZED,
THEY DIDN'T...
824
00:49:46,019 --> 00:49:49,086
MANY OF THEM WANT HARRY TRUMAN
TO BE THEIR CANDIDATE
825
00:49:49,188 --> 00:49:52,390
THE SOUTHERNERS HAD WALKED OUT
OF THE CONVENTION.
826
00:49:52,492 --> 00:49:54,759
AND SO AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING
827
00:49:54,861 --> 00:49:59,063
OUT CAME HARRY TRUMAN
IN HIS WHITE LINEN SUIT
828
00:49:59,165 --> 00:50:01,110
AND HE STOOD UP THERE,
AND HE SAID...
829
00:50:01,134 --> 00:50:04,135
SENATOR BARKLEY AND I
WILL WIN THIS ELECTION
830
00:50:04,237 --> 00:50:06,704
AND MAKE THESE
REPUBLICANS LIKE IT.
831
00:50:06,807 --> 00:50:08,339
DON'T YOU FORGET THAT.
832
00:50:09,642 --> 00:50:11,220
Hamby:
HE'S A FIGHTER.
833
00:50:11,244 --> 00:50:13,678
TRUMAN IS NOT ABOUT
TO SLINK OUT OF TOWN
834
00:50:13,780 --> 00:50:15,057
WITH HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS.
835
00:50:15,081 --> 00:50:19,083
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM CRIES
ABOUT CRUELLY HIGH PRICES...
836
00:50:19,185 --> 00:50:22,252
Narrator:
TRUMAN HAD COME
INTO THE PRESIDENCY
837
00:50:22,355 --> 00:50:23,854
BEWILDERED AND FRIGHTENED;
838
00:50:23,956 --> 00:50:25,623
NOW THE DELEGATES SAT STUNNED
839
00:50:25,725 --> 00:50:29,560
AS A FIRE-BREATHING TRUMAN
TORE INTO THE REPUBLICANS.
840
00:50:29,662 --> 00:50:34,866
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
COMES OUT FOR SLUM CLEARANCE
841
00:50:34,968 --> 00:50:39,103
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM
TO PASS THAT HOUSING BILL
842
00:50:39,205 --> 00:50:41,372
EVER SINCE
THEY MET THE FIRST TIME.
843
00:50:41,474 --> 00:50:44,842
Narrator:
TRUMAN CHALLENGED
THE REPUBLICANS
844
00:50:44,944 --> 00:50:46,543
TO LIVE UP TO THEIR PROMISES.
845
00:50:46,646 --> 00:50:50,915
I AM THEREFORE CALLING
THIS CONGRESS BACK INTO SESSION
846
00:50:51,017 --> 00:50:53,117
ON THE 26th OF JULY!
847
00:50:55,255 --> 00:51:00,024
IF THERE'S ANY REALITY
BEHIND THAT REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
848
00:51:00,126 --> 00:51:01,326
WE OUGHT TO GET SOME ACTION
849
00:51:01,427 --> 00:51:03,928
OUT OF THE SHORT SESSION
OF THE 80th CONGRESS.
850
00:51:04,030 --> 00:51:07,164
THEY CAN DO THIS JOB IN 15 DAYS
IF THEY WANT TO DO IT
851
00:51:07,266 --> 00:51:11,836
AND THEY'LL STILL HAVE TIME
TO GO OUT AND RUN FOR OFFICE.
852
00:51:18,945 --> 00:51:21,279
Narrator:
TRUMAN HAD COME OUT FIGHTING
853
00:51:21,381 --> 00:51:23,914
BUT STILL, NO ONE THOUGHT
HE COULD WIN.
854
00:51:24,017 --> 00:51:26,017
ALL THE POLLS MADE HIM
A SURE LOSER.
855
00:51:26,052 --> 00:51:29,052
McCullough:
EVERYBODY THOUGHT
HE WAS GOING TO LOSE.
856
00:51:29,155 --> 00:51:31,622
I MEAN, THAT'S NOT JUST
A FIGURE OF SPEECH.
857
00:51:31,724 --> 00:51:34,025
EVEN HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW
WAS QUITE SURE
858
00:51:34,127 --> 00:51:35,838
THAT HARRY TRUMAN
WAS GOING TO LOSE.
859
00:51:35,862 --> 00:51:40,731
Narrator:
TRUMAN'S REPUBLICAN OPPONENT
WAS EVERYTHING TRUMAN WAS NOT.
860
00:51:40,833 --> 00:51:46,504
EDUCATED, SMOOTH, SOPHISTICATED,
TOM DEWEY WAS PREPARED, HE SAID
861
00:51:46,606 --> 00:51:50,107
TO TURN BACK 16 YEARS
OF DEMOCRATIC RULE.
862
00:51:50,209 --> 00:51:53,210
I PLEDGE TO YOU
THAT ON NEXT JANUARY 20
863
00:51:53,312 --> 00:51:55,112
THERE WILL BEGIN IN WASHINGTON
864
00:51:55,214 --> 00:51:59,884
THE BIGGEST UNRAVELING,
UNSNARLING, UNTANGLING OPERATION
865
00:51:59,986 --> 00:52:01,619
IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
866
00:52:05,024 --> 00:52:09,460
Donovan:
FROM THE BEGINNING,
DEWEY WAS TRANSFIXED BY POLLS
867
00:52:09,563 --> 00:52:12,396
AND BY TIME MAGAZINE
AND EVERYONE ELSE
868
00:52:12,498 --> 00:52:15,066
WHO WAS BOOSTING HIM
FOR PRESIDENT.
869
00:52:15,168 --> 00:52:17,088
HE WAS VERY PLEASED
WITH HIMSELF
870
00:52:18,238 --> 00:52:23,240
VERY SURE THAT HE WAS GOING
TO GO ON AND BE A GREAT FIGURE.
871
00:52:23,342 --> 00:52:26,643
THEY WERE SO CONFIDENT
THAT SOME OF THE DEWEY PEOPLE
872
00:52:26,745 --> 00:52:29,981
HAD ALREADY BOUGHT HOUSES
IN WASHINGTON.
873
00:52:34,119 --> 00:52:38,122
Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 17, TRUMAN SET OUT
ON WHAT WOULD BECOME
874
00:52:38,224 --> 00:52:41,025
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CAMPAIGNS
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
875
00:52:41,127 --> 00:52:44,528
Donovan:
HE WAS SAYING GOOD-BYE
TO EVERYBODY AND SO FORTH
876
00:52:44,631 --> 00:52:46,930
AND ALBEN BARKLEY,
A VERY GOOD-HEARTED MAN
877
00:52:47,032 --> 00:52:49,533
CAME UP AND SAID,
"GIVE 'EM HELL, HARRY!"
878
00:52:49,635 --> 00:52:50,779
AND TRUMAN SAID SOMETHING...
879
00:52:50,803 --> 00:52:53,838
"I'LL GIVE 'EM HELL,
I'LL GIVE 'EM HELL, ALBEN."
880
00:52:53,940 --> 00:52:55,439
WE HAD NOTHING TO WRITE ABOUT.
881
00:52:55,542 --> 00:52:58,375
THE TRAIN'S STARTING OUT
ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON
882
00:52:58,477 --> 00:53:00,678
SO EVERYONE'S WRITING
ABOUT "GIVE 'EM HELL."
883
00:53:00,780 --> 00:53:03,648
Narrator:
FROM THEN ON,
"GIVE 'EM HELL, HARRY"
884
00:53:03,750 --> 00:53:06,851
WOULD BECOME
HARRY TRUMAN'S BATTLE CRY.
885
00:53:09,989 --> 00:53:14,458
DURING THE NEXT SIX WEEKS,
TRUMAN WOULD TRAVEL 22,000 MILES
886
00:53:14,561 --> 00:53:18,229
CRISSCROSSING THE COUNTRY
THREE TIMES.
887
00:53:20,766 --> 00:53:23,133
THE ISSUES,
HE SAID, WERE SIMPLE...
888
00:53:23,236 --> 00:53:25,803
THE REPUBLICANS WANTED
TO TURN BACK THE CLOCK
889
00:53:25,905 --> 00:53:28,806
DESTROY FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT'S
NEW DEAL.
890
00:53:28,908 --> 00:53:30,441
TRUMAN WAS GOING TO STOP THEM.
891
00:53:30,543 --> 00:53:32,421
Truman:
IF YOU GIVE THE REPUBLICANS
892
00:53:32,445 --> 00:53:33,855
COMPLETE CONTROL
OF THIS GOVERNMENT
893
00:53:33,879 --> 00:53:37,848
YOU MIGHT JUST AS WELL TURN IT
OVER TO THE SPECIAL INTERESTS
894
00:53:37,950 --> 00:53:40,084
AND WE'LL START
ON A BOOM-AND-BUST CYCLE
895
00:53:40,186 --> 00:53:43,254
AND TRY TO GO THROUGH
JUST WHAT WE DID IN THE '20s
896
00:53:43,356 --> 00:53:46,624
AND END UP WITH A CRASH,
WHICH IN THE LONG RUN
897
00:53:46,726 --> 00:53:49,794
WILL DO NOBODY ANY GOOD
BUT THE COMMUNISTS.
898
00:53:49,896 --> 00:53:52,730
Narrator:
TRUMAN KEPT UP A GRUELING PACE
899
00:53:52,832 --> 00:53:55,066
GIVING NO QUARTER
TO HIS OPPONENTS.
900
00:53:55,168 --> 00:53:58,436
WHEN THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
CANDIDATE HENRY WALLACE
901
00:53:58,538 --> 00:54:01,472
ARGUED FOR CO-OPERATION
WITH THE SOVIET UNION
902
00:54:01,574 --> 00:54:04,509
TRUMAN ATTACKED WALLACE
AS A COMMUNIST PAWN.
903
00:54:04,611 --> 00:54:06,978
WHEN THE SEGREGATIONIST
DIXIECRAT PARTY
904
00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:11,782
NOMINATED STROM THURMOND, TRUMAN
DESEGREGATED THE ARMED FORCES
905
00:54:11,885 --> 00:54:14,185
WINNING THE VOTES
OF BLACK AMERICANS
906
00:54:14,287 --> 00:54:17,354
AND CHANGING THE AMERICAN
MILITARY FOREVER.
907
00:54:17,457 --> 00:54:19,290
Jarrett:
THE ARMED FORCES...
908
00:54:19,392 --> 00:54:23,327
THE SEAT OF SEGREGATION,
THE SEAT OF RACISM
909
00:54:23,429 --> 00:54:27,331
AND TO HAVE HIM ISSUE THAT
ORDER, FOR WHATEVER REASON
910
00:54:27,434 --> 00:54:31,268
WAS A GREAT LEAP FORWARD
IN HISTORY.
911
00:54:31,370 --> 00:54:35,005
Women:
♪ ALL WE DO IS GO OUT WALKING ♪
912
00:54:35,107 --> 00:54:38,443
♪ WHERE THE SUN SHINES
BRIGHT AND GAY ♪
913
00:54:38,545 --> 00:54:45,850
♪ BUT WHAT DO WE DO, WHAT DO
WE DO ON A DEW-DEW-DEWEY DAY? ♪
914
00:54:45,952 --> 00:54:48,530
Narrator:
CAMPAIGNING AS IF
HE HAD ALREADY WON
915
00:54:48,554 --> 00:54:51,889
TOM DEWEY TOOK NO RISKS,
OFFERED NO SURPRISES.
916
00:54:51,991 --> 00:54:55,092
McCullough:
HIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN WAS BEING RUN
917
00:54:55,195 --> 00:54:59,263
ACCORDING TO WHAT THE POLLS
WERE TELLING HIM TO DO:
918
00:54:59,365 --> 00:55:00,565
DON'T ROCK THE BOAT;
919
00:55:00,667 --> 00:55:03,333
DON'T SAY ANYTHING
TO ANTAGONIZE ANYONE;
920
00:55:03,436 --> 00:55:05,369
DON'T SAY ANYTHING
CONTROVERSIAL;
921
00:55:05,471 --> 00:55:08,239
JUST BE CALM, SMOOTH,
SPEAK IN PLATITUDES.
922
00:55:08,340 --> 00:55:11,475
WE BELIEVE IN HONESTY,
LOYALTY, FAIR PLAY
923
00:55:11,577 --> 00:55:13,077
CONCERN FOR OUR NEIGHBORS
924
00:55:13,179 --> 00:55:15,580
THE INNATE ABILITY OF MEN
TO ACHIEVE.
925
00:55:15,681 --> 00:55:19,183
THESE CONVICTIONS,
ARCHED OVER BY OUR FAITH IN GOD
926
00:55:19,285 --> 00:55:22,620
ARE THE INNER MEANING
OF THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.
927
00:55:22,722 --> 00:55:27,524
Donovan:
HE DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE MUCH
EMPATHY, IF THAT'S THE WORD.
928
00:55:27,626 --> 00:55:29,471
YOU WOULDN'T CUDDLE UP
TO TOM DEWEY.
929
00:55:29,495 --> 00:55:32,341
McCullough:
THE DEWEY CAMPAIGN
WAS VERY EFFICIENT
930
00:55:32,365 --> 00:55:34,498
IT WAS VERY CAREFULLY
ORCHESTRATED.
931
00:55:34,600 --> 00:55:39,470
THE OFFICIAL DRINK ONBOARD
THE DEWEY TRAIN WAS THE MARTINI;
932
00:55:39,572 --> 00:55:41,805
THE CARD GAME WAS BRIDGE.
933
00:55:41,907 --> 00:55:44,608
ON THE TRUMAN TRAIN,
THINGS WERE QUITE DIFFERENT.
934
00:55:44,711 --> 00:55:47,945
THE DRINK OF THE HOUR WAS
NEARLY ALWAYS BOURBON
935
00:55:48,047 --> 00:55:50,481
AND THE CARD GAME WAS POKER.
936
00:55:54,687 --> 00:55:58,289
TRUMAN KEPT THAT TRAIN
REALLY MOVING.
937
00:56:00,293 --> 00:56:03,494
AND HE TRAVELED AND TRAVELED
AND TRAVELED
938
00:56:03,596 --> 00:56:06,931
BUT HE SEEMED
TO DRAW ENERGY FROM IT.
939
00:56:07,033 --> 00:56:08,732
HE LOVED IT.
940
00:56:08,834 --> 00:56:12,069
AND AS HE PROGRESSED,
HE GOT BETTER.
941
00:56:12,171 --> 00:56:16,240
AND THE MORE HE TRAVELED,
THE MORE THE CROWDS TURNED OUT
942
00:56:16,342 --> 00:56:18,409
AND THE LARGER THE CROWDS WERE.
943
00:56:18,511 --> 00:56:21,612
Woman:
EVERY TOWN WE'D PULLED INTO
HAD A HIGH SCHOOL BAND
944
00:56:21,714 --> 00:56:27,752
THAT PLAYED "THE MISSOURI WALTZ"
BEFORE THE PRESIDENT SPOKE.
945
00:56:27,854 --> 00:56:30,054
AND EVERYBODY GOT
SO SICK OF IT.
946
00:56:30,156 --> 00:56:32,556
ALWAYS THERE WAS
"THE MISSOURI WALTZ."
947
00:56:33,826 --> 00:56:36,927
AND TRUMAN, I'M TOLD,
HATED "THE MISSOURI WALTZ"
948
00:56:37,029 --> 00:56:39,730
AND EVERYWHERE HE HAD
"THE MISSOURI WALTZ"!
