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Less than two weeks after taking over as president after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman gives a tongue-lashing to Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov. The incident indicated that Truman was determined to take a “tougher” stance with the Soviets than his predecessor had.
When Roosevelt died of a massive stroke on April 12, 1945, Harry S. Truman took over as president. Truman was overwhelmed by the responsibilities so suddenly thrust upon him and, particularly in terms of foreign policy, the new president was uncertain about his approach. Roosevelt had kept his vice-president in the dark about most diplomatic decisions, not even informing Truman about the secret program to develop an atomic bomb. Truman had to learn quickly, however. The approaching end of World War II meant that momentous decisions about the postwar world needed to be made quickly. The primary issue Truman faced was how to deal with the Soviet Union. Just weeks before his death, Roosevelt met with Russian leader Joseph Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Yalta to discuss the postwar situation. Agreements made during the meeting left the Soviets in de facto control of Eastern Europe in exchange for Soviet promises to hold “democratic” elections in Poland. Some officials in the U.S. government were appalled at these decisions, believing that Roosevelt was too “soft” on the Soviets and naive in his belief that Stalin would cooperate with the West after the war. Truman gravitated to this same point of view, partially because of his desire to appear decisive, but also because of his long-standing animosity toward the Soviets.
On April 23, 1945, Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov arrived at the White House for a meeting with the new president. Truman immediately lashed out at Molotov, “in words of one syllable,” as the president later recalled. As Molotov listened incredulously, Truman charged that the Soviets were breaking their agreements and that Stalin needed to keep his word. At the end of Truman’s tirade, Molotov indignantly declared that he had never been talked to in such a manner. Truman, not to be outdone, replied that if Molotov had kept his promises, he would not need to be talked to like that. Molotov stormed out of the meeting. Truman was delighted with his own performance, telling one friend that he gave the Soviet official “the straight one-two to the jaw.” The president was convinced that a tough stance was the only way to deal with the communists, a policy that came to dominate America’s early Cold War policies toward the Soviets.
When Roosevelt died of a massive stroke on April 12, 1945, Harry S. Truman took over as president. Truman was overwhelmed by the responsibilities so suddenly thrust upon him and, particularly in terms of foreign policy, the new president was uncertain about his approach. Roosevelt had kept his vice-president in the dark about most diplomatic decisions, not even informing Truman about the secret program to develop an atomic bomb. Truman had to learn quickly, however. The approaching end of World War II meant that momentous decisions about the postwar world needed to be made quickly. The primary issue Truman faced was how to deal with the Soviet Union. Just weeks before his death, Roosevelt met with Russian leader Joseph Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Yalta to discuss the postwar situation. Agreements made during the meeting left the Soviets in de facto control of Eastern Europe in exchange for Soviet promises to hold “democratic” elections in Poland. Some officials in the U