Harry truman childhood biography

(1884-1972)

Who Was Harry S. Truman?

Harry S. Truman was Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s vice president for just 82 days before Roosevelt died and Truman became the 33rd president. In his first months in office, he dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, ending World War II.

His policy of communist containment started the Cold War, and he initiated U.S. involvement in the Korean War. Truman left office in 1953 and died in 1972.

Early Life

Truman was the first of three children born to John Anderson Truman, a farmer and mule trader, and his wife, Martha Ellen Truman. Truman was named in honor of his maternal uncle, Harrison Young, but his parents couldn’t decide on a middle name.

After more than a month, they settled on simply using the letter “S” as a tribute to both his maternal grandfather, Solomon Young, and his paternal grandfather, Anderson Shipp Truman.

Truman grew up on the family farm in Independence, Missouri, and did not attend college. He worked a variety Harry S. Truman - Quotes, Facts & WW2 - Biography WAJU