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).
February 19, 1949
ON December 31, 1947, I granted an "honorable discharge" to the USO, the United Service Organizations. At that time I reserved the right to call on these organizations to serve the country again in time of need. The conditions which…
February 9, 1950
THE PRESIDENT. I have no special announcements to make today. I will try my best to answer questions, if they are not too complicated.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, this matter is on a State level. Five members of Virginia's House of…
February 18, 1947
CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE LEGION OF MERIT DEGREE OF COMMANDER TO AMIR SAUD IBN ABDUL AZIZ BIN ABDUL RAHMAN AL FAISAL AL SAUD
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS Amir Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman al Faisal Al Saud, Crown Prince of…
May 21, 1945
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Members of the Congress:
We are assembled here today to confer the Nation's highest decoration on a young
American soldier. It so happens that Technical Sergeant Jake W. Lindsey of Lucedale,…
February 12, 1951
To the Congress of the United States:
I recommend that the Congress provide assistance to the Republic of India to meet the food crisis which now confronts the people of that country.
The people of India are in desperate…
December 1, 1952
THE President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Medal to
REAR ADMIRAL SIDNEY WILLIAM SOUERS UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For…
December 4, 1952
[Dated December 3, 1952. Released December 4, 1952]
Dear Mr. Putnam:
As you know, I am doing all that I can to assure an orderly transition of the heavy responsibilities of Government to the new Administration in as calm…
December 4, 1952
THE PRESIDENT. Please be seated.
I have no particular announcements to make, but I will listen for questions.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, I would like to get this out of the way before we get into more confusing matters. There…
December 6, 1952
I AM GRATIFIED by the news from Germany of the first parliamentary action with regard to the European Defense Community Treaty and pleased to note that the Bundestag at the same time passed in second reading the Contractual Conventions…
December 7, 1952
YOUR GOVERNMENT has been asked frequently in recent months why a Ground Observer Corps of civilian volunteers is needed to help defend our country. After a thorough evaluation of our Air Defense System 1 issued a statement, on July 12…
December 11, 1952
THE PRESIDENT. Please be seated.
If you have got a question, I will try to answer it.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, Senator Watkins has suggested that you invite both General Eisenhower and General MacArthur to the White House…
December 13, 1952
Dear Mr. Putnam:
I have received your letter of this date containing your recommendations with respect to the administration of the wage stabilization program pending the resumption of normal operations by the Wage…
December 15, 1952
Mr. Chief Justice of the United States, Mr. Larson, the Librarian of Congress, the Archivist:
We are assembled here on this Bill of Rights Day to do honor to the three great documents which, together, constitute the…
December 16, 1952
Dear Mr. DiSalle:
I appreciate greatly your willingness to sacrifice your time and personal interest to undertake for the remaining days of my administration the position of Administrator of the Economic Stabilization…
December 16, 1952
Mr. President of the Association, Commandant of the College, and gentlemen:
I am very, very pleased indeed to be able to meet with you here today. I sincerely wish I could stay for lunch but, you see, they have set this…
February 11, 1950
My dear Mr. Attorney General:
On February 6, 1950, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 206 of the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 (Public Law 101, 80th Congress), I issued Executive Order No. 10106,…
February 12, 1951
ADMIRAL, I want to congratulate you on assembling a commission such as this, with yourself as chairman. I am highly appreciative of the willingness of all of you to act in this capacity. The scope of the Commission's task is carried…
February 14, 1946
IN MY MESSAGE to Congress on the State of the Union, I said: "... everyone who realizes the extreme need for a swift and orderly reconversion must feel a deep concern about the number of major strikes now in progress. If long…
February 21, 1948
Governor Pinero, friends and fellow citizens:
I am very happy to visit Puerto Rico at last. As you know, I planned to come here last year, and had to give it up. Now I am making the trip I have anticipated with so much…
February 19, 1947
To the Congress of the United States:
During the year and a half that have elapsed since the defeat of our last enemy in battle, we have progressively eliminated the great majority of emergency controls over the Nation's…
February 14, 1952
THE PRESIDENT. Please be seated.
[1.] I want to read you a statement here, a copy of which will be available to you when you go out.
[Reading] "I have had a long and satisfactory conference with Mr. Newbold Morris about…
May 22, 1945
Dear:
Judge Rosenman's report of which you have a copy has pointed out the extremely
serious economic situation in the liberated countries of Northwest Europe. The report confirms
in strong terms the need for action on the…
February 21, 1949
To the Congress of the United States:
I commend to the favorable consideration of the Congress the enclosed letter from the Under Secretary of State and the accompanying draft legislation to make possible the continuation…
December 17, 1952
I APPRECIATE this most highly. I sincerely hope that I deserve it. It is quite an honor to receive a citation such as this. It is usually the business of the President to give citations, not to receive them. And I appreciate this more…
December 17, 1952
Mr. Chairman:
I am very happy to be able to participate in this occasion.
In its first half-century, aviation has had an astonishing career. It is really hard for the human mind to accept some of the accomplishments in…