Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman served as the 33rd President of the United States from 1945 to 1953, assuming office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He led the country through the final stages of World War II, authorized the use of atomic bombs against Japan, and shaped early Cold War foreign policy through initiatives including the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and NATO. He is also known for desegregating the U.S. armed forces and winning reelection in 1948 in a widely unexpected upset over Thomas Dewey.