The Personal Correspondence of Harry S. Truman

President Truman's papers are comprised of over 7 million pages and were donated to the US government in his will. These papers are divided into three main categories: prepresidential papers, presidential papers, and postpresidential papers. Included in his papers is a family correspondence file, which consists of over 1400 handwritten letters that Truman wrote to his wife, daughter, mother, and sister.

 The file is divided into four sections, the first of which is called Correspondence from Harry S. Truman to Bess Wallace. These are letters that he wrote to her between 1910 and their marriage in 1919. The first of these were sent while both were living in Missouri, later he continued to write Bess while at military training camp and while stationed in France during WWI. The second section within the family correspondence file holds letters that Truman wrote to his wife while they were married. Truman had to travel frequently for work, both before and during his presidency, and during these times he usually wrote to Bess daily, and sometimes even more than once a day. The next section holds letters that Truman wrote to his daughter, Margaret Truman. There are over 100 letters from Truman to his daughter in the collection, some of which were written before she was even able to read. The final section of the family correspondence file contains letters addressed to his mother and sister, written between 1945 and 1948. The mass of personal correspondence shows how extremely devoted Truman was to his family.

 An excerpt from a letter Harry Truman wrote to Bess Wallace during their courtship:

"...Bess are you ever going to give me that picture of you? If you knew how very badly I wanted it you surely would hurry it up some. I can't see why anyone who is as little likely to smash the Kodak as you should hesitate so long about getting in front of one. If I owned one I'd want you to get in front of it every time it went off.  

Now since I've told you that you are the nicest looking mortal in creation and the superlative in every other descriptive way you ought to at least give me your photograph..."
 

 Later, Truman also shared a great deal of correspondence with former president Herbert Hoover. Shortly after becoming president, Truman received the following telegram from Hoover: 

This was the first contact between the two men. Hoover hoped for an opportunity to become involved again in political affairs, but he knew little of Truman or whether the offer to help would be accepted. 

Soon after, Truman sent the following response: 

Especially significant was the hand-written note at the bottom: "I assure you I shall feel free to call upon you. Thanks for the offer." This suggested that Truman was indeed open to getting advice from the former president. 

The Truman administration soon found itself dealing with worldwide food problems post WWII. They considered Hoover, who had experience as a famine relief administrator, as someone who would be able to provide valuable insight on the matter. Hoover was eager to be of assistance, but would not go to the White House unless specifically invited by the president. On May 24th, 1945, Truman sent a hand-written letter to Hoover, which read as follows:

My dear Mr. President: --
If you should be in Washington, I would be most happy to talk over the European food situation with you.
Also it would be a pleasure to me to become acquainted with you.

Most sincerely
HARRY S. TRUMAN

This letter was especially significant for Hoover, as it ended his long separation from the White House and public service. The invitation initiated a close collaboration and friendship which would serve the self-interest of both men.

Hoover accepted the President's invitation and set up a meeting. The two met on May 28th, 1945 and discussed various international issues, primarily the need for food relief in Europe. Hoover advised that the military should, at least for a time, take charge of administering the food program. Truman accepted the advice, asking Hoover to set this up with the Secretary of War, Henry Stimson. Following this meeting, Hoover wrote up and sent to Truman a memorandum on various issues that they had discussed.

 Truman responded by thanking Hoover, both for the memorandum and his visit.

 On June 1st, 1945, Truman reflected in his diary on his visit with Hoover, saying:

". . . Saw Herbert Hoover day before yesterday and had a pleasant and constructive conversation on food and the general troubles of U.S. Presidents -- two in particular.

We discussed our prima donnas and wondered what makes 'em. Some of my boys who came in with me are having trouble with their dignity and prerogatives. It's hell when a man gets in close association with the President. Something happens to him . . ."

 Truman and Hoover at their first meeting 

May 28th, 1945

In the following months, correspondence on various matters continued between the two presidents. In February 1946, Truman asked Hoover to serve on the famine emergency committee, an offer which Hoover was glad to accept. Over the following three months, the two wrote each other frequently regarding the ongoing world food crisis. Hoover traveled to 22 different countries in the course of 57 days, conducting press conferences and spreading awareness. Upon returning from his travels the committee carried out many of his recommendations and he continued to provide insight for the Truman administration.

