Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States of America. Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in the farming community of Lamar, Missouri. His father John Truman was a cattle dealer and his mother's name was Martha Ellen (Young) Truman. Harry was the first of three children born to his parents. He had a brother named Vivian and a sister named Mary Jane. According to the biography of Harry S. Truman (2009), Harry was named after his maternal uncle, Harrison Young, but his parents could not decide on a middle name. They decided to use the letter "S" as an homage to both their maternal grandfather, Solomon Young, and their paternal grandfather, Anderson Shipp Truman. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHarry and his family settled in Independence, Missouri, where he attended school and was a good student. While at school, Harry had to wear thick glasses due to poor eyesight, and his doctor told him he shouldn't play sports to avoid breaking them. He hoped to attend the American Military Academy at West Point, but because of his eyesight he was unable to be admitted. Truman graduated from high school in 1901, but his family could not allow him to attend college. After high school, he worked as a timekeeper for a railroad construction company, then as a clerk and bookkeeper at two separate banks in Kansas City. Five years later, Truman returned to Grandview, Missouri to help his father run the household. During this time, he also served in the Missouri National Guard. In 1917, America entered World War I where Truman re-enlisted in the National Guard and was sent to France. After returning from the war in 1919, he married Elizabeth “Bess” Wallace. Together they had a daughter, Mary Margaret Truman, who became a professional singer and songwriter. Truman was elected as one of three judges of the Jackson County Court in 1922. He was defeated for re-election in 1924, but later won election as presiding judge, then won re-election in 1930. In 1934, Truman was elected to the United States Senate. . As a senator, he supported President Roosevelt's New Deal programs to help the nation emerge from the Great Depression that began in 1929. Harry served two terms as a senator, so Franklin D. Roosevelt had to choose a running mate for his presidential election of 1944. Together they were elected in November 1944, and Truman was sworn in on January 20, 1945. Truman served as vice president for only 82 days before Roosevelt died of a severe stroke. He was sworn in as president on April 12, 1945. Thomas Pendergast greatly influenced Truman and is probably why he became president. Perdergast appointed Truman to oversee the highways, then chose him to run for one of three county judge positions in Jackson County. This was the beginning of Truman's political career. President Harry Truman served two terms as president from April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953. Truman was part of the Democratic party. Alben W. Barkley was Truman's second-term vice president. Truman called his first year as president a “year of decisions,” according to the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library Museum (n.d.). During his first months in office, Truman was placed in the role of commander in chief and tasked with ending World War II. During World War II, Truman was the president who approved the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945. In his first 6 months of presidency, he announced the surrender of Germany, dropped the atomic bombs on Japan, ended at the.