During the atomic, earthshaking first 120 days of Harry Truman’s unlikely presidency, an unprepared, small-town man had to take on Germany, Japan, Stalin, and a secret weapon of unimaginable power–marking the most dramatic rise to greatness in American history.
Did not know much about Truman’s first year in office and his personal reflections. He was a much more effective president than I realized. Great, informative book that should be read to get a perspective on where we are now, and the role Truman played in it 70+ years ago.
The author did a wonderful job of pulling together many pieces of information and describing the inner turmoil of someone who was faced with horrendous decisions.
I didn’t know much about Harry Truman, but this really opened my eyes. It lead me to another great read of FDR.
This is the story of Truman’s first four months in office after the passing of FDR.
Although I’ve read enough about Roosevelt & Truman, this is completely different. I’m learning about the nonexistent relationship between the two, the detailed ending of WWII, the secrecy behind the atomic bomb & the decision to drop it, the difficulties with Stalin in the peace treaty…and how he reneged this on his agreements…it reads like a spy novel but a well written one.
I’m fascinated by how much I never knew. I now see what led to the conflicts of today.
Years ago a workshop facilitator asked the group I was in: “Who was president when you were born?” I like most of the people in the class had no idea. The thought had never occurred to me. When I discovered it was Harry S. Truman, I began to read books, eight in all, about him including the comprehensive Truman by David McCullough. I have even read the boring Meeting at Potsdam by Charles Mee. I was not expecting to learn anything new about Truman and was surprised when I did.
The Accidental President is a surprisingly exciting book to read. Baime takes the reader through the first four months of Truman’s presidency. He faced challenges that few, if any, presidents have faced upon taking office. The U.S. was fighting a war on two fronts in Europe and in Asia. He was thrown into negotiations with two savvy politicians, Churchill and Stalin, over the fate of Europe. He learned about the development of the atomic bomb and had to make a decision about whether to drop the bomb or not.
People often say that Truman was unprepared to be President. He had only been in the Senate for two terms. Truman was never in Roosevelt’s inner circle and Roosevelt kept him in the dark after he was Vice-President. He became President with little knowledge of what was transpiring in the international arena. Yet, Truman was prepared in several ways. He was a student of history and what other leaders had done in difficult situations. He was a decision-maker and did not hesitate to make the difficult decisions. He had a natural instinct for politics. He also had a strong moral character, yet knew when to.
Baime opens the book by taking us through the day when Roosevelt died and Truman stepped into his shoes. He follows this up with a section that shares to story of who Truman was and where he came from. Even in this section, I learned somethings about Truman I was unaware of. Baime then proceeds to walk us through the riveting first four months of Truman’s presidency and the challenges he faced.
I highly recommend this book to anyone in business who finds himself in the midst of a crisis. I also recommend the book to anyone interested in politics, history and the presidency.
The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months that Changed the World by A.J. Baime examines not only Truman’s life but the time period near the end of WWII and into the Korean War as well.
Baime starts with telling about Truman’s early years and his upbringing. His intense labor on the farm and in various ventures that do not prove fruitful. Then into his start in politics with memories of his heroes like Andrew Jackson and how slowly and surely this politician who didn’t think he would go very far beyond serving his home state became Vice President and then President upon Roosevelt’s death.
Truman never felt he deserved to be president and yet this humble everyman was indeed the right person to follow Roosevelt. Baime ably puts the reader right along side Truman as he reveals day by day events in his early days upon becoming president, and into the next months to follow. Again and again with the support of those he knew from his army days, men from Roosevelt’s administration, and those Truman picked himself to serve with him Truman is able to take on the role thrust on him.
This biography is well written and as I wrote I felt like I was along side Truman as events unfolded. Also, I never felt like the book dragged at any point and wishing things would move faster. Blaime did well with the narrative’s pacing and held my attention right through to the last page of the biography.