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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).

January 15, 1951 To the Congress of the United States: I transmit herewith my recommendations for the Budget of the United States Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1952. This is a Budget for our national security in a period…
April 27, 1945 My dear Mr. Pauley: I hereby designate you to act as my personal representative, with the rank of Ambassador, to represent and assist me in exploring, developing and negotiating the formulae and methods for exacting…
January 17, 1949 To the Senate of the United States: With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith an authenticated copy of the text of a convention concerning statistics of wages and…
January 15, 1952 To the Congress of the United States: I transmit herewith the first annual report of the National Science Foundation. No thinking citizen can fail to recognize the swift rise of science in the last decade to a…
January 27, 1948 Dear Mr. Eccles: Shortly after I became President you offered to resign as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and said it was your feeling that the Chairman, who is designated by the President…
June 20, 1949 To the Congress of the United States: I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1949, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949. This plan constitutes an important first step in…
May 20, 1952 General Irving, distinguished visitors, and the Corps of Cadets at West Point: I am having a wonderful time today. I was telling my Missouri cadet friends that the only ones who are suffering and having trouble are the ones who…
May 13, 1950 Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: I am glad to be here in Fargo this evening. I don't think I have seen such a crowd since, I think, 1948. I have watched with great concern the reports of the floods which have swept through…
September 8, 1945 [ Released September 8, 1945. Dated September 6, 1945 ] My dear Dr. Parran: In view of recent developments in the course of the war, measures should be taken to bring about an early termination of the program for the…
June 13, 1948 [1.] FAIRMONT HOTEL (Breakfast of International Labor Organization, Red Room, Fairmont Hotel, 8:40 a.m.) Mr. Chairman and ladies and gentlemen of the ILO: Mr. Morse persuaded me to come and have breakfast with you, and I am…
June 20, 1951 My friends: We are exceedingly lucky tonight in having a guest who is the President of one of our great friends in South America, the President of the Republic of Ecuador. This is a situation which I don't think will happen…
June 29, 1947 Mr. Chairman, Mrs. Roosevelt, Senator Morse, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: I am happy to be present at the closing session of the 38th Annual Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The…
June 7, 1946 The Speaker of the House of Representatives. SIR: Pursuant to the provisions of the Second Deficiency Appropriation Act, 1944, I have the honor to transmit herewith for the consideration of Congress proposed rescissions and…
September 10, 1945 CITATION FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOR GENERAL JONATHAN M. WAINWRIGHT, Commanding United States Army forces in the Philippines from 12 March to 7 May 1942, distinguished himself by intrepid and determined leadership against greatly…
June 11, 1946 To the House of Representatives: I am returning herewith, without my approval, HR 4908, entitled "An Act To Provide Additional Facilities For the Mediation of Labor Disputes, And For Other Purposes." The outstanding…
June 30, 1947 To the Congress of the United States: I have today signed H.R. 3203, the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, despite the fact that its rent control provisions are plainly inadequate and its housing provisions actually repeal parts…
May 14, 1950 [ 1.] ALTOONA, WISCONSIN (Rear platform, 6:45 a.m.) Ladies and gentlemen: I got up this morning just to greet you and say good morning--because I stopped here in 1948. All I can say to you is that I hope you have a pleasant…
May 20, 1952 General Irving, General Bradley, Dr. Compton, Honorable Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air force, and distinguished guests: I want to make a statement--just two statements, before I start my regular talk. I had luncheon at…
June 21, 1951 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith for the consideration of the Congress the Budget for the fiscal year 1952 in the amount of $535,000,000 for the Federal Civil Defense Administration. For the first time in our…
June 20, 1949 To the Congress of the United States: I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1949, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949. The plan transfers the National Security Council and…
June 14, 1948 To the House of Representatives: I return herewith, without my approval, House Joint Resolution 296, "To maintain the status quo in respect of certain employment taxes and social-security benefits pending action by Congress…
June 21, 1951 THE PRESIDENT. That clock is 7 minutes fast! [Laughter] I have no announcements to make. If you want to ask me some questions, I will try to answer them. [1.] Q. Mr. President, do you plan to do anything about the United…
June 30, 1947 CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE MEDAL FOR MERIT TO DEAN ACHESON DEAN ACHESON, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the United States from 1940 to December 31, 1946. Mr. Acheson, as a…
June 11, 1946 IN VIEW of the urgency of various problems relating to the displaced Jews in Europe and Palestine, I am appointing under the chairmanship of the Secretary of State a Cabinet Committee on Palestine and Related Problems, composed of the…
September 12, 1945 THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I want to announce the appointment of Francis Biddle to represent the United States on the International Court to try war criminals. Federal Judge John J. Parker is his alternate. I announce the appointment of E…