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cancermoononhigh's review
2.0
I am a bigger fan of Truman than Ike. Sensing from this author - he may also be a bigger fan of Truman than Ike. This book was not an easy book for me to get through, took a minute or two.
Harry and Ike had very similar backgrounds growing up, they grew up 150 miles from each other both in middle class families hovering dangerously close to poverty. These two men had more in common with one another than the 7 other men who preceded them in the White House. The biggest achievement these two men did as Presidents were ending the isolationism in America with the outside world.
Truman was the first former solider to be President since Theodore Roosevelt. He was a keen student of warfare but was unable to go that route because of poor eyesight, but he did participate in World War One. Eisenhower lived that route that Truman was unable to participate in. FDR won his fourth term as President with Truman as his Vice President. Truman would only serve 82 days before he would be sworn in as President.
President Truman and General Eisenhower had a very good working relationship during Truman's time in office. Truman did a lot for the armed forces, such as the G.I. Bill, unifying the armed services under a single cabinet secretary and the creation of the Air Force. Ike and Harry were on the same terms for foreign and national defense. Eisenhower ignored the racial inequality that was happening to Black Veterans - Truman put his presidency at risk for this cause (given his family's background of a owning slaves, fighting for the confederacy and hating President Lincoln, it was an impressive stand).
One could say Truman was one of our most humblest Presidents, he was a highly regarded senator and became accidentally President after FDR's passing. He had an impossible act to follow. Truman knew he was not indispensable and was actively looking for his possible successor. Eisenhower was always the name that came up. Eisenhower was not looking for a promotion, especially in 1948. There was a lot of trying to get Ike to throw his name into the race but that never happened. Truman easily won the 1948 election. It was presumed that Truman would try to go for another term, he did favorable in the polls leading up to the 1952 election.
Senator Joseph McCarthy was a thorn in both Harry and Ike's side. They viewed him as a cheap demagogue and a liar, in 1952 he would turn the Truman and Eisenhower against one another. Eisenhower would run on the Republican ticket as their Presidential Nominee in 1952. Truman felt betrayed by Eisenhower running as a Republican. It was actually Ike's dream to be nominated by both parties - shows how politically naïve he was coming into the game. During Ike's campaign for Presidency he insulted General George Marshall, a man Truman felt as a "the greatest living American." Truman was outraged that Ike would insult the man who in Truman's words, "made him." Truman took the gloves off after than and went after Ike during the 1952 campaign, specifically his endorsement of Senator McCarthy. Ike would complain about Truman's attacks for the rest of his life, although he regretted his endorsement with McCarthy. The bond between the two men was in shambles by the time Eisenhower was sworn in as President. Truman did order his son home from the Army for his father's inauguration, which Ike thanked him for.
Eisenhower moved quickly to cut all ties from the Truman administration, however some of his more important accomplishments as President can be traced back to Truman. The first Civil Rights Act, the St. Lawrence seaway and the statehoods of Hawaii and Alaska all have roots back to Truman. Ike never reached out to Harry for advice, he made sure to snub Truman every chance he could get while in the White House. The death of President JFK brought the men together again, everything that happened between them was like water under the bridge.
Harry and Ike had very similar backgrounds growing up, they grew up 150 miles from each other both in middle class families hovering dangerously close to poverty. These two men had more in common with one another than the 7 other men who preceded them in the White House. The biggest achievement these two men did as Presidents were ending the isolationism in America with the outside world.
Truman was the first former solider to be President since Theodore Roosevelt. He was a keen student of warfare but was unable to go that route because of poor eyesight, but he did participate in World War One. Eisenhower lived that route that Truman was unable to participate in. FDR won his fourth term as President with Truman as his Vice President. Truman would only serve 82 days before he would be sworn in as President.
President Truman and General Eisenhower had a very good working relationship during Truman's time in office. Truman did a lot for the armed forces, such as the G.I. Bill, unifying the armed services under a single cabinet secretary and the creation of the Air Force. Ike and Harry were on the same terms for foreign and national defense. Eisenhower ignored the racial inequality that was happening to Black Veterans - Truman put his presidency at risk for this cause (given his family's background of a owning slaves, fighting for the confederacy and hating President Lincoln, it was an impressive stand).
One could say Truman was one of our most humblest Presidents, he was a highly regarded senator and became accidentally President after FDR's passing. He had an impossible act to follow. Truman knew he was not indispensable and was actively looking for his possible successor. Eisenhower was always the name that came up. Eisenhower was not looking for a promotion, especially in 1948. There was a lot of trying to get Ike to throw his name into the race but that never happened. Truman easily won the 1948 election. It was presumed that Truman would try to go for another term, he did favorable in the polls leading up to the 1952 election.
Senator Joseph McCarthy was a thorn in both Harry and Ike's side. They viewed him as a cheap demagogue and a liar, in 1952 he would turn the Truman and Eisenhower against one another. Eisenhower would run on the Republican ticket as their Presidential Nominee in 1952. Truman felt betrayed by Eisenhower running as a Republican. It was actually Ike's dream to be nominated by both parties - shows how politically naïve he was coming into the game. During Ike's campaign for Presidency he insulted General George Marshall, a man Truman felt as a "the greatest living American." Truman was outraged that Ike would insult the man who in Truman's words, "made him." Truman took the gloves off after than and went after Ike during the 1952 campaign, specifically his endorsement of Senator McCarthy. Ike would complain about Truman's attacks for the rest of his life, although he regretted his endorsement with McCarthy. The bond between the two men was in shambles by the time Eisenhower was sworn in as President. Truman did order his son home from the Army for his father's inauguration, which Ike thanked him for.
Eisenhower moved quickly to cut all ties from the Truman administration, however some of his more important accomplishments as President can be traced back to Truman. The first Civil Rights Act, the St. Lawrence seaway and the statehoods of Hawaii and Alaska all have roots back to Truman. Ike never reached out to Harry for advice, he made sure to snub Truman every chance he could get while in the White House. The death of President JFK brought the men together again, everything that happened between them was like water under the bridge.
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