The Grave & Presidential Library of HARRY S TRUMAN! | History Traveler Episode 219

My dad said that he was making a delivery to the Truman Library sometime in the late 1960s, and as he entered the building there was an older gentleman playing President Truman's piano in the lobby. He thought nothing of it until the librarian said, "He likes to come over and play HIS piano". Only then did he notice it was President Truman.

Hey! I’m Jeff from West Virginia! It was great meeting you that day, and you definitely did add me to this video! Thanks again, and I hope to run into you again on one of your history travels. Great work!

My father was a US Marine in WWII in 1945, he served on a converted aircraft carrier and was a mechanic on the Corsairs fighters. Truman was his favorite president saying his decision to use the atomic bomb saved his life.

I attended the opening of the Truman Library, and Truman's funeral. You've done an excellent job of consolidating his life and career. Thanks!

The plug from the "Fat Man" bomb really hit me. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing were a tragedy of American history; however, what many don't realize is that the models show those bombs actually saved more lives that they took! Japan was never going to back down until something like this him their homeland. I am a living testament to that stat. My grandfather was on a ship heading to the invasion of Japan when they were turned around due to the Nagasaki bomb. His unit was told that 80% of them would not even survive the initial invasion. My mother would have most likely would have never been born, hence the family line would have ended in Okinawa. While this may seem selfish, the fact is, these horrific bombings put an end to what seemed like a never ending war. Thank you President Truman for saving my grandfather's life!

My great uncle was killed in the battles of the reservoir in December of 1950. He was barley 20 years old and had lied about his age to join the service. I’ve met one surviving vet from that battle who knew my uncle and he said the last time he saw Donny he was storming Chinese tanks with 3 other men with nothing more than their rifles and hand grenades. He was never seen again. It took 25 years of research and working with the DPAA to locate his remains and he was finally returned home and buried next to his father on Veterans Day 2017. RIP to all who never came home

Great episode! The Kansas City area is lucky to have such an important museum located in the area. Another stop in the Kansas City area that has a tie-in with President Truman is the National WWI Museum. When the war ended in Europe, my dad was awaiting movement in preparation of the invasion of Japan. As his division, the 99th, had landed in France in August of 1944, he and most of the other personnel in the division, did not have enough “points” to be rotated home. As a veteran infantry division, the men of the 99th were waiting for orders to move to the Pacific. Dad always said, the reason Truman won the 1948 election, was that those veterans waiting for the invasion of Japan voted for him. It was a terrible decision to make but saved thousands of American lives and thousands of Japanese lives, too.

Thank you for this video and for your commentary. I grew up in Independence and in my senior year of high school was able to shake hands with President Truman. One of our cadets received an award so we did a ceremony on the William Chrisman High School football field where President Truman made the presentation with the cadets in formation of the field. After the award presentation, President Truman and the other senior guests reviewed the formation and President Truman shook hands with each cadet officer and congratulated us on our decorations. It was a real honor for a seventeen year old high school kid.

My dad was a WWII vet. Was in the 31st infantry Philippines in 1936. Out in 1940 (missed the Battan death march). Back in after Pearl. Was in charge of a part of the China supply lines in the CBI theater at a Wearhouse in northeast India. Supplying the planes going over the hump and later the Stillwell Road. Thanks for all you do!

I leave you with this….”You can’t get rich in politics unless you’re a crook.” -Harry S. Truman. Another great video. I may be biased, living in St. Louis 😁😎.

I just recently finished David McCullough’s biography on President Truman…very long read but also very interesting story. His first 4 months in office was filled with more crazy moments in our history than several presidents combined. Also highly recommend the book, Accidental President: Harry S Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World…was a great book for any history buff out there.

It’s truly amazing that Truman was kept in the dark about the Manhattan project. Maybe at the time Roosevelt didn’t realize how significant the bomb would be. I’m truly not sure what Roosevelts thoughts were, as to when he would give the order to drop the bomb. Truman was able to pick right up on its capability and shorten the war. My father-in-law who was still in Europe as a surgeon said his biggest fear was being sent to the Pacific. He believed that using the bomb, significantly shortened the war.

Another way to describe Harry Truman is the only president to save millions of lives - civilian and military by making one of the most difficult and significant decisions in world history. Thanks for the tour.

Truman is why Japan signed the surrender on the USS Missouri. There were far more decorated ships to have done it on at the time

My dad, who was in the US Army in the infantry in WW2, spent his life as a staunch Republican but he always kept a good thought of HST. Dad had boarded a troop ship bound for the Pacific after fighting from southern France to Stuttgart. When the news of the bombs ended the war in the Pacific came, they turned the ship toward NYC which was a great relief to all on board.

My husband was an Indep policeman when Truman was in his final illness. We heard after his death that he told someone that if he died on Christmas day, to delay the announcement until the next day. He did not want to disturb the police, etc. Christmas holiday.

I visited this site on a middle school trip. President Truman came to the auditorium to take questions. I visited again to give my respects when he lay in state after his death.

His time in office was definitely not an easy one. Like you said, you only scratched the surface, but I learned a few things too. Thanks for the video 👍

Truman held two ranks simultaneously, a captain in the Missouri National Guard and a colonel in the army reserves.

I have tremendous respect for this man. I just realized that from the time he drew his first breath till the time he drew his last, there were 5 conflicts (6 if you count the Cold War.); 2 on a major scale. I can’t help but wonder how torn up he got over that Purple Heart letter; considering how very throughly he knew war.