 Hoover reporting to Truman following his trip to South America

 During Truman's presidency, correspondence between these two men was formal, but polite. Truman was very grateful to Hoover for his work in the famine relief effort, and also undertook the project of restoring Hoover's name to the dam that had been built on the Colorado. In 1930 the dam was named "Hoover Dam", but during the Roosevelt administration there was a great effort to ensure that the dam instead be referred to as "Boulder Dam". In 1947, the name was changed back to "Hoover Dam", a great show of respect for the former president. 

 Political cartoon depicting Ickes trying to remove 

the "Hoover" from Hoover Dam.

The relationship between these two men, however, was not without its rough patches. During the campaign for the presidential election of 1948, Truman made several scathing remarks about Hoover and his time as President. In spite of this, Hoover did not end his contact with the White House, instead continuing to occasionally offer his ideas to the President. 

On November 1, 1950, there was an assassination attempt on President Truman. Hoover made a public statement that same day expressing his gratitude that the President was unharmed, and  sent Truman a telegram the next day reiterating that message. The President's response read as follows: 

Dear Mr. President:
It is impossible to tell you how much your letter of November second means to me. Please know that I am truly grateful for these expressions, especially because they come from you.

Very sincerely yours,
HARRY S. TRUMAN

I hope you are in good health.

This correspondence reflects the growth in their regard and affection for one another. 

Upon Truman's leaving office, there was limited correspondence between the two men for several years. Their communication was renewed in 1955 when Truman asked for help in raising money to fund the Truman library. After that, the two kept in touch, then the only members of the "exclusive trade union" of former presidents of the United States.  

On May 8th, 1957, Truman wrote to Hoover to personally invite the latter to the Truman Library opening. He explained "A more formal announcement is being sent to you, but because of my high regard for you and our common interest in the proper care and use of Presidential papers, I want to add my personal invitation." Hoover attended the opening and gave a brief speech praising Truman's work. Truman later reciprocated by speaking at the dedication of Hoover's library, and the two remained in contact until Hoover's death in 1964. 

Truman wrote to Hoover's sons, following their father's death, "I was deeply saddened at the passing of your father. He was my good friend and I was his."


Sources 

"Family, Business, and Personal Affairs." Truman Papers. Truman Library, n.d. Web. 21 July 2015. 


"Hoover and Truman: A Presidential Friendship." Truman Presidential Library and Hoover Presidential Library, n.d. Web. 22 July 2015. 

"A Last Look at the Hoover Dam." Hoover Online Digital Archives. Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 4 Sept. 2002. Web. 24 July 2015.

"The Washington Post: Historic Newspaper Fronts." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 24 July 2015.

Ancient Quotations in the Adams-Jefferson Correspondence

In his Oct. 9th, 1787 letter to Jefferson, Adams expresses his worries for the future of the country. He says "You and I have been indefatigable Labourers...for a Cause which will be thrown away in the next generation..." He says this because he believes that Americans will stray from virtues which were fundamental to the nations founding, as their vanity will prove stronger than their commitment to principle. He concludes this letter with a quote from Catalinam 1, by Cicero, "O tempora - oh mores" which is translated to mean "O what times (we live in)!, O what customs (we pursue)!" In Cicero's case, this was an expression of his frustration that Cataline had not been executed, in spite of evidence that he had conspired to overthrow the Roman government and the senate had ruled against him. Adams is similarly frustrated because he believes that the country's resolutions will be "kept until an opportunity presents to violate it." He laments that society will forsake virtue as soon as another, more appealing option presents itself. In modern days, this phrase is still used to express criticism of political trends or attitudes. 

On May 11th, 1794 John Adams wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson in which he discusses the importance of putting into writing the laws and social contract of a society, so that it will become habitual to future citizens, and difficult for them to change. He also expresses his worries regarding how a war would affect the country, complaining that those who dread aristocracy but advocate war are "the most inconsistent of all Men." He tells Jefferson that if he had a plantation and laborers, then he would be tempted to follow Jefferson's example and leave "the smoke, the wealth, the din, of Rome." By using this quotation, Adams is yearning for a simpler, less worrisome lifestyle. In Horace's Odes, he says that change can be good for a rich man, that living a simpler life "smooths the furrows on a wrinkled forehead." The author describes someone who worries about politics, and about things which are out of his control. Adams, by quoting this work, is perhaps admitting that much of what he worries about is out of his control, but his life and his profession keep him involved in politics, even though he sometimes wants to separate himself from the chaos and anxiety that it brings.

