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Motion Picture MP2002-369

Screen Gems Collection (outtakes from the television series "Decision: The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman")

Administrative Information

Footage
108 feet
Running Time
3 minutes 19 seconds
Sound
sound
Color
Black & White
Produced by
Screen Gems in association with Ben Gradus
Restrictions
Unrestricted
Description

Harry S. Truman discusses the Potsdam Conference while seated at a desk. He comments on the health of Josef Stalin, and the events of Premier Stalin’s state dinner. He also mentions the Yalta Conference. Film with sound.

Date(s)
ca.
1961 - 1963

SD-quality copies of already digitized motion pictures are available for $20, and HD-quality copies of already digitized motion pictures are $50. Copies of motion pictures not already digitized will incur additional costs.

This item does not circulate but reproductions may be purchased.

To request a copy of this item, please contact truman.reference@nara.gov​​​​​​​

Please note that this video belongs to a different video collection than the items available to be borrowed by teachers, from our Education Department.

Moving Image Type
Screen Gems

Shot List

  • Reel 1
0:00   Harry S. Truman, seated at a desk, describes the Potsdam Conference. Josef Stalin was late arriving at the conference; Mr. Truman found out later that Premier Stalin had had a light heart attack. Mr. Truman describes how, at Premier Stalin's state dinner, everyone was drinking vodka. Premier Stalin was drinking out of a separate bottle, so President Truman took some of what he thought was vodka. It was French wine, and Premier Stalin explained that he had to watch his heart.
1:31   Mr. Truman comments that there were 14 toasts at the Russian state dinner. He learned ". . . not to take a drink every time or you wouldn't be able to carry on the business of the meeting."
1:53   Mr. Truman says it was an education in itself to be dealing with two brilliant men such as Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin. We had moved all our divisions to the Pacific because we still had a war going on. We hoped Russia would get in the Japanese war on our side. After the atomic bombs were dropped, they entered the war. They caused so much trouble at Yalta and at the western European surrender, that Mr. Truman made a point that they would have a representative, but nothing to say about what took place, at the Japanese surrender negotiations. The United States arranged things the way we wanted.
    "If the Russians had been able to get in there, they would have caused us as much trouble in Japan as they did in Europe. But the Russians didn't have a chance and that's the only reason they didn't do it."