Harry Truman

            
             Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri. Throughout his younger years, he held various positions in small businesses, as well as working on his parents" farm. After the United States became involved in World War 1, Truman enlisted in the artillery in 1917. He achieved a rank of captain for his accomplishments and soon returned to go into business with a friend. After his ventures failed, he proceeded to get married to Bess Wallace in 1919. Margaret was their only child.
             Truman entered the field of politics in 1922, when he was elected county judge with the help of his friend, Jackson County boss: Tom Prendergast. He remained in this position until 1934 and was the presiding judge after 1926.
             Truman, being a devoted Democrat, deeply admired Woodrow Wilson, and was a firm supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt. After FDR was elected in 1934, Truman was chosen to represent Missouri in the U.S. senate. He gained national exposure in his second term as the chairman of the Senate Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program and his opposition to corruption in government operations, while remaining loyal to Roosevelt. Influential leaders convinced FDR to name Truman vice president for his fourth term nomination.
             After Roosevelt's sudden death in office, Truman took over the presidency, but not without many burdens thrust upon him. He vowed to the public to continue Roosevelt's policies, even though he was not well informed about the issues at hand. Some of the tasks included the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and approving the surrender of the Japanese government.
             With the end of WWII, the Truman administration turned their focus domestically and increased the production of peacetime goods. When faced with inflation and labor unions, his principle trait became apparent: a power of unhesitating decision-making. He supported wage increases to soften the blows of inflation and opposed acts that restricted the rights of unions while supporting those that strengthened them.