Home > World War II > Harry S. Truman Biography

Born May 8, 1884
Lamar, Missouri
Died December 26, 1972
Kansas City, Missouri
33rd president of the United States

Harry S. Truman is remembered as one of few American presidents who had a real knowledge of and feeling for the ordinary citizens of his country. Known as an honest, hardworking man with a lot of common sense, he was serving as vice president when, in April of 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945; see entry) died in office. Truman took over the presidency at a crucial time, with World War II almost over and Americans feeling both euphoric about the Allied victory and anxious about the economy and other issues. Over the next seven years, Truman would make some difficult decisions—especially the one that led to dropping two atomic bombs on Japan—and lead the United States through important changes in foreign and domestic policy.