The February 3rd, 1812 letter from Adams to Jefferson, Adams again mentions his anxiety about the future of the Union. He says that the union has already been put in jeopardy by certain men, while he praises other men for their commitment to independence. He uses a phrase meaning "small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord." The phrase is also used in Sallust, Jugurtha 10, when the king of Numidia speaks to his adopted son Jugurtha, requesting that Jugurtha not cause conflict with his adopted brothers, but that he cooperate with them for the good of the nation. Jugurtha was popular with the people and became especially well respected for his military success. Adams, in his letter, comments on the praise and admiration that military heroes receive - other men can't stand against them in the eyes of the public. This suggests that perhaps, like the king, Adams fears that the involvement of certain military men in politics will disrupt the governance of the nation. This phrase is also used in Juvenal, Satire 3, which is a monologue by a man who is leaving Rome in which he discusses how Rome has become unlivable. He says it has become a place of dishonesty and false flattery, where the poor are mistreated and the people are petty and materialistic.  Adams's use of the phrase shows his apprehension about the future, as he says " ...the Prospect of the Future, will depend on the Union: and how is that Union to be preserved." He fears that, like Rome, the United States will deteriorate as people seek to further their own interests no matter how it affects the union. Adams's illustrates the nations potential to go either way: it may grow from a small, young country into a strong, prosperous nation, or it may crumble and decay. 

In his June 27th, 1813 letter to Adams Jefferson writes that he wouldn't know where to start in the discussion of the many "opinions, discussions, and contentions which have occurred..." He says that the political parties then present in the US were the same as had existed in many civilizations though all time, as there is always a conflict between the power of the people and the power of the aristocracy. He reminds Adams to the parties in the old congress, and of how the two were on the same side in multiple debates. Later, however, they became the figureheads of opposing parties, and those parties conducted themselves with animosity. He mentions a letter that was exposed, which shouldn't have been, but says that "opinions, which are equally honest on both sides, should not affect personal esteem, or social intercourse. Jefferson starts the letter with a quotation from Theocritus, Idyll 17, which is a hymn praising Ptolemy Philadelphus. The end of this hymn says "Prince Ptolemy, farewell, and of thee will I make mention, even as of the other demigods; and a word methinks I will utter not to be rejected of men yet unborn,—excellence, howbeit, thou shalt gain from Zeus." In referencing this hymn, Jefferson seems to be also referring to how he and his friend will be remembered. He says that there is nothing left for them to say on the matter, but that "future peers" will judge their conflicting opinions on government. Jefferson appears to be trying to assure his friend that in spite of having at times differed in opinion, and regardless of what others how others will judge them, Adams is someone for whom he feels great respect and affection.

In their correspondence from the year 1820, the two men discuss matter. Adams ponders the debate between spirit and matter, and says he is unsure of what Essence consists. He accepts the infinite divisibility of matter, and because matter is so infinitely small he finds it difficult to believe that matter is capable of doing all the things that an Essence is capable of doing (memory, judgment, feeling). However, because he doesn't know how Spirit would be able to do these things, he admits he is ignorant of the answer to this question, and for this reason says he cannot take a side. In so saying, he accepts the possible validity of differing religious and philosophical thoughts of the time. Jefferson responds by saying that through his senses he knows that he exists, and that other bodies exist, and these can be called matter. He says anything that is not matter is a void, or nothing. He believes that even thoughts or feelings are specific organizations of matter. He says that the Creator gave matter this ability to be put into action through thinking, and says that the human soul, angels, and God are all material things. He even says that to claim that they are not matter is heresy. He refers to various ancient texts to support his claim that spiritual things are, in fact, material things. This is an important reflection of his beliefs and his certainty about God and the human soul, as he says that those who don't believe these things to consist of matter are saying that God is nothing and are, therefore, atheists.

