Harry S Truman Event Timeline

  Harry S. Truman (33) Event Timeline
04/12/1945 – 01/20/1953

11/07/1944

Election Day. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Vice Presidential candidate Harry Truman win 53.4% of the popular vote and 81.4% of the electoral vote, defeating Republican nominees Thomas Dewey and John W. Bricker.

1945

04/12/1945

President Roosevelt dies of a cerebral hemorrhage less than three months into his fourth term. Vice President Harry Truman becomes President. Shortly thereafter he learns for the first time about the Manhattan project and the atomic bomb.

04/13/1945

Announces the death of President Roosevelt.

04/16/1945

Makes first address as President to a joint session of Congress. “With great humility I call upon all Americans to help me keep our nation united in defense of those ideals which have been so eloquently proclaimed by Franklin Roosevelt.”

04/25/1945

Delivers address in San Francisco at the first United Nations Conference. “If we do not want to die together in war, we must learn to live together in peace . . . We must build a new world—a far better world—one in which the eternal dignity of man is respected.” Representatives of 50 countries had convened to draft the UN Charter.

04/28/1945

Benito Mussolini is executed by Italian partisans who capture him attempting to escape into Switzerland.

04/29/1945

American forces liberate the Dachau concentration camp.

04/30/1945

Adolf Hitler commits suicide at his bunker under the Reich Chancellery.

05/02/1945

Message to Allied Commanders on the Surrender of German Forces in Italy.

05/02/1945

News Conference. [21.] Q. Mr. President, would you care to comment on the death of Adolf Hitler reported, or Mussolini?
THE PRESIDENT. Well, of course, the two principal war criminals will not have to come to trial; and I am very happy they are out of the way.
Q. Well, does that mean, sir, that we know officially that Hitler is dead?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes.
Q. Do we know how he died, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. No, we do not.

05/07/1945

Germany surrenders unconditionally to the Allies, bringing an end to Nazi Germany and ending World War II in Europe.

05/08/1945

Calls for the unconditional surrender of Japan in order to officially bring World War II to a close.

05/08/1945

Broadcast to the American People Announcing the Surrender of Germany.

05/09/1945

First meeting of the “Interim Committee” formed by Secretary of State Henry Stimson to advise the President about the use of nuclear energy and weapons.

06/06/1945

The Interim Committee recommends keeping the A-bomb secret until it has been used on Japan; and that the attack should take place as soon as possible.

07/02/1945

Address before the Senate urging ratification of the United Nations Charter. The Senate ratified on 07/28/1945 and it entered into force on 10/24/1945.

07/17/1945

Releases a joint report by Allied leaders on the Potsdam Conference. The conference is in Potsdam, Germany, which borders the city of Berlin, from 07/17/1945 to 08/02/1945. The last of the Big Three meetings during World War II, the Conference is attended by the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union; on the agenda is partitioning of the postwar world and resolving the problems of the war in East Asia.

07/26/1945

Joint Proclamation from Potsdam conferees urging Japanese surrender [“The Potsdam Declaration”]. “The might that now converges on Japan is immeasurably greater than that which, when applied to the resisting Nazis, necessarily laid waste to the lands, the industry and the method of life of the whole Germany people.”

07/30/1945

Western newspapers report prominently that the Japanese government has officially rejected the ultimatum in the Potsdam declaration.

08/06/1945

Announces the use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan.

08/09/1945

Delivers radio report to the American people following the Potsdam Conference. Truman explains the Allies’ objective to obtain war reparations from Germany, emphasizes the need to support European nations in their rebuilding efforts, and demands surrender by Japan. “. . .the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. . . . We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war. . . ”

08/09/1945

Second atomic bomb is detonated over Nagasaki, Japan.

08/14/1945

Japan officially surrenders.

09/01/1945

Address to the American People After the Signing of the Terms of Unconditional Surrender by Japan. “Victory always has its burdens and its responsibilities as well as its rejoicing.”

09/06/1945

In a Special Message, presents a 21-point plan for the reconversion of the United States.

09/18/1945

Delivers statement following Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation and colonial rule; the United States commits itself to ensuring its independence.

