1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory by Davd Pietrusza

I have long considered Harry Truman as one of, if not my favorite, President. This book which centers on the famed election of 1948 is very interesting. For me though I learned some things, saw Harry Truman from a different point of view.

Each author has his own viewpoint, his own set of glasses he sees his subject through. For me it becomes apparent that Pietrusza is not fan of Harry Truman. It would seem that he feels Truman lowbrow in his tastes and in over his head in talent. More importantly however, he makes a case that backs his opinion abut more forcefully than I have seen in the past.

I believe Truman was a very good President. Certainly my knowledge of the fact that unlike today's politicians he made decisions based on a perception of what is right versus what was politically expedient helps ones opinion of him.

Still he was politically expedient in some cases. His decisions on Civil Rights were part of a political calculation, still his opinions on race did change as a result of the treatment of blacks in returning from the war. Even then his opinions on Jews and Negores were never completely modernized. The difference is that although not totally comfortable and with some backwards opinions he was the President that integreated the armed services and that overrode his Secretary of State George Marshall to recognize Israel.

Truman was a product of the Pendergast machine, some never forgave him for that. Perhaps worse than that he was not FDR, the man he followed. Truman did resort to demagogary in his 1948 campaign. It was a hard campaign.

The author shows us not just Truman however but Henry Wallace the former Vice President, manipulated into running and used by the Communists, Strom Thurmond whose Dixecrats rebelling against Civil Rights hoped to throw the election into the House, and of course Tom Dewey who just thought if he hibernated for six months he would wake up and be President.

An interesting book but one in which it from my viewpoint the author's prejuidices are clear. That is ok, just different. Dewey was a strong candidate, he just did not run a good campaign. What that says about our political system one can wonder about.