949
00:56:39,832 --> 00:56:43,300
Reuther:
HARRY WAS
A DAMNED GOOD CAMPAIGNER.
950
00:56:43,402 --> 00:56:46,136
HE LOVED TO GET OUT
AND MIX WITH PEOPLE
951
00:56:46,239 --> 00:56:48,939
AND HE KNEW HOW TO TALK
THEIR LANGUAGE.
952
00:56:49,041 --> 00:56:50,885
YOU KNOW, HE WAS
NO HIGHFALUTIN GUY.
953
00:56:50,909 --> 00:56:55,346
HE COULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY EVERY
FACTORY WORKER, EVERY COAL MINER
954
00:56:55,448 --> 00:56:57,682
EVERY TEXTILE WORKER,
EVERY HOUSEWIFE.
955
00:56:57,784 --> 00:56:59,761
Truman:
I'VE BEEN IN POLITICS
A LONG TIME
956
00:56:59,785 --> 00:57:04,321
AND IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT YOU
957
00:57:04,423 --> 00:57:08,492
IF THEY CAN PROVE IT ON YOU,
YOU'RE IN A BAD FIX INDEED.
958
00:57:09,428 --> 00:57:11,728
Donovan:
HE UNDERSTOOD PEOPLE.
959
00:57:11,831 --> 00:57:15,065
HE ESPECIALLY UNDERSTOOD
PEOPLE OF HIS AREA...
960
00:57:15,167 --> 00:57:17,067
THE MIDWEST, THE FARMERS.
961
00:57:17,169 --> 00:57:18,369
VOTE FOR YOUR FARMS.
962
00:57:18,470 --> 00:57:21,505
VOTE FOR THE STANDARD OF LIVING
THAT YOU'VE WON
963
00:57:21,607 --> 00:57:23,485
UNDER A DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATION.
964
00:57:23,509 --> 00:57:27,912
GET OUT THERE ON ELECTION DAY
AND VOTE FOR YOUR FUTURE.
965
00:57:35,354 --> 00:57:36,787
YOU KNOW, I COVERED EVERY INCH
966
00:57:36,889 --> 00:57:38,467
OF THE TRUMAN
WHISTLE-STOP CAMPAIGN.
967
00:57:38,491 --> 00:57:42,326
I WAS IN EVERY FARMYARD AND
MAIN STREET AND THE REST OF IT.
968
00:57:42,428 --> 00:57:43,572
AND I'D SEE THESE BIG CROWDS
969
00:57:43,596 --> 00:57:46,163
AND I'D THINK, "WELL,
DEWEY HAS BIGGER CROWDS."
970
00:57:46,265 --> 00:57:49,133
WHATEVER I FELT, I THOUGHT
DEWEY WAS GOING TO WIN.
971
00:57:49,235 --> 00:57:54,304
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE
WHO THOUGHT OTHERWISE... ANYBODY.
972
00:58:03,315 --> 00:58:06,851
Narrator:
AS THE CAMPAIGN DREW TO A CLOSE,
THE NEW YORK TIMES
973
00:58:06,953 --> 00:58:10,054
WAS PREDICTING DEWEY WOULD
RUN AWAY WITH THE ELECTION.
974
00:58:10,156 --> 00:58:12,689
THE GALLUP POLL WAS
SO CERTAIN OF THE OUTCOME
975
00:58:12,791 --> 00:58:15,426
IT STOPPED POLLING
BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER.
976
00:58:15,528 --> 00:58:18,161
McCullough:
THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION
977
00:58:18,264 --> 00:58:21,532
THE HEAD OF THE SECRET SERVICE
WENT TO NEW YORK
978
00:58:21,634 --> 00:58:22,866
TO BE WITH MR. DEWEY
979
00:58:22,969 --> 00:58:26,938
BECAUSE HE CLEARLY WAS GOING
TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT.
980
00:58:27,040 --> 00:58:29,206
AND IT JUST LOOKED
LIKE A SURE THING.
981
00:58:29,308 --> 00:58:34,578
AND THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T
THINK IT WAS A SURE THING
982
00:58:34,681 --> 00:58:40,117
Narrator:
ONE EVENING, THREE OR FOUR DAYS
BEFORE THE ELECTION
983
00:58:40,219 --> 00:58:42,285
AN ANXIOUS BESS TRUMAN
WENT QUIETLY
984
00:58:42,387 --> 00:58:44,888
TO SEE HER HUSBAND'S AIDE,
CLARK CLIFFORD.
985
00:58:44,990 --> 00:58:47,858
Clifford:
AND SHE SAID,
"CLARK, DO YOU THINK
986
00:58:47,960 --> 00:58:52,262
HARRY REALLY BELIEVES
THAT HE CAN WIN?"
987
00:58:52,364 --> 00:58:59,536
AND I SAID, "HE GIVES EVERY
ASSURANCE OF IT, MRS. TRUMAN."
988
00:58:59,638 --> 00:59:04,008
SHE SAYS, "WELL, HE KEEPS
SAYING HE'S GOING TO WIN."
989
00:59:04,110 --> 00:59:06,576
"WELL," I SAID,
"THAT'S THE WAY HE FEELS."
990
00:59:06,678 --> 00:59:11,115
I SAID, "HE'S GOING TO FEEL
THAT WAY RIGHT UP TO THE END."
991
00:59:11,217 --> 00:59:12,850
"BUT," SHE SAID, "IT'S SO HARD
992
00:59:12,952 --> 00:59:16,086
TO FIND ANYBODY ELSE
WHO THINKS THAT HE CAN WIN."
993
00:59:16,188 --> 00:59:24,188
I THINK SHE FELT THAT HE DID NOT
HAVE ANY CHANCE OF WINNING.
994
00:59:26,899 --> 00:59:29,644
Narrator:
ON ELECTION NIGHT,
TO ESCAPE REPORTERS
995
00:59:29,668 --> 00:59:33,070
TRUMAN CHECKED INTO A HOTEL
IN EXCELSIOR SPRINGS
996
00:59:33,172 --> 00:59:34,571
JUST OUTSIDE OF INDEPENDENCE.
997
00:59:34,673 --> 00:59:38,842
HE HAD A HAM AND CHEESE
SANDWICH, A GLASS OF BUTTERMILK
998
00:59:38,945 --> 00:59:41,345
AND WENT TO SLEEP.
999
00:59:50,990 --> 00:59:54,591
HE LEARNED HE HAD PULLED OFF
THE GREATEST UPSET
1000
00:59:54,693 --> 00:59:57,327
IN THE HISTORY
OF AMERICAN POLITICS.
1001
00:59:57,429 --> 01:00:00,430
NOT ONE POLLSTER
OR RADIO COMMENTATOR
1002
01:00:00,532 --> 01:00:05,669
OR NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST
HAD GOT IT RIGHT.
1003
01:00:05,772 --> 01:00:10,340
NO ONE HAD DARED PREDICT
A TRUMAN VICTORY.
1004
01:00:22,054 --> 01:00:25,122
Dewey:
I'VE SENT THE FOLLOWING WIRE
TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN:
1005
01:00:25,224 --> 01:00:28,291
"MY HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS
TO YOU ON YOUR ELECTION
1006
01:00:28,394 --> 01:00:31,595
"AND EVERY GOOD WISH
FOR A SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATION.
1007
01:00:31,697 --> 01:00:34,631
"I URGE ALL AMERICANS
TO UNITE BEHIND YOU
1008
01:00:34,733 --> 01:00:37,201
IN SUPPORT
OF EVERY EFFORT TO..."
1009
01:00:43,142 --> 01:00:47,478
Reuther:
TRUMAN CAME THROUGH
AS A FEISTY FIGHTER
1010
01:00:47,580 --> 01:00:49,747
AND WE LOVED THAT, YOU KNOW.
1011
01:00:49,849 --> 01:00:53,717
THE LABOR MOVEMENT CAME AROUND
TO ADMIRE TRUMAN.
1012
01:00:53,819 --> 01:00:59,089
WE KNEW THAT ON BASIC ISSUES,
HE WOULD STAND WITH THE PEOPLE
1013
01:00:59,192 --> 01:01:04,294
INCLUDING WORKING PEOPLE
AGAINST SPECIAL INTERESTS
1014
01:01:04,397 --> 01:01:06,163
AND THAT HE WAS CONCERNED
1015
01:01:06,265 --> 01:01:11,535
AND DETERMINED TO HELP CARRY
THROUGH THE LEGACY OF F.D.R.
1016
01:01:11,637 --> 01:01:14,738
McCullough:
WE'LL NEVER KNOW
HOW MANY PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM
1017
01:01:14,840 --> 01:01:19,176
BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH THEY
THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO LOSE
1018
01:01:19,278 --> 01:01:22,012
CERTAINLY, A VERY GREAT
MANY PEOPLE SAID LATER
1019
01:01:22,115 --> 01:01:23,191
"I VOTED FOR HARRY TRUMAN
1020
01:01:23,215 --> 01:01:26,049
"EVEN THOUGH I WAS SURE
HE WAS GOING TO LOSE
1021
01:01:26,151 --> 01:01:27,884
BECAUSE I LIKED HIM."
1022
01:01:29,455 --> 01:01:32,590
IT WAS THE HIGH POINT
OF HIS POLITICAL LIFE.
1023
01:01:32,692 --> 01:01:37,861
HE HAD MADE ALL THE SMARTIES
LOOK FOOLISH.
1024
01:01:37,963 --> 01:01:43,767
MOST HAPPY TO HAVE TOGETHER
ALL THE SEPTEMBER DEMOCRATS
1025
01:01:43,870 --> 01:01:46,369
AND THE OCTOBER DEMOCRATS...
1026
01:01:51,477 --> 01:01:55,645
AND THE MONDAY DEMOCRATS
AND THE TUESDAY DEMOCRATS
1027
01:01:55,747 --> 01:01:57,814
AND THE WEDNESDAY DEMOCRATS.
1028
01:01:59,418 --> 01:02:06,090
Donovan:
HE GOT A TREMENDOUS WELCOME
WHEN HE CAME BACK TO WASHINGTON
1029
01:02:06,192 --> 01:02:09,359
ONE OF THE BIGGEST TURNOUTS
THE TOWN HAD SEEN.
1030
01:02:09,462 --> 01:02:13,063
HE JUST GLOWED WITH IT.
1031
01:02:13,165 --> 01:02:16,366
BUT, BOY, HE CAME BACK
TO A TOUGH SECOND TERM
1032
01:02:16,468 --> 01:02:18,936
JUST A TOUGH SECOND TERM.
1033
01:02:24,543 --> 01:02:26,021
Narrator:
64 YEARS OLD
1034
01:02:26,045 --> 01:02:29,813
TRUMAN HAD REDEEMED HIMSELF
AND HIS PARTY
1035
01:02:29,915 --> 01:02:31,381
BUT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS
1036
01:02:31,483 --> 01:02:33,984
HE WOULD NEED
ALL HIS MISSOURI OPTIMISM
1037
01:02:34,086 --> 01:02:37,387
TO CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES
HE WOULD MEET ABROAD
1038
01:02:37,489 --> 01:02:40,657
AND THE FRUSTRATIONS
HE WOULD SUFFER AT HOME.
1039
01:02:40,759 --> 01:02:43,394
Truman:
EVERY SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION
1040
01:02:43,496 --> 01:02:46,330
AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL
HAVE A RIGHT
1041
01:02:46,432 --> 01:02:50,066
TO EXPECT FROM OUR GOVERNMENT
A FAIR DEAL.
1042
01:02:50,169 --> 01:02:53,870
Narrator:
AT HOME, TRUMAN ONCE AGAIN
EVOKED THE SPIRIT
1043
01:02:53,972 --> 01:02:57,774
OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT,
AND ASKED CONGRESS TO SUPPORT
1044
01:02:57,876 --> 01:03:00,043
WHAT HE NOW CALLED
THE "FAIR DEAL"...
1045
01:03:00,146 --> 01:03:04,048
A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE, CIVIL
RIGHTS, AID TO EDUCATION
1046
01:03:04,149 --> 01:03:07,618
HEALTH INSURANCE
FOR ALL AMERICANS.
1047
01:03:07,720 --> 01:03:12,556
ONE CRITIC CALLED IT "THE SAME
OLD DOG WITH A NEW NAME."
1048
01:03:15,727 --> 01:03:20,230
OVERSEAS, TRUMAN WAS FACING
A NEW THREAT
1049
01:03:20,332 --> 01:03:23,834
IN REACTION TO AMERICA'S EFFORTS
TO STRENGTHEN WEST GERMANY
1050
01:03:23,936 --> 01:03:27,838
THE RUSSIANS HAD BLOCKADED
WESTERN-CONTROLLED BERLIN
1051
01:03:27,940 --> 01:03:32,609
CUTTING ALL RAIL, HIGHWAY
AND WATER TRAFFIC
1052
01:03:32,711 --> 01:03:38,315
2 1/2 MILLION BERLINERS HAD ONLY
ENOUGH FOOD TO LAST A MONTH.
1053
01:03:38,417 --> 01:03:44,054
BUT TRUMAN WOULD FORCE
THE COMMUNISTS TO BACK DOWN.
1054
01:03:44,156 --> 01:03:47,791
IN A DARING MOVE, TRUMAN ORDERED
A FULL-SCALE AIRLIFT
1055
01:03:47,893 --> 01:03:51,227
TO FLY FOOD AND SUPPLIES
FOR MORE THAN A YEAR
1056
01:03:51,330 --> 01:03:53,998
TO THE BELEAGUERED BERLINERS.
1057
01:03:55,234 --> 01:04:00,004
TRUMAN HAD ONCE AGAIN CONFRONTED
THE SOVIET UNION
1058
01:04:00,105 --> 01:04:05,075
BUT HIS EFFORTS TO STAND FIRM
WERE CHALLENGED BY TWO BLOWS
1059
01:04:05,177 --> 01:04:07,477
THAT CAME IN SWIFT SUCCESSION.
1060
01:04:07,579 --> 01:04:10,013
LaFeber:
IN LATE AUGUST OF 1949
1061
01:04:10,115 --> 01:04:12,160
TRUMAN LEARNED
FROM AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE
1062
01:04:12,184 --> 01:04:16,153
THAT THE SOVIETS HAD EXPLODED
AN ATOMIC DEVICE.
1063
01:04:16,255 --> 01:04:21,358
Narrator:
AMERICA'S MONOPOLY
ON THE ATOMIC BOMB HAD ENDED.
1064
01:04:21,460 --> 01:04:25,195
CHINA, THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY
IN THE WORLD
1065
01:04:25,297 --> 01:04:27,197
FELL TO MAO ZEDONG'S COMMUNISTS.
1066
01:04:27,299 --> 01:04:31,001
McCullough:
IN CONGRESS AND IN THE COUNTRY,
THERE WAS A FEELING
1067
01:04:31,103 --> 01:04:33,337
THAT SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG
IN WASHINGTON
1068
01:04:33,439 --> 01:04:35,605
SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG
IN THE GOVERNMENT
1069
01:04:35,707 --> 01:04:39,476
AND OUT OF THIS FEAR
AND THIS UNCERTAINTY
1070
01:04:39,578 --> 01:04:43,380
AROSE THE VOICE
OF SENATOR JOE McCARTHY
1071
01:04:43,482 --> 01:04:45,482
WHO BEGAN TO RANT AND RAVE
1072
01:04:45,584 --> 01:04:51,288
ABOUT COMMUNIST CONSPIRACY
AND HIGH TREASON IN HIGH PLACES.
