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Harry S. Truman Timeline


Timeline Description: Harry S. Truman was America's thirty-third president. He was the vice president under President Roosevelt during WWII, and he took office when Roosevelt died. He went on to win a full term.

DateEvent TitleEvent Description
1884Harry Truman is bornHarry was born in Missouri. His middle initial was "S", but it didn't stand for any name; it was simply "S".
1917The ArmyHarry never graduated from college, and when America entered World War I, he enlisted. He served in Oklahoma for a year.
1918FranceTruman was sent overseas to fight in France. He was a battery commander, and he never lost a single man from his unit.
1919MarriageTruman returned home after the war. He married a local woman named Bess Wallace.
1922Public officeAfter the war and his marriage, Truman entered his first public office. He was elected a judge in the county court.
1934US SenateTruman worked as a judge for several years, and in 1934 he was nominated to run for the US Senate. He won easily, but accomplished little during his first term.
1940The Truman CommitteeWhile serving his second term in the Senate, Truman saw many questionable practices in government, such as overspending and greed. He began a campaign to stop it, and it became known as the Truman Committee.
1944Running for vice presidentAfter gaining popularity for the Truman Committee, Truman was encouraged to run as President Roosevelt's vice president in the 1944 election. They won the election, but Truman would only serve 82 days as vice president.
April 1945President!President Roosevelt's health had been going down for several months. In April 1945, he died, and Truman stepped in as president.
May 1945End of the warVictory was declared for the war in Europe. But the war with Japan still raged, and Truman had to decide how to stop it.
August 1945The Atomic BombBecause the war with Japan was still raging, Truman authorized the use of a new weapon—the atomic bomb. The bombs were dropped in early August, and Japan surrendered shortly after.
1947Cold WarAfter the war ended, Truman supported the making of the United Nations. However, this put his further at odds with Russia, and the Cold War began.
1948Re-ElectionTruman ran for his first official election after taking the White House upon Roosevelt's death. He was not favored to win, but he surprised everyone with a victory.
1950The Korean WarThe Korean War began when North Korean troops attacked South Korea. President Truman was criticized because he sent American troops to fight North Korea, and he didn't get approval first.
1972Truman's deathTruman lived out his retirement in Missouri. In late 1972, he developed pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital, where he eventually passed away.