"PROGRESS OCCURS WHEN COURAGEOUS, SKILLFUL LEADERS SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER." 

 

 

 

What makes a person notable? A question so simple, yet filled with complex responses and countless answers. However to fully understand this question we need to start small: A Notable person is an individual worthy of note, or remarkable in some way, changing humanity for the good of all. Today I will answer this question by going over this man's diverse life, his hardships, his weaknesses that he manipulated to create strengths, his commitment to the welfare of Americans, the free people of the world and those under a dictatorship. The end of this text the results of this question. So who is this 'individual' we talk of. The man in question: Harry S. Truman. 

 

A Life Like No Other 

 

The sub-title speaks for itself. Harry lived a life filled with highs and lows, making him a diverse and relatable man to many. As a child, Harry could have been described as the furthest possibility to a future president. Born in Missouri, into a poor family with a deprived upbringing, Lamar was a farm town with an estimated population of about 2,000 at the time, and was no place to bring up a family. At the age of 4, Harry and his family moved to Independence, a town that bordered Kansas city, where they possessed a more sustainable and desired lifestyle. Soon after, Truman obtained numerous small occupations which could support their family, alongside their fathers farm, which was later to fail. They included: Wrapping and delivering newspapers, a haberdasher, a clerk, book- keeper and etc. After he finished high school, he decided that law was his passion. This would not happen as money was dire, after his father's farm took a hard blow. Some may consider is youth unconventional, and things got only more miserable from there... 

 

He joined the Missouri national guard for the money to support his family in 1905 and left in 1912. He proposed to his life-long childhood friend, Elizabeth (Bess) Wallace, who said the opposite of the answer he wanted, and then in 1914, his father died. In 1917, the US declared war on Germany and its allies, and Truman quickly signed up, however was turned down due to poor eye sight. Again he enlisted and passed the vision test by memorizing the eye chart, and with only a few weeks training, he found himself leaving to France, fighting in the 129th Artillery division. Before he left, Bess Wallace ran to him saying that she wanted to marry him after all. With this he said, "I don’t think it would be right for me to ask you to tie yourself to a prospective cripple- or a sentiment," and with that, he left for France. Harry was swift to move up in the ranks and became a captain (a higher rank than you may think) due to his courage and for running the best canteen in the whole US Army, and was put in charge of his own division. After the war, he proposed again to Bess Wallace, and married her in June 1919. In the 1920's, he opened a clothing shop with a wartime partner, however this was to end tragically as the Wall street crisis took its toll on the nation. Then a man hired him, knowing to be truthful and honest, to a county judge. Some year after this, Harry was elected to senate where he was known for his strong hate and distrust of the Nazi government in Germany. In mid-1940, the US watched as the world waged war against each other. Harry Truman knew that the US would eventually enter the war. So he approached the president to propose a war budget to get ready if the US entered WW2. The president agreed, and the Truman committee was set up, with a few other senators. 

 

 In 1945, Harry Truman was chosen at random as the Vice President of the United States. In the 82 days of the job, Truman seldom saw Franklin Roosevelt, and then on a fateful April day, Harry Truman got a message from the white house while drinking bourbon with a few other senators: "Please come right over." Harry rushed over to the white house to find the first lady Elleanor Roosevelt approach him saying, "Harry, the president is dead" The next day he was sworn to office and put with the hardest decisions any president could be put up with. Mr. Truman proved decisive and cool under pressure. He took a strong approach on communism and in an incredible feat of the Belin airlift, he managed to have planes taking off and landing with supplies every 23 min for 1 year straight. In 1952, he suddenly retired and left back to Independence, to live a life of peace. In his these years, he was extremely popular among Missourians. Then on a fateful Christmas day, multiple organs became dis-functional and he died the next day on boxing day, 1972. Truman lived a life like no other president, and no other man to be sure on that matter. 

 

“As you get older, you get tired of doing the same things over and over again, so you think Christmas has changed. It hasn’t. It’s you who has changed.” 

