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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).

October 29, 1952 [1.] WATERLOO, IOWA ( Rear platform, 9:10 a.m.) You know, I certainly do appreciate this turnout, and I hope it means this town is going to be as good to Adlai Stevenson as it was to me 4 years ago when I was running for…
December 24, 1950 IT IS a great pleasure for me to stand up here today and look over this congregation. It is very seldom that I stand in a pulpit. The last time was in a Swedish Lutheran Church in Washington. As I look around this congregation, I see…
October 29, 1952 I appreciate that ovation very much, but I want you to bear in mind that there is only so much time available on these machines here, and while I like the ovation and would like to continue it all night, if you want to, I would like to…
December 24, 1950 ON THIS day of prayer and religious dedication and for the coming New Year, I want also to extend to our friends in other lands the best wishes of the people of the United States and my own personal wishes on this holiday which has…
October 30, 1952 [1.] MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN (Rear platform, 8 a.m.) You know, it's very, very hard for me to understand what is taking place in this campaign and in the country. I have never in the history of the country--and I am rather…
December 24, 1950 ALL OVER our country and in many other parts of the world, men, women, and children are preparing to celebrate the birthday of Christ. Never before in our lives has a Christmas seemed so important. I am not thinking of turkey dinners…
December 28, 1950 THE PRESIDENT. Pease be seated. Start in asking questions, and I will try to answer them. [1.] Q. Mr. President, do you expect to deliver the State of the Union Message next month in person? THE PRESIDENT. I do. Q. You…
October 30, 1952 Governor Williams, ladies and gentlemen: [At this point someone in the audience shouted, "Give 'em hell, Harry." The President then resumed speaking.] Just give me a chance and I will do it-it is good indeed to be in…
October 31, 1952 [1.] TOLEDO, OHIO (Rear platform, 8:15 a.m.) You know, it has come to the point now where all the mammas in the audience point out to their children, "There's Margaret Truman's father." Now Mike has gotten around to introducing me that…
December 29, 1950 I HAVE today signed H.R. 2734, which amends the Clayton Act, relative to the prevention of monopolies. I have signed this act with great satisfaction, because it closes a gap in our antimonopoly laws that has existed since 1914.…
February 8, 1950 I AM appointing two additional members of the President's Committee on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces. They are Mrs. George Hamlin Shaw and Mr. Francis Keppel. Since this Committee was established in October 1948, the scope…
February 8, 1946 WHEN I CALLED Mr. Wilson Wyatt to Washington, I gave him only one instruction: to "make no little plans." For five weeks Mr. Wyatt has been hard at work preparing his plans in consultation with all government agencies concerned and…
May 15, 1945 A FAIR and workable settlement of reparations poses some of the most difficult problems of the entire post-war adjustment. These questions are closely related to the task of insuring a lasting peace. For that reason, the right answers will…
February 7, 1951 I WANT to drink a toast to the Secretary of the Interior and his great committee. I appreciate your asking me to come over here today. It is a pleasure. I very seldom get a chance to have a meeting like this with the Members of the…
February 17, 1949 THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I have no announcements to make, gentlemen, except that I want to clear up just one thing, and that is in regard to the procedure of the Ways and Means Committee. There has been a lot of speculation on the Ways…
February 19, 1948 Mr. Chairman, fellow Democrats: It is a great experience to be present at this gathering this evening. I appreciate your generous welcome and the evidence of your friendship. Our meeting here is only one of many similar…
February 17, 1947 I HAVE just been informed by American officials in Rumania that 500,000 people are now starving in Moldavia, the Northern Province of Rumania. Thousands have already died, hundreds are dying daily, and conditions are steadily…
February 9, 1952 I HAVE today appointed James E. Lawrence, editor of the Lincoln Star, Lincoln, Nebr., to be Chairman of the Missouri Basin Survey Commission, and Senator Thomas C. Hennings, Jr., of Missouri, to be Vice Chairman. In addition, I have…
October 31, 1952 THANK YOU very, very much for this wonderful reception. I am always glad to visit Cincinnati. It is one of the grandest cities of this great Republic. If you have not been informed, I am out campaigning for a Democratic victory on…
December 29, 1950 Dear Mr.__________ : I recommend the enactment of legislation which would permit the posthumous appointment of the late Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker to the grade of General in the Army of the United States. I…
November 1, 1952 [1.] VINCENNES, INDIANA (Rear platform, 7:20 a.m.) · . . greet your President. It is a pleasure to me, and I feel it as a great compliment. You know, I am in this thing because I think the welfare of the country and the…
November 1, 1952 I CERTAINLY do appreciate this most cordial welcome--in Kansas City or St. Louis, my second home city, let us say. You know, I have been receiving some wonderful letters from all over the country since this tour of mine started on the…
November 2, 1952 IN RECENT DAYS, the position taken by the various departments of this Government in 1947, 1948, and 1949 with respect to the withdrawal of United States troops from Korea has been made the subject of partisan political debate. Many…
November 3, 1952 [Broadcast from Kansas City, Mo., at 9:35 p.m.] I WANT to thank the Vice President not only for what he has said tonight, but also for all that he has done for me and for his country. He has been a great Vice President. He has been an…
November 5, 1952 THE PEOPLE of the United States have elected Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower as their President. In our democracy, this is the way we decide who shall govern us. I accept the decision as representing the will of the people, and I shall give…