Harry Truman had little political experience before becoming the Vice President to President Franklin Roosevelt, but his charming personality made him an excellent choice. FDR is a president who is well-known for two things, World War Two and The New Deal. Likewise, his successor, President Truman, is known for two things; both equally controversial.
Before discussing what these events were, the stage must be set and a brief elaboration on American history must be given. The year was 1945 and World War Two was coming to an end. Germany had fallen and the United States was now island-hopping its way to the Japanese homeland. Unfortunately during this crusade, America's 32nd President died of a cerebral hemorrhage leaving the nation without a leader in a time of war. Following protocol, the standing Vice President Harry Truman inherited the most powerful office in the land and became the 33rd President of the United States.
Truman wanted to respect the legacy of FDR by swiftly ending the war with Japan and by furthering social progress domestically. This first goal was achieved when Truman made the decision to drop the first atomic bomb "Little Boy" on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. On August 6th, 80,000 people died instantly within the blast radius, but Japan refused to surrender. In response, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki killing an additional 40,000 people at the moment of impact. This second blast pushed the Japanese to surrender because according to Emperor Hirohito, "The enemy for the first time, used cruel bombs."
This decision by Truman has been widely criticized by citizens and historians alike. However, the second thing Truman is remembered for was a turning point in American race relations. Following World War Two on July 26th of 1948, President Truman passed Executive Order 9981 which desegregated the Armed Forces. This historic move was made to encourage desegregation domestically and to show Blacks that they were equal in the eyes of the government.
From this point forward, Blacks and Whites would share living quarters and even be deployed together on combat missions. Many generals were opposed to this decision because they believed Blacks did not have the mental fortitude to succeed in combat. This preposterous opinion was quickly disproved and Blacks went on to serve with Whites throughout the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Unlike the atomic bombs, this is a decision modern Americans are proud of. The legacy of Truman is embedded within Executive Order 9981 and his progressive decision will always remain in the history books.
To learn more about President Truman and his major contributions please consider the following links:
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=84
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/atomic-bomb-history
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