 

 

The Hardships he overcame 

 

 Another reason why Harry Truman is remembered as a national icon, was due to the hardships on his way to the presidency. As a poor boy from Missouri, growing up was hard, and having a meal on the table was not of leisure and comfort like most middle class and upper class folks, like ourselves, but of reward. Harry's father was a farmer who earned little money, and as early as the age of 5, Harry was also working on the farm, milking cattle and feeding the sheep. When he moved to Independence, he started to go around the neighbourhood, doing peoples lawns, and doing other chores. In school, he stood out. He was of small stature, was shy around girls, and couldn't see very well. It was during this time he contracted Diphtheria, a serious droplet infection that caused Harry to be paralyzed in his legs, arms and throat for good part of a year. When he graduated from high school, he lacked college funds and now remains the only 20th century president to not go to college. He went to law school for only a year until family problems forced him to leave only a term into the year. So, he went back to the farm, and stayed there for the next 8 years. In 1914, his father died, and Harry was left as the breadwinner of his family. In 1916 he proposed to his love, Bess Wallace. She said "No," A heartbroken Harry came back home, to a miserable life, living poor and rejected by his fiancé. It was a wonder he got out of bed in the morning, and for this, you can thank the Great War. Come mid-1917, and WW1 was raging. Desperate to get out of small town Missouri. This perhaps was the only action that didn’t go wrong in his life. After coming home, a wartime hero he set up a clothing shop, however this was not to last. A year after the wall street came down, so did the Truman and Jacobson Haberdashery (The shop was called this). 

 

Now during the war, Harry made friends with a man called Pendergast. His uncle turned out to be a high ranked member of the senate on Missouri's behalf. Now Pendergast Sen. was a corrupt man, who needed some cover from being caught doing some unlawful actions like rigging ballots and stealing from collected tax. So, he called upon his nephew's friend to help. Harry was made a court judge of Jackson County, and after a good few years of covering Pendergast, he was given a promotion to senator. He was known as the Senator from 'Pendergast', and when Pendergast was caught and arrested, many thought that Harry was toast. However, even though all his power was from Pendergast, he overcame the hardships of being almost powerless, and winning a second term as senator by a mere 8,000. Years past, and it was mere luck that got him to the Vice president seat, after FDR was too busy choose, and Harry Truman did not even want such a high position. 83 days later, he is president of the United States. When he entered office, he said that all the planets and stars had fallen on him. He was faced with the bombing of Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, and setting up the post war world (which would fall into proxy wars either way). Harry Truman was also faced with the Korean War, which eventually caused his resignation. Although Harry was faced with many hardships, he always found a way to go through it, whether it was a loop hole, or if he pushed through and endured the pain. This is only one of the many reasons why Harry Truman is one of the greatest modern leaders to have lived. 

 

“Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures - character.” 

 

 

The Strength of his Weaknesses 

 

Harry Truman was a man who used his early life weaknesses and to put it to his advantage, making him, a smart and decisive gentlemen. Harry Truman grew up poor, and there is no other way to put it. However, this benefitted him as president This helped him as president to be humble, and learnt the value of money to those in need. Harry also knew that as the most powerful country, it was his duty to lead the free world out of crisis, and that democracy must prevail always no matter the circumstance. Another weakness that he had that somehow excelled his performance, was his honesty. As a child, his honesty would get him into trouble, and he even admitted to his commander during WW1 that he had memorized the eye charts to meet enlistment requirements (although this didn’t really change anything). When Pendergast Senior came about, looking for an honest gentlemen to cover his crimes, he instantly saw Harry, as he stood out. Harry's honesty somehow paid off for Pendergast, and he even did it in a way that limited his boss's power, a refusing to commit any sort of corruption. It is nothing short of a miracle that he turned these childhood miseries into attributes that became a standard for all Americans. This again shows the  

 

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” 

 

 

Harry S. Truman and Yohanah Abdel Sayed: The Difference and the Similarities 

 

In this paragraph I will support my reasoning of why I chose my notable, by comparing and contrasting me and Harry Truman. Let me begin with our clear difference. Harry Truman grew up poor and was delivered an unconventional youth. I have been brought into a privileged upbringing, and I have been blessed to go to one of the best schools in the Southern hemisphere. Harry was a quiet man, who spoke when he thought was best. He also did not want 'unwanted' attention, and was sensible. I try to make myself heard, whether I want to amuse, or if I want to make a point for the sake of talking. I also consider myself an extravert, and Truman was more of an introvert. However even if he had a different childhood and I have a completely different personality, I believe that I share a few points of interest with this great leader. Firstly, Harry Truman and I are both intrigued about history. Harry found that he loved history, and I also share a passion for the subject. Another point is that at press conferences and even sharing a few jokes before joint sessions in the congress. I too believe that I have a sense of humour, in a way and that I would always want to get a laugh in with my friends during recess and lunch. 