1073
01:04:51,390 --> 01:04:54,624
Narrator:
AS AMERICANS GREW
INCREASINGLY FRIGHTENED
1074
01:04:54,727 --> 01:04:57,894
BY A WORLD THAT SEEMED TO BE
SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL
1075
01:04:57,996 --> 01:05:02,132
THE PRESSURE ON TRUMAN MOUNTED
TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON DEFENSE.
1076
01:05:02,234 --> 01:05:05,735
EARLY IN 1950, THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL TRIED
1077
01:05:05,837 --> 01:05:10,207
TO CONVINCE THE PRESIDENT
TO QUADRUPLE MILITARY SPENDING
1078
01:05:10,309 --> 01:05:12,809
BUT TRUMAN TURNED
THEIR REQUEST ASIDE.
1079
01:05:12,911 --> 01:05:16,613
HE BELIEVED THAT THE BEST WAY
TO FIGHT COMMUNISM WAS
1080
01:05:16,715 --> 01:05:18,048
BY BUILDING A STRONG AMERICA
1081
01:05:18,150 --> 01:05:20,917
AND TO TRUMAN, THAT BEGAN
WITH A BALANCED BUDGET.
1082
01:05:21,019 --> 01:05:25,255
LaFeber:
THERE'S A STORY THAT HARRY
TRUMAN MADE HIS DEFENSE BUDGET
1083
01:05:26,224 --> 01:05:27,869
HE WOULD TAKE
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
1084
01:05:27,893 --> 01:05:29,504
COMING INTO THE GOVERNMENT
EVERY YEAR
1085
01:05:29,528 --> 01:05:32,529
PUT IT ON A PIECE OF PAPER,
SUBTRACT FROM THAT FIGURE
1086
01:05:32,631 --> 01:05:34,591
WHATEVER WAS NEEDED
FOR EDUCATION
1087
01:05:35,601 --> 01:05:38,902
WHATEVER WAS LEFT WAS THE
DEFENSE BUDGET FOR THAT YEAR.
1088
01:05:39,004 --> 01:05:43,073
Narrator:
BUT THEN, IN EARLY SUMMER,
EVERYTHING CHANGED.
1089
01:05:43,175 --> 01:05:46,543
HARRY TRUMAN WAS ABOUT
TO CONFRONT THE COMMUNISTS
1090
01:05:46,645 --> 01:05:51,148
ONE MORE TIME, AND HE WOULD NEED
ALL HIS STAMINA AND GRIT
1091
01:05:51,250 --> 01:05:53,683
TO KEEP FROM GOING UNDER.
1092
01:05:56,255 --> 01:06:01,625
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1950,
WAS A BAKING HOT SUMMER DAY
1093
01:06:01,727 --> 01:06:03,727
IN INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI.
1094
01:06:03,829 --> 01:06:06,963
TRUMAN WAS HOME SPENDING
THE WEEKEND WITH HIS FAMILY
1095
01:06:07,065 --> 01:06:11,068
IN THE HOUSE WHERE HE AND BESS
HAD LIVED WITH BESS'S MOTHER
1096
01:06:11,170 --> 01:06:14,170
EVER SINCE THEY WERE MARRIED
30 YEARS BEFORE.
1097
01:06:14,272 --> 01:06:16,840
AT 9:00, HE RECEIVED
A PHONE CALL
1098
01:06:16,942 --> 01:06:19,609
FROM SECRETARY OF STATE
DEAN ACHESON.
1099
01:06:19,711 --> 01:06:24,648
"MR. PRESIDENT," ACHESON SAID,
"I HAVE VERY SERIOUS NEWS.
1100
01:06:24,750 --> 01:06:29,352
THE NORTH KOREANS
HAVE INVADED SOUTH KOREA."
1101
01:06:38,697 --> 01:06:40,817
Narrator:
SUPPORTED BY TANKS AND ARTILLERY
1102
01:06:40,866 --> 01:06:42,906
SEVEN NORTH KOREAN
INFANTRY DIVISIONS...
1103
01:06:42,935 --> 01:06:48,671
SOME 90,000 MEN...
HAD LAUNCHED A SURPRISE ATTACK.
1104
01:06:49,875 --> 01:06:51,786
THE CRISIS
THAT WOULD HAUNT TRUMAN
1105
01:06:51,810 --> 01:06:55,779
FOR THE REST OF HIS YEARS
IN OFFICE HAD BEGUN.
1106
01:06:56,882 --> 01:07:00,250
NOT LONG AFTER TRUMAN
HAD BECOME PRESIDENT
1107
01:07:00,352 --> 01:07:03,653
KOREA WAS DIVIDED
AT THE 38th PARALLEL
1108
01:07:03,755 --> 01:07:05,089
INTO TWO HOSTILE PARTS...
1109
01:07:05,191 --> 01:07:09,459
A SOVIET-SUPPORTED NORTH
AND AN AMERICAN-BACKED SOUTH.
1110
01:07:09,561 --> 01:07:14,531
NOW THE NORTH HAD ATTACKED
THE SOUTH, WITH JUST ONE GOAL:
1111
01:07:14,633 --> 01:07:17,300
TO UNIFY KOREA
UNDER COMMUNIST RULE.
1112
01:07:17,402 --> 01:07:20,336
Elsey:
HE WAS CONVINCED
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
1113
01:07:20,438 --> 01:07:22,572
THAT THE SOVIETS
WERE BEHIND THIS.
1114
01:07:22,674 --> 01:07:24,140
HE HAD NO DOUBTS AT ALL OF THAT.
1115
01:07:24,242 --> 01:07:28,745
WE'D SEEN IT AS THEY'D TAKEN
OVER THE SATELLITE COUNTRIES
1116
01:07:28,847 --> 01:07:31,948
AS THEY HAD POKED AND PRODDED
AND PRESSED ELSEWHERE.
1117
01:07:32,050 --> 01:07:33,761
LaFeber:
HIS INITIAL RESPONSE WAS
1118
01:07:33,785 --> 01:07:35,630
THAT THIS WAS
A SOVIET-DIRECTED ATTACK
1119
01:07:35,654 --> 01:07:38,188
AND THAT HE WAS BEING
DIRECTLY CHALLENGED BY STALIN.
1120
01:07:38,290 --> 01:07:43,627
STALIN DID SUPPORT THE INVASION,
BUT AT NORTH KOREA'S INSISTENCE
1121
01:07:43,729 --> 01:07:45,896
AND IT WAS FROM A SAFE DISTANCE
1122
01:07:45,998 --> 01:07:48,731
BY SENDING SOVIET SUPPLIES
AND ADVISERS.
1123
01:07:48,834 --> 01:07:52,135
WHAT THE UNITED STATES
GOT INVOLVED WITH IN 1950
1124
01:07:52,237 --> 01:07:55,172
WAS NOT AGGRESSION
FROM THE SOVIET UNION.
1125
01:07:55,274 --> 01:07:56,907
WHAT WE GOT INVOLVED WITH WAS
1126
01:07:57,009 --> 01:07:59,575
AN INCREDIBLY BLOODY
CIVIL WAR IN KOREA.
1127
01:07:59,678 --> 01:08:02,912
THERE WERE AS MANY
AS 100,000 KOREANS KILLED
1128
01:08:03,014 --> 01:08:05,415
BEFORE THE KOREAN WAR
OF 1950 OCCURRED
1129
01:08:05,517 --> 01:08:10,320
AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY
THAT TRUMAN KNEW VERY LITTLE
1130
01:08:10,422 --> 01:08:11,502
ABOUT THIS BACKGROUND.
1131
01:08:11,590 --> 01:08:14,368
Narrator:
AS TRUMAN HEADED BACK
TO WASHINGTON
1132
01:08:14,392 --> 01:08:18,395
HE TURNED TO THE WAR THAT HAD
ENDED JUST FIVE YEARS BEFORE
1133
01:08:18,497 --> 01:08:21,798
TO HELP HIM UNDERSTAND
THE WAR HE WAS FACING NOW.
1134
01:08:21,900 --> 01:08:24,534
"COMMUNISM WAS ACTING
IN KOREA," HE WROTE
1135
01:08:24,636 --> 01:08:28,104
"JUST AS HITLER AND THE JAPANESE
HAD ACTED EARLIER.
1136
01:08:28,206 --> 01:08:32,175
"IF THE COMMUNISTS WERE
PERMITTED TO FORCE THEIR WAY
1137
01:08:32,278 --> 01:08:33,877
"INTO THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1138
01:08:33,979 --> 01:08:36,613
"NO SMALL NATION
WOULD HAVE THE COURAGE
1139
01:08:36,715 --> 01:08:39,850
TO RESIST THREATS
AND AGGRESSION."
1140
01:08:43,021 --> 01:08:46,623
AS HIS PLANE TOUCHED DOWN
AT NATIONAL AIRPORT
1141
01:08:46,725 --> 01:08:48,591
THE PRESIDENT APPEARED GRIM.
1142
01:08:48,694 --> 01:08:51,895
"BY GOD,"
HE WOULD TELL HIS ADVISERS
1143
01:08:51,997 --> 01:08:54,264
"I'M GOING TO LET THEM HAVE IT."
1144
01:08:54,366 --> 01:08:58,368
THAT SAME EVENING, TRUMAN
AUTHORIZED WEAPONS AND SUPPLIES
1145
01:08:58,470 --> 01:09:01,170
TO REINFORCE THE SOUTH KOREANS.
1146
01:09:06,778 --> 01:09:10,013
THE NEXT DAY, HE ORDERED
AMERICAN PLANES TO STRIKE
1147
01:09:10,115 --> 01:09:12,649
AT THE NORTH KOREAN ARMY.
1148
01:09:29,501 --> 01:09:32,069
TRUMAN HOPED
THAT AMERICA'S SHOW OF STRENGTH
1149
01:09:32,170 --> 01:09:34,838
WOULD FORCE THE NORTH KOREANS
TO BACK DOWN.
1150
01:09:34,940 --> 01:09:38,441
HE DID NOT WANT
TO SEND AMERICAN SOLDIERS
1151
01:09:38,543 --> 01:09:41,111
TO FIGHT A LAND WAR IN ASIA.
1152
01:09:42,481 --> 01:09:48,385
BUT TRUMAN WAS BEING PUSHED
CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE ABYSS.
1153
01:09:51,590 --> 01:09:56,059
ON JUNE 27, JUST THREE DAYS
AFTER LAUNCHING THEIR ATTACK
1154
01:09:56,161 --> 01:09:58,595
THE NORTH KOREAN ARMY
OVERRAN SEOUL
1155
01:09:58,697 --> 01:10:01,198
THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH KOREA.
1156
01:10:08,340 --> 01:10:13,209
THAT EVENING, TRUMAN APPEALED
TO THE UNITED NATIONS FOR HELP.
1157
01:10:13,311 --> 01:10:17,146
"WE STARTED THE UNITED NATIONS,"
HE TOLD AN AIDE.
1158
01:10:17,249 --> 01:10:20,050
"IT MUST BE MADE TO WORK."
1159
01:10:20,152 --> 01:10:24,821
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE WORLD
ORGANIZATION DEVOTED TO PEACE
1160
01:10:24,923 --> 01:10:28,091
AUTHORIZED AN ARMY TO WAGE WAR.
1161
01:10:28,193 --> 01:10:31,861
THAT AMERICAN SOLDIERS WOULD
CARRY THE BURDEN OF THE FIGHTING
1162
01:10:31,963 --> 01:10:34,864
AND THE PRESIDENT, UNWILLING
TO RISK AMERICAN LIVES
1163
01:10:34,967 --> 01:10:38,301
WITHHELD THE ORDER THAT WOULD
SEND THEM INTO ACTION.
1164
01:10:38,403 --> 01:10:39,947
LaFeber:
I THINK THAT TRUMAN THOUGHT
1165
01:10:39,971 --> 01:10:43,239
THAT BY GETTING THE UNITED
NATIONS TO CONDEMN THE ATTACK
1166
01:10:43,341 --> 01:10:45,508
THAT BY BEEFING UP
SOUTH KOREAN FORCES
1167
01:10:45,610 --> 01:10:47,844
HE COULD PROBABLY
HANDLE THE SITUATION.
1168
01:10:47,946 --> 01:10:51,915
THE COMMUNISTS WOULD LEARN
THEIR LESSON, WOULD BACK OFF
1169
01:10:52,016 --> 01:10:55,352
AND WE'D BE BACK
TO BEFORE THE WAR.
1170
01:10:55,454 --> 01:10:59,356
THAT HE MIGHT BE TAKING THE
WORLD INTO ANOTHER TERRIBLE WAR.
1171
01:10:59,458 --> 01:11:01,202
AND THIS TIME
IT WOULD BE AN ATOMIC WAR
1172
01:11:01,226 --> 01:11:05,762
BECAUSE NOW IT WAS KNOWN THAT
BOTH SIDES HAD THE ATOMIC BOMB.
1173
01:11:12,070 --> 01:11:17,340
Narrator:
BY JUNE 30, LESS THAN A WEEK
AFTER THE FIGHTING BEGAN
1174
01:11:17,442 --> 01:11:19,342
THE SITUATION SEEMED HOPELESS.
1175
01:11:19,444 --> 01:11:22,512
AMERICAN SUPPLIES AND PLANES
HAD NOT BEEN ENOUGH
1176
01:11:22,614 --> 01:11:26,482
TO STOP THE RELENTLESS ADVANCE
OF THE NORTH KOREAN ARMY.
1177
01:11:26,585 --> 01:11:31,354
THE PRESIDENT WAS GOING TO HAVE
TO SEND AMERICAN BOYS.
1178
01:11:31,456 --> 01:11:34,068
Man:
I HEARD HIM SAY,
"I KNOW THAT SOMEDAY
1179
01:11:34,092 --> 01:11:36,759
"I WILL HAVE TO STAND
BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD
1180
01:11:36,861 --> 01:11:40,964
"AND ACCOUNT FOR EVERY YOUNG
LIFE THAT IS ABOUT TO BE LOST
1181
01:11:41,066 --> 01:11:43,026
"BECAUSE OF WHAT I AM
ABOUT TO DO.
1182
01:11:43,101 --> 01:11:46,136
"BUT IN THE FULFILLMENT
OF THE OATH THAT I TOOK
1183
01:11:46,237 --> 01:11:48,805
WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT,
I HAVE NO CHOICE."
1184
01:11:48,907 --> 01:11:53,576
AS ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN
WHO MIGHT BE COVERED BY THAT
1185
01:11:53,678 --> 01:11:56,780
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED
WE WERE NOT DEALING
1186
01:11:56,882 --> 01:11:58,025
WITH A BANKRUPT HABERDASHER.
1187
01:11:58,049 --> 01:12:01,551
Narrator:
ON JUNE 30,
THE PRESIDENT APPROVED
1188
01:12:01,653 --> 01:12:06,156
THE USE OF A COMBAT TEAM
AND TWO DIVISIONS IN KOREA.
1189
01:12:06,258 --> 01:12:09,192
WHAT THE CHINESE OR THE RUSSIANS
WOULD DO NOW
1190
01:12:09,294 --> 01:12:12,962
HE WROTE IN HIS DIARY,
HE DID NOT KNOW.
1191
01:12:13,065 --> 01:12:17,467
THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES HAD TO STAND FIRM.
