Harry Truman: Atomic
2023-10-15
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1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.
2Today we are talking about Harry S. Truman.
3He became president of the United States in 1945, a few weeks before the end of World War II in Europe.
4Truman took office after Franklin Roosevelt died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage.
5Roosevelt had been president for 12 years.
6But Truman was new to the position of vice president.
7Two other men had earlier served in the office under Roosevelt.
8On April 12, 1945 - less than three months after he became vice president - Truman was called to the White House.
9There, Roosevelt's wife, Eleanor, told Truman about her husband's death.
10Truman was quickly sworn-in as president.
11Shortly after the ceremony, the secretary of war privately told Truman about a secret project involving American scientists.
12They were building an extremely destructive atomic bomb.
13Historians debate whether Truman already knew about the project, or whether the information was a complete surprise.
14In either case, the new president had to decide whether to use the weapon, which he called "the most terrible bomb in the history of the world."
15Harry Truman came from simple beginnings. He was born in the state of Missouri.
16He, his parents, a brother and a sister lived in the town of Independence.
17As a boy, Harry Truman helped his father on the family's farm, but he did not enjoy the work.
18And he could not play sports because he could not see very well; from the time he was a child, Truman wore eyeglasses.
19So he developed his interests in reading and music.
20He was an especially good piano player.
21Truman was also a good student, but his parents did not have enough money to send him to a four-year college.
22Instead, Truman worked in a number of jobs, including as a bank clerk, mining company operator, and partner in an oil business.
23When the United States became involved in World War I, Truman decided to re-join the National Guard.
24His guard unit became part of the U.S. Army, and Truman earned a position as a captain.
25Truman experienced real success in the military.
26He was an able soldier and leader, and he and his troops fought in battle.
27When the war ended, Truman kept both the feeling of self-confidence and the friendships with the other solders he had formed.
28One of Truman's first acts after the war was to get married.
29He married a woman from his hometown.
30They had been romantically linked for a long time.
31Her name was Elizabeth Wallace, but she was called Bess.
32The Trumans remained happily married for more than 50 years and had a daughter named Mary Margaret.
33In the first years after the war, Harry Truman opened a men's clothing shop with a friend from the military.
34But the shop - called a haberdashery -- eventually failed.
35Truman soon found a new line of work.
36An operative from the Democratic Party asked Truman to be a candidate for a position as a judge.
37Truman won the seat, as well as a public reputation for being an honest, effective public servant.
38In time, Truman successfully won election to a seat in the U.S. Senate.
39For the most part, he earned a good public image there, too.
40He supported the social programs of President Roosevelt, and he tried to prevent big businesses or large labor unions from misusing public money.
41Both voters and Democratic officials liked Truman enough to accept him as the party's vice presidential candidate in 1944.
42Truman performed well as a candidate, but he did not have a close relationship with Roosevelt or play much of a part in his government.
43Yet in a few weeks, following Roosevelt's death, Truman was leading the country.
44Truman faced a number of difficult decisions during his two terms as president.
45Many of them involved foreign policy.
46His actions helped shape the second half of the 20th century.
47In his first months after taking office, Truman watched the end of World War II in Europe.
48He then had to decide how to deal with the war in the Pacific.
49Japan did not want to accept the Allied forces' demand for total surrender.
50And Truman did not want to extend the war.
51So he approved using the atomic bomb on Japan.
52Truman directed the secretary of war to drop the weapon on military targets and try to reduce civilian deaths.
53But the destruction was still terrible.
54An estimated 192,000 people died in the attack or the effects of the bomb in Hiroshima. Most of the city was destroyed.
55Three days later, the U.S. military dropped another atomic bomb, this time on the city of Nagasaki. More than 70,000 people died instantly.
56The emperor of Japan called the weapon "a new and most cruel bomb."
57He agreed to his country's surrender on August 14, 1945. World War II came to an end.
58Truman and his government quickly had to make other decisions about how to react to the new international situation.
59One of the most pressing concerns was the Soviet Union.
60Soviet officials sought to expand their influence around the country's borders, especially in Eastern Europe, Turkey and Iran.
61Truman and other U.S. officials believed those moves threatened American interests.
62The United States supported democracy and capitalism.
63It did not want the Soviet Union's form of communism to spread.
64So Truman's government put in place two measures to answer the Soviet Union's influence.
65One was a policy known as the Truman Doctrine.
66It promised American support to Greece, Turkey and other democratic nations against authoritarian forces.
67The measure was a new step for the United States.
68In the past, the country had tried to avoid conflicts that did not directly involve it.
69Under Truman, the U.S. government was committed to helping "free peoples" anywhere by improving their living conditions.
70A second measure came to be called the Marshall Plan, after Truman's secretary of state, George Marshall.
71Marshall wanted the United States to invest a large amount of money in rebuilding Europe after World War II.
72Because the Soviet Union controlled much of Eastern Europe, the money eventually went to improving the market economy of Western Europe.