09/21/1945

Establishes a week dedicated to employing those with physical disabilities.

10/03/1945

Special Message to the Congress on Atomic Energy. Requests the creation of an Atomic Energy Commission to oversee the development of atomic power for appropriate purposes..

10/23/1945

Address to Joint Session of Congress on Universal Military Training. Argues for universal military training—a draft—although he does not used that word. “The backbone of our military force should be the trained citizen who is first and foremost a civilian, and who becomes a soldier or a sailor only in time of danger--and only when Congress considers it necessary.” See below 06/24/1948 Selective Service Act.

10/24/1945

The United Nations officially comes into existence after the Charter is ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and a majority of other signatories.

11/13/1945

Releases a letter to British Prime Minister Attlee, dated August 31, 1945. Discusses the report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry (see below, 4/20/1946) and the recommendation to admit 100,000 refugees to Palestine.

11/14/1945

The International Military Tribunal begins the trial of Nazi leaders accused of war crimes—the Nuremberg Trials. Justice Robert Jackson took leave from the U.S. Supreme Court to serve as chief American prosecutor at the war crimes trial. Jackson made a much-cited opening statement on 11/21/1945.

11/15/1945

News Conference following the signing of a Joint Declaration on Atomic Energy with Great Britain and Canada.

1946

01/12/1946

Releases statement following a White House meeting to avert a United States Steel Corporation strike.

01/14/1946

First Annual State of the Union Message.

01/18/1946

Issues executive order that considers the creation of a Jewish state.

02/20/1946

Signs the Employment Act of 1946, which charges the federal government with maintaining low unemployment and price stability.

02/22/1946

George Kennan, a US diplomat stationed in Moscow, sends a lengthy analysis of Soviet thinking and strategy that becomes known as “The Long Telegram.” Widely considered to be the origins of the policy of “containment.” “Gauged against Western World as a whole, Soviets are still by far the weaker force. Thus, their success will really depend on the degree of cohesion, firmness and vigor which Western World can muster.”

03/05/1946

Churchill “Sinews of Peace” Speech, better known as his “Iron Curtain Speech.” He was introduced by President Truman.

04/20/1946

Release of the Report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry established to examine conditions in Palestine as they bear upon the problem of Jewish immigration and settlement therein. Among the recommendation that 100,000 victims of Nazi and Fascist persecution be immediately admitted to Palestine.

04/30/1946

Statement on receiving the Report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry. “One of the significant features in the report is that it aims to insure complete protection to the Arab population of Palestine by guaranteeing their civil and religious rights. . . “

05/24/1946

Calls upon the U.S. Army to take over the railroads after failing to reach a compromise in the railroad strike. Subsequent laws passed to end the strike significantly decrease the power of labor.

05/25/1946

Addresses a Joint Session of Congress on the topic of the recently started railroad strike. “. . . unless the railroads are manned by returning strikers, I shall immediately undertake to run them by the Army of the United States.”

06/03/1946

In Morgan v. Virginia the Supreme Court holds that segregating riders by race on interstate busses violates the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution. This case is important in the desegregation movement of the 1960s.

07/03/1946

Officially recognizes the Philippines as a separate and self-governing nation.

07/22/1946

Zionists bomb the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, killing 91 and injuring 45. British forces deny receiving advance warning.

07/30/1946

Releases statement concerning U.S. membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

08/01/1946

Signs the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 (60 Stat 755) providing for the development and control of atomic energy and authorizing the Atomic Energy Commission.

08/16/1946

The White House releases statement that advocates a peaceful compromise between the British government and Palestine on the creation of Israel and urges nations to admit displaced persons as permanent residents.

09/12/1946

Commerce Secretary Henry Wallace makes a speech in New York that is critical of US foreign policy especially toward the Soviet Union. Truman appeared to have approved of the language in a News Conference that same day.

09/20/1946

Truman publicly requests Wallace’s resignation. “No member of the Executive branch of the Government will make any public statement as to foreign policy which is in conflict with our established policy.”

