Description:

Truman Harry 1884 - 1972 Harry Truman TLS "I will do everything within my power to attain world peace," written just after firing MacArthur
Bi-fold TLS on White House Stationary 7" x 9". Typed on one side, with the remaining pages blank. Dated "May 14, 1951", and signed by President Harry Truman as "Harry Truman". Expected folds with overall creasing, else near fine. Accompanied by the creased mailing envelope, 7.25" x 4.75".


Harry Truman writes an emotional note to Rabbi Samuel Thurman of Missouri stating "I am deeply grateful to you for the thoughtful expression of good wishes and assure you that I shall do everything within my power to attain world peace".

The concept of World Peace was very much on the forefront of Truman's focus as only a few months after this letter was written President Truman presented a televised speech focusing on his acceptance of a treaty that officially ended America's post-World War II occupation of Japan. Truman lauded a treaty with Japan as one that would help "build a world in which the children of all nations can live together in peace." As communism was threatening to spread throughout Pacific Rim nations such as Korea and Vietnam, the U.S. recognized the need to create an ally in a strong, democratic Japan.

Previously since the end of World War II in 1945, Japan had been occupied and closely monitored by the American military under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur. By 1951, six years later, (and at the time of this TLS), Truman considered the task of rebuilding Japan complete. Truman praised the Japanese people's willingness to go along with the plan and expressed his pride in having helped to rebuild Japan as a democracy. Gone was the old militaristic police state; in its place was a country with a new constitution, unions for protecting the rights of laborers and voting rights for women, among many other positive changes.

A wonderful Truman example from an important period of history. The Multilateral Treaty of Peace with Japan, as it was ultimately called, was ratified by the U.S. Congress on March 20, 1952.

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