73The office of the historian at the State Department notes that one effect of the Marshall Plan was to introduce foreign aid programs as an official part of U.S. foreign policy.
74Truman also sought to guarantee peace and contain communism in other ways.
75He supported the United Nations, which was officially launched during his presidency.
76And he negotiated a military alliance among Western, democratic nations.
77The group became known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO.
78Military alliances became especially important in 1950 when communist forces in North Korea invaded South Korea.
79The U.N. agreed to send troops to help South Korea -- although many of the troops were American, and they were led by an American general.
80Fighting in the Korean War lasted until 1953.
81As many as 5 million people died in the conflict.
82Neither side gained much territory.
83But the Korean War had other effects.
84It fueled the Cold War between communist and democratic forces.
85It showed the U.S. would really defend other countries against authoritarian forces.
86It sharply increased Americans' spending on the defense industry.
87And it helped make President Truman very unpopular.
88Many Americans believed Truman was losing the battle against communism.
89During his presidency, the Soviet Union successfully tested a nuclear weapon, and China officially became a communist country under Mao Zedong.
90Some U.S. lawmakers even accused Truman's government of protecting communist spies.
91Senator Joseph McCarthy was the most famous of these critics.
92He launched investigations against thousands of U.S. government employees, as well as movie actors and directors in Hollywood.
93McCarthy did not have evidence that these people were secretly working for the Soviet Union.
94But his campaign helped fuel the public's concerns over communism, a fear that came to be called the Red Scare.
95Truman grew tired of the accusations, as well as other political battles.
96He decided not to seek re-election in 1952.
97Instead, he retired with his wife to their home in Missouri.
98At first, many Americans had mixed emotions about Truman's presidency.
99For the most part, they did not support the Korean War.
100And they remained suspicious that his government had included communist supporters.
101But Truman's public reputation rose over time.
102He became known as a down-to-earth person who would and could fight if needed.
103His supporters liked to say, "Give 'em Hell, Harry."
104Truman is also remembered for taking some steps toward ensuring equal rights for all Americans.
105Truman supported the racial desegregation of the military and banned racial discrimination in the civil service.
106But Truman is probably best remembered for the difficult decisions he made during his presidency, especially the one to drop atomic bombs on Japan.
107To the end of his life, he accepted responsibility for the decision and did not apologize for it.
108Truman died of natural causes at the age of 88.
109His remains are buried at his presidential library in Independence, Missouri.
110I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents. 2Today we are talking about Harry S. Truman. He became president of the United States in 1945, a few weeks before the end of World War II in Europe. 3Truman took office after Franklin Roosevelt died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. 4Roosevelt had been president for 12 years. But Truman was new to the position of vice president. Two other men had earlier served in the office under Roosevelt. 5On April 12, 1945 - less than three months after he became vice president - Truman was called to the White House. There, Roosevelt's wife, Eleanor, told Truman about her husband's death. Truman was quickly sworn-in as president. 6Shortly after the ceremony, the secretary of war privately told Truman about a secret project involving American scientists. They were building an extremely destructive atomic bomb. 7Historians debate whether Truman already knew about the project, or whether the information was a complete surprise. 8In either case, the new president had to decide whether to use the weapon, which he called "the most terrible bomb in the history of the world." 9Early life 10Harry Truman came from simple beginnings. He was born in the state of Missouri. He, his parents, a brother and a sister lived in the town of Independence. 11As a boy, Harry Truman helped his father on the family's farm, but he did not enjoy the work. And he could not play sports because he could not see very well; from the time he was a child, Truman wore eyeglasses. 12So he developed his interests in reading and music. He was an especially good piano player. 13Truman was also a good student, but his parents did not have enough money to send him to a four-year college. 14Instead, Truman worked in a number of jobs, including as a bank clerk, mining company operator, and partner in an oil business. 15When the United States became involved in World War I, Truman decided to re-join the National Guard. His guard unit became part of the U.S. Army, and Truman earned a position as a captain. 16Truman experienced real success in the military. He was an able soldier and leader, and he and his troops fought in battle. When the war ended, Truman kept both the feeling of self-confidence and the friendships with the other solders he had formed. 17One of Truman's first acts after the war was to get married. He married a woman from his hometown. They had been romantically linked for a long time. Her name was Elizabeth Wallace, but she was called Bess. The Trumans remained happily married for more than 50 years and had a daughter named Mary Margaret. 18In the first years after the war, Harry Truman opened a men's clothing shop with a friend from the military. But the shop - called a haberdashery -- eventually failed. 19Truman soon found a new line of work. An operative from the Democratic Party asked Truman to be a candidate for a position as a judge. 20Truman won the seat, as well as a public reputation for being an honest, effective public servant. 21In time, Truman successfully won election to a seat in the U.S. Senate. For the most part, he earned a good public image there, too. He supported the social programs of President Roosevelt, and he tried to prevent big businesses or large labor unions from misusing public money. 