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Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Korean War and General Mac Arthur [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this lesson plan to assess President Truman's decision to relieve General MacArthur of his command in the Korean War. Find Truman's goals for the war as opposed to MacArthur's and read each man's speech supporting his ideas. [pdf]
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Primary
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: President's Special News Conference on Coal Strike

For Students 9th - 10th
In 1946, as the United States was recovering from World War II, coal miners struck. Read the transcript of a news conference President Harry Truman held to address this pressing economic issure.
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Decision to Drop the Bomb [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
The day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt gave the go-ahead to scientists to develop an atomic bomb. This site gives a good overview of the war in the Pacific against Japan, the increasing successes of the...
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Graphic
US Navy

Naval Historical Center: The Potsdam Conference, July August 1945

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a brief summary with pictures of the Potsdam Conference.
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Primary
Michigan State University

Michigan State University: United States History Since 1920: Truman Loyalty Oath, 1947

For Students 9th - 10th
In March, 1947, President Truman issued an executive order requiring that all Federal employees take a loyalty oath swearing loyalty to the United States. This was a time of fear of Communists and the Soviet Union. Read the entire...
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Primary
Teaching American History

Teaching American History: Gen Douglas Mac Arthur Defends His Conduct

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the speech General MacArthur gave to the Congress after President Truman removed him from command in the Korean War in which he explained his actions during the war.
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Primary
Teaching American History

Teaching American History: Executive Order 9835

For Students 9th - 10th
Find the executive order from President Harry S. Truman which outlined the loyalty review program to examine the loyalty of federal employees. This was issued in response to anti-Communist hysteria at the time.
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Primary
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: The President's News Conference on v E Day

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is the transcript of the news conference President Harry S. Truman had on May 8, 1945, just before the release of his proclamation declaring the end of hostilities in Europe. Read why he released this early to journalists, and enjoy...
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Primary
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: Harry S. Truman: State of the Union Message, 1949

For Students 9th - 10th
After Harry S. Truman's astounding election, his annual State of the Union message outlined his primary domestic policy which he called the Fair Deal. Read his speech to see what he felt were the greatest problems facing the United...
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Article
Nobel Media AB

The Nobel Prize: The Development and Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about how the atomic bomb was first developed, starting the nuclear arms race. As nuclear weapons proliferated, so did apprehension. A Non-Proliferation Treaty was released in 1968, and governments began to sign on to it. Green...
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Aftermath of the Decision [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
A touching and horrifying description of the devastation caused by the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which brought about the surrender of Japan in World War II. Suggested student exercises accompany the information....
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: From Wartime Allies to Cold War Enemies [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This timeline traces the devolution of the relationship between the United States and Soviet Union from the end of World War II, where these two countries were allies, albeit suspicious of each other, and almost a year after the end of...
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: Solutions to Five Crises [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This site highlights the five foreign policy crises that needed the attention of Harry S. Truman at the end of World War II. Read about the US actions on these crises and determine how these actions affected foreign policy over the next...
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Unit Plan
National Cable Satellite Corporation

C Span Classroom: World War Ii the Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb

For Students 9th - 10th
This video provides Lt. Col. Grant Weller, who describes the decision of the United States to use the atomic bomb on Japan to end World War II. Student questions are provided to assess their understanding of the information.
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Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Berlin Airlift and Nato

For Students 5th - 8th
President Harry Truman was determined to contain the Soviet sphere of influence in Europe. See how the United States and Great Britain stood up to Stalin's attempt to take over West Berlin by blockading access to the city. Understand why...
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Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: The Manhattan Project and the Atomic Bomb

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the Manhattan Project of the United States which worked on developing nuclear weapons during World War II. It led to the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan in August 1945, ending the war with Japan.
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Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Start of Cold War, Part 2: Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains President Truman's plan to contain communism, which signaled the end of American isolationism. Also discusses America's pledge of financial aid to rebuild Europe with the Marshall Plan.
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Handout
The White House

The White House: Biography of Harry S. Truman

For Students 9th - 10th
Biography provides interesting facts about the thirty-third president of the United States, Harry S. Truman. A black and white photograph is included.
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Activity
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

Harry S. Truman Library and Museum: Truman and the United Nations

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has a list of descriptions of documents that can be found in the United Nations Allied Reparations folder. Click link at the end of each description to view full-text document.
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Website
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

50th Anniversary of the Creation of the State of Israel,

For Students 9th - 10th
An online presentation of historically significant documents and pictures from the recognition of Israel by the US.
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Website
US House of Representatives

History, Art, and Archives: President Harry Truman's Fair Deal Proposal

For Students 9th - 10th
In President Truman's State of the Union message to Congress in 1949, he outlined his Fair Deal policy. Read about what he had in mind, and find out what was passed into law.
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Website
A&E Television

History.com: American Presidents: Harry S. Truman

For Students 9th - 10th
This easy-to-navigate site has Harry Truman's biography, events occurring during his presidency, an image gallery, and several video clips.
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Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Harry S. Truman: "The Truman Doctrine"

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text and audio of President Truman's speech "The Truman Doctrine" before a Joint Session of Congress on March 12, 1947, concerning aid to Greece and Turkey.
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Article
Other

Mr. Dowling's Passport: Harry Truman's Decision

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Harry Truman and his decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan which ultimately ended World War II.