10/04/1946

The Palestine Conference in London ends before a solution can be found. Truman states that the immigration of 100,000 Jewish refugees into an area of Palestine must begin immediately and cannot wait until after a resolution is established.

11/05/1946

In the midterm elections, Republicans gain heavily in both Houses, winning majorities in House and Senate for the first time since 1930.

11/12/1946

Sends letter to Francis Biddle, the primary American judge during the postwar Nuremberg trials. The trials last from 11/20/1945 to 10/01/1946, and are held by the Allied forces for the purpose of bringing Nazi war criminals to justice.

12/31/1946

Announces an official end to the hostilities of World War II.

1947

01/06/1947

Second Annual State of the Union Message.

01/31/1947

Extends the Second War Powers Act to maintain allocation controls over certain industries despite attempts to shift from a wartime economy to a peacetime one.

02/21/1947

Recommends the direct aid of $350 million to bring relief to liberated countries.

03/12/1947

Delivers “Truman Doctrine” speech to Congress, in which he requests a $400 million appropriation to combat the spread of communism in Greece and Turkey. Criticism abounds from the left and right, but support is mobilized from moderates in both parties.

03/21/1947

The United States joins the World Health Organization (WHO).

03/21/1947

Issues executive order establishing the Federal Employee Loyalty Program as an attempt to root out communist influences in the federal government.

05/15/1947

Issues executive order appointing American lawyer Charles F. Wennerstrum to the International Military Tribunal (IMT) to punish war criminals in Germany.

05/15/1947

Jackie Robinson integrates Major League Baseball, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The President attended 16 baseball games during his presidency, all in Washington, none involving the Dodgers. His Public Papers include only nine references to baseball, mostly while campaigning.

05/22/1947

Officially signs act implementing the Truman Doctrine, (61 Stat 103) beginning the administration of aid to Turkey and Greece.

06/07/1947

Secretary of State George C. Marshall gives a short commencement address at Harvard University in which he suggests that the US “proceed much further” to alleviate the situation in Europe and asks for the European nations to draft a program that the US can support. A retrospective from 2017 said that at the time the speech was “short [and] unadorned” and seemed unremarkable to most listeners.

06/07/1947

Addressing a reunion of the 35^th Army Division (in which Truman served in World War I), states that US citizens have an obligation “to lead the peoples of the earth toward the goal of lasting peace.”

06/20/1947

Vetoes the Taft-Hartley Act, which restricts power of unions, on the grounds that it would lead to more government intervention in labor. “Its provision would cause more strikes, not fewer. It would contribute neither to industrial peace nor to economic stability and progress. It would be a dangerous stride in the direction of a totally managed economy.”

06/23/1947

Letter to Senator Barkley on the Attempt to Override the Taft-Hartley Veto. “I commend you and your associates who have fought so earnestly against this dangerous legislation. On 06/23/1947 the veto was overridden (see 61 Stat 162) and became law (61 Stat 136).

06/29/1947

Becomes the first president to address the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). “We must strive to advance civil rights wherever it lies within our power.”

07/12/1947

Conference of European Economic Cooperation meets in Paris; a response to Marshall’s proposal in his speech of 06/07/1947.

07/17/1947

A aged ship, rechristened the “European Exodus” with about 4500 Jewish refugees attempting to enter Palestine without authorization, is intercepted by British warships as it approaches Palestine. The refugees are forcefully returned to Europe, an action that generates great sympathy for the refugees and the cause of Israel.

07/26/1947

The National Security Act is passed, creating several agencies involving defense. This includes the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and the National Security Resources Board.

09/22/1947

Publication of Conference Report of the Committee of European Economic Cooperation. This is the substantive basis for the Marshall plan. [link to pdf of report]

10/14/1947

Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier in a Bell X-1 experimental plane.

11/17/1947

Addresses a Joint Session of Congress on the First Day of a Special Session. He urges emergency financial aid for European countries followed by the enactment of a long-range European Recovery Program. Also urges legislation addressed to inflation including regulating commodities speculation, reinstatement credit controls, and extension of other control programs.