Seneca the Younger

Seneca the Younger was born in 4 BC in Cordoba, Spain, though he was actually raised in Rome. His father was Seneca the Elder. Seneca the Younger studied rhetoric and philosophy. As a student of asceticism, his practice of self-denial led to deterioration of his health. After Claudius became emperor, Seneca became active in the court for a while, but was then banished to Corsica in 41, where he spent eight unhappy years in exile. In 49 he was summoned to Rome to serve as tutor to Nero.

Nero

In 54, Nero became emperor, and Seneca was one of his advisers for the next eight years. In Nero's early years as emperor, Seneca and Sextus Afranius Burrus were his main advisers and under their guidance Rome experienced a period of good governance.  After the death of Burrus, however, other advisers began to criticize Seneca, and he requested permission to retire. He lived quietly for a few years in the country, but in AD 65 he was accused of being involved in a plot to kill Nero, and was ordered to kill himself. He cut several of his veins to kill himself. His wife tried to end her own life in the same way, but her wounds were bound and she lived on.  Seneca died peacefully and thoughtfully, characteristic of the Stoic philosophy.

Death of Seneca

Seneca the Younger wrote moral letters to Lucilius (espistulae morales ad Lucilium). This is a collection of 124 letters addressed to his friend Lucilius. Though they are written in the format of letters, many people actually consider this a collection of essays, as there is insufficient evidence to show that there was genuine correspondence. In the letters, Seneca advises his friend on how to be a better Stoic and reinforces the new direction in Stoic thought. He generally describes situations and then expands on them in order to discuss broader principles. His descriptions provide an interesting perspective on life in Rome at the time.

Letter to Lucilius

In his first letter, Seneca discusses the importance of time. He says that time is the only thing that people really have, and that few people give the proper amount of attention to how they spend their time. He says that carelessness can cause us to lose time, and whatever time has passed is "in death's hands". In this letter he also discusses personal expenses, saying that a person is not poor as long as they have enough to get by, but he also advises that a person be aware of state of their finances, so as to avoid running out.

In the second letter, Seneca's first few sentences seem to suggest that he has received correspondence from Lucilius. In the rest of the paragraph, however, we see that he is using the supposed news from Lucilius to make an argument about life in general, and so it is likely not actually a response to something Lucilius wrote him. Seneca uses this letter to convey the importance of consistency and stability. He says it is better to become very familiar with a limited number of things than to become vaguely familiar with everything. Too much variety is a distraction, and doesn't allow a person to focus on what they have experienced. It is not as important, for example, to read a great many books as it is to have good comprehension and reflection of the books one does read. He builds upon a quotation from Epicuris and says poverty is not determined by how much a person has but by how contented a person is with what he has.

Seneca the Younger

In his fourth letter, Seneca discusses death. He tells Lucilius that death is not something which ought to be feared, because "death must either not come at all, or else must come and pass away." To die means to lose one's life, but people can't miss their own lives after they've gone because they are no longer alive to do so.  He says that to have a good life, one mustn't be obsessed with holding onto life. He also says that anyone has the power to take away a person's life, so we should always remember that, from birth, we are being led toward death.


Sources
"Moral Letters to Lucilius | Work by Seneca the Younger." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 July 2015.
"Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 16 Jul. 2015
Seneca the Younger, "Moral Letters to Lucilius", Letters 1, 2, 4. Wikisource.

The Ex-President

After retiring to Independence, Missouri, Truman occupied himself with writing his memoirs, meeting with visitors, and raising money for the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library. The library opened in Independence in 1957, and Truman maintained an office inside it for several years. Even after retiring, Truman stayed involved in American politics. He publicly criticized the Eisenhower administration's policies on numerous occasions, and even campaigned against him in 1956. He had better relations with Kennedy, and got along especially well with Johnson. He did not, however, enjoy cordial relations with President Nixon.

Ex-President Truman with visitors at his desk in his

 presidential library in Independence, Missouri.

Unlike many other former presidents, Truman had relatively little personal wealth. In the years following his presidency, he was living primarily off of an army pension. His financial situation is believed to be one of the main reasons that congress passed the Former Presidents Act in 1958, which allotted former presidents a pension of $25,000 per year. The only other living ex-president at the time was Herbert Hoover, who did not suffer the same financial difficulties. However, Hoover accepted the pension in order to avoid embarrassing Truman. 

