Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. He assumed the presidency following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945.
Harry Truman was born on May 8, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri. He grew up in Independence, Missouri, and did not attend college due to family financial issues. Instead, he worked various jobs before entering the World War I as an artillery officer in 1917. After the war, he opened a haberdashery, which failed, leading him to enter politics.
Truman's political journey began when he was elected as a judge in the Jackson County court in 1922. His career progressed when he was elected as a U.S. Senator from Missouri in 1934. During his tenure in the Senate, he gained national recognition for his work on the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, known as the Truman Committee, which exposed waste and corruption in wartime contracts.
After leaving office, Truman returned to Independence. He was known for his simple lifestyle and for refusing to profit from his former position, setting a precedent for future presidents. He died on December 26, 1972, and is buried in the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri.
Truman's presidency is often evaluated for its significant decisions during pivotal moments in world history. His leadership during the early years of the Cold War, his commitment to civil rights, and his foreign policy initiatives have had lasting impacts.