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THE MAN FROM MISSOURI by Alfred Gleinberg

THE MAN FROM MISSOURI

By

Pub Date: April 24th, 1962
Publisher: Putnam

When a man becomes President of the United States, he is such a major news factor that hardly an element of his life or career pass unnoticed by the voracious journalists and Harry Truman has written so much about himself and his Administration that it is almost impossible for a biographer to turn up anything that qualifies as a ""new fact"". Clearly, then, inberg ran the risk of being when he to tell us more about. ""The Man From Missouri"". What has in fact happened, however, is that Steinberg's work brings the whole sociological and political level of the Truman era into fresh focus, and so he serves much more than a simple biographical function. Giving himself the widest possible latitude, Steinberg has explained what happens when a highly under-rated man with little of the traditional background and few of the traditional assets is forced by history to assume the chair and by a venerable predecessor. The tactical strategy of his early, and later political career is emphasized only insofar as it is his eventual attainment of the highest office. A straightforward reappraisal of the negligible success of the Fair Deal is accompanied by a crisp analysis of the Bottom -- after H.S.T.'s re-election, ""the independence of the House and the of the Senate destined (Truman's programs) to failure."" The ever intensifying spee put on America's emotions and pocketbooks by the Cold War makes it only sensible to consider as many viewpoints as possible on the legacies of Truman's term of office -- Steinberg's excellent treatment of major issues like the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, Point 4, the creation of NATO, recognition of the State of and the Berlin Airlift pinpoints the essential fact that whether Americans like it or not, our country has emerged from World War II as a global leader, and we must not hesitate to act accordingly.