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Well, Gentle Annie had about 46 pages of references in her book. She includes The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, the Washington Times, CNN Inside Politics, The New Yorker, and The Natiinal Review as some of her references. I didn't see any John Birch Society tracts as references.

Well, as for fighting Communism, he stood by while numerous nations of Eastern Europe were swallowed up by Russia. He lost China. He fought Korea to a rousing stalemate. He fired McArthur and replaced Patton. Truman fought Communism like a girl. In fact, he was a little bitch.

At the time Communism was greatly expanding, the Republicans were outraged. The RATS and their lap dogs in the media were just fine with it. I would hardly call Truman a right wing extremist during the time of his Presidency.

You are being kind. I think Ike finished Korea 6 months into his term.

Truman did what he had to to in order to CONTAIN communism and prevent it from spreading too far. Halting communism altogether at that point had NOTHING to do with American security interests. It's like saying that the U.S. should invade Africa and start it all over.

The only point where he SHOULD have destroyed communism altogether was directly after World War II, when the U.S. military could have gone straight to Moscow.

Otherwise, he knew full well that communism would collapse on his own.

As others may have noted, there is no final draft on history. As we communicate among ourselves, there is a small but continuous effort to discredit Abraham Lincoln for his place in history (note of disclaimer - the "al" in "alloysteel" expands to Abraham Lincoln), by reading through his formal records and notes, expanding meanings that may or may not have been there. The record is somewhat more concrete in the case of Harry S Truman. This diary of Harry's is NOT a forgery, it is his inner thoughts. As expressed and recorded by Harry himself.

Were you around then,or are you just parroting what some party hack has said ?

Let's go to the videotape !

When WWII ended, the US had NO remaining atomic bombs. Its military forces had largely been de-mobilized, and the Russians were in position to help themselves to as much of Europe as they wanted.Truman was regarded as a rank usurper,trying to fill the shoes of FDR; and he was daily confronted with the problems of a left-leaning State Department.

The Media did not dislike him: they despised him because he was a party hack from the "backward" state of Missouri.The kindest things they called him were "ward heeler", and "Harry the Haberdasher".

The United States people were sick of war, wanted their sons and daughters home, and would have lynched anyone who suggested otherwise. As a result, there was only a skeleton crew of American troops in Korea: most Pacific theater troops being diverted to the spit and polish worship of General Mac Arthur in Tokyo.

In Europe, brave pilots, working around the clock, kept Berlin alive by airlifting essential supplies-food, coal,etc. - by direction of Truman. Truman also instituted the Marshall Plan, re-building Europe - to the consternation of the Russians and a solidly Republican Congress.

When war broke out in Korea, Truman made an understandable mistake : he appointed "Emperor Mac Arthur" to defend Korea-to the great joy of Mac Arthur's many admirers.

MacArthur should have been court martialled for gross dereliction of duty for his conduct of the Korean war.
He may have been a great hero during WWII, but he let his ego get in the way, and refused to give credence to solid intelligence of Chinese presence in Korea: splitting his forces-which were not given proper winter gear-to reach the Yalu River , in hopes of attaining an early victory he could turn into a Republican presidential nomination.Even after he was shown Chinese prisoners, he snarled abuse at his officers for "letting a few Chinese laundrymen stand in the way".

( If you want some first hand opinions on Mac Arthur, talk to a few of the Korean vets ! )

The firing of Mac Arthur -long, LONG overdue IMHO - was treated in the Media as if it were the death knell of the Republic...but it turned out not to be. Other generals picked up the gauntlet, and came pretty close to winning a victory; but, by then, the American public had had a bellyfull of war, and an outstanding Republican-Dwight D. Eisenhower went to Korea " to bring our boys home ".

Was Truman a great man ? Hell, no ! Did he do a pretty good job in spite of his limitations ? Yep. Did he hate the Communists and their "Liberal" fellow-travelers with a passion ? Again, yes; and no amount of revisionism will change that in my memory.