Hear Colin Powell speak about the impact President Truman had on his life

The Truman Library Institute joins America and the world in mourning the loss of a towering public servant and patriot, Colin Powell.

An American politician, diplomat, statesman, four-star general, and our country’s first Black secretary of state, Powell died yesterday at the age of 84.

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The Nuremberg Trials

This week marks the 75th anniversary of the conclusion of one of the most significant events in history.

From November 20, 1945 to October 1, 1946, leading members of the Nazi Party had to answer to an international court for conspiracy, war crimes, and crimes against peace and humanity. Known today as the Nuremberg Trials, this “alternative justice” set a remarkable precedent for trying war crimes and had a lasting effect on international criminal law. Read More

PICTURE HISTORY

THE SURRENDER OF JAPAN | SEPTEMBER 2, 1945

“We hereby proclaim the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and of all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under Japanese control wherever situated.”

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V-J DAY | AUGUST 14, 1945

“I HAVE RECEIVED THIS AFTERNOON A MESSAGE FROM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT…”

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 14, 1945, President Truman announced to reporters gathered in the Oval Office that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II.  Read More

Surplus WWII-Era Purple Hearts Still Being Awarded

A half-million medals are a reminder of the lives not lost in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

By D. M. Giangreco

Excerpted from “75 Years Later, Purple Hearts Made for An Invasion of Japan are Still Being Awarded,” originally published by George Washington University’s History News Network.

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Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award

The Truman Library Institute proudly announces that the 2021 Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award will be presented to Ambassador Samantha J. Power during the 22nd Annual Wild About Harry celebration on May 6, 2021. Today, on the 76th anniversary of Harry Truman’s ascension to the presidency, Ambassador Power shared this personal video greeting reflecting on Truman’s global leadership and enduring legacy.

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Vice President Truman’s Passover Address to the the U.S. Armed Forces in Europe

The traditional Passover greeting, chag Pesach samech, must have carried indescribable joy in 1945. The Second World War was nearly over, and victory over Nazi Germany was certain when, on March 26, then-Vice President Truman delivered his Passover address at the Jewish Welfare Board. His remarks, below, were broadcast from Washington, D.C. to the “Jewish men and women in the Armed Forces.”

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Women’s History Month

“AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE BUILT FOR THEMSELVES A PROUD RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT, OF UNSELFISH DEVOTION TO THE PUBLIC WELFARE, OF COURAGEOUS INDUSTRY ADVANCING EVERY GOOD CAUSE.”

As Women’s History Month 2021 draws to a close, we are dedicating our March Digital Digest to Harry Truman and the trailblazers whose leadership, decisions and courage helped advanced women’s rights in post-WWII America.

Enjoy this digital dive into women’s history!
TEAM TRUMAN

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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

HISTORIC PHOTOS OF CAMP DAVID

Nestled in the Catoctin Mountain Park in Frederick County, Maryland, is Camp David, a retreat for use by the President of the United States.

Officially a U.S. Navy installation, the facility was originally built by the Works Progress Administration as a camp for government employees, opening in 1938. President Franklin D. Roosevelt took it over and named it “Shangri-La,” for the mountain kingdom in Lost Horizon, the 1933 novel by James Hilton. It was later renamed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in honor of his then-five-year-old grandson, Dwight David Eisenhower II.

Over the years, American presidents and their families have used it for a variety of reasons. Some spent weekends there relaxing with their families. Others have used it to study, write, or confer with top advisers. A few have used it to conduct global diplomacy and forge historic peace agreements. During his first visit to Camp David, President Biden played Mario Kart with his granddaughter Naomi (and won!).  Read More