12/17/1947

Signs Emergency Aid for Europe (Foreign Aid Act of 1947) (61 Stat 934)

12/19/1947

Special Message to Congress on the Marshall Plan. Urges legislation so that the program may become effective by April 1, 1948.

12/23/1947

Signs supplemental appropriations bill implementing aid (61 Stat 941)

12/28/1947

Signs resolution concerning control of inflation (S.J.R. 167) (61 Stat 945), but expresses disappointment that it addresses only 3 of the 10 priorities he had addressed on 11/17/1947.

1948

01/07/1948

Third Annual State of the Union Message.

01/30/1948

Assassination of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi.

02/02/1948

Delivers message to Congress recommending civil rights legislation. “[w]e must protect our civil rights so that by providing all our people with the maximum enjoyment of personal freedom and personal opportunity we shall be a stronger nation—stronger in our leadership, stronger in our moral position, stronger in the deeper satisfactions of a united citizenry.”

02/25/1948

Communist coup displaces parliamentary Democracy (led by President Eduard Benes) in Czechoslovakia, putting into power Premier Klement Gottwald.

02/26/1948

The Governments of the USA, United Kingdom, and France jointly issue a declaration condemning the coup in Czechoslovakia as “disastrous for the Czechoslovak people.”

03/17/1948

Special Message to Congress on the Threat to the Freedom of Europe (a speech to a Joint Session). Emphasizes the “growing menace” of the Soviet Union in undermining efforts to build stable democracies in Europe. Urges Congress to take action to support free and democratic nations of Europe.

03/17/1948

In St. Patrick’s Day Address in New York City, criticizes “one nation” for obstructive use of the veto at the UN, trying to undercut the participation of many countries in the Marshall Plan, and placing foreign agents to fight in Greece.

03/30/1948

Founding of the Organization of American States. The Charter is forwarded to the Senate for ratification on 01/13/1949.

04/03/1948

Signs the Foreign Assistance Act [implementing the Marshall Plan]—officially called the European Recovery Program—to provide aid to Western Europe following World War II. (62 Stat 137) The act creates a number of new administrative positions.

04/19/1948

Address to Joint Session of Congress on the 50^th Anniversary of Cuban Independence. Celebrates the passage of a congressional Joint Resolution 50 years before supporting a free and independent Cuba.

05/10/1948

“States Rights Democrats,” meet in Jackson, MS and vote to hold their own convention on 07/17/1948 if the Democrats renominate Truman or fail to repudiate his civil rights program.

05/14/1948

The United States officially recognizes the State of Israel after years of deliberation with Palestine. New state had been declared on this same day by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.

06/24/1948

Selective Service Act of 1948 (64 Stat 604) establishes a permanent peacetime draft.

06/24/1948

The Soviet Union blockades West Berlin and Truman decides not to concede the city. Tensions are high between the United States and the Soviet Union.

06/24/1948

Thomas Dewey, former Governor of New York, accepts the Republican Party nomination for President. “The unity seek is more than material. It is more than a matter of things and measures. It is most of all spiritual. Our problem is not outside of ourselves. Our problem is within ourselves.”

06/26/1948

Orders the airlifting of supplies into West Berlin. In a News Conference on 07/01/1948 mentions a statement by Secretary of State Marshall on 06/30/1948 that the US “intends to stay” in Berlin.

07/15/1948

Accepts nomination for President of the Democratic National Convention meeting in Philadelphia. “I am going to call Congress back and ask them to pass laws to halt rising prices, to meet the housing crisis—which they say they are for in their platform.” The Democratic platform stated that the Party “commits itself to continuing its efforts to eradicate all racial, religious and economic discrimination.”

07/17/1948

The States Rights Democrats (with delegates from 13 southern states) unanimously select Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina as their nominee for President. Their platform stated that “[w]e stand for the segregation of the races and the racial integrity of each race. . .”

07/26/1948

Signs Executive Order desegregating the Armed Forces.

07/27/1948

Calls a special session of Congress to urge action on inflation and the rising cost of living as well as to advocate legislation to ameliorate the national housing shortage. Truman expresses frustration at the Republican Congress for refusing to come to the aid of the people. Advocates increase in minimum wage to at least 75 cents per hour. Urges replacing the Taft-Hartley law.

