Truman, Harry S.

Truman, Harry S.
(1884–1972)
   Thirty-second president of the United States. No American president had as direct an impact on Jewish history as Truman. As vice-president, he succeeded Franklin D.Roosevelt when the latter died in office. To the general surprise, the former senator from Missouri proved a forceful occupant of the White House, capable of taking tough decisions. In the plain language he himself used, Truman was endowed with ‘guts’, and until his death the press affectionately referred to him as ‘Give-’em-hell Harry’. As a senator, Truman had shown sympathy for Jewish suffering in war-torn Europe and for Zionist aims. After Hitler’s defeat, he obtained congressional authority for 200,000 Jewish survivors in the Displaced Persons camps to be admitted to the United States. He also pressed the British government to allow a hundred thousand of the DPs into Palestine - a request angrily rejected by the British foreign secretary, Ernest BEVIN.
   At the United Nations in 1947, the United States supported the proposed partition plan for Palestine. When its details were being worked out at Lake Success, it was suggested that the Negev be cut off from the future Jewish state. Dr WEIZMANN went to Washington and saw the president, who personally instructed the US delegation that the Negev should remain within the Jewish boundaries.
   On 14 May 1948, a few minutes after Israel’s proclamation of independence came into effect, the White House announced to the press that ‘the United States recognizes the provisional government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel’. This was a personal decision of the president, overruling the State Department. With Israel staggering under the burdens of mass immigration in 1951–2, President Truman obtained for it from Congress close to $140 million in loans and grants.
   After his retirement in 1952, Truman continued to take a keen interest in the progress of Israel, and intervened on its behalf at critical moments. A village near Lydda, and a forest, were named after Truman. As a mark of the special regard for him in Israel, President SHAZAR was the only foreign head of state to attend the memorial service for him, held in Washington in January 1973.

Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament. . 2012.

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  • Truman,Harry S. — Truman, Harry S. 1884 1972. The 33rd President of the United States (1945 1953). He authorized the use of the atomic bomb against Japan (1945), implemented the Marshall Plan (1948), initiated the establishment of NATO (1949), and ordered U.S.… …   Universalium

  • Truman, Harry S. — born May 8, 1884, Lamar, Mo., U.S. died Dec. 26, 1972, Kansas City, Mo. 33rd president of the U.S. (1945–53). He worked at various jobs before serving with distinction in World War I. He became a partner in a Kansas City haberdashery; when the… …   Universalium

  • Truman, Harry S. — (1884 1972)    34th vice president and 30th president of the United States. Harry S. Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri. The “S” was added to his name to appease both paternal and maternal grandfathers, Anderson Shippe Truman and Solomon Young.… …   Historical Dictionary of the Roosevelt–Truman Era

  • Truman Harry S. — (1884–1972)    Although the Nazi concentration camps were being liberated when Harry Truman inherited the presidency in April 1945, the effects of the Holocaust lasted throughout his two terms in office. The problems he faced, including the… …   Historical dictionary of the Holocaust

  • Truman, Harry — 1884–1972    A Senator from Missouri at the outbreak of World War II, Truman was asked to chair the Senate Special Committee to investigate the National Defense Program which was under suspicion of misappropriation of funds and misallocation of… …   Who’s Who in World War Two

  • Truman, Harry S. — ► (1884 1972) Político estadounidense. Senador demócrata por Missouri (1935 45). Elegido vicepresidente de E.U.A. en 1944. Fue presidente en 1945 y reelegido para el período 1948 52. Decidió el lanzamiento de bombas atómicas sobre Hiroshima y… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Truman, Harry S. —  (1884–1972) Democratic politician, president (1945–53). The S stands for nothing as Truman had no middle name, and for that reason some authorities spell it without a period …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • Harry S. Truman — hacia 1945 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Harry S Truman — Harry S. Truman (1945) Harry S. Truman (eigentlich Harry S Truman) (* 8. Mai 1884 in Lamar, Missouri; † 26. Dezember 1972 in Kansas City, Missouri) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker der Demokratischen Partei …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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