Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul

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Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul Page 49

by A. J. Baime


  Talmadge, Herman, 219–20

  “Talmadge White Supremacy Clubs,” 73

  Taylor, Glen H.

  background/description, 93

  as Wallace running mate, 93–94, 119, 163, 164, 165, 242

  television

  election (1948) and, 171, 321, 324, 325, 329

  inauguration (1949), 353

  national convention (1948) and, 135, 140, 143, 146, 148

  predictions on/effects, 171, 263

  Terkel, Studs, 93

  Thackrey, Ted, 24

  Thomas, J. Parnell, 68, 197, 205

  Thompson, Melvin E., 220

  Thurmond, John

  background, 188, 190–91

  killing a man, 190

  Tillman and, 190–91

  Thurmond, Strom

  after 1948 election, 351–52, 354

  becoming/as South Carolina governor, 192, 193, 194–95, 205

  changing parties, 240

  description/personality traits, 101, 159, 188

  Jean (wife) and, 188, 240, 319

  party realignment and, 239–40, 352

  protesting Democratic National Convention, 147

  racism of, 101–2, 147, 158, 159–60, 187–88, 190–91, 192, 193, 195, 238, 275, 276

  Willie Earle murder and, 194–95

  See also Dixiecrats

  Thurmond, Strom background

  childhood/youth, 188, 190–91

  Essie Mae (child/secrecy) and, 191, 195, 276–77, 351–52

  father relationship/admiration, 191

  racism and, 190–91

  Tillman and, 190–91, 276

  World War II and, 101, 191–92

  Thurmond, Strom presidential run

  debate request (Truman) and, 274

  Dixiecrats/States’ Rights Party and, 158, 159–60, 161, 187–88, 238–40

  election day, 319

  expectations/results, 285, 353–54

  invitations to governors/African American governor, 275

  oil money and, 274–75

  polls on, 238–39, 254, 274

  Texas and, 254, 311–12

  on Truman/civil rights, 270, 275, 311–12

  on Vinson mission, 270

  Tilden, Samuel, 47, 189–90

  Tillman, Benjamin (“Pitchfork”), 189, 190–91

  Time (magazine), 82, 116, 164, 199, 237, 342

  Tindle, Lee, 281

  train tours

  laundry/showers and, 217, 236, 237, 247

  life/routine descriptions, 237, 244–45, 247–48

  speeds, 245

  Truman, Bess

  communication/relationship with husband, 25–26, 31, 40, 62, 73, 180, 227

  description/views, 228–29, 286

  expectations on presidential election, 249, 266

  husband’s presidential duties and, 3, 33

  husband’s presidential run/election and, 123, 212, 225, 229, 244, 247, 249, 259, 292, 303, 312, 317, 318, 327, 335, 341, 342

  Pearson criticism and, 25–26

  segregated theater event and, 16–17

  vacation, 353

  visiting family, 212, 224

  White House deterioration and, 42–43

  See also Wallace, Elizabeth “Bess”

  Truman Doctrine

  beginnings/description, 63–64

  controversy over, 65

  passing/support for, 157, 264, 347

  signing, 322

  Soviets and, 103

  Wallace and, 67, 69, 264, 351

  Truman, Harry

  communication/relationship with mother, 4, 13, 15, 65

  communication with sister, 13, 209

  FDR/Hopkins and, 267

  First Family as curiosity to Americans, 228, 229

  inauguration (1949) and, 353–54

  speaking abilities and, 4, 98, 124–25

  Truman, Harry childhood/background

  becoming/as judge, 29–30317-318

  becoming vice president/FDR, 32–33, 92, 322

  “Bess” and, 27–28, 29

  family background/Civil War, 28, 179

  family home of Bess and, 29

  locations/description, 27

  parents/siblings, 27, 28

  politics/Democrats and, 28

  reading/diphtheria and, 28

  segregation and, 20–21

  Truman & Jacobson haberdashery and, 29

  World War I and, 29

  Truman, Harry presidency

  approval ratings, 15, 25, 33, 144, 148, 160

  assassination attempt, 228n, 350

  becoming president, 4, 6, 33

  criticism of/jokes about, 16–18, 62

  descriptions/personal traits, 4, 98, 197, 230, 249, 266, 282

  Fair Deal/views and, 354

  Greek-Turkish aid and, 60–64, 65–66

  issues facing (overview) and, 25–26

  military/intelligence establishments reorganization, 75

  on national situation, 95

  as New Deal Democrat president, 10

  obscurity of, 6

  Pearson criticizing wife/daughter and, 25–26

  press/bad news overview, 12–13

  questions about future presidency, 6–7, 33

  sign on desk, 15

  successes, 144

  See also specific aspects/events

  Truman, Harry presidential run

  attacking Dewey/Dewey response, 292–96

  attack on media, 294–95

  black vote and, 97, 195

  California/supporters and, 247, 248–51, 252

  campaign beginning/train tour, 186, 200, 212–17

  comedy routine, Pittsburgh, 290

  communism, 251–52, 257–58

  confidence in winning, 152, 173, 177, 249, 266, 277, 295, 318, 331

  contrasts with Dewey campaign, 236–37

  crowd sizes/reception and, 248–49, 276–77, 282, 292, 297–98, 300, 303, 309, 313, 314

