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| | *Casablanca Conference, Jan. 14–24, 1943, was a meeting between the U.S. and Britain during which they agreed to fight until other side unconditionally surrenders | | *Casablanca Conference, Jan. 14–24, 1943, was a meeting between the U.S. and Britain during which they agreed to fight until other side unconditionally surrenders |
| − | *Teheran Conference, 1943, during which Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union promised to help us against Japan after the defeat of Germany, and the U.S. agreed to the D-Day invasion | + | *Tehran Conference, Nov.-Dec. 1943, was the Soviet Union Stalin's first conference and he promised to help against Japan after the defeat of Germany, and the U.S. agreed to the D-Day invasion |
| | *Yalta Conference, Feb. 1945, during which the Allies divided Germany into 4 military zones (denazification) and Stalin lied in agreeing to hold free elections in Eastern Europe. The Allies also planned to start the United Nations | | *Yalta Conference, Feb. 1945, during which the Allies divided Germany into 4 military zones (denazification) and Stalin lied in agreeing to hold free elections in Eastern Europe. The Allies also planned to start the United Nations |
| − | *Potsdam Conference, July through Aug. 1945, during which Truman (after Roosevelt died) met with the other Allied leaders. Truman played cards (as was his habit) most of the time and little was accomplished. The Allies did agree to demand Japan's unconditional surrender | + | *Potsdam Conference, July-Aug. 1945, was Truman's first conference after Roosevelt died. Truman played cards (as was his habit) most of the time and little was accomplished. The Allies agreed to demand Japan's unconditional surrender |
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| − | Some, including a friend of Albert Einstein who persuaded him to write a letter, feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and so the United States government initiated the Manhattan Project that develop our own atomic bomb at a secret facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Top physicists participated in the project. As soon as the bomb was tested and ready, President Truman ordered it to be dropped on Japanese cities in 1945. Japan then surrendered and our war with it was over. (Our war with Germany had already ended.) | + | Some, including a friend of Albert Einstein who persuaded him to write a letter, feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and thus the United States should start something. But the President did not act on Einstein's letter and only much later began the Manhattan Project to develop our own atomic bomb at a secret facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Top physicists led the project. As soon as the bomb was tested and ready, President Truman ordered it to be dropped on Japanese cities in 1945. Japan then surrendered and our war with it was over. (Our war with Germany had already ended.) |
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| | As president, Truman was an impulsive and not very bright man. He still holds the record for the lowest approval rating (only 23% of the country approving of his performance) in his last year in office (1952). When there was an ugly strike against a steel company, he impulsively ordered a government takeover of the entire company (the Supreme Court later invalidated his action). When a reporter wrote a negative review about his daughter’s piano recital, Truman said he wanted to punch the reporter in the face for it. When General Douglas MacArthur wanted to be more aggressive in the Korean War, Truman simply fired him. Drop the atom bomb on Japan? Do it, Truman decided quickly, and later said he slept a good night’s sleep the night he decided. Truman’s impulsiveness may remind you of President Andrew Jackson. | | As president, Truman was an impulsive and not very bright man. He still holds the record for the lowest approval rating (only 23% of the country approving of his performance) in his last year in office (1952). When there was an ugly strike against a steel company, he impulsively ordered a government takeover of the entire company (the Supreme Court later invalidated his action). When a reporter wrote a negative review about his daughter’s piano recital, Truman said he wanted to punch the reporter in the face for it. When General Douglas MacArthur wanted to be more aggressive in the Korean War, Truman simply fired him. Drop the atom bomb on Japan? Do it, Truman decided quickly, and later said he slept a good night’s sleep the night he decided. Truman’s impulsiveness may remind you of President Andrew Jackson. |