09/06/1948 – 10/30/1948

Campaigns vigorously, repeatedly blasting the “do-nothing Congress.”

11/02/1948

Election Day. Truman wins 49.5% of the popular vote and 57.1% of the electoral vote, solidly defeating New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey despite the fact that Thurmond won four, traditionally Democratic, southern states.

12/15/1948

Alger Hiss, a former State Department official, is indicted for perjury in connection to accusation of passing secrets to the communists. (The President is asked about this in a News Conference on 12/16/1948). Hiss is convicted on 01/21/1950 and sentenced to five years in prison (see also News Conference of 01/27/1950).

1949

01/05/1949

Fourth Annual State of the Union Message. States that “every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from our Government a fair deal,” thus heralding a list of domestic demands that become known as the “Fair Deal.”

04/04/1949

Signs the North Atlantic Treaty, which creates trade agreements between 12 countries in Europe and North America (NATO). This aligns with the United Nations Charter, which discusses the need for worldwide goodwill and economic openness.

04/12/1949

Transmits the North Atlantic Treaty to the Senate.

04/28/1949

Transmits charter to Congress for the International Trade Organization. This is another key trade agreement for international reconstruction and rebuilding.

05/12/1949

The Soviet Union ends its blockade of West Berlin in the face of a successful Allied airlift. The President expresses his satisfaction in a News Conference on 05/12/1949.

07/15/1949

Signs the Housing Act of 1949, which creates a national housing agency and low-cost housing projects. This is a significant victory for Truman and liberals in Congress.

07/27/1949

Confirms immigration quotas revised pursuant to the Immigration Act of 1924.

08/01/1949

“China White Paper”—over 1000 pages long—is published. It included the conclusion that only Chinese people could determine the outcome of their civil war. White paper is referenced in a News Conference on 08/11/1949. The full White Paper is available at this link on the internet.

08/04/1949

Discusses the State Department’s report on China documenting the United States’ failure to prevent the spread of communism.

09/23/1949

Announces "an atomic explosion occurred" in the Soviet Union "in recent weeks." While not explicitly saying that the USSR has the bomb, the clear implication is that the United States no longer has a monopoly on nuclear weapons. Later it becomes clear that the exposion had been on 08/29/1949.

10/01/1949

Creation of the People’s Republic of China is declared by Mao Zedong leader of the Chinese Communist Party.

10/06/1949

Signs the Mutual Defense Assistance Act, which will allow for the supply of military aid to Europe; this is the first aid legislation of the Cold War.

10/26/1949

Statement upon signing the Fair Labor Standards Amendments. (63 Stat 910) Includes raising the minimum wage to 75 cents an hour.

1950

01/04/1950

Fifth Annual State of the Union Message. The "duty of government" is to act on "the conviction that all men are created equal, that they are equally entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  This includes "conservation and development of our natural resources," promoting progress of science and increasing knowledge, promoting "the economic security, health, and education" of citizens. These require guaranteeing civil rights to all citizens, welcoming refugees, meeting international commitments, establishing a system of medical insurance, and strengthening our educational system. 

01/24/1950

The minimum wage is raised from 40 cents to 75 cents under the Fair Labor Standards Act (signed 10/26/1949), and legislation is passed to protect young children from dangerous industrial work.

01/31/1950

Announces that the United States will start development of the hydrogen bomb.

02/09/1950

In a “Lincoln Day” speech at Wheeling West Virginia, Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) asserts that he has the names of 57 Communists (“enemies within”) working in the State Department. He calls on the President to provide Congress a full accounting. This is the launch of a period known as the “Red Scare.” The Department of State rejects McCarthy’s assertions in a press release of 02/13/1950.

02/14/1950

Signing of Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assurance. In a News Conference on 02/16/1950 the President referred reporters to a statement by Secretary of State Dean Acheson on 02/15/1950.

04/07/1950

National Security Council Paper NSC-68, “United States Objectives and Programs for National Security,” stresses the “hostile design” of the Soviet Union; urges US military buildup in response.