  decision to run, 77–78

  Detroit/Michigan appearances and, 186, 200, 214–17

  “Draft Eisenhower” campaign and, 127, 143

  election and, 317–18, 320–21, 330–31, 333–34, 335–36, 337–39

  Ewing adviser group/advice and, 171, 174, 176–77

  expectations, 124, 127, 142–43, 144, 147, 148, 160, 171–73, 212, 214, 216–17, 225, 232, 233, 246, 248, 258, 264, 270–71, 279, 320, 323–24, 327

  farmers and, 225, 231–33, 277

  final itinerary/Dewey “following,” 283, 292–93, 294–95, 296–99, 300–305

  in Florida, 285–86

  global issues (overview) and, 154–56

  Harlem/civil-rights and, 305, 308–11

  identifying his opponent, 230–31

  Idlewild Airport dedication/Dewey and, 196–97

  money/donors and, 124, 171–72, 211, 215, 223–24, 250, 251, 256–57, 258, 266, 277–78, 285, 320

  mood leading up to convention, 145–46

  organized labor and, 186, 215–16, 217

  platform/views similar to Dewey, 231, 264, 299

  plowing demonstration/stunt and, 233

  “Politics of 1948, The” memo and, 95–98

  St. Louis/final appearance, 312–14

  speaking tour/problems (June), 124–29

  statement on Wallace/Communists and, 120–21, 122

  State of the Union address and, 98–99

  strategy/populism, 264–65

  Texas and, 254–56, 265

  tour west (September), 224–28, 230–33, 244–52

  train kitchen food, 226

  train tour (October-November), 270–71, 276–77, 279–80

  University of California, Berkeley commencement and, 124, 126

  vacation/presidential yacht, 210

  on Wallace/communism, 251–52

  “whistle-stop”/speeches use, 129, 173, 212, 213, 214, 226, 227, 227n, 230, 231, 244, 248–49, 254, 255, 277, 292, 303

  See also Democratic National Convention (1948); election (1948); specific aspects; specif
ic groups/individuals

  Truman, Harry Senator

  becoming senator/controversy, 30–31

  investigating National Defense Program and, 31–32

  reelection as senator, 31

  as senator, 30–32

  Truman, Margaret

  background, 286

  correspondence/relationship with father, 25–26, 33, 40, 41, 180, 227, 229, 230

  Daniel and, 316

  on Democrats/Independence, 28

  election day/night and, 317, 318, 327

  music/career and, 229–30

  Pearson criticism and, 25–26

  presidential run/election and, 123, 172, 212, 215, 216, 224, 225, 230, 244–45, 247–48, 256, 259, 266, 270–71, 290, 292, 303, 312, 315, 319, 341, 342–43

  public interest in, 229

  vacation, 353

  White House deteriorating and, 200

  Truman, Mary Jane, 13, 27, 167, 173, 209

  Truman Presidential Library, 330n

  Truman Story, The (documentary), 279, 298–99

  Truman, Vivian, 27, 172, 339

  Trump, Donald J., 348, 352

  Turkish-Greek aid, 59–64, 65–66, 67

  Turner, Roy J., 215

  Tweed, “Boss,” 55

  21-Point Plan for the Reconversion Period (Truman), 9–11

  U

  United Nations negotiations, Paris (1948), 269, 271, 272, 278, 301–2, 308

  United Press, 41, 147, 297

  USS Augusta, 8

  USS Williamsburg, 210, 353

  V

  Vaccaro, Tony, 41, 335

  Van Boskirk, Donald, 115

  Vandenberg, Arthur

  Dewey and, 55, 58, 184, 296, 307

  emergency session and, 156

  Greek/Turkish aid and, 62, 63

  Marshall Plan and, 66

  Republican National Convention (1948) and, 134, 137–38

  on Truman, 33

  Vinson mission and, 268, 269

  Wallace and, 38–39, 68

  Vardaman, James K., 174

  Vaughan, Harry, 30

  veterans

  black soldiers/violence against, 18–20

  homelessness and, 13

  vice presidency poll (1944), 92

  Vinson, Fred, 267–68, 353–54

  Vinson mission

  debate on, 267, 268–69

  Dewey and, 271–72, 274

  leak/criticism of, 269–70

  Truman canceling, 269

  Truman idea on, 266–67, 268

  Voorhis, Jerry, 50

  Vyshinsky, Andrey, 103

  W

  Wallace, Elizabeth “Bess”

