Harry S. Truman Trivia Quiz

Answer: Missouri

Harry's grandfather, Anderson Truman, had migrated to the Kansas City area from Kentucky in 1846.

Answer: nothing

Undecided over whether to honor his father or her's (both of which started with 'S'), Harry's parents decided to just make it 'S'. Thanks to player afton8 for pointing out that there is no period after the "S".

Answer: Pendergast

The Pendergast family controlled Kansas City Democratic politics, and Harry was asked to run for 'Judge' (a position equivalent to County Comissioner) based on his good war record and his good family background.

Answer: U.S. Senate

Again, with the support of the Pendergast 'machine', Truman ran and narrowly won a hotly-contested race.

Answer: Henry Wallace

Truman then prevailed on the second ballot, after FDR let it be known that he preferred Truman over Wallace, who was deemed to be too liberal.

Answer: She never married.

Margaret married New York Times reporter Clifton Daniel in 1956 and remained married to him until his death in 2000. They were quite active in the New York social scene.

Margaret's singing career was the source of one of the oddest episodes of the Truman presidency. When the Washington Post music critic wrote a negative review of Margaret's singing, Truman wrote to him, saying, "Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!"

Answer: April 25, 1945

Besides cabinet meetings, Truman had met with FDR only twice while VP, on March 8, 1945, and March 19, 1945, and nothing of consequence was discussed. Truman's advisors told him about the bomb on the 13th day of his Presidency, and the decision to use it against Japan was then made on July 24, 1945.

Answer: April 12, 1945

It was well-known that FDR was not in good health, and he died less than 3 months into his 4th term. Upon assuming the Presidency, Truman told reporters that 'I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.'

Answer: over a million

Virtually all the major industries were hit with labor strikes. As a result of all the unrest, Truman's approval rating sank to an incredible low of 32 per cent at one point.

Answer: Marshall Plan

Some of his advisors wanted to call it the 'Truman Plan', but Truman insisted it be named after Secretary of State George Marshall, illustrating a favorite saying of his that, 'It is remarkable how much can be accomplished if you don't care who gets the credit.'

Answer: the whistle-stop tour

Truman made hundreds of speeches all around the country, as many as 10-15 a day, from train platforms. The crowds were wildly enthusiastic, leading Truman to believe that all the polls and pundits were wrong and he actually did have a chance to defeat Dewey, who because of his lead stayed 'above the fray' and campaigned only in generalities.

Answer: He called Congress back into session

Calling Congress back into session was an effective tactic, dramatizing that it was indeed a 'do-nothing Congress' as alleged. Since the session was to start on July 26th, called 'Turnip Day' in Missouri, it became known as the 'Turnip Congress'.

Answer: Hubert Humphrey

Humphrey was at that time Mayor of Minneapolis. Angered by the civil rights plank, southern delegates walked out and held their own convention, nominating Strom Thurmnod, then governor of South Carolina, to run as the candidate of the States' Rights Democratic Party, popularly known as the Dixiecrats. Thurmond won four states, states which had voted Democratic in every election since Reconstruction ended after the 1876 election. Truman also had third-party competition on the left, as Henry Wallace ran as the candidate of the Progressive Party and received about as many votes as Thurmond (just over a million), although Wallace won no states.

Despite this competition which siphoned off normally Democratic votes, Truman pulled off the upset victory.

Answer: The Truman Doctrine

Announced in a speech before a Joint Session of Congress on March 12, 1947.

Answer: Dean Acheson

Acheson was appointed when Marshall resigned for health reasons in January of 1949. Both are considered to be among the best Secretary of States ever.

Answer: Averell Harriman

Although Stevenson had been Truman's hand-picked successor in 1952, by 1956 Truman had decided that Stevenson lacked 'the kind of fighting spirit we need to win.'

Answer: Stuart Symington

As late as July 2nd, after it was obvious Kennedy would be the nominee, he accused Kennedy of 'rigging' the convention, and in a famous moment asked, 'Senator, are you certain that you are quite ready for the country, or that the country is ready for you in the role of President in January, 1961?' Kennedy calmly responded that if 14 years in elective office was not sufficient experience, most Presidents would have been ruled out, including Truman himself!

Answer: 88

He died in Kansas City on December 26, 1972. Oddly, the only other living ex-President, Lyndon Johnson, died on January 22, 1973, less than a month later.

Answer: 5th

Truman has steadily risen in stature over the years, as his greatness has become more and more apparent.

Answer: David McCullough

Very well worth reading. McCullough more recently has been working on a book about the John Adams family.