1192
01:12:17,569 --> 01:12:22,372
"I'M NOT GOING TO TREMBLE LIKE A
PSYCHOPATH BEFORE THE RUSSIANS"
1193
01:12:22,474 --> 01:12:23,907
HE TOLD A WORRIED SENATOR.
1194
01:12:24,009 --> 01:12:26,510
"I AM NOT GOING
TO SURRENDER OUR RIGHTS
1195
01:12:26,612 --> 01:12:29,812
OR THE RIGHTS
OF THE SOUTH KOREANS."
1196
01:12:34,219 --> 01:12:40,022
Hamby:
TRUMAN HOPES THIS IS GOING TO BE
A QUICK ENTERPRISE
1197
01:12:40,124 --> 01:12:43,760
AND WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT.
1198
01:12:51,970 --> 01:12:56,172
CLEARLY, HE AND PERHAPS SOME OF
THE PEOPLE IN HIS ADMINISTRATION
1199
01:12:56,274 --> 01:12:59,275
HAVE UNDERESTIMATED
THE FORMIDABLE CHARACTER
1200
01:12:59,377 --> 01:13:01,945
OF THE NORTH KOREAN ARMY.
1201
01:13:02,047 --> 01:13:05,916
Narrator:
THE FIRST AMERICANS
THROWN INTO ACTION WERE GREEN.
1202
01:13:06,017 --> 01:13:09,185
THEIR ENEMY WAS NOT.
1203
01:13:12,390 --> 01:13:13,756
WELL TRAINED AND COMBAT HARDENED
1204
01:13:13,858 --> 01:13:16,393
THE NORTH KOREANS
PUSHED THE AMERICANS
1205
01:13:16,495 --> 01:13:19,195
FURTHER AND FURTHER SOUTH...
1206
01:13:21,833 --> 01:13:23,266
ACROSS UNKNOWN TERRAIN
1207
01:13:23,368 --> 01:13:27,170
THROUGH DRENCHING DOWNPOURS
AND PUNISHING HEAT.
1208
01:13:31,042 --> 01:13:33,610
TRUMAN'S CUTS
IN THE DEFENSE BUDGET
1209
01:13:33,712 --> 01:13:39,415
HAD LEFT AMERICA UNPREPARED
FOR THE WAR IT NOW FACED.
1210
01:13:43,321 --> 01:13:45,989
LaFeber:
BY JULY AND AUGUST OF 1950
1211
01:13:46,091 --> 01:13:49,425
KOREA WAS A FULL-FLEDGED
CONVENTIONAL WAR.
1212
01:13:49,527 --> 01:13:52,728
TRUMAN MADE THE DECISION
AT THIS POINT
1213
01:13:52,831 --> 01:13:54,031
TO BUST THE DEFENSE BUDGET.
1214
01:13:54,132 --> 01:13:56,833
HARRY TRUMAN, WHO HAD OPPOSED
HIGH DEFENSE BUDGETS
1215
01:13:56,935 --> 01:13:59,769
HAD SENT A $13 BILLION
DEFENSE BUDGET IN '49.
1216
01:14:00,972 --> 01:14:03,506
HE IS SENDING IN A DEFENSE
BUDGET OF $50 BILLION
1217
01:14:03,609 --> 01:14:06,008
AND THE UNITED STATES
IS NOW BEGINNING TO MOVE
1218
01:14:06,110 --> 01:14:10,012
INTO THE PERIOD
OF THE MODERN DEFENSE BUDGET.
1219
01:14:10,115 --> 01:14:14,184
Narrator:
WHILE THE MASSIVE REARMAMENT
OF AMERICA BEGAN AT HOME
1220
01:14:14,286 --> 01:14:16,586
NEWS FROM THE FRONT
REMAINED GRIM.
1221
01:14:16,688 --> 01:14:23,359
AT THE END OF JULY,
4,000 AMERICANS WERE DEAD
1222
01:14:23,461 --> 01:14:27,263
ALMOST 14,000
WOUNDED OR MISSING.
1223
01:14:28,934 --> 01:14:31,201
THE NORTH KOREANS WERE
SO MUCH STRONGER
1224
01:14:31,303 --> 01:14:32,502
THAN WE INITIALLY REALIZED
1225
01:14:32,604 --> 01:14:36,640
THAT THEY REALLY PRACTICALLY
PUSHED US RIGHT OFF
1226
01:14:36,742 --> 01:14:39,876
Narrator:
THE UNITED NATIONS ARMY
NOW CLUNG
1227
01:14:39,978 --> 01:14:44,414
TO ONLY A TINY CORNER OF
THE SOUTHEASTERN TIP OF KOREA.
1228
01:14:44,515 --> 01:14:48,617
TRUMAN HAD EXPECTED
TO OVERWHELM THE COMMUNISTS
1229
01:14:48,720 --> 01:14:54,223
TO HURL THEM BACK ABOVE THE 38th
PARALLEL INTO NORTH KOREA.
1230
01:14:54,325 --> 01:14:59,328
INSTEAD, AFTER JUST SIX WEEKS,
THE WAR SEEMED LOST.
1231
01:14:59,430 --> 01:15:00,830
WITH DISASTER LOOMING
1232
01:15:00,933 --> 01:15:05,301
A DARING PLAN WAS DEVISED BY THE
HEAD OF UNITED NATIONS FORCES...
1233
01:15:05,403 --> 01:15:10,006
THE FABLED HERO OF WORLD WAR II
WHOSE EXPLOITS IN THE PACIFIC
1234
01:15:10,108 --> 01:15:12,675
HAD MADE HIS NAME
A HOUSEHOLD WORD
1235
01:15:12,777 --> 01:15:14,643
GENERAL DOUGLAS MacARTHUR.
1236
01:15:14,746 --> 01:15:17,614
McCullough:
IT'S SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TODAY
1237
01:15:17,716 --> 01:15:22,185
TO IMAGINE THE AURA AROUND
GENERAL DOUGLAS MacARTHUR...
1238
01:15:22,287 --> 01:15:24,320
THE SIZE OF THE SHADOW HE CAST.
1239
01:15:24,422 --> 01:15:27,656
AMERICANS LOOKED UPON HIM
AS A KIND OF GOD...
1240
01:15:27,759 --> 01:15:29,191
AN INFALLIBLE GOD.
1241
01:15:29,293 --> 01:15:30,926
HE WAS ONLY ABOUT FIVE FOOT NINE
1242
01:15:31,028 --> 01:15:32,328
BUT IF YOU WERE IN HIS PRESENCE
1243
01:15:32,430 --> 01:15:34,698
YOU WOULD SWEAR THAT
HE WAS ABOUT SIX FOOT SIX.
1244
01:15:34,799 --> 01:15:39,869
HE ALWAYS DOMINATED ANY GROUP,
AND HE HAD ALL THE PROPS:
1245
01:15:39,972 --> 01:15:43,506
THE OPEN-COLLARED SHIRT,
THE SUNGLASSES
1246
01:15:43,608 --> 01:15:47,110
THE CRUSHED HAT, THE PIPE.
1247
01:15:47,212 --> 01:15:52,849
HE TOOK UNCLEAR DIRECTIVES AND
INTERPRETED THEM HIS OWN WAY.
1248
01:15:52,951 --> 01:15:55,085
HE WAS VERY MUCH
THE AMERICAN CAESAR.
1249
01:15:55,186 --> 01:15:58,186
Narrator:
TO SAVE HIS ARMY
TRAPPED ON THE TIP OF KOREA
1250
01:15:58,256 --> 01:16:02,492
MacARTHUR SENT A MESSAGE TO
TRUMAN ASKING HIM TO APPROVE
1251
01:16:02,593 --> 01:16:04,860
ONE OF THE MOST
DARING OPERATIONS
1252
01:16:04,962 --> 01:16:06,929
IN AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY.
1253
01:16:07,031 --> 01:16:08,576
Walters:
I ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS.
1254
01:16:08,600 --> 01:16:12,134
HE SAID, "TELL THE PRESIDENT
I WILL LAND AT INCHON
1255
01:16:12,236 --> 01:16:13,603
"ON THE 15th OF SEPTEMBER
1256
01:16:13,705 --> 01:16:16,105
"AND BETWEEN THE HAMMER
OF THIS LANDING
1257
01:16:16,207 --> 01:16:17,985
"AND THE ANVIL
OF THE EIGHTH ARMY
1258
01:16:18,009 --> 01:16:20,810
I WILL SMASH AND DESTROY
THE ARMIES OF NORTH KOREA."
1259
01:16:20,912 --> 01:16:23,056
AND THE HAIR STOOD UP
ON THE BACK OF MY NECK.
1260
01:16:23,080 --> 01:16:28,218
Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1950,
WITH TRUMAN'S FULL SUPPORT
1261
01:16:28,320 --> 01:16:30,153
MacARTHUR STRUCK WITHOUT WARNING
1262
01:16:30,255 --> 01:16:34,090
AT THE PORT OF INCHON,
30 MILES FROM SEOUL.
1263
01:16:34,926 --> 01:16:36,125
THE RISKS WERE ENORMOUS:
1264
01:16:36,227 --> 01:16:38,694
DANGEROUS 30-FOOT TIDES;
1265
01:16:38,796 --> 01:16:43,199
ENEMY GUNS TRAINED
ON MINE-INFESTED WATERS.
1266
01:16:43,301 --> 01:16:48,404
ONE PENTAGON STRATEGIST
CALLED IT A 5,000-TO-ONE SHOT.
1267
01:16:55,847 --> 01:16:57,647
BUT MacARTHUR'S GAMBLE PAID OFF.
1268
01:16:57,749 --> 01:17:01,484
THE NORTH KOREANS WERE CAUGHT
COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE.
1269
01:17:01,586 --> 01:17:04,320
INCHON FELL IN LESS THAN A DAY.
1270
01:17:04,422 --> 01:17:07,490
"I SALUTE YOU ALL,"
TRUMAN CABLED MacARTHUR
1271
01:17:07,592 --> 01:17:11,327
"AND SAY TO ALL OF YOU
FROM ALL OF US AT HOME
1272
01:17:11,430 --> 01:17:14,597
WELL AND NOBLY DONE."
1273
01:17:14,699 --> 01:17:18,267
13 DAYS LATER,
SEOUL WAS RETAKEN.
1274
01:17:19,404 --> 01:17:22,071
AT THE SAME TIME,
U.N. ARMIES IN THE SOUTH
1275
01:17:22,173 --> 01:17:26,375
WERE FIGHTING THEIR WAY NORTH
WITH THE ENEMY IN FULL RETREAT.
1276
01:17:26,477 --> 01:17:28,355
McCullough:
SUDDENLY, THE NORTH KOREANS
1277
01:17:28,379 --> 01:17:31,280
INSTEAD OF BEING
THIS INVINCIBLE INVADING ARMY
1278
01:17:31,383 --> 01:17:33,015
WERE CAUGHT IN A GIANT PINCER.
1279
01:17:33,118 --> 01:17:35,318
Narrator:
IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS
1280
01:17:35,419 --> 01:17:37,853
MacARTHUR HAD TURNED
THE WAR AROUND.
1281
01:17:37,956 --> 01:17:40,957
"GENERAL MacARTHUR,"
LIFE MAGAZINE WROTE
1282
01:17:41,058 --> 01:17:43,859
"IS A GREAT SOLDIER
AND A GREAT AMERICAN."
1283
01:17:43,962 --> 01:17:48,831
BY LATE SEPTEMBER, U.N. FORCES
HAD PUSHED THE COMMUNISTS
1284
01:17:48,933 --> 01:17:50,833
BACK ABOVE THE 38th PARALLEL...
1285
01:17:50,935 --> 01:17:55,839
THE LINE SEPARATING THE TWO
ARMIES BEFORE THE WAR BEGAN.
1286
01:17:55,941 --> 01:17:57,874
THERE, MacARTHUR'S ARMY HALTED.
1287
01:17:57,975 --> 01:18:01,044
Elsey:
THE OBJECTIVES WERE
TO RESTORE THE STATUS QUO.
1288
01:18:01,146 --> 01:18:03,091
THE INITIAL IDEA WAS
NOT AN INTENT
1289
01:18:03,115 --> 01:18:05,481
TO CAPTURE NORTH KOREA
AND UNIFY KOREA.
1290
01:18:05,583 --> 01:18:06,863
THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT AT ALL.
1291
01:18:06,918 --> 01:18:11,053
Narrator:
BUT TEMPTING THE PRESIDENT
AND ALL HIS ADVISERS
1292
01:18:11,155 --> 01:18:13,723
WAS THE CHANCE TO DRIVE
THE COMMUNISTS
1293
01:18:13,825 --> 01:18:16,226
ONCE AND FOR ALL
FROM THE PENINSULA
1294
01:18:16,328 --> 01:18:18,094
BY CROSSING THE 38th PARALLEL
1295
01:18:18,196 --> 01:18:20,529
AND PURSUING THEM
INTO NORTH KOREA.
1296
01:18:20,631 --> 01:18:22,698
TRUMAN FACED
A DANGEROUS DECISION.
1297
01:18:22,800 --> 01:18:26,168
HE KNEW THAT TO ORDER THE TROOPS
ACROSS THAT LINE
1298
01:18:26,270 --> 01:18:29,439
RISKED PROVOKING
NORTH KOREA'S ALLY, CHINA;
1299
01:18:29,541 --> 01:18:31,140
THAT THE CHINESE ARMY
1300
01:18:31,243 --> 01:18:34,744
WAS ALREADY MASSING
ON THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER;
1301
01:18:34,846 --> 01:18:36,479
THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT
1302
01:18:36,581 --> 01:18:38,681
HAD ALREADY ISSUED
EXPLICIT WARNINGS.
1303
01:18:38,783 --> 01:18:41,984
McCullough:
THE PREVAILING WISDOM
AROUND THE PRESIDENT
1304
01:18:42,087 --> 01:18:44,120
WAS THAT THE LAST THING
IN THE WORLD
1305
01:18:45,557 --> 01:18:49,392
WOULD BE TO GET INVOLVED WITH A
MAJOR LAND WAR WITH THE CHINESE.
1306
01:18:49,494 --> 01:18:52,328
Narrator:
BUT WITH THE ENEMY IN RETREAT
1307
01:18:52,430 --> 01:18:56,399
TRUMAN'S NATIVE OPTIMISM
TOOK OVER.
1308
01:18:56,501 --> 01:19:01,470
MacARTHUR RECEIVED A MEMORANDUM
FROM THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
1309
01:19:01,572 --> 01:19:03,639
APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT.
1310
01:19:03,741 --> 01:19:05,708
"YOUR MILITARY OBJECTIVE,"
IT READ
1311
01:19:05,810 --> 01:19:10,746
"IS THE DESTRUCTION OF
THE NORTH KOREAN ARMED FORCES."
1312
01:19:16,020 --> 01:19:17,986
McCullough:
AND ACROSS THEY WENT
1313
01:19:18,089 --> 01:19:20,656
HAVING BEEN WARNED
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS
1314
01:19:20,759 --> 01:19:23,359
THAT IF THEY PROCEEDED
TO CROSS THE PARALLEL
1315
01:19:23,461 --> 01:19:26,062
THAT THE CHINESE
WOULD COME INTO THE WAR.
1316
01:19:26,163 --> 01:19:29,732
BUT IT WAS FELT
THAT THAT WAS A BLUFF.
1317
01:19:35,540 --> 01:19:39,041
Narrator:
TWO WEEKS LATER, TRUMAN
PREPARED TO LEAVE AMERICA
1318
01:19:39,143 --> 01:19:41,878
ON A MISSION THAT CAUGHT
EVERYONE BY SURPRISE.
