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Ironically, Truman ran for reelection in 1948 by campaigning against what he called a "do nothing Congress."  And Truman won in an upset, because his opponent was a Mitt Romney-like wealthy Republican who did not connect with ordinary Americans.  But by 1952, Truman was the most unpopular president in history, and he was utterly unelectable.   

Ironically, Truman ran for reelection in 1948 by campaigning against what he called a "do nothing Congress."  And Truman won in an upset, because his opponent was a Mitt Romney-like wealthy Republican who did not connect with ordinary Americans.  But by 1952, Truman was the most unpopular president in history, and he was utterly unelectable.   

Truman's mishandling of the Korean War (discussed below) hurt him the most, and he made another impulsive mistake on April 9, 1952, when he seized 88 private steel mills around the country to avert a strike during the Korean War.  The American flag then flew over the mills as government property.  As President he felt he had the power to take over private factories and keep them running for the good of the country, rather than be shut down in a threatened strike.  Within two months the Supreme Court, which included four Justices who had been appointed by Truman, ruled against Truman in ''Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer'': the President has to obey the law and respect private property too.  Control of the steel mills was returned to their owners.

Truman's mishandling of the Korean War (discussed below) hurt him the most politically, and he made another impulsive mistake on April 9, 1952, when he seized 88 private steel mills around the country to avert a strike during the Korean War.  The American flag then flew over the mills as government property.  As President he felt he had the power to take over private factories and keep them running for the good of the country, rather than be shut down in a threatened strike.  Within two months the Supreme Court, which included four Justices who had been appointed by Truman, ruled against Truman in ''Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer'': the President has to obey the law and respect private property too.  Control of the steel mills was returned to their owners.

World War II hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower, called "Ike", ran for president and won the White House in 1952, the first Republican presidential victory in 24 years.  President Eisenhower is best known for spending his time on the golf course.  Near the end of his two terms he warned against growth of a "military-industrial complex" in which government and the military would feed each other's growing power.  Coming from a General, this warning was often repeated by the liberal media, which wanted to reduce our defenses during the remainder of the Cold War.

World War II hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower, called "Ike", ran for president and won the White House in 1952, the first Republican presidential victory in 24 years.  President Eisenhower is best known for spending his time on the golf course.  Near the end of his two terms he warned against growth of a "military-industrial complex" in which government and the military would feed each other's growing power.  Coming from a General, this warning was often repeated by the liberal media, which wanted to reduce our defenses during the remainder of the Cold War.