Miracle in Berlin

By David Von Drehle
Washington Post deputy opinion editor and columnist 

The fall of the Berlin Wall in November of 1989 marked an epoch in world history. It signaled the end of the Cold War and a victory of free societies over totalitarianism. But that day would never have come without the resolute decision of Harry S. Truman to save an outpost of freedom in Berlin four decades earlier. And Truman’s decision would not have been possible without the strength of the U.S. aircraft industry to deliver on his promise. This partnership produced a transformative event in aviation history, when, against all odds, a major city was entirely supplied by air for more than a year.  Read More

No Mail, Low Morale: The 6888th Central Postal Battalion

“No mail, low morale,” or so the motto goes. Even before the founding of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, the mail was piling up for the soldiers serving during World War II. The ever changing locations, duty stations, and movements caused a logistical challenge for getting the mail delivered on time.

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Address on the Occasion of the Signing of the North Atlantic Treaty: April 4, 1949

On April 4, 1949, the U.S. entered into its first peacetime military alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty. After Secretary of State Dean Acheson signed the treaty, President Truman addressed the crowd. “In this pact, we hope to create a shield against aggression and the fear of aggression–a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the real business of government and society, the business of achieving a fuller and happier life for all our citizens.”

Read on for more from President Truman’s address after the North Atlantic Treaty was signed. For the accompanying historic sound recording, click here.

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Margaret Truman in the White House

By Natalie Alms

On June 11, 1945, nearly two months into his presidency, Harry Truman wrote to his daughter Margaret: “you evidently are just finding out what a terrible situation the President’s daughter is facing … so you must face it. Keep your balance and go along just as your dad is trying to go.”

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Alex Burden, executive director of the Truman Library Institute, shares his favorite piece of art on display at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum.

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75th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan

June 5, 2022 marked the anniversary of a speech that altered world history. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, who had been a five-star general in World War II, was at Harvard to receive an honorary degree and deliver the commencement address. In unadorned remarks – and with little fanfare – he laid out a plan that would redefine U.S. foreign policy and transform the modern world. To mark the 75^th anniversary of the Marshall Plan and share the rich historical resources archived at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, the Truman Library Institute has partnered with the German Marshall Fund of the United States to highlight the achievements of one of the most important American diplomatic initiatives of the 20^th century. Commemorative exhibits are on display at GMF’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., highlighting the post-war crisis, President Truman’s recovery program, and the beginning of a new epoch in western Europe. Read More

TRU History – Truman Signs Directive 225

We recently heard a remarkable story from an unexpected caller, and we wanted to share it today, in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The caller was a gentleman from Florida. He introduced himself as “Harry” and said that he wanted to make a donation to the STAY TRU Capital Campaign.

“You see, I’m named for Harry Truman,” he told us. “During World War II, my parents were sent to concentrations camps – Auschwitz and Dachau.” Against all odds, they found each other after the camps were liberated, then were moved – along with millions of refugees – into a displaced persons camp. The situation wasn’t hopeful. In Germany alone, there were 7 million refugees with no home to return to. Read More

Annual Message to the Congress on the State of the Union

President Harry S. Truman – January 6, 1947

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Veterans Day Values

Lessons from Harry S. Truman in 3 Objects

We can learn a lot from the artifacts of a life well-lived. This Veterans Day, we turned to the Truman Library’s collection and President Truman’s personal possessions to learn what Harry Truman can teach us about service, sacrifice and honor.

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The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act

Of the many decisions, acts, policies and executive orders signed by former President Harry S. Truman, one of the most famous remains his decision to desegregate the military. Truman’s Executive Order 9981 (July 26, 1948) figures prominently in ongoing discussions on civil rights and equality today.

Yet while Executive Order 9981 is perhaps one of Truman’s most progressive pieces of legislation, his decision to sign the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act in the same year suggests Truman recognized a need for even more equalizing change in the United States military.   Read More