1319
01:19:41,980 --> 01:19:44,446
"I'VE A WHALE OF A JOB
BEFORE ME"
1320
01:19:44,549 --> 01:19:46,449
TRUMAN WROTE HIS COUSIN.
1321
01:19:46,551 --> 01:19:49,352
"HAVE TO TALK
TO GOD'S RIGHT-HAND MAN."
1322
01:19:49,453 --> 01:19:51,854
TRUMAN WAS HEADING
FOR A TINY ISLAND
1323
01:19:51,956 --> 01:19:53,455
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC
1324
01:19:53,557 --> 01:19:55,724
TO MEET WITH GENERAL
DOUGLAS MacARTHUR.
1325
01:19:55,827 --> 01:20:00,029
THE GENERAL HAD BEEN MAKING
TROUBLE FOR THE PRESIDENT.
1326
01:20:00,131 --> 01:20:03,232
MacARTHUR'S OUTSPOKEN
ANTI-COMMUNIST OPINIONS
1327
01:20:03,334 --> 01:20:07,971
HAD INFLAMED AN ALREADY TENSE
SITUATION WITH THE CHINESE.
1328
01:20:08,072 --> 01:20:11,107
MANY FEARED MacARTHUR
WANTED TO RETAKE
1329
01:20:11,209 --> 01:20:13,075
THE COMMUNIST CHINESE MAINLAND.
1330
01:20:13,178 --> 01:20:16,746
Battle:
MacARTHUR HAD A CONTEMPT
FOR HIGHER AUTHORITY.
1331
01:20:16,848 --> 01:20:18,614
HE WAS HIS SUPREME AUTHORITY.
1332
01:20:18,716 --> 01:20:20,750
THAT'S THE WAY HE SAW HIMSELF.
1333
01:20:20,852 --> 01:20:22,118
HE WAS NOT TROUBLED
1334
01:20:22,220 --> 01:20:24,520
BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS
UPON GENERALS.
1335
01:20:24,622 --> 01:20:27,022
HE WAS NOT TROUBLED
BY ANY OBLIGATIONS HE HAD.
1336
01:20:27,125 --> 01:20:30,292
I'M SURE HE HAD A CERTAIN
CONTEMPT FOR THE PRESIDENT.
1337
01:20:30,394 --> 01:20:32,895
I DON'T THINK THERE'S
MUCH DOUBT OF THAT.
1338
01:20:32,997 --> 01:20:35,676
Narrator:
TRUMAN HAD NEVER
LIKED MacARTHUR.
1339
01:20:35,700 --> 01:20:39,202
IN HIS DIARY, THE PRESIDENT
DESCRIBED THE GENERAL
1340
01:20:39,304 --> 01:20:41,437
AS "MR. PRIMA DONNA,"
"BRASS HAT"
1341
01:20:41,539 --> 01:20:43,250
A "PLAYACTOR"
AND A "BUNCO MAN."
1342
01:20:43,274 --> 01:20:48,177
"IT'S A VERY GREAT PITY WE HAVE
TO HAVE STUFFED SHIRTS LIKE THAT
1343
01:20:48,279 --> 01:20:50,279
IN KEY POSITIONS," TRUMAN WROTE.
1344
01:20:50,381 --> 01:20:52,781
Simmons:
THE MEN WERE SO DISSIMILAR.
1345
01:20:52,883 --> 01:20:54,350
HERE WAS THIS IMPERIOUS FIGURE
1346
01:20:54,452 --> 01:20:58,254
VERY MUCH DIFFERENT THAN
THE MIDWESTERN COMMON MAN
1347
01:20:58,356 --> 01:20:59,555
WHO WAS TRUMAN.
1348
01:20:59,658 --> 01:21:02,291
Narrator:
AS TRUMAN HEADED FOR WAKE ISLAND
1349
01:21:02,393 --> 01:21:05,094
AND THE MEETING WITH
HIS DOMINEERING GENERAL
1350
01:21:05,196 --> 01:21:09,765
HE WAS DETERMINED TO LET
MacARTHUR KNOW WHO WAS BOSS.
1351
01:21:13,604 --> 01:21:16,838
TRUMAN PUT ON HIS BEST PUBLIC
FACE, BUT TENSIONS RAN HIGH
1352
01:21:16,941 --> 01:21:19,181
FROM THE MOMENT THE PRESIDENT
GOT OFF THE PLANE.
1353
01:21:19,243 --> 01:21:24,047
Walters:
AND AS I RECOLLECT IT, MacARTHUR
SHOOK HANDS WITH THE PRESIDENT...
1354
01:21:24,149 --> 01:21:25,314
HE DID NOT SALUTE HIM
1355
01:21:25,416 --> 01:21:28,450
WHICH STRUCK ME, AS A YOUNG
OFFICER, RIGHT AWAY
1356
01:21:28,552 --> 01:21:29,918
YOU KNOW, SORT OF ODD.
1357
01:21:30,021 --> 01:21:31,932
MANY YEARS LATER,
I WAS IN INDEPENDENCE
1358
01:21:31,956 --> 01:21:34,623
AND I SAW MR. TRUMAN,
AND I SAID, "MR. PRESIDENT
1359
01:21:34,726 --> 01:21:36,604
CAN I ASK YOU
AN INDISCREET QUESTION?"
1360
01:21:36,628 --> 01:21:39,028
HE SAID, "THERE ARE
NO INDISCREET QUESTIONS.
1361
01:21:39,130 --> 01:21:41,130
"THERE ARE ONLY
INDISCREET ANSWERS.
1362
01:21:41,198 --> 01:21:43,532
"I'M A SPECIALIST IN THEM.
1363
01:21:43,634 --> 01:21:45,646
I SAID, "AT WAKE ISLAND,
WHEN YOU DEPLANED
1364
01:21:45,670 --> 01:21:48,704
AND STARTING DOWN THE STAIRS..."
AND HE INTERRUPTED ME:
1365
01:21:48,806 --> 01:21:51,140
"DID I NOTICE THAT
MacARTHUR DID NOT SALUTE?
1366
01:21:51,242 --> 01:21:52,886
"YOU'RE GODDAMN RIGHT
I NOTICED IT!
1367
01:21:52,910 --> 01:21:56,479
AND I KNEW I WAS GOING
TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH HIM."
1368
01:22:02,687 --> 01:22:04,921
Narrator:
IN A DILAPIDATED CHEVROLET
1369
01:22:05,023 --> 01:22:08,524
TRUMAN AND MacARTHUR SET OFF
FOR A PRIVATE MEETING.
1370
01:22:08,626 --> 01:22:13,429
WITH THEM WAS TRUMAN'S SECRET
SERVICE AGENT FLOYD BORING.
1371
01:22:13,531 --> 01:22:15,598
OH, MAN, TENSION?
1372
01:22:15,700 --> 01:22:19,535
YOU COULD... YOU COULD ALMOST
FEEL IT, THE TENSION IN THE AIR.
1373
01:22:19,637 --> 01:22:24,139
Narrator:
BORING OVERHEARD THE PRESIDENT
LACE RIGHT INTO THE GENERAL.
1374
01:22:24,242 --> 01:22:26,609
Boring:
NEVER SAID "HOWDY" OR NOTHING.
1375
01:22:26,711 --> 01:22:27,821
THE PRESIDENT SAID TO HIM
1376
01:22:27,845 --> 01:22:30,747
"I'M THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF,"
AND HE WAS MAD.
1377
01:22:30,849 --> 01:22:32,181
"I'M THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
1378
01:22:32,283 --> 01:22:36,753
"YOU'RE JUST... YOU'RE A GENERAL
IN THE ARMY... REMEMBER THAT.
1379
01:22:36,854 --> 01:22:39,388
"WHY DO YOU INSIST
ON GOING INTO CHINA?
1380
01:22:39,490 --> 01:22:41,090
"WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT."
1381
01:22:41,192 --> 01:22:42,958
HE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO STOP IT.
1382
01:22:43,060 --> 01:22:45,695
"OTHERWISE, YOU'RE GOING
TO BE RECALLED.
1383
01:22:45,797 --> 01:22:47,430
WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF YOU."
1384
01:22:47,532 --> 01:22:50,032
GENERAL MacARTHUR
DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
1385
01:22:50,134 --> 01:22:51,945
YEAH, HE KNEW
THE OLD MAN WAS MAD.
1386
01:22:51,969 --> 01:22:55,704
Narrator:
THE TENSION STILL LINGERED
LATER THAT AFTERNOON
1387
01:22:55,806 --> 01:22:58,040
AS THE FORMAL MEETING
GOT UNDER WAY
1388
01:22:58,142 --> 01:22:59,742
IN A PINK CINDER-BLOCK SHACK.
1389
01:22:59,844 --> 01:23:02,078
TRUMAN QUICKLY MOVED
THE DISCUSSION
1390
01:23:03,481 --> 01:23:06,682
Walters:
TRUMAN SAID, "ALL THE
INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS WE HAVE
1391
01:23:06,784 --> 01:23:10,485
"INDICATE THAT THE CHINESE ARE
PREPARING TO COME INTO THE WAR.
1392
01:23:10,588 --> 01:23:12,232
WHAT HAPPENS
IF THE CHINESE COME IN?"
1393
01:23:12,256 --> 01:23:15,725
MacARTHUR ANSWERED AND SAID,
"THEY WILL NOT ENTER THE WAR
1394
01:23:15,827 --> 01:23:17,438
"AND IF THEY DO,
I SHALL MAKE OF THEM
1395
01:23:17,462 --> 01:23:20,229
THE GREATEST SLAUGHTER
IN THE HISTORY OF WARFARE."
1396
01:23:20,331 --> 01:23:22,832
Narrator:
MacARTHUR ASSURED THE PRESIDENT
1397
01:23:22,934 --> 01:23:25,401
THAT THE WAR WOULD BE OVER
BY CHRISTMAS.
1398
01:23:25,503 --> 01:23:28,438
THE CONFERENCE RAN LESS
THAN THREE HOURS.
1399
01:23:28,540 --> 01:23:32,041
THIS, THEIR FIRST MEETING,
WAS TO BE THEIR LAST.
1400
01:23:32,143 --> 01:23:36,012
TRUMAN AND MacARTHUR WOULD
NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN.
1401
01:23:36,114 --> 01:23:40,616
Elsey:
TRUMAN THOUGHT THE MEETING WITH
MacARTHUR HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
1402
01:23:40,718 --> 01:23:43,052
HE'D BEEN ENCOURAGED
BY MacARTHUR'S ASSURANCE
1403
01:23:43,154 --> 01:23:46,889
THAT HE COULD BEGIN SENDING
TROOPS BACK HOME BY CHRISTMAS.
1404
01:23:46,991 --> 01:23:49,491
SO HE CAME HOME
CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE.
1405
01:23:49,593 --> 01:23:52,194
AND, OF COURSE,
JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER
1406
01:23:52,297 --> 01:23:54,241
CONTRARY
TO MacARTHUR'S ASSESSMENT
1407
01:23:54,265 --> 01:23:59,368
THE CHINESE ENTERED IN FORCE
AND THINGS JUST FELL APART.
1408
01:24:02,173 --> 01:24:06,074
MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION
CHINESE COMMUNIST SOLDIERS
1409
01:24:06,177 --> 01:24:08,344
POURED INTO KOREA.
1410
01:24:13,418 --> 01:24:17,820
IN SPITE OF THE ASSURANCES
HE HAD GIVEN THE PRESIDENT
1411
01:24:17,922 --> 01:24:20,690
MacARTHUR,
HOPELESSLY OUTNUMBERED
1412
01:24:20,792 --> 01:24:22,525
WAS POWERLESS TO STOP THEM.
1413
01:24:22,627 --> 01:24:25,928
FOUR DAYS LATER,
THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED A CABLE
1414
01:24:26,030 --> 01:24:30,866
"WE FACE AN ENTIRELY NEW WAR.
1415
01:24:30,968 --> 01:24:34,269
"THIS COMMAND IS NOW
FACED WITH CONDITIONS
1416
01:24:34,372 --> 01:24:37,173
BEYOND ITS CONTROL
AND ITS STRENGTH."
1417
01:24:37,275 --> 01:24:39,875
ONE OBSERVER DESCRIBED
THE PRESIDENT
1418
01:24:39,977 --> 01:24:42,545
AS HE REPORTED THE NEWS
TO HIS AIDES:
1419
01:24:42,647 --> 01:24:45,648
"HIS MOUTH DREW TIGHT,
HIS CHEEKS FLUSHED.
1420
01:24:45,750 --> 01:24:49,418
"FOR A MOMENT, IT ALMOST SEEMED
AS IF HE WOULD SOB.
1421
01:24:49,520 --> 01:24:53,322
"THEN, IN A VOICE THAT WAS
INCREDIBLY CALM AND QUIET
1422
01:24:53,424 --> 01:24:57,360
"HE SAID, 'THIS IS THE WORST
SITUATION WE HAVE HAD YET.
1423
01:24:57,462 --> 01:25:02,665
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO MEET IT
AS WE'VE MET ALL THE REST.'"
1424
01:25:06,871 --> 01:25:10,272
VICTORY HAD APPEARED
ALMOST WITHIN REACH.
1425
01:25:10,375 --> 01:25:12,341
NOW, IN THE BITTER
KOREAN WINTER
1426
01:25:12,443 --> 01:25:17,012
MacARTHUR'S FORCES REELED
UNDER THE COMMUNIST ATTACK.
1427
01:25:17,114 --> 01:25:19,849
MacARTHUR TOLD THE PRESIDENT
1428
01:25:19,951 --> 01:25:24,486
HE FEARED HIS ARMY
WAS ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED.
1429
01:25:24,588 --> 01:25:29,925
Simmons:
MacARTHUR'S BEHAVIOR IN THIS
TIME PERIOD IS VERY STRANGE.
1430
01:25:30,027 --> 01:25:34,530
THIS IS MacARTHUR,
THE INVINCIBLE, THE INFALLIBLE
1431
01:25:34,632 --> 01:25:36,198
BUT HE HAD FAILED.
1432
01:25:36,300 --> 01:25:41,036
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT EVACUATING
THE EIGHTH ARMY FROM KOREA.
1433
01:25:41,138 --> 01:25:44,307
AND BEING MacARTHUR,
IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HIS FAULT;
1434
01:25:44,409 --> 01:25:46,353
IT MUST HAVE BEEN
SOMEONE ELSE'S FAULT.
1435
01:25:46,377 --> 01:25:50,245
Narrator:
THE GENERAL URGED THE PRESIDENT
TO WAGE ALL-OUT WAR.
1436
01:25:50,347 --> 01:25:53,416
HE WANTED TO BLOCKADE
THE CHINESE COAST
1437
01:25:53,518 --> 01:25:55,984
AND BOMB THE CHINESE MAINLAND.
1438
01:25:56,086 --> 01:25:57,320
TRUMAN REFUSED.
1439
01:25:57,422 --> 01:26:01,356
IN AN ATOMIC AGE, HE FEARED
PROVOKING A THIRD WORLD WAR.
1440
01:26:01,458 --> 01:26:06,395
Simmons:
BOILED DOWN, MacARTHUR WANTED
TO FIGHT THE WAR TO WIN THE WAR.
1441
01:26:07,598 --> 01:26:12,534
TRUMAN WANTED TO CONFINE THE WAR
TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
1442
01:26:12,636 --> 01:26:18,240
HE WANTED TO KEEP IT
AS SMALL AN AFFAIR AS POSSIBLE.
