Citizen Soldier by Aida Donald

Author:Aida Donald [Donald, Aida]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 2012-10-10T04:00:00+00:00

FIGURE 15 Actress Lauren Bacall sits atop a piano while Vice President Harry Truman plays at the National Press Club Canteen, February 10, 1945. They were at the canteen to entertain the servicemen. Credit: Harris & Ewing, courtesy of the Harry S. Truman Library.

On his return from abroad, on March 1, 1945, a weary Franklin Roosevelt addressed the Congress. “I hope that you will pardon me for this unusual posture of sitting down during the presentation of what I want to say,” he began, “but I know that you will realize that it makes it a lot easier for me not to have to carry about ten pounds of steel around on the bottom of my legs; and also because of the fact that I have just completed a fourteen-thousand-mile trip.” Germany was near collapse, the president said. He envisioned the beginnings of a postwar world, including the founding of the United Nations. Truman had seen the president only two times since his victory and knew nothing of the affairs of the White House. On April 12, 1945, Truman was at a social gathering—Sam Rayburn’s Board of Education. A call came to Truman from the White House, and he was to call back right away. Truman mixed himself a drink—bourbon—and dialed National 1414. He was told to come to the White House, “as quickly and as quietly” as he could, to the main entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue. “Jesus Christ and General Jackson,” Truman blurted out. He retrieved his hat and ran to his limousine. He arrived at 5:25. Mrs. Roosevelt met him in the private quarters upstairs, and gently touching his shoulder, said, “Harry, the president is dead.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?” he replied.

The famously gracious First Lady responded, “Is there anything we can do for you. For you are the one in trouble now.”

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