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 22, 1948
THE PRESIDENT. I have no special announcements to make this morning, so if you want to start off with questions, why go ahead.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, this week a couple of major economic recommendations were made to the Congress by…
January 17, 1947
THE PRESIDENT today recommended to the Congress the repeal of appropriations totaling $563,888,579. Contract authorizations of $132 million involved in those appropriations, were also recommended for rescission.
These amounts are in…
January 13, 1949
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] Gentlemen, I have no special announcements to make, except that I was in the White House and the Blair House since 6:30 last night1--[laughter]-and if you have any questions, I will be glad to try to answer them…
January 11, 1946
CITATION FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL
(Oak Leaf Cluster)
MAJOR GENERAL William J. Donovan served in the highly important and responsible position of Director of Strategic Services, Joint Chiefs of Staff, from June 1942 to August…
June 7, 1947
Mr. President of the 35th Division; Admiral Leahy; General Eisenhower; distinguished guests; members of the 35th Division and their guests:
This has been a great convention of the veterans of two wars. I was deeply touched by…
May 9, 1946
THE PRESIDENT. I have no special announcements to make to you this morning. I thought you ought to have at least one press conference this week, so if you want to ask me any questions, I will try to answer them.
[1.] Q. What about the…
May 27, 1948
THE PRESIDENT. I have no special announcements to make. If you have any questions you think I can answer, why fire away.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, how are you coming on the appointment of the advisory board to the economic administration…
August 24, 1945
CITATION FOR THE LEGION OF
MERIT DEGREE OF COMMANDER
GEORGES BIDAULT, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Government of the French Republic, was called to the colors in the autumn of 1939 and devotedly served his country…
May 25, 1949
Mr. Chairman, members of this Committee, ladies and gentlemen:
I appreciate most highly what this Committee is doing and is trying to do. Last fall, when we organized this Committee for the moral welfare of our young men in…
May 8, 1950
[1.] GALESBURG, ILLINOIS (Rear platform, 8:50 a.m.)
Mr. Chairman:
It certainly is good to see all of you. I appreciate your coming out this early in the morning to see me. I am more than happy to be back in Illinois once more…
May 21, 1951
Dear Bill:
I want to extend my warm greetings to all of the good Democrats who have gathered from 24 states for the meetings of the Midwest Conference and the Western States Conference.
The Democratic Party today has the…
April 27, 1952
Dear Mr. Jones:
I have your letter concerning my radio address on the steel situation and I was very interested in the questions you raised. I wish I could take the time to write to the many hundreds of people who have…
May 22, 1951
Dear Mr. Chairman:
I am deeply concerned about the crippling limitation on the public housing program which the House included in H.R. 3880, the Independent Offices Appropriation Bill. This will have an adverse effect on our…
May 10, 1946
I WAS HAPPY to meet today the newly elected President of the Philippine Commonwealth, who will, on July 4, be proclaimed President of the Republic of the Philippines.
General Roxas will have, as President Osmena has had, the full and…
June 11, 1947
Mr. Prime Minister, Honorable Members of the Senate, and Members of the House of Commons of Canada:
This is my first visit to Canada as President of the United States, and I am happy that it affords me the opportunity to…
April 28, 1952
WITH THE deposit of the United States ratification which brings into force the Treaty of Peace with Japan, the state of war has been terminated and Japan has been restored to a status of sovereign equality in the society of free peoples.…
August 25, 1945
AUGUST 26, 1945, will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ratification by the states of the Amendment to the National Constitution granting suffrage to women.
Less than a century ago women in the United States were denied the…
May 26, 1949
I WISH to express again my appreciation of the work of the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government.
In its study of the executive branch, the Commission has been impressed by the size and complexity of our…
June 1, 1948
Dear General Fleming:
The disaster caused by the unprecedented floods in the Pacific Northwest makes it imperative that the full resources of the Federal Government be mobilized immediately to furnish such emergency assistance…
May 8, 1950
THANK YOU very much. I just can't realize the compliment which you are paying to me, to come out here in all this rain, although I had told Governor Peterson that I was very sure that the rain would be more welcome at this time than the…
May 23, 1951
Dear Judge Hand:
Your impending retirement fills me with regret, which I know is shared by the American people. It is hard to accept the fact that, after forty-two years of most distinguished service to our Nation, your…
August 25, 1945
A PROGRAM for the construction of new hospital beds for the treatment of veterans was recently recommended by the Veterans Administration.
When these recommendations reached my desk I had decided to accept the resignation of General…
May 9, 1950
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 22 of 1950, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949. The plan improves the grouping of Government programs…
April 28, 1952
GEN. MATTHEW B. RIDGWAY has been appointed Supreme Allied Commander, Europe to replace General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower. This appointment was made by the North Atlantic Council meeting in Paris. General Ridgway was nominated for…
June 12, 1947
THE PRESIDENT. I want to say to you that this Canadian trip has been most interesting to me. I think it is an event in the history of the two countries. I think we understand each other better as a result of this visit, and I sincerely…