Memoirs by Harry S. Truman. Vol. One.

Memoirs by Harry S. Truman. Vol. One: Year of Decisions
Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, inc. 1955.

Why read it? To understand the magnitude of Harry S. Truman's achievement, the flexibility of his personality, the sophistication of his political skills and the application of his fundamental principles. This memoir belies his image of a small-town hayseed who somehow managed to stumble through his Presidency.

In contrast to his "just folks" image, HST was well read, a scholar of history and well educated in spite of never attending college. He was conscientious, did his homework in learning the background needed to make his decisions, clearly articulated his purposes for decisions and dealt with the founding of the UN, the atomic bomb, the defeat of Hitler and Japan and, without a moment to catch his breath, had to plunge into the problems of the post-war economy and the Soviet intransigence. He grasped the issues and he made his own decisions.

Truman's ultimate goal as President, he said, was to prevent WWIII. For Truman, the President's power was the power to persuade people to do what they should do without the need for persuasion. It was his decision to rehabilitate Germany and Japan rather than to punish them. He felt that politics was the source of free government.

His autobiography is well written, showing a thorough grasp of the details of the issues with which he dealt. He could be "folksy" with his wife, daughter and relatives, but, as President, he thoroughly prepared for the decisions he made. His speeches are well expressed, direct, to the point. He had a great respect for history, had studied it and applied lessons from it.