06/05/1950

Signs the Foreign Economic Assistance Act, which authorizes five economic aid programs for the purpose of promoting peace and recovery.

06/26/1950

Statement on the Violation of the 38^th Parallel in Korea. “Willful disregard of the obligation to keep the peace cannot be tolerated by nations that support the United Nations Charter.”

06/27/1950

Statement on communist North Korea’s invasion of South Korea, which occurred on 06/25/1950: “The attack upon Korea makes it plain beyond all doubt that communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war.” Orders the 7^th Fleet to prevent any attack on Formosa.

06/30/1950

Orders U.S. military action in Korea. Truman authorizes Air Force action and a naval blockade. Justifies the action as responding to a United Nations Security Council request for support to Republic of Korea forces.

07/19/1950

Special Message to the Congress Reporting on the Situation in Korea. The US acts pursuant to UN request and designation of MacArthur as commander is also at UN request. MacArthur is authorized to use United States Army troops in Korea. More troops will be needed and will be drafted. Appropriations are needed.

07/19/1950

Radio and Television Address to the American People on the Situation in Korea.

08/28/1950

The Social Security Act is amended, doubling insurance benefits and providing an additional 10 million people with insurance.

09/09/1950

Address to the American People Following Signing of the Defense Production Act. Discusses the need to build the strength needed to deter Communist aggression. Broadcast nationally on radio and television.

09/09/1950

Veto of Bill Amending the Nationality Act of 1940. Objects to provisions that is intended to exclude persons who covertly seek to overthrow the US Government on grounds that the language is too vague. Veto is sustained.

09/15/1950

Marines and Navy led by General MacArthur land at Inchon, Korea, achieving a major victory in the Korean War.

09/22/1950

Vetoes the Internal Security Bill, (“An Act to protect the United States Against certain un-American and subversive activities by requiring registration of Communist organizations and for other purposes”) stating that it would help communist efforts by wasting federal time and creating dissension. Congress overrides his veto the following day (64 Stat 987).

09/23/1950

Signs Revenue Act of 1950 (64 Stat 906). Due to the Korean War, what had begun as legislation focused on reducing excise taxes emerged as legislation raising both individual and corporate income taxes.

10/15/1950

Meets with Army General Douglas MacArthur on Wake Island to discuss the situation in Korea. MacArthur assures Truman the Chinese will not intervene. However, Chinese “volunteers” had entered North Korea, crossing the Yalu River on 10/14/1950.

11/05/1950

UN forces in Korea begin the use of incendiary bombs against cities and villages in North Korea. “When the fighting stopped in the summer of 1953, the entire Korean Peninsula lay in utter ruin.”

11/07/1950

In the midterm elections, Democrats lost seats in both the House and Senate, but narrowly held majorities in both Houses.

11/30/1950

In a News Conference begins with a statement addressing the Chinese attack in North Korea. “We shall continue to work in the United Nations for concerted action to halt this aggression in Korea. . . .We shall rapidly increase our own military strength.”

12/16/1950

Declares a state of national emergency in the fight against communism. Imposes wage and price controls.

1951

01/08/1951

Sixth Annual State of the Union Message.

02/02/1951

Recommends a “pay as we go” approach to the national deficit and advocates for raised taxes in order to finance the federal government and avoid an accumulation of debt.

04/11/1951

Officially relieves General MacArthur of this duties in Korea, stating that the General is unable to follow policy.

09/01/1951

ANZUS [Australia, New Zealand and the United States] sign Security Treaty in San Francisco. (Enters into force on 04/29/1952.)

09/04/1951

Address at the Opening of the Conference on the Japanese Peace Treaty. “I would also like to pay tribute to the impressive effort put forward by the people of Japan in this period. They have fully complied with the surrender terms. They have cooperated fully in carrying out the purposes of the occupation.”

09/08/1951

Treaty of San Francisco (“Treaty of Peace with Japan”) officially ends the state of war between Japan and 47 of the Allies, concludes American Occupation and ends Japanese reparations. Allows the US to station troops in Japan.