1443
01:26:23,448 --> 01:26:27,983
Narrator:
AS THE COMMUNISTS CONTINUED
TO PUNISH MacARTHUR'S ARMY
1444
01:26:28,085 --> 01:26:29,229
THE GENERAL TOLD REPORTERS
1445
01:26:29,253 --> 01:26:32,154
THAT HE WAS FIGHTING
UNDER "AN ENORMOUS HANDICAP."
1446
01:26:32,256 --> 01:26:37,292
TRUMAN ORDERED THE GENERAL
TO STOP TALKING TO REPORTERS.
1447
01:26:37,394 --> 01:26:39,528
MacARTHUR ESCALATED HIS DEMANDS.
1448
01:26:39,630 --> 01:26:42,590
LaFeber:
I THINK IT'S FAIR
TO SAY MacARTHUR PANICKED.
1449
01:26:42,666 --> 01:26:46,335
AT ONE POINT IN LATE DECEMBER,
HE'S ASKING TRUMAN
1450
01:26:46,437 --> 01:26:49,538
TO TARGET 26 DIFFERENT AREAS
WITHIN CHINA
1451
01:26:49,641 --> 01:26:51,907
FOR THE DROPPING
OF NUCLEAR BOMBS.
1452
01:26:52,009 --> 01:26:54,376
I THINK MacARTHUR'S TOP
PREFERENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN
1453
01:26:54,479 --> 01:26:57,646
TO USE SMALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ON THE MASSES OF CHINESE.
1454
01:26:57,748 --> 01:26:58,948
AND HE FIGURED, TWO OR THREE
1455
01:26:59,016 --> 01:27:00,593
THE CHINESE WOULD STOP
AND WITHDRAW.
1456
01:27:00,617 --> 01:27:03,619
THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT PREPARED
TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
1457
01:27:03,721 --> 01:27:09,024
Narrator:
EACH DAY, TRUMAN'S WAR BECAME
MORE AND MORE UNPOPULAR.
1458
01:27:09,126 --> 01:27:11,160
NEWSPAPER REPORTS
AND PHOTOGRAPHS
1459
01:27:11,262 --> 01:27:14,563
OF AMERICAN BOYS CAPTURED,
WOUNDED AND KILLED
1460
01:27:14,665 --> 01:27:17,532
UPSET AND CONFUSED
ORDINARY CITIZENS.
1461
01:27:17,634 --> 01:27:18,934
TO A NATION ACCUSTOMED
1462
01:27:19,036 --> 01:27:22,605
TO THE GLORIOUS VICTORIES
OF WORLD WAR II
1463
01:27:22,707 --> 01:27:24,239
TO UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER
1464
01:27:24,342 --> 01:27:29,044
TO EVEN FORCING AN ENEMY
TO SURRENDER WITH AN ATOMIC BOMB
1465
01:27:29,146 --> 01:27:33,248
TRUMAN'S LIMITED WAR
SEEMED SENSELESS.
1466
01:27:33,350 --> 01:27:36,351
Shulman:
THIS WAS PROBABLY THE WORST PART
1467
01:27:36,453 --> 01:27:39,255
OF THE PRESIDENT'S
ADMINISTRATION FOR HIM...
1468
01:27:39,357 --> 01:27:44,126
THE CASUALTIES WE WERE TAKING,
THE PROTESTS FROM FAMILIES
1469
01:27:44,228 --> 01:27:46,595
AND THE DIFFICULTY
OF UNDERSTANDING
1470
01:27:46,697 --> 01:27:48,397
WHAT A LIMITED WAR MEANT.
1471
01:27:48,499 --> 01:27:51,700
I MEAN, "WHY NOT NUKE 'EM?"
1472
01:27:51,802 --> 01:27:57,406
Narrator:
THE PRESSURE ON TRUMAN GREW
INCREASINGLY INTENSE.
1473
01:27:57,508 --> 01:28:03,412
HE WAS WORKING 18-HOUR DAYS, AND
THE STRAIN WAS STARTING TO SHOW.
1474
01:28:03,514 --> 01:28:06,148
ONE MORNING, WITH UNITED STATES
MARINES TRAPPED
1475
01:28:06,250 --> 01:28:10,486
AT A RESERVOIR IN NORTH KOREA,
TRUMAN MET WITH HIS ADVISERS.
1476
01:28:10,588 --> 01:28:13,455
Shulman:
WE WERE WORKING ON A SPEECH
1477
01:28:13,557 --> 01:28:18,394
AND MR. TRUMAN CAME IN
FROM HIS OFFICE AND SAT DOWN
1478
01:28:18,496 --> 01:28:21,496
IN A VERY DEJECTED WAY,
AND HE SAID
1479
01:28:21,599 --> 01:28:23,766
"YOU KNOW, NORMALLY
I SLEEP LIKE A BABY
1480
01:28:23,868 --> 01:28:26,935
"BUT THIS TIME I COULD
HARDLY SLEEP ALL NIGHT LONG.
1481
01:28:27,037 --> 01:28:30,339
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THOSE BOYS
UP AT THE RESERVOIR."
1482
01:28:30,441 --> 01:28:33,442
AND THEN HE SLUMPED IN HIS CHAIR
AND HE... HE SAID
1483
01:28:33,544 --> 01:28:37,146
"YOU KNOW, THERE MUST BE
A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN
1484
01:28:37,248 --> 01:28:39,581
WHO CAN DO THE JOB BETTER
THAN I CAN."
1485
01:28:39,683 --> 01:28:41,628
THERE ISN'T MUCH
YOU CAN SAY TO THAT.
1486
01:28:41,652 --> 01:28:45,387
AND HE TOOK OFF HIS GLASSES
AND PUT THEM ON THE TABLE
1487
01:28:45,489 --> 01:28:47,756
AND THAT WAS
A STARTLING THING FOR ME
1488
01:28:47,858 --> 01:28:49,391
BECAUSE I HAD BEEN ACCUSTOMED
1489
01:28:49,493 --> 01:28:52,060
TO SEEING HIS EYES
RATHER LARGE IN HIS FACE
1490
01:28:52,162 --> 01:28:54,796
AND I REALIZED
WHEN HE TOOK HIS GLASSES OFF
1491
01:28:54,898 --> 01:28:57,732
IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE
VERY THICK LENSES
1492
01:28:57,834 --> 01:28:59,335
AND IT MAGNIFIED HIS EYES.
1493
01:28:59,437 --> 01:29:01,270
AND WHEN HE TOOK HIS GLASSES OFF
1494
01:29:01,372 --> 01:29:03,405
HIS EYES APPEARED SMALL
IN HIS FACE
1495
01:29:03,507 --> 01:29:05,507
AND IT CHANGED
HIS APPEARANCE TO ME.
1496
01:29:05,542 --> 01:29:08,644
I STARED AT HIM JUST AS LONG
AS I COULD POLITELY DO
1497
01:29:08,746 --> 01:29:12,448
AND THEN HE PUT HIS ELBOWS
ON THE TABLE AND HE SANK HIS...
1498
01:29:12,550 --> 01:29:16,618
HIS THUMBS INTO HIS EYE SOCKETS
AND SAT THERE FOR A WHILE.
1499
01:29:16,720 --> 01:29:17,800
AND WE WERE ALL QUIET.
1500
01:29:17,855 --> 01:29:20,222
AND THEN FINALLY
HE RAISED HIS HEAD
1501
01:29:20,324 --> 01:29:22,925
AND TOOK HIS GLASSES
AND PUT THEM ON.
1502
01:29:23,027 --> 01:29:25,528
HE SAID,
"BUT THE JOB IS MINE TO DO
1503
01:29:25,630 --> 01:29:27,829
"SO I HAVE TO DO THE BEST I CAN.
1504
01:29:27,931 --> 01:29:30,866
LET'S GO ON WITH THE DRAFTING."
1505
01:29:37,875 --> 01:29:42,711
Narrator:
TENSION AND EXHAUSTION WERE
TAKING THEIR TOLL ON TRUMAN.
1506
01:29:42,813 --> 01:29:47,015
VICTORY IN KOREA WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT
1507
01:29:47,118 --> 01:29:50,519
OF HIS PRESIDENCY,
PROOF THAT HIS DETERMINATION
1508
01:29:50,621 --> 01:29:54,289
TO HOLD THE LINE AGAINST
COMMUNISM WAS WORKING.
1509
01:29:54,391 --> 01:29:56,124
INSTEAD, TRUMAN FACED DISASTER
1510
01:29:56,227 --> 01:30:00,396
AND IN THE DAYS AFTER
THE CHINESE ATTACK, HE DRIFTED.
1511
01:30:00,498 --> 01:30:06,301
McCullough:
THIS WAS THE DARKEST TIME
OF HIS YEARS IN THE PRESIDENCY.
1512
01:30:06,403 --> 01:30:11,507
IT WAS A VERY BLEAK PROSPECT
THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FACED
1513
01:30:11,609 --> 01:30:14,910
AND THE PRESIDENT
WAS BEING BESIEGED ON ALL SIDES.
1514
01:30:15,012 --> 01:30:19,614
Narrator:
ON DECEMBER 5, HIS BELOVED
FRIEND AND PRESS SECRETARY
1515
01:30:19,717 --> 01:30:21,984
CHARLIE ROSS, DIED
OF A HEART ATTACK.
1516
01:30:22,086 --> 01:30:24,587
TRUMAN HAD KNOWN ROSS
SINCE HIGH SCHOOL
1517
01:30:24,689 --> 01:30:28,857
AND THE SUDDEN LOSS
OF HIS LIFELONG FRIEND
1518
01:30:28,959 --> 01:30:35,431
McCullough:
AND TRUMAN WAS DEEPLY UPSET,
DEEPLY DISTRAUGHT.
1519
01:30:35,533 --> 01:30:39,834
AND THAT WAS THE SAME NIGHT
THAT THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER
1520
01:30:39,936 --> 01:30:44,506
MARGARET TRUMAN, WAS HAVING
A FIRST CONCERT EVER SINGING
1521
01:30:44,608 --> 01:30:48,544
IN CONSTITUTION HALL,
IN WASHINGTON.
1522
01:30:48,646 --> 01:30:52,147
Narrator:
MARGARET HAD STUDIED
TO BECOME A SINGER
1523
01:30:52,250 --> 01:30:55,584
AND THE GRIEVING PRESIDENT
KEPT HIS PROMISE
1524
01:30:55,686 --> 01:30:56,851
TO HEAR HER PERFORM
1525
01:30:56,954 --> 01:30:58,887
HIS PENT-UP FRUSTRATIONS WAITING
1526
01:30:58,989 --> 01:31:02,123
LIKE A STICK OF DYNAMITE,
READY TO EXPLODE.
1527
01:31:08,599 --> 01:31:13,201
Narrator:
PAUL HUME, THE WASHINGTON POST'SRESPECTED MUSIC CRITIC
1528
01:31:13,303 --> 01:31:15,837
HAD NO IDEA
WHAT WAS IN STORE FOR HIM
1529
01:31:15,939 --> 01:31:17,672
AS HE JOINED THE SELL-OUT CROWD.
1530
01:31:17,775 --> 01:31:20,575
Hume:
HERE WERE THE MEMBERS
OF THE CONGRESS
1531
01:31:20,677 --> 01:31:23,145
THE SUPREME COURT,
ALL THE BIG SHOTS...
1532
01:31:23,247 --> 01:31:25,514
THEY WERE ALL THERE
TO HEAR HER SING
1533
01:31:25,616 --> 01:31:29,418
WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL
HAD SHE BEEN ABLE TO SING WELL.
1534
01:31:39,229 --> 01:31:41,663
Hume:
AS SOON AS SHE STARTED TO SING
1535
01:31:41,765 --> 01:31:43,725
I COULD TELL
THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE
1536
01:31:43,767 --> 01:31:47,770
THE BASIC TECHNICAL CONTROL
OF THE VOICE THAT YOU NEED.
1537
01:31:47,872 --> 01:31:51,774
THE PITCH WASN'T THERE,
THE TONE WASN'T THERE.
1538
01:31:54,978 --> 01:31:57,413
SHE JUST DIDN'T HAVE
WHAT IT TOOK.
1539
01:31:57,515 --> 01:31:58,914
I WOULD HAVE BEEN THRILLED
1540
01:31:59,016 --> 01:32:01,116
IF I COULD HAVE WRITTEN
A RAVE REVIEW.
1541
01:32:01,218 --> 01:32:06,121
WHAT I WROTE WAS, "SHE IS FLAT
A GOOD DEAL OF THE TIME
1542
01:32:06,223 --> 01:32:09,558
"THAN AT ANY TIME
WE HAVE HEARD HER IN PAST YEARS.
1543
01:32:09,660 --> 01:32:12,227
"THERE ARE FEW MOMENTS
IN HER RECITAL
1544
01:32:12,329 --> 01:32:14,696
"WHEN ONE CAN RELAX
AND FEEL CONFIDENT
1545
01:32:14,798 --> 01:32:18,934
THAT SHE WILL MAKE HER GOAL,
WHICH IS THE END OF THE SONG."
1546
01:32:19,036 --> 01:32:23,905
Narrator:
THE NEXT DAY, TRUMAN OPENED
THE WASHINGTON POST TO PAGE 12
1547
01:32:24,007 --> 01:32:26,975
AND FOUND PAUL HUME'S
DEVASTATING CRITIQUE
1548
01:32:27,077 --> 01:32:28,777
OF HIS DAUGHTER'S SINGING.
1549
01:32:28,879 --> 01:32:29,923
THE PRESIDENT ERUPTED.
1550
01:32:29,947 --> 01:32:33,415
FURIOUS, HE DASHED OFF
A SCATHING RESPONSE.
1551
01:32:33,517 --> 01:32:36,352
Hume:
THE LETTER CAME IN
AND I OPENED IT UP
1552
01:32:36,454 --> 01:32:38,820
AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT,
AND I... GASPED.
1553
01:32:38,922 --> 01:32:43,558
Narrator:
"I'VE JUST READ YOUR LOUSY
REVIEW OF MARGARET'S CONCERT.
1554
01:32:43,661 --> 01:32:45,527
"SOMEDAY I HOPE TO MEET YOU.
1555
01:32:45,629 --> 01:32:48,663
"WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
YOU'LL NEED A NEW NOSE
1556
01:32:48,765 --> 01:32:51,300
"A LOT OF BEEFSTEAK
FOR BLACK EYES
1557
01:32:51,402 --> 01:32:53,135
AND PERHAPS A SUPPORTER BELOW."
1558
01:32:53,237 --> 01:32:57,606
THAT'S STRONG LANGUAGE FROM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
1559
01:32:57,708 --> 01:32:59,875
Narrator:
WHEN THE LETTER BECAME PUBLIC
1560
01:32:59,977 --> 01:33:03,578
NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
BERATED THE PRESIDENT
1561
01:33:03,681 --> 01:33:05,180
FOR HIS LACK OF SELF-CONTROL.
1562
01:33:05,282 --> 01:33:07,315
THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
EVEN QUESTIONED
1563
01:33:07,417 --> 01:33:10,318
TRUMAN'S MENTAL COMPETENCE
AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY.