Truman after retirement.

Truman also became the first member of Medicare in 1965. Truman fought long and hard for Federal Health plans during his presidency, but to no avail. When Johnson later got the bill through congress, he chose to go to Independence and sign the Medicare Act in the Truman library. Truman was then enrolled and for the rest of his life was the holder of Medicare card number 1, which was used to help pay for his lengthy hospital visits at the end of his life. 

President Johnson signs the Medicare Act into law 

with ex-President Truman seated beside him.

       Truman was admitted on Dec. 5th, 1972 to the Kansas City Research Hospital and Medical Center due to lung congestion and an irregular heart beat. After being in the hospital for two weeks, he began showing improvements, but he quickly began to deteriorate again. On Christmas morning his condition was critical, and the doctors believed he had only a few hours left to live. He managed to make it through Christmas day, but on the morning of Dec. 26th, Harry Truman took his last breath. He had been in the hospital for 22 days. At 88 years old, he died of old age, doctors saying that there was "a complexity of organic failures causing a collapse of the cardiovascular system."  

Announcement of the ex-President's death.

A state funeral was held in his hometown of Independence, Missouri. The president at the time of Truman's death was President Richard Nixon. Nixon declared the day of the burial to be a day of national mourning, and also declared that the American flag should be flown at half-mast for the following thirty days. President Nixon went to Kansas City to honor Truman by lying a wreath on his coffin, but did not attend the funeral as the family had requested it be a small, private affair.

President Nixon arriving to pay his respects to the 

former president.

         At the beginning of his presidency, foreign affairs was one of the things Truman had least experience. However, because of the global circumstances at the time, he had to learn quickly and make important foreign policy decisions. He is mostly strongly remembered for these foreign policy decisions, such as the dropping of the atomic bombs and his tough stance against communism. Though he was widely unpopular at the end of his presidency, he has since earned the admiration of many historians, and is now frequently considered one of the ten best Presidents in US history.

"The only things worth learning are the things 

you learn after you know it all."

                                 

                                         -Harry S Truman (1884-1972)

Sources 
 
Ayers, Drummond, Jr. "Truman, 33rd President, Is Dead." Editorial. The New York Times 27 Dec. 1972: 1. President Truman's Obituary. Web. 12 July 2015.

"After Retirement from Public Life." Truman Biography. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, n.d. Web. 12 July 2015.

History.com Staff. "Harry Truman." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 12 July 2015.

Miller Center of Public Affairs. "Harry S. Truman: Life After the Presidency." American President. University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 12 July 2015.

Truman's Life in Pictures

Truman as a baby. 

  

Vivian and Harry Truman

Truman as a boy, wearing the glasses that stopped him from playing sports and led to his passion for reading.

Truman working on a farm as a young man.

 Truman as a Lieutenant in the "Great War".

Harry Truman and Bess Wallace on their wedding day, 1919.

Truman's failed haberdashery.

 Truman as county court judge.

Truman as Jackson County presiding judge.

Poster for Truman's Senate Campaign, 1934.

Senator Truman with members of the Truman Committee. 

Poster for the Presidential Candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Vice Presidential Candidate Harry S. Truman.

Vice President Truman with President Roosevelt.

Truman is sworn in as President after the death of President Roosevelt on April 12th, 1945.

Newspaper article describes Truman's decision to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Joseph Stalin all shake hands at the Potsdam conference in 1945.

Political cartoon showing Truman's 12 Points.

Cold war cartoon showing Joseph Stalin and Harry Truman playing chess.

Truman signs the proclamation that initiated U.S. involvement in the Korean War.

Truman orders US troops to fight in Korea.

Truman desegregates the Armed Forces.

Harry Truman with his only daughter, Margaret.


 

Official White House Portrait of Harry S. Truman

Harry and Bess Truman, retired in Missouri.

Bibliography: 

"Truman Library Photographs." Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, n.d. Web. 05 July 2015. 

"Harry S. Truman Biography." Facts on President Harry S. Truman. Truman Little White House, n.d. Web. 05 July 2015.  

"Harry S. Truman." American Treasures of the Library of Congress (Memory Gallery C)). Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 05 July 2015.