22Both voters and Democratic officials liked Truman enough to accept him as the party's vice presidential candidate in 1944. Truman performed well as a candidate, but he did not have a close relationship with Roosevelt or play much of a part in his government. 23Yet in a few weeks, following Roosevelt's death, Truman was leading the country. 24Presidency 25Truman faced a number of difficult decisions during his two terms as president. Many of them involved foreign policy. His actions helped shape the second half of the 20th century. 26In his first months after taking office, Truman watched the end of World War II in Europe. 27He then had to decide how to deal with the war in the Pacific. Japan did not want to accept the Allied forces' demand for total surrender. And Truman did not want to extend the war. 28So he approved using the atomic bomb on Japan. Truman directed the secretary of war to drop the weapon on military targets and try to reduce civilian deaths. But the destruction was still terrible. 29An estimated 192,000 people died in the attack or the effects of the bomb in Hiroshima. Most of the city was destroyed. 30Three days later, the U.S. military dropped another atomic bomb, this time on the city of Nagasaki. More than 70,000 people died instantly. 31The emperor of Japan called the weapon "a new and most cruel bomb." He agreed to his country's surrender on August 14, 1945. World War II came to an end. 32Truman and his government quickly had to make other decisions about how to react to the new international situation. One of the most pressing concerns was the Soviet Union. 33Soviet officials sought to expand their influence around the country's borders, especially in Eastern Europe, Turkey and Iran. Truman and other U.S. officials believed those moves threatened American interests. The United States supported democracy and capitalism. It did not want the Soviet Union's form of communism to spread. 34So Truman's government put in place two measures to answer the Soviet Union's influence. 35One was a policy known as the Truman Doctrine. It promised American support to Greece, Turkey and other democratic nations against authoritarian forces. The measure was a new step for the United States. In the past, the country had tried to avoid conflicts that did not directly involve it. 36Under Truman, the U.S. government was committed to helping "free peoples" anywhere by improving their living conditions. 37A second measure came to be called the Marshall Plan, after Truman's secretary of state, George Marshall. Marshall wanted the United States to invest a large amount of money in rebuilding Europe after World War II. Because the Soviet Union controlled much of Eastern Europe, the money eventually went to improving the market economy of Western Europe. 38The office of the historian at the State Department notes that one effect of the Marshall Plan was to introduce foreign aid programs as an official part of U.S. foreign policy. 39Truman also sought to guarantee peace and contain communism in other ways. He supported the United Nations, which was officially launched during his presidency. 40And he negotiated a military alliance among Western, democratic nations. The group became known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. 41Military alliances became especially important in 1950 when communist forces in North Korea invaded South Korea. The U.N. agreed to send troops to help South Korea -- although many of the troops were American, and they were led by an American general. 42Fighting in the Korean War lasted until 1953. As many as 5 million people died in the conflict. Neither side gained much territory. 43But the Korean War had other effects. It fueled the Cold War between communist and democratic forces. It showed the U.S. would really defend other countries against authoritarian forces. It sharply increased Americans' spending on the defense industry. 44And it helped make President Truman very unpopular. 45Many Americans believed Truman was losing the battle against communism. During his presidency, the Soviet Union successfully tested a nuclear weapon, and China officially became a communist country under Mao Zedong. 46Some U.S. lawmakers even accused Truman's government of protecting communist spies. Senator Joseph McCarthy was the most famous of these critics. He launched investigations against thousands of U.S. government employees, as well as movie actors and directors in Hollywood. 47McCarthy did not have evidence that these people were secretly working for the Soviet Union. But his campaign helped fuel the public's concerns over communism, a fear that came to be called the Red Scare. 48Truman grew tired of the accusations, as well as other political battles. He decided not to seek re-election in 1952. 49Instead, he retired with his wife to their home in Missouri. 50Legacy 51At first, many Americans had mixed emotions about Truman's presidency. For the most part, they did not support the Korean War. And they remained suspicious that his government had included communist supporters. 52But Truman's public reputation rose over time. He became known as a down-to-earth person who would and could fight if needed. His supporters liked to say, "Give 'em Hell, Harry." 53Truman is also remembered for taking some steps toward ensuring equal rights for all Americans. Truman supported the racial desegregation of the military and banned racial discrimination in the civil service. 54But Truman is probably best remembered for the difficult decisions he made during his presidency, especially the one to drop atomic bombs on Japan. To the end of his life, he accepted responsibility for the decision and did not apologize for it. 55Truman died of natural causes at the age of 88. His remains are buried at his presidential library in Independence, Missouri. 56I'm Kelly Jean Kelly. 57________________________________________________________ 58________________________________________________________ 59Words in This Story 60self-confidence - n. confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities 61romance - n. love affair 62haberdashery - n. a shop selling notions or men's clothing and accessories 63reputation - n. overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general 64authoritarian - n. of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people 65introduce - v. to lead or bring in especially for the first time 66desegregate - v. to free of any law, provision, or practice requiring isolation of the members of a particular race in separate units