Today, historians can examine the election with the benefit of hindsight not available to those in 1948. The other parties helped Truman more than they hurt him. The Progressive Party removed the taint of communism from the Democratic Party; the Dixiecrat revolt convinced northern blacks, not sure about Truman, to give him their overwhelming support.
Truman did many great things. He desegregated the armed forces, reorganized western military alliances, dropped the atomic bomb to end the war sooner, and created the American policy of "containment" of communism, to name a few. But his most amazing accomplishment was his re-election in 1948, and the campaign he waged to win a term as President in his own right.
 |
The copyright of the article ELECTION SURPRISES: TRUMAN'S 1948 VICTORY - Page 4 in American Presidents is owned by . Permission to republish ELECTION SURPRISES: TRUMAN'S 1948 VICTORY - Page 4 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to John S. Cooper's American Presidents topic, please visit the Discussions page.