09/08/1951

United States-Japan Security Treaty (different document from “Treaty of San Francisco”) signed in San Francisco. Allows the US to station troops in Japan, emphasized centrality of Japan in containment of communist countries.

09/15/1951

Greece and Turkey are admitted to membership in NATO in meetings at Ottawa, Canada. (This is noted in a News Conference on 09/20/1951.)

10/10/1951

Signs the Mutual Security Act, which authorizes $7 billion for economic, military, and technical foreign aid.

10/22/1952

Signs bill amending the Taft Hartley Act (65 Stat 601). Praises the reforms as positive but not yet addressing the act’s “basic hostility to collective bargaining.”

11/02/1951

Signs a memorandum of disapproval (pocket veto) for a bill that requires segregation in certain schools on Federal property.

12/22/1951

Announces efforts to quell the United Steelworkers of America strike and refers the dispute to the Wage Stabilization Board; Truman states that the strike “gravely threatens the progress of national defense.”

1952

01/09/1952

Seventh Annual State of the Union Message.

03/29/1952

Address at the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner. Offers lengthy critique of the Republican Party, and announces that “I shall not be a candidate for reelection. I have served my country long, and I think efficiently and honestly. I shall not accept a renomination.”

04/08/1952

In a risky move, issues executive order directing the Secretary of Commerce to seize control of steel mills in order to prevent a strike that would constitute a national emergency. This largely expands the power of the executive branch to end strikes.

04/08/1952

Address to the American People on the Need for Government Operation of the Steel Mills. Broadcast from the White House on radio and television.

04/15/1952

The United States signs an official peace treaty with Japan.

04/22/1952

Transmits Puerto Rico’s newly-adopted constitution to Congress for ratification, which ultimately occurs on 07/25/1952.

05/03/1952

Issues executive order authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to take possession of and operate coal mines, stating that coal industry disruptions affect the ability of the country to defend itself in wartime.

05/07/1952

Opposes a Korean War settlement that would force prisoners of war to be returned to China or North Korea against their will.

06/02/1952

In Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company v. Sawyer, by a 6-3 decision considered a landmark, the Supreme Court rules that the president lacked the constitutional authority to operate the steel mills that he had asserted on 04/08/1952.

06/10/1952

In an address to a Joint Session of Congress, asks legislation to help end the steel strike given the ruling of the Supreme Court on 06/02/1952. He called the Taft-Hartley Act approach “unwise, unfair, and quite possibly ineffective.” The Senate voted to recommend that he invoke Taft-Hartley. The strike is ultimately resolved in July.

06/25/1952

Congress passes the McCarran-Walter Immigration and Nationality Act, which terminates the Asian immigration ban in favor of a quota and removes racial bars to naturalization. It also expands federal power to deport non-citizens believed to have communist leanings. Truman vetoes the bill, stating that the quota system is not an accurate reflection of American ideals and inadequate for the present world situation; the bill, he contends, would largely retain the prejudice that exists in the immigration system and render it more difficult for many to come to America. Congress overrides his veto on 06/27/1952 (66 Stat 163).

06/30/1952

Marshall Plan aid officially comes to an end, save for a few exceptions.

07/11/1952

Dwight Eisenhower accepts the nomination of the Republican Party for President of the United States.

07/26/1952

Addresses the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

07/26/1952

Adlai Stevenson accepts the nomination of the Democratic Party for President of the United States.

08/29/1952

The United States bombs Pyongyang, North Korea in the largest of many ongoing air assaults of the Korean War. Total fatalities in the entire bombing campaign were estimated to be around 1 million. The Air Force estimated that Pyongyang was 75% destroyed.

10/25/1952

Issues a statement on the withdrawal of U.S. occupation forces from Korea. United States retreats with significant losses but stalemate still on the ground. He defends the withdrawal as reflecting the consensus of military leaders.

11/01/1952

First hydrogen bomb is tested in the Marshall Islands.

11/04/1952

Election Day. Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower defeats Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson with 54.9% of the popular vote and 83.2% of the electoral vote.

1953

01/15/1953

Farewell Address to the Nation.