  family social status and, 28

  Truman and, 27–28

  See also Truman, Bess

  Wallace, George R., 307

  Wallace, Henry

  after 1948 election/death, 351

  atomic weapons/Soviets and, 15, 34–35, 36–40, 91

  “Century of the Common Man, The” speech, 91

  childhood/education, 89

  Cold War and, 86, 91, 93

  description/lifestyle, 89

  on differences between communism/ himself, 88

  eccentricity of, 89–91, 92

  European tour, 67–68

  father’s work and, 89

  FDR vice presidency/dropping and, 32, 91, 92

  Hi-Bred Corn and, 89

  Ilo (wife), 85, 89, 242, 318–19, 334

  letter to Truman/consequences, 39–40

  on “loyalty boards,” 75

  New Deal and, 40, 68, 85–86, 89, 92

  positions (Truman administration), 5, 34

  Roerich and, 89–91

  “speech”/reactions and, 36–39

  suspicions on, 68–69, 70

  Truman firing, 40

  Truman relationship (summary), 36, 92

  Wallace, Henry campaign for presidency

  American divisions and, 117

  on Berlin crisis, 164

  black vote and, 117, 195, 206–8

  communism/support and, 69–70, 86–88, 94, 96, 117, 118–19, 120–21, 162, 164–65, 199, 205, 206–7, 222, 240–42, 285

  election day/night and, 318–19, 325–26, 334–35

  expectations/results, 212, 274, 345

  final speech, 311

  “Gideon’s Army” and, 85, 163, 164, 165, 207, 221, 285, 334, 351

  HUAC and, 199, 205

  Isacson election and, 120

  launching/speech, 85–86

  lawsuit/Supreme Court and, 242

  Marshall Plan and, 67, 117, 206, 207, 264, 284

  Moscow misinformation, 325

  New York City rally (1948), 221–22

  open letter to Stalin/response, 121–22

  peace and, 85, 86–87, 91, 93, 117, 118–19, 121, 122, 164, 240

  platform comparisons with Truman/ Dewey, 334

  political fallout from launch, 86

  Progressive Party/convention, 86, 161–16585

  Roerich (guru) letters and, 116, 162–63, 164, 242–43

  running mate, 93–94

  southern tour/showing discrimination, 205–8, 266

  supporters and, 91, 93, 117, 119–20, 163–64, 165, 221–22, 284–85

  tone changing/eccentricities, 241

  on tour/fighting Truman’s foreign policy, 67–70, 71

  on Truman, 283–84, 311, 335

  Truman win/concession speech and, 334–35

  views/platform, 92–93, 94, 164–65, 221–22, 351

  vitriol/violence towards, 119, 205–8, 240–41

  Wallace, Henry Cantwell, 89

  Wallaces’ Farmer, 89

  Wall Street Journal, 269, 294

  Walsh, Jerome, 336

  Waring, J. Waties, 193

  Warren, Earl

  background/California and, 249–50, 338

  Dewey/as VP candidate, 110, 138, 139, 184, 231, 249, 340

  Warren, Tom, 140

  Washington Evening Star, 127

  Washington Post, 1, 10, 30–40, 86, 95, 127, 148, 195, 202, 224, 229–30, 235, 261, 277, 337, 341

  Washington Star, 294

  Watson, Claude A., 319

  Watt, Sam, 194

  Weizmann, Chaim, 106, 343, 353

  Welles, Orson, 24

  West, J. B., 343

  Wheeler, Al, 266

  White, Harry Dexter, 198

  White House deterioration/repairing, 42–43, 209, 258, 265, 343

  White House press corps, 41

  White, Walter Francis

  background/description, 18

  Truman’s speech to NAACP and, 71–72

  undercover investigations/stories to Truman, 18–20

  Whitney, Alexander, 17

  Williams, Gladstone, 135

  Williams, Julius, 276

  Willkie, Wendell, 56, 58, 119

  Wilson, Charles G., Reverend, 284

  Wilson, Woodrow, 106, 322

  Winchell, Walter, 315, 321

  Winslow, Lorenzo, 265

  Women’s Wear Daily, 337

  Woodard, Isaac, 19–20

  World War I, 29, 52, 317

  World War II

  Nazi triumphs and, 31

  rationing, 169

  Truman Committee/military spending investigation, 31–32

  See also specific events/individuals

  World War III fears, 143, 155, 156, 169, 173, 184, 223, 224, 256, 287

  Wright, Fielding, 161

  Wright, Frank Lloyd, 93, 120

  Wyatt, Lee B., 205

 

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