Heavy Measures
By Paul Bacon

Presiding during the first atomic attack, the Korean War, and the onset of communist expansion, Harry Truman more than surpassed his dubious distinction of being an "accidental president." After President Franklin Roosevelt died from his well-hidden illnesses early in his fourth term, Truman inherited the Pacific war against the Japanese empire and, later, a world haunted by the nuclear menace he himself had unleashed.

Perhaps more than any person who came before him, Truman held sway over the entire human race, and his administration was judiciously focused on international affairs. Thus, he received most of the blame as the Soviet advance continued largely unchecked, prompting his own party to discourage him from seeking the nomination in 1948. Later, Congress disassociated itself with the president when the Korean War, dubbed "Truman's War," dragged on, and his popularity plummeted after he fired the legendary General Douglas MacArthur.

His first presidential run after succession was one of the most celebrated upsets in American political history, but he opted out of a second campaign. Truman, who had originally sought the vice presidency with the intention of serving one term, finally retired to his home in Independence, Missouri, expressing joy about once again being an ordinary citizen.