I may be only 12 years old, and Harry may be 137, and dead, however I think that apart from our clear differences, me and Harry Truman have similar points of interests. 

 

"The Truth is all I want from history" 

 

Man of the People 

 

Furthermore, Truman cared and neutered those in need because of his determination to help those who are in need.  Harry Truman was known for his commitment to all those oppressed by dictators, peoples of the free world and his fellow Americans at home or fighting abroad. He fought for the rights of African Americans and the welfare of soldiers and workers in trade unions. He was known as the man of the people because he cared for anyone in need. He made laws and bills to stop injustice in America, like the Fair Deal act, that aimed to make the gap of coloured and white standards of living closer, by minimising injustice in the courts and ending segregation in the army and ending a number of unjust rules.  

 

Another example of Harry Truman's hospitality to those in need was the Berlin Airlift, now known as the greatest aviation feat of the 20th century. Germany was split into 2 with the west backed by the US, and the east, supported by the USSR. The city of Berlin was in the Eastern territory, almost 100 miles behind lines, however also halved among the super power nations. Now East Berliners saw the supplies coming from the US to West Germany and West Berlin in abundance and started to move into the Western block of Europe for its rich supplies and better, more just way of life, due to this, soviet factories crashed due to the decreasing numbers of workers. The only option was to blockade the supplies from the west. Many of Harry Truman's generals said to launch a full scale invasion, however he knew that the war tired nation could not afford to lose any more lives. So his approach was to fly in the supplies. This incredible under-taking meant that every 20 min, a plane flew out and landed in Berlin with supplies for a whole straight year. This showed Harry's determination towards the people of Berlin and all the people oppressed by unjust or harsh rulers. 

 

 “There are always a lot of people so afraid of rocking the boat that they stop rowing. We can never get ahead that way.” 

 

 

The Truman Legacy 

 

Harry Truman leaves a legacy that affects our lives and how we live it. Harry Truman has a library in his name, and remains to be one of the biggest libraries in the US. Harry Truman was the first US president to make America a country contributing on a global scale, rebuilding Europe and creating Japan a great democratic nation. If Harry Truman wasn’t president, the civil right movement might not have occurred, and the affect it made, caused a multiple milestones such as the first coloured president of the United States and the end to segregation in the US. People who have made a change in the world leave a lasting effect on the planet, and it is clear that Harry S Truman has done just that. 

 

"The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all." 

 

The Truman Doctrine 

 

The Truman Doctrine was a speech infront of a joint congress session explaining the crisis in Greece and Turkey and the economic aid the US would give, he also explained the growing threat of communist Russia against the Western world. Here is the last part of it: 

 

"Finally, I ask that the Congress provide authority which will permit the speediest and most effective use, in terms of needed commodities, supplies, and equipment, of such funds as may be authorized. If further funds, or further authority, should be needed for purposes indicated in this message, I shall not hesitate to bring the situation before the Congress. On this subject the Executive and Legislative branches of the Government must work together. This is a serious course upon which we embark. I would not recommend it except that the alternative is much more serious.  

 

The United States contributed $341,000,000,000 toward winning World War II. This is an investment in world freedom and world peace. The assistance that I am recommending for Greece and Turkey amounts to little more than 1 tenth of 1 per cent of this investment. It is only common sense that we should safeguard this investment and make sure that it was not in vain. The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want. They spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife. They reach their full growth when the hope of a people for a better life has died.  

 

We must keep that hope alive. The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world -- and we shall surely endanger the welfare of our own nation.  

 

Great responsibilities have been placed upon us by the swift movement of events. I am confident that the Congress will face these responsibilities squarely." 

 

 

You may be asking, 'but Yohanah, you haven't really answered why Harry Truman is notable,' well as a matter of fact, the answer is right infront of you. It is through Truman's diverse life that he is set apart from the crowd, the hardships he tackled is the hardest any president could have ever faced, his weaknesses that he turned into strengths made him a man who could outwit any opponent that faced him. The care he showed to the people of the world made them feel safer and more secure. His legacy is one not seen on the face of this earth, and all those reasons, Harry Truman is worth note and remarkable in all ways. Harry S. Truman is notable, and no one on the planet can deny it. Thank you. 

 

 

"Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers."