April 25, 2009 Independence, MO Truman Library

The Truman Library was a real learning experience. Harry Truman was one of my boyhood heros. "Give 'em Hell Harry" was one who had strong personal convictions and seemed to stay true to them. The Library was called by the Dallas newspaper "The best of the presidential libraries." Inside, there are several theaters, each showing different portions of President Truman's life from his youth to his death. He was a strong willed man who did not stop until he either accomplished his mission or was convinced that he was wrong. "The buck stops here" and "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" came from this man and he lived his words. He became president when World War II was raging and ended it with his decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan. Monday morning quarterbacks still argue whether or not this should have been done but he saved the lives of countless Americans by this performing this act. During the 1948 election, President Truman covered the United States from a train in what was called the Whistle stop Campaign. During this time, he received the keys to many cities, including Flint, MI. I remember taking me to see him at a train station in Michigan during this campaign. Also shown is a reproduction of The Oval Office when he was president. Documents, letters, photographs, audio tapes are present from his handling of WW II, The Cold War, The Korean War, The firing of General Douglas MacArthur, The Berlin Airlift, the economic depression that followed WW II, and the entire chaotic time from 1944 to 1952.