1564
01:33:10,420 --> 01:33:15,391
McCullough:
HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS BEING
BATTERED AND BESIEGED
1565
01:33:15,493 --> 01:33:18,961
HE HAD TO BLOW HIS STACK
ABOUT SOMETHING, IT SEEMS TO ME
1566
01:33:19,063 --> 01:33:21,863
AND THE SOMETHING WAS
PAUL HUME'S REVIEW.
1567
01:33:21,965 --> 01:33:26,435
Narrator:
THE WHITE HOUSE WAS FLOODED
WITH LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS.
1568
01:33:26,537 --> 01:33:29,070
ONE LETTER CAME
FROM DISTRAUGHT PARENTS
1569
01:33:29,172 --> 01:33:31,974
WHO ENCLOSED A PURPLE HEART.
1570
01:33:32,076 --> 01:33:34,576
"AS YOU HAVE BEEN
DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE
1571
01:33:34,678 --> 01:33:38,747
FOR THE LOSS OF OUR SON'S LIFE
IN KOREA," TRUMAN READ
1572
01:33:38,849 --> 01:33:41,750
"YOU MIGHT JUST AS WELL
KEEP THIS EMBLEM.
1573
01:33:41,852 --> 01:33:46,154
"ONE MAJOR REGRET IS THAT
YOUR DAUGHTER WAS NOT THERE
1574
01:33:46,256 --> 01:33:50,325
TO RECEIVE THE SAME TREATMENT
AS OUR SON."
1575
01:33:53,130 --> 01:33:58,399
BY EARLY 1951, THE COMMUNISTS
HAD RETAKEN SEOUL AND INCHON
1576
01:33:58,501 --> 01:34:03,305
AND DRIVEN MacARTHUR'S FORCES
BELOW THE 38th PARALLEL.
1577
01:34:06,110 --> 01:34:10,211
AGAIN, THE GENERAL URGED
THE PRESIDENT TO WIDEN THE WAR.
1578
01:34:10,313 --> 01:34:13,815
AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT REFUSED.
1579
01:34:21,591 --> 01:34:22,824
THEN, ON JANUARY 25
1580
01:34:22,926 --> 01:34:29,531
THE LONGEST RETREAT IN
AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY ENDED.
1581
01:34:33,471 --> 01:34:36,471
MacARTHUR'S BLEAK ASSESSMENTS
HAD BEEN WRONG.
1582
01:34:36,573 --> 01:34:40,509
HIS FIELD COMMANDER,
GENERAL MATTHEW RIDGWAY
1583
01:34:40,611 --> 01:34:43,678
TOOK UNITED NATIONS FORCES
ON THE OFFENSIVE.
1584
01:34:43,780 --> 01:34:47,849
ASSAULTING THE COMMUNISTS
WITH TANKS AND ARTILLERY
1585
01:34:47,951 --> 01:34:51,085
RIDGWAY BEGAN DRIVING THEM BACK.
1586
01:34:58,562 --> 01:35:01,829
BY THE END OF MARCH,
FORCES UNDER RIDGWAY'S COMMAND
1587
01:35:01,931 --> 01:35:05,733
HAD REACHED THE 38th PARALLEL
ONCE AGAIN.
1588
01:35:08,539 --> 01:35:12,240
THERE THE WAR STALEMATED.
1589
01:35:13,643 --> 01:35:16,311
MORE THAN 50,000
AMERICAN SOLDIERS
1590
01:35:16,413 --> 01:35:19,180
HAD BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED.
1591
01:35:21,051 --> 01:35:25,921
SOUTH KOREAN CASUALTIES
NUMBERED OVER 160,000.
1592
01:35:27,558 --> 01:35:31,160
TRUMAN CAUTIOUSLY BEGAN
EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY
1593
01:35:31,262 --> 01:35:33,061
OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE
1594
01:35:33,163 --> 01:35:36,932
TO STOP THE FIGHTING
AND RESTORE A DIVIDED KOREA.
1595
01:35:37,034 --> 01:35:38,545
Donovan:
WHAT TRUMAN WANTED
1596
01:35:38,569 --> 01:35:41,269
AND WHAT THE AMERICAN
POLICYMAKERS WANTED
1597
01:35:41,371 --> 01:35:44,439
WAS TO GET OUT OF THERE
AS DECENTLY AS WE COULD.
1598
01:35:44,542 --> 01:35:47,843
Narrator:
AT JUST THAT MOMENT,
MacARTHUR STEPPED IN
1599
01:35:47,945 --> 01:35:50,045
AND UNDERMINED
THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN.
1600
01:35:50,147 --> 01:35:52,313
THE GENERAL ISSUED
HIS OWN PROCLAMATION
1601
01:35:52,416 --> 01:35:55,783
DEMANDING THE CHINESE COMMANDER
SURRENDER TO HIM.
1602
01:35:55,886 --> 01:35:57,586
THE PRESIDENT WAS IN A RAGE.
1603
01:35:57,687 --> 01:36:01,322
MacARTHUR HAD WRECKED HIS HOPE
FOR NEGOTIATIONS.
1604
01:36:01,424 --> 01:36:05,126
"I WAS READY TO KICK HIM
INTO THE NORTH CHINA SEA"
1605
01:36:06,063 --> 01:36:08,230
"I WAS NEVER SO PUT OUT
IN MY LIFE."
1606
01:36:08,332 --> 01:36:10,210
Walters:
I GUESS IN THE BACK OF HIS MIND
1607
01:36:10,234 --> 01:36:13,168
MacARTHUR FIGURED, "THIS IS
A CAPTAIN OF ARTILLERY;
1608
01:36:13,270 --> 01:36:14,948
WHAT DOES HE KNOW
ABOUT THIS WAR?"
1609
01:36:14,972 --> 01:36:17,606
"I'M THE PRESIDENT;
1610
01:36:17,708 --> 01:36:20,775
I DECIDE AMERICAN FOREIGN
AND MILITARY POLICY."
1611
01:36:20,877 --> 01:36:25,013
Elsey:
WITH GENERAL MacARTHUR MAKING
MORE AND MORE STATEMENTS
1612
01:36:25,115 --> 01:36:28,149
THAT WERE CALLING INTO QUESTION
NATIONAL POLICY
1613
01:36:28,251 --> 01:36:30,953
SOME OF TRUMAN'S ADVISERS
BEGAN TO URGE
1614
01:36:31,054 --> 01:36:32,387
THAT HE RELIEVE THE GENERAL.
1615
01:36:32,489 --> 01:36:36,124
WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING
YOU JUST DON'T CASUALLY DO.
1616
01:36:36,227 --> 01:36:39,294
YOU DON'T RELIEVE A COMMANDER
IN THE FIELD
1617
01:36:39,396 --> 01:36:42,931
IN THE MIDST
OF MAJOR HOSTILITIES.
1618
01:36:43,033 --> 01:36:47,269
Narrator:
BUT WHEN MacARTHUR SENT A LETTER
TO THE HOUSE MINORITY LEADER
1619
01:36:47,371 --> 01:36:51,273
CRITICIZING THE PRESIDENT'S
CONDUCT OF THE WAR
1620
01:36:51,375 --> 01:36:56,311
"THIS LOOKS LIKE THE LAST
STRAW," HE WROTE IN HIS DIARY.
1621
01:36:56,413 --> 01:36:57,545
"RANK INSUBORDINATION."
1622
01:36:57,647 --> 01:37:01,383
McCullough:
TRUMAN KNEW THE FIRESTORM
HE WOULD FACE.
1623
01:37:01,485 --> 01:37:04,585
HE KNEW HE WOULD BE ATTACKED
IN THE PRESS.
1624
01:37:04,687 --> 01:37:06,788
BUT HE ALSO KNEW
THAT EVENTUALLY
1625
01:37:06,890 --> 01:37:08,801
THE PEOPLE AND HISTORY
WOULD SEE
1626
01:37:08,825 --> 01:37:10,169
THAT HE HAD DONE
THE RIGHT THING.
1627
01:37:10,193 --> 01:37:14,562
Narrator:
ON APRIL 11, MacARTHUR
WAS HAVING LUNCH IN TOKYO
1628
01:37:14,664 --> 01:37:19,101
WHEN HIS WIFE HANDED HIM
A BROWN SIGNAL CORPS ENVELOPE.
1629
01:37:19,202 --> 01:37:21,169
"I DEEPLY REGRET,"
THE MESSAGE READ
1630
01:37:21,272 --> 01:37:25,907
"THAT IT BECOMES MY DUTY AS
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF
1631
01:37:26,009 --> 01:37:28,510
"OF THE UNITED STATES
MILITARY FORCES
1632
01:37:28,612 --> 01:37:31,012
TO REPLACE YOU
AS SUPREME COMMANDER."
1633
01:37:31,114 --> 01:37:35,083
TRUMAN HAD FIRED ONE
OF THE MOST POPULAR GENERALS
1634
01:37:35,185 --> 01:37:36,225
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
1635
01:37:36,286 --> 01:37:38,331
McCullough:
AND HE DID IT VERY ABRUPTLY
1636
01:37:38,355 --> 01:37:42,390
AND HE DID IT KNOWING FULL WELL
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
1637
01:37:48,932 --> 01:37:54,269
Narrator:
MacARTHUR CAME HOME
TO A HERO'S WELCOME.
1638
01:38:02,512 --> 01:38:05,613
ON CAPITOL HILL,
REPUBLICANS ATTACKED TRUMAN.
1639
01:38:05,715 --> 01:38:09,117
SENATOR JOSEPH McCARTHY
TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE
1640
01:38:09,219 --> 01:38:13,221
"THE SON OF A BITCH
OUGHT TO BE IMPEACHED."
1641
01:38:18,895 --> 01:38:22,264
THE PRESIDENT WAS DELUGED
WITH WILD TELEGRAMS
1642
01:38:22,366 --> 01:38:25,667
DENOUNCING HIM AS A PIG,
A LITTLE MAN, A JUDAS.
1643
01:38:25,769 --> 01:38:30,672
McCullough:
WHO WAS HE, THIS LITTLE
PIP-SQUEAK CAPTAIN
1644
01:38:30,774 --> 01:38:36,077
TO FIRE THE GREAT, BELOVED,
AWESOME GENERAL MacARTHUR?
1645
01:38:40,350 --> 01:38:44,452
Simmons:
MacARTHUR IS RECEIVED
IN A TUMULTUOUS FASHION
1646
01:38:44,555 --> 01:38:45,954
IN EVERY CITY...
1647
01:38:48,959 --> 01:38:51,259
TICKER-TAPE PARADES...
1648
01:38:52,462 --> 01:38:53,662
JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS...
1649
01:38:53,697 --> 01:38:57,698
HE ADDRESSED THE CONGRESS;
HE MADE THAT FAMOUS SPEECH.
1650
01:38:57,800 --> 01:39:01,036
I STILL REMEMBER THE REFRAIN
1651
01:39:01,138 --> 01:39:08,810
OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR
BARRACK BALLADS OF THAT DAY
1652
01:39:08,912 --> 01:39:13,014
WHICH PROCLAIMED MOST PROUDLY...
1653
01:39:15,118 --> 01:39:20,055
THAT "OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE..."
1654
01:39:22,158 --> 01:39:24,559
"THEY JUST FADE AWAY."
1655
01:39:24,661 --> 01:39:27,229
"OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE;
THEY SIMPLY FADE AWAY"...
1656
01:39:27,331 --> 01:39:29,731
I'VE NEVER BEEN QUITE SURE
WHAT THAT MEANT
1657
01:39:29,833 --> 01:39:31,044
BUT IT SOUNDS... SOUNDS GREAT.
1658
01:39:31,068 --> 01:39:34,903
MacArthur:
AND LIKE THE OLD SOLDIER
OF THAT BALLAD...
1659
01:39:35,004 --> 01:39:38,640
Narrator:
TRUMAN WASN'T LISTENING.
1660
01:39:38,742 --> 01:39:43,478
THE PRESIDENT MET
WITH HIS SECRETARY OF STATE
1661
01:39:43,580 --> 01:39:46,347
LATER HE READ
WHAT THE GENERAL HAD SAID
1662
01:39:46,449 --> 01:39:51,052
AND PRIVATELY REMARKED,
"IT'S A BUNCH OF DAMN BULLSHIT."
1663
01:39:51,154 --> 01:39:53,154
Elsey:
TRUMAN TOOK IT ALL IN STRIDE.
1664
01:39:53,223 --> 01:39:54,823
HE SAID, "THIS WILL BLOW OVER.
1665
01:39:54,925 --> 01:39:56,045
"BRING THE GENERAL HOME
1666
01:39:56,126 --> 01:39:58,860
"LET HIM HAVE HIS TICKER-TAPE
PARADES... THAT'S OKAY.
1667
01:39:58,962 --> 01:40:02,697
ALL THIS WILL BE GONE
IN A FEW MONTHS," AND IT WAS.
1668
01:40:06,703 --> 01:40:09,738
Narrator:
THE STALEMATE
IN KOREA CONTINUED.
1669
01:40:15,078 --> 01:40:20,348
ON JULY 10, 1951, PEACE TALKS
BEGAN, BUT THEY WOULD BOG DOWN
1670
01:40:20,450 --> 01:40:25,319
AND DRAG ON FOR THE REST
OF TRUMAN'S DAYS IN OFFICE.
1671
01:40:25,421 --> 01:40:27,355
THE WAR IN KOREA WOULD GO ON
1672
01:40:27,457 --> 01:40:32,860
IN THE END TAKING MORE
THAN 54,000 AMERICAN LIVES.
1673
01:40:38,168 --> 01:40:40,201
TRUMAN'S ONLY COMFORT
WAS IN KNOWING
1674
01:40:40,303 --> 01:40:42,704
THAT HE HAD KEPT
THE STRUGGLE FROM SPREADING
1675
01:40:42,806 --> 01:40:47,842
THAT HE HAD PREVENTED THE HORROR
OF A FULL-SCALE NUCLEAR WAR.
1676
01:40:52,382 --> 01:40:55,883
Hamby:
THE LAST TWO YEARS
OF THE ADMINISTRATION
1677
01:40:55,986 --> 01:40:59,721
ARE BY FAR THE TOUGHEST
OF TRUMAN'S PRESIDENCY.
1678
01:40:59,823 --> 01:41:02,257
HE REALLY BEGINS
TO FEEL THE STRESS.
1679
01:41:02,359 --> 01:41:05,426
AND IN EARLY 1952,
WHEN HE'S STILL TOYING AROUND
1680
01:41:05,529 --> 01:41:07,473
WITH THE IDEA
OF RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT
1681
01:41:07,497 --> 01:41:12,100
BESS TELLS HIM SHE DOESN'T THINK
HE COULD SURVIVE ANOTHER TERM.
1682
01:41:12,202 --> 01:41:14,869
SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T THINK
SHE COULD EITHER.
1683
01:41:14,971 --> 01:41:18,306
McCullough:
SHE HAD BEEN BIDING HER TIME,
GRITTING HER TEETH
1684
01:41:18,408 --> 01:41:21,375
FROM THE TIME HE FIRST TOOK
THE OATH OF OFFICE IN 1945.
1685
01:41:21,477 --> 01:41:25,680
I THINK SHE WOULD HAVE LEFT HIM
HAD HE CHOSEN TO RUN AGAIN.
1686
01:41:28,285 --> 01:41:30,125
Narrator:
ON MARCH 29, 1952
1687
01:41:30,187 --> 01:41:35,457
TRUMAN TOLD HIS FELLOW AMERICANS
WHAT MANY ALREADY SUSPECTED.
1688
01:41:35,559 --> 01:41:38,760
I SHALL NOT BE A CANDIDATE
FOR RE-ELECTION.
