Harry S Truman on War & Peace

1950: sued for peace in Korea, but MacArthur waged war

Once America regained the territory from the Chinese, President Harry Truman decided to make peace to avoid continued fighting. But on his own, General MacArthur argued to press the war against China [and suggested] using nuclear weapons on the mainland. Truman feared that America could not win, and these actions could possibly lead to World War III. MacArthur's actions caused the peace negotiations to stall and caused war to continue for approximately two more years. Because of this, President Truman fired MacArthur, saying, "the cause of world peace is more important than any individual."

Soviet spies kept USSR posted on atomic bomb progress

Atomic bombing of Japan saved 100,000s of American lives

[When] asked if he had any misgivings about using such horrible weapons, "Hell yes!" Truman replied. "I've had a lot of misgivings."

1949: No military response to Communist victory in China

Reaction to the Asian situation was swift and angry even within Truman's own party. "That responsibility for the failure of our foreign policy in the Far East rests squarely with the White House and the Department of State." Cong. John F. Kennedy declared on the House floor in January 1949. "So concerned were our diplomats; with the imperfection of the democratic system of China after 20 years of war and the tales of corruption in high places that they lost sight of our tremendous stake in non-Communist China." The Truman policy "of vacillation, uncertainty, and confusion had reaped the whirlwind." The failure of the president and the State Department had left it to Congress to stop "the onrushing tide of communism from engulfing all of Asia," Kennedy said.

Soviet Union is animated by a new fanatic faith

Opposed to "preventive" war; you only "prevent" peace

"Warfare, no matter what weapons it employs, is a means to an end, and if that end can be achieved by negotiated settlements of conditional surrender, there is no need for war."

The threat of world war is still very real

1. The threat of world war is still very real. We had one Pearl Harbor--let's not get caught off guard again. If you don't think the threat of Communist armies is real, talk to some of our men back from Korea.
2. If the US had to try to stand alone against a Soviet-dominated world, it would destroy the life we know and the ideals we hold dear. Our allies are essential to us, just as we are essential to them. The more shoulders there are to bear the burden the lighter that burden will be.
3. The things we believe in most deeply are under relentless attack. We have the great responsibility of saving the basic moral and spiritual values of our civilization. We have started out well--with a program for peace that is unparalleled in history. If we believe in ourselves and the faith we profess, we will stick to that job until it is victoriously finished.

Aggression in Korea is part of Communist world conquest

Our men are fighting a long way from home, but they are fighting for our lives and our liberties. They are fighting to protect our right to meet here today--our right to govern ourselves as a free nation.

The threat of world conquest by Soviet Russia endangers our liberty and endangers the kind of world in which the free spirit of man can survive. This threat is aimed at all peoples who strive to win or defend their own freedom and national independence.

The imperialism of the czars has been replaced by the even more ambitious, more crafty, and more menacing imperialism of the rulers of the Soviet Union.

Oppose the menacing imperialism of the Soviet Union

The present rulers of the Soviet Union have shown that they are willing to use this power to destroy the free nations and win domination over the whole world.

The Soviet imperialists have two ways of going about their destructive work. They use the method of subversion and internal revolution, and they use the method of external aggression. We of the free world must be ready to meet both of these methods of Soviet action. We must not neglect one or the other.

Terminate hostilities from WWII and end emergency powers

Two groups of temporary laws still remain: the first are those which by Congressional mandate are to last during the "emergency"; the second are those which are to continue until the "termination of the war,"

I shall submit to the Congress recommendations for the repeal of certain of the statutes which by their terms continue for the duration of the "emergency." I shall at the same time recommend that others within this classification be extended until the state of war has been ended by treaty or by legislative action. As to those statutes which continue until the state of war has been terminated, I urge that the Congress promptly consider each statute individually, and repeal such emergency legislation where it is advisable.

1945: We have discovered the most terrible bomb in history

This weapon is to be used against Japan so that military objectives and soldiers and sailors are the target and not women and children. We as the leader of the world for the common welfare cannot drop this terrible bomb on the old capitol or the new [Kyoto, Tokyo].

The target will be a purely military one and we will issue a warning statement asking the Japs to surrender and save lives. I'm sure they will not do that, but we will have given them the chance. It is certainly a good thing for the world that Hitler's crowd or Stalin's did not discover this atomic bomb, but it can be made the most useful."