Herbert Hoover and Harry S. Truman: A Documentary History

by Timothy Walch

They were an unlikely duo. One was a self-made millionaire who had built an international reputation as a mining engineer and humanitarian. Hailed as a hero in many nations, he had been spurned by the people of his native land. The other was a haberdasher and politician who never wandered far from his home in Jackson County, Missouri. His selection as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vice president in 1944 came as a surprise to many people; his succession to the presidency after FDR’s death was a shock to most. Yet in spite of their differences – and their occasional distrust of one another – Herbert Hoover and Harry Truman developed a working relationship and eventual friendship that lasted twenty years. Which is not to say that these two men were friends from the start. In fact, there was a healthy dose of doubt in the first years of their friendship. In 1946, Hoover thought Truman “was really dumb and does not grasp the vital points of any issue.” For his part, Truman referred to Hoover derisively as “the great engineer who brought us to panic, depression, and despair.” Yet these two partisans came to see the worth of one another. Together they saved hundreds of millions of war-ravaged refugees in dozens of nations from almost certain starvation aas they worked together on a plan to rebuild European civilization. At home, they reorganized the executive branch of the federal government, thereby reshaping large sectors of American society for the next two decades. It was a remarkable and unprecedented achievement.

289 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1994

Reviews

[Chip Supanich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truman and Hoover are two presidents one would rarely mention in the same sentence, let alone write an entire book about them. They had a curious relationship that evolved over the course of two decades, slowly becoming a friendship. What's most unique about this book is that the story is told from their letters to one another and to their confidantes. This book made me want to read a biography about Hoover, something I thought I'd never do. He was a humanitarian and a statesman above all else, albeit a Republican underneath - and I found myself impressed by a guy who was made the villain of the Great Depression. He may have been a puppet president, but he gave of himself tirelessly afterwards, and especially once Truman took office.