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Public Papers

The Public Papers of Harry S. Truman contain most of President Truman's public messages, statements, speeches, and news conference remarks. Documents such as Proclamations, Executive Orders, and similar documents that are published in the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations, as required by law, are usually not included. The documents within the Public Papers are arranged in chronological order. President Truman delivered the remarks or addresses from Washington, D. C., unless otherwise indicated. The White House in Washington issued statements, messages, and letters unless noted otherwise. (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1966)

The Public Papers contain items such as the Statement by the President Announcing the Use of the A-Bomb at Hiroshima (August 6, 1945), the Special Message to the Congress on Greece and Turkey: The Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947), the White House Statement Announcing Recognition of the Government of Israel (January 31, 1949), the Statement and Order by the President on Relieving General MacArthur of His Commands (April 11, 1951), and The President's Farewell Address to the American People (January 15, 1953).

September 12, 1946 ONE OF TODAY'S major challenges is the finding of suitable employment for disabled veterans and other handicapped workers. This is a major reason why a proclamation was issued today declaring the week of October 6-12 National Employ…
September 4, 1951 THANK YOU very much. It is a pleasure to be with you tonight. I want to welcome all of you to this conference. I am very sure that when we have finished this conference we will have made a step forward for peace in the world…
September 26, 1949 I HAVE today approved the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Extension Act of 1949, which extends until 1951 our trade agreement program, free of the crippling restrictions imposed on it in 1948 by the 80th Congress. Through this wise and…
November 1, 1947 TWO WEEKS ago I made public the report on "National Resources and Foreign Aid," prepared under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. At that time I noted that a second report in the series on foreign aid would soon be made by…
July 25, 1952 Dear Mr. Chairman: On July 7, a Danish shipbuilding firm delivered to the Soviet Union a 13,000-ton petroleum tanker. Tankers of this category have been listed by the Administrator of the Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act…
August 24, 1950 I AM today sending to the Senate of the United States the nomination of Mr. Walter J. Donnelly of Washington, D.C., to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the U.S.A. to Austria and concurrently U.S. High Commissioner…
September 30, 1948 [1.] MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS (7:40 a.m.) I am certainly happy to have this wonderful reception on my first appearance in Illinois. I am also most happy to see all your good Democratic candidates out here this morning--…
September 13, 1946 IT'S A PLEASURE to have you here again, and to meet you all. I have nothing particularly new to tell you, except that one thing I think you will be interested in is the setup of this new Economic Council which was authorized in what…
July 26, 1952 [Broadcast from Convention Hall at 1:43 a.m.] Mr. Chairman: You know, it's early in the morning, and it's getting earlier. Certain things have to be done here tonight, and I appreciate immensely this grand reception which…
September 6, 1951 General Groves, Monsignor Tiernan, privates, sergeants, and colonels and generals: It is a pleasure indeed for me to be here this afternoon for this occasion. I have had some interest in the military since 1905-that is…
December 19, 1945 To the Congress of the United States: In my message of September 6, 1945, I stated that I would communicate with the Congress from time to time during the current session with respect to a comprehensive and continuous…
November 6, 1947 THE PRESIDENT. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I have no particular announcements to make this morning, but I thought since we had to miss last week I had better let you in and you might have some questions on your mind. [1.] Q. Mr…
September 26, 1949 Dear Mr. Vice President: The Senate now has under consideration the Armed Services Pay Bill and, I understand, expects soon to consider the bills to revise the salary scales of the civilian officers and employees of the…
December 19, 1945 To the Senate of the United States: In conformity with the provisions of S. 1580, I am sending to the Senate herewith for its advice and consent nominations of the American representatives and alternate representatives…
September 10, 1951 Mr. Chairman, members of the Boards of Governors, ladies and gentlemen: I am very happy to welcome you to Washington again. A great deal has happened since your last meeting here in 1949. The free nations of the world…
September 30, 1948 Mr. Mayor, distinguished guests, fellow Democrats: I feel that I must talk to you today without mincing words about the danger of reaction that confronts this country. You are faced this coming election day with a…
September 20, 1946 THE PRESIDENT. I am going to read you a statement on foreign policy. "The foreign policy of this country is the most important question confronting us today. Our responsibility for obtaining a just and lasting peace…
November 8, 1947 LAST JUNE I appointed a committee of 19 distinguished private citizens to determine the facts concerning the kinds and amounts of our resources available for economic assistance to foreign countries, and to advise me on the limits…
August 24, 1950 I AM today nominating the following persons to be Representatives of the United States of America to the Fifth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, to be held at New York, N.Y., beginning September 19, 1950: Warren R.…
September 27, 1949 [Broadcast from the White House at 3:05 p.m.] THANK YOU, Mrs. Edwards. It certainly was a great pleasure to listen to the talks of these three good American women. I am glad to speak to the women of the United States on Democratic…
July 28, 1952 THE NATION has suffered a tremendous loss in the passing of one of its outstanding officials, Senator Brien McMahon. Senator McMahon already had distinguished himself as a lawyer and judge before he went to Washington in the mid 1930's…
February 7, 1948 AMERICA'S first line of defense, the health of its citizens, is challenged by a formidable enemy which literally strikes a deadly blow at our national life. I have seen reports stating that diseases of the heart and blood vessels…
January 26, 1952 Dear Mr. Feinsinger: On the basis of information and advice submitted to me by the Office of Defense Mobilization and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, I am of the opinion that the several disputes between…
January 25, 1951 THE PRESIDENT. Please be seated. I have two or three announcements here that I would like to make, before we start off. You will find a mimeographed copy of this first one outside, when we get through. [1.] [Reading] "…
January 27, 1949 THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I have a couple of announcements to make. I requested the Congress for an additional million dollars for disaster relief, to be used in part to meet critical conditions caused by snowstorms in Western States. The…