1689
01:41:38,862 --> 01:41:40,662
I HAVE SERVED MY COUNTRY LONG
1690
01:41:40,764 --> 01:41:43,564
AND, I THINK,
EFFICIENTLY AND HONESTLY.
1691
01:41:43,666 --> 01:41:46,100
I SHALL NOT ACCEPT
A RENOMINATION.
1692
01:41:46,202 --> 01:41:48,069
I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS MY DUTY
1693
01:41:48,171 --> 01:41:51,172
TO SPEND ANOTHER FOUR YEARS
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
1694
01:41:51,274 --> 01:41:56,244
Narrator:
WITH HIS FAIR DEAL AND
CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAMS CRUSHED
1695
01:41:56,346 --> 01:42:00,948
THE WAR STALEMATED IN KOREA,
TRUMAN KNEW IT WAS TIME TO GO.
1696
01:42:01,051 --> 01:42:05,887
Man:
HIS RATINGS WERE LOWER THAN
NIXON'S ON THE DAY HE RESIGNED.
1697
01:42:05,989 --> 01:42:09,457
I MEAN, IT WAS PROBABLY
AS LOW AN APPROVAL RATING
1698
01:42:10,727 --> 01:42:15,864
Narrator:
ONLY ONE PERSON RESPONDED
WITH UNADORNED GLEE.
1699
01:42:15,966 --> 01:42:18,299
"WHEN YOU MADE
YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT"
1700
01:42:19,669 --> 01:42:25,340
"MRS. TRUMAN LOOKED THE WAY
YOU DO WHEN YOU DRAW FOUR ACES."
1701
01:42:25,442 --> 01:42:28,209
AND SHE THOUGHT
HARRY TRUMAN HAD HAD ENOUGH.
1702
01:42:28,311 --> 01:42:29,351
HE'D DONE HIS DUTY.
1703
01:42:29,413 --> 01:42:30,144
HE'D DONE IT WELL.
1704
01:42:30,246 --> 01:42:32,613
IT WAS TIME TO CALL IT QUITS.
1705
01:42:34,150 --> 01:42:37,518
Narrator:
THAT JULY, THE DEMOCRATS
CONVENED IN CHICAGO
1706
01:42:37,620 --> 01:42:42,190
TO NOMINATE ADLAI STEVENSON
FOR PRESIDENT.
1707
01:42:46,430 --> 01:42:47,729
TRUMAN TOLD STEVENSON
1708
01:42:47,831 --> 01:42:53,334
"ADLAI, IF A KNUCKLEHEAD
LIKE ME CAN BE PRESIDENT
1709
01:42:53,436 --> 01:42:58,907
"THINK WHAT A REALLY EDUCATED
SMART GUY LIKE YOU COULD DO
1710
01:42:59,009 --> 01:43:00,374
IN THE JOB."
1711
01:43:02,345 --> 01:43:05,813
BUT THE REPUBLICANS HAD ALREADY
NOMINATED THE HERO OF D-DAY
1712
01:43:05,915 --> 01:43:11,018
GENERAL DWIGHT DAVID
EISENHOWER.
1713
01:43:13,323 --> 01:43:18,426
THE DEMOCRATS, TRUMAN KNEW,
DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE.
1714
01:43:21,231 --> 01:43:22,463
WHEN THE CAMPAIGN WAS OVER
1715
01:43:22,565 --> 01:43:26,601
TRUMAN'S DEMOCRATS HAD SUFFERED
A DEVASTATING DEFEAT.
1716
01:43:26,703 --> 01:43:28,903
AFTER 20 YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS
1717
01:43:29,005 --> 01:43:32,741
THE REPUBLICANS HAD
RECAPTURED THE WHITE HOUSE.
1718
01:43:32,843 --> 01:43:35,943
McCullough:
THE SPOTLIGHT WAS
ON THE NEW PRESIDENT.
1719
01:43:36,046 --> 01:43:39,480
AND THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT
WAS SUDDENLY A CITIZEN AGAIN
1720
01:43:39,583 --> 01:43:43,117
DRIVING AWAY IN A CAR,
HAVING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT
1721
01:43:43,219 --> 01:43:45,420
FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN SEVEN YEARS.
1722
01:43:46,823 --> 01:43:51,459
TRUMAN HAD LUNCH WITH HIS STAFF
AND CABINET FOR THE LAST TIME.
1723
01:43:51,561 --> 01:43:52,872
Donovan:
AND WHEN HIS OLD FRIEND
1724
01:43:52,896 --> 01:43:56,531
THE RETIRING SECRETARY OF THE
TREASURY, JOHN SNYDER, ARRIVED
1725
01:43:56,633 --> 01:44:00,134
HE SAW THE PRESIDENT STANDING
LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW.
1726
01:44:00,236 --> 01:44:01,636
AND SNYDER WENT OVER AND SAID
1727
01:44:01,738 --> 01:44:04,372
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING
OUT THE WINDOW FOR?"
1728
01:44:04,474 --> 01:44:06,285
AND TRUMAN TURNED AROUND
AND SAID
1729
01:44:06,309 --> 01:44:09,911
"AN HOUR AGO,
IF I HAD SAID SOMETHING
1730
01:44:10,012 --> 01:44:13,948
"IT WOULD HAVE GONE AROUND
THE WORLD IN 15 MINUTES...
1731
01:44:14,050 --> 01:44:15,150
ALL AROUND THE WORLD."
1732
01:44:15,252 --> 01:44:18,452
HE SAID, "NOW I COULD TALK
FOR TWO HOURS
1733
01:44:18,555 --> 01:44:21,589
AND NO ONE WOULD GIVE A DAMN."
1734
01:44:23,426 --> 01:44:25,493
Narrator:
ON JANUARY 20, 1953
1735
01:44:25,595 --> 01:44:29,430
HARRY TRUMAN, PRIVATE CITIZEN,
SET OUT FOR HOME.
1736
01:44:29,532 --> 01:44:33,434
McCullough:
I'M NOT SURE THEY EXPECTED
ANYBODY WOULD TURN UP
1737
01:44:33,536 --> 01:44:35,203
TO SAY FAREWELL.
1738
01:44:35,305 --> 01:44:39,007
BUT WHEN THEY SAW
THE IMMENSE CROWD THAT HAD COME
1739
01:44:39,109 --> 01:44:41,069
AND THE CHEERING
AND THE AFFECTION
1740
01:44:41,111 --> 01:44:46,381
THAT WAS EXPRESSED BY THE CROWD,
THEY WERE SIMPLY OVERWHELMED.
1741
01:44:59,028 --> 01:45:04,532
Donovan:
AND I WENT BACK TO INDEPENDENCE
WITH THEM, AND IT WAS A SCREAM.
1742
01:45:04,634 --> 01:45:08,135
AND SOMEONE WOULD BE SITTING
IN A COMPARTMENT READING A PAPER
1743
01:45:08,237 --> 01:45:09,948
"HELLO THERE."
1744
01:45:09,972 --> 01:45:13,074
HERE'S HARRY,
HERE'S PRESIDENT TRUMAN.
1745
01:45:13,176 --> 01:45:16,745
AND HE'D GO UP AND BUY
A NEWSPAPER AT THE NEWSSTAND
1746
01:45:16,847 --> 01:45:20,748
AND... THE NEWSPAPER GUY.
1747
01:45:20,850 --> 01:45:23,451
AND HE WAS HAVING
A GREAT HIGH TIME OF IT
1748
01:45:23,553 --> 01:45:25,954
AND SO, I THINK, WERE THEY.
1749
01:45:26,056 --> 01:45:29,324
IT WAS JUST A JOYOUS RIDE
BACK TO INDEPENDENCE.
1750
01:45:29,426 --> 01:45:33,328
Narrator:
AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS
IN WASHINGTON
1751
01:45:33,430 --> 01:45:35,363
HARRY AND BESS TRUMAN CAME HOME.
1752
01:45:35,465 --> 01:45:40,535
Bodine:
WHAT WITH HIS POPULARITY RATING
BEING SO LOW AND ALL OF THAT
1753
01:45:40,637 --> 01:45:42,069
THE GENERAL ASSUMPTION WAS
1754
01:45:42,171 --> 01:45:44,016
THERE WOULD BE
MAYBE A FEW FRIENDS
1755
01:45:44,040 --> 01:45:45,885
AT THE RAILROAD STATION
TO GREET THEM.
1756
01:45:45,909 --> 01:45:50,345
INSTEAD, AS I RECALL, I THINK
THE CROWD WAS 10,000 PEOPLE.
1757
01:45:58,354 --> 01:46:00,365
WELCOME HOME,
NEIGHBOR.
1758
01:46:00,389 --> 01:46:03,324
Man:
HOORAY FOR HARRY!
1759
01:46:03,426 --> 01:46:08,095
McCullough:
THE BIGGEST CROWD EVER
TURNED OUT IN THE LITTLE TOWN.
1760
01:46:12,935 --> 01:46:16,471
MRS. TRUMAN WAS SO TOUCHED
BY THIS THAT SHE SAID
1761
01:46:16,573 --> 01:46:19,173
THAT THIS MAKES
ALL THESE LAST YEARS
1762
01:46:19,275 --> 01:46:22,177
IN THE WHITE HOUSE WORTH IT.
1763
01:46:23,012 --> 01:46:24,932
Narrator:
TRUMAN WENT ON TO LIVE
1764
01:46:25,014 --> 01:46:27,615
IN THE OLD HOUSE
ON NORTH DELAWARE STREET
1765
01:46:27,717 --> 01:46:30,151
THAT HAD ONCE BEEN
HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW'S.
1766
01:46:30,253 --> 01:46:33,988
THERE HE WOULD SPEND
THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
1767
01:46:57,780 --> 01:47:00,882
AMERICANS GREW ACCUSTOMED
TO SEEING HARRY TRUMAN
1768
01:47:00,984 --> 01:47:03,818
PICTURED WALKING
THE STREETS OF INDEPENDENCE
1769
01:47:03,920 --> 01:47:06,588
OR HEARING HIM BLUNTLY
SPEAK HIS MIND.
1770
01:47:06,690 --> 01:47:10,291
NOW HE WAS ONE OF THEM
1771
01:47:10,393 --> 01:47:14,229
AND THEY SEEMED MORE FOND
OF CITIZEN TRUMAN
1772
01:47:14,330 --> 01:47:15,863
THAN PRESIDENT TRUMAN.
1773
01:47:15,966 --> 01:47:18,165
GRADUALLY
HIS REPUTATION REVIVED.
1774
01:47:18,267 --> 01:47:22,303
AMERICANS BEGAN TO REMEMBER
THE FORMER PRESIDENT
1775
01:47:22,405 --> 01:47:24,438
AS THAT FEISTY MAN FROM MISSOURI
1776
01:47:24,540 --> 01:47:28,509
WHO WORKED HARD AND WASN'T
AFRAID TO SPEAK HIS MIND.
1777
01:47:28,612 --> 01:47:33,547
THEY REMEMBERED THE TRUMAN
WHO SAID, "THE BUCK STOPS HERE."
1778
01:47:33,649 --> 01:47:36,250
McCullough:
HE'S A BELIEVABLE MAN.
1779
01:47:36,353 --> 01:47:41,289
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
HE IS SO APPEALING TO US.
1780
01:47:41,391 --> 01:47:44,358
HE HAS NO PRIVILEGED BACKGROUND.
1781
01:47:44,460 --> 01:47:46,460
HE HAS NO GREAT VOICE.
1782
01:47:46,562 --> 01:47:48,129
HE ISN'T HANDSOME.
1783
01:47:48,231 --> 01:47:49,297
HE HAS NO GLAMOUR.
1784
01:47:49,399 --> 01:47:55,503
BUT IN THAT MAKEUP
IS IRON, REAL IRON.
1785
01:47:55,605 --> 01:48:00,208
Narrator:
IN 1961, EIGHT YEARS AFTER
HE HAD LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE
1786
01:48:00,310 --> 01:48:05,480
HARRY TRUMAN WAS INVITED BACK
BY PRESIDENT JOHN KENNEDY.
1787
01:48:08,985 --> 01:48:12,954
ONCE AGAIN, TRUMAN SAT DOWN
AT HIS OLD PIANO
1788
01:48:13,056 --> 01:48:18,759
AND PLAYED THE MUSIC HE HAD
PRACTICED EVERY MORNING
1789
01:48:18,862 --> 01:48:20,161
AS A BOY.
1790
01:48:33,209 --> 01:48:37,378
TRUMAN PASSED HIS FINAL YEARS
STILL RISING EARLY
1791
01:48:37,480 --> 01:48:39,681
STILL TAKING HIS MORNING WALK
1792
01:48:39,782 --> 01:48:41,982
JUST AS HE HAD DONE
ALL HIS LIFE.
1793
01:48:42,084 --> 01:48:46,754
"I TRIED NEVER TO FORGET WHO
I WAS AND WHERE I'D COME FROM
1794
01:48:46,856 --> 01:48:49,790
AND WHERE I'D GO BACK TO,"
TRUMAN SAID.
1795
01:48:49,892 --> 01:48:52,360
Shulman:
HARRY TRUMAN WAS A VINDICATION
1796
01:48:52,462 --> 01:48:54,661
OF THE DEMOCRATIC IDEA
OF LEADERSHIP.
1797
01:48:54,763 --> 01:48:57,665
HERE IS A MAN OUT
OF THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA
1798
01:48:57,767 --> 01:49:02,035
AN ORDINARY GUY, NOT
A HIGH-POWERED INTELLECTUAL
1799
01:49:02,137 --> 01:49:07,075
BUT A MAN OF COMMON SENSE
AND A MAN OF PERSONAL DECENCY.
1800
01:49:09,012 --> 01:49:13,914
Narrator:
ON DECEMBER 26, 1972,
HARRY TRUMAN DIED.
1801
01:49:14,017 --> 01:49:16,851
HE WAS 88 YEARS OLD.
1802
01:49:16,953 --> 01:49:20,154
TEN YEARS LATER,
BESS WAS BURIED BESIDE HIM
1803
01:49:20,256 --> 01:49:25,559
IN THE COURTYARD OF THE LIBRARY
THAT WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR.
1804
01:49:31,934 --> 01:49:34,902
"WHEN FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT DIED,"
TRUMAN SAID
1805
01:49:35,004 --> 01:49:39,940
"I FELT THERE MUST BE A MILLION
MEN BETTER QUALIFIED THAN I
1806
01:49:40,043 --> 01:49:42,310
"TO TAKE UP
THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK.
1807
01:49:42,412 --> 01:49:46,114
"BUT THE WORK WAS MINE TO DO,
AND I HAD TO DO IT.
1808
01:49:46,216 --> 01:49:51,185
AND I TRIED TO GIVE IT
EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN ME."
1809
01:49:57,427 --> 01:50:01,695
Captioned by
Media Access Group at WGBH
access.wgbh.org
1810
01:51:29,018 --> 01:51:31,719
MAJOR FUNDING
FOR AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
1811
01:51:31,821 --> 01:51:33,454
IS PROVIDED BY:
1812
01:51:34,623 --> 01:51:38,225
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IS PROVIDED BY:
1813
01:51:38,995 --> 01:51:39,995
AND...
1814
01:51:40,063 --> 01:51:42,596
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
IS ALSO MADE POSSIBLE
1815
01:51:42,698 --> 01:51:44,966
BY THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
1816
01:51:45,068 --> 01:51:49,970
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