Harry's farewell : interpreting and teaching the Truman presidency / edited with an introduction by Richard S. Kirkendall.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Kirkendall, Richard Stewart, 1928-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972--Political and social views.

Truman, Harry S.

Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972--Influence.

United States--Politics and government--1945-1953.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (399 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Columbia : University of Missouri Press, c2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Harry's Farewell confronts the biggest issue of Truman historiography: the historical significance of Harry S. Truman's presidency. Exploring the subject from the point of view of Truman's Farewell Address of January 15, 1953, the book begins by describing the preparation of the address itself by the president and his closest advisers. In it, they challenged the negative view of his presidency that prevailed as he prepared to leave the White House. The book goes on to appraise the presidency in terms of the topics included in the address: the president and the people, the economy, civil rights, the bomb, Containment, Korea, and the end of the Cold War. Four essays follow that cover key topics that Truman did not mention in his speech: the Red Scare, women's rights, ethnicity, and the environment. The book ends with essays by two major Truman biographers who present their own interpretations of his historical significance. In addition to interpreting the Truman presidency, the book also deals with the needs of teachers who must bring this subject into their classrooms. Reflecting the importance of education for the Truman Library's mission, Harry's Farewell began as a conference at the library that brought researchers and teachers together for four days of conversation about interpretation and teaching. As a result, this book offers documents that teachers can use in their classes and includes an essay, based on the conversations, on ways of teaching the Truman presidency. In addition to being of great value to researchers and teachers, this book provides the general reader with a clearly focused collection of informative and provocative essays on Harry Truman, a man now widely regarded as a great American president.

Contents:

""Contents""; ""List of Documents""; ""Preface""; ""Harry's Farewell""; ""Harry's Farewell Address and the Historical Significance of the Truman Presidency Richard S. Kirkendall""; ""The Politics of Democracy Harry S. Truman and the American People Alonzo L. Hamby""; ""Economic Prosperity, Security, and Equality Harry Truman's Farewell Claims and Presidential Achievements Robert M. Collins""; ""Clutching at Civil Rights Straws A Reappraisal of the Truman Years and the Struggle for African American Citizenship Carol Anderson""

""President Harry S. Truman's Farewell Address and the Atomic Bomb The High Price of Secrecy Richard B. Frank""""Harry S. Truman, History, and Internationalism The 1953 Farewell Address and U.S. Foreign Relations Mary Ann Heiss""; ""Truman and Korea An Assessment of Presidential Performance William Stueck""; ""The Truman Prophecy Randall B. Woods""; """A Very Dangerous Course" Harry S. Truman and the Red Scare Ellen Schrecker""; ""Behind the Silences Challenges to the Gender Status Quo during the Truman Years Susan M. Hartmann""

""Harry Truman, Immigration, and Ethnicity at an Imperial Moment Rachel Ida Buff""""A Legacy in Concrete The Truman Presidency Transforms America's Environment Karl Brooks""; ""Using the Farewell Address to Teach the Truman Presidency Jeff Gall""; ""Harry Truman A Biographer's Perspective I Robert H. Ferrell""; ""Harry Truman A Biographer's Perspective II Alonzo L. Hamby""; ""Appendix A The Authors""; ""Appendix B The Participants in the Planning and Development of the Conference""; ""Appendix C The Teachers""; ""Index""

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0-8262-6422-0

OCLC:

929513792