Harry Truman

            If one were to discuss life after the Second World War, if they were not a historian would perhaps not talk much about Harry S. Truman as a major factor. Truman is ranked seventh among forty one presidents ranging from Washington to Clinton . Truman succeeded Roosevelt, after his death, and the day after his inauguration said "I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me."" After making the decision to end World War II by dropping to atomic bombs on Japan, Truman entered a period of time that he would not even out last. Historians debate on whether or not Truman entered the United States into the Cold War or not. These next few pages will outline Truman's presidency beginning and focusing mainly on the "Truman Doctrine- and its effects on foreign policy after 1947. To begin to talk about life after the end of War World II without discussing the war in detail may due it some injustice, but after all it is only a fifteen page paper. .
             The war ended and the world was thrown into new territory, there were essentially two superpowers left in the world. Great Britain, France and Germany were all decimated either financially and/or physically, leaving only the United States and Russia to duel out for total supremacy. Harry Truman viewed this bipolar world as a benefit as long as the Untied States and the Soviet Union could remain buffered by friendly countries. Even before the Truman Doctrine was introduced to the joint congress, some of Truman's memoirs indicate that he saw Russia as a force to contain and be watched at all times . Harry Truman perpetuated the feeling that communism was evil, and something that had to be nipped in the bud. Truman was not diabolically opposed to the U.S.S.R. being communist, but at the same time he wanted to make sure that communism did not threaten the United States and its borders. This and a loyalty to war and peace time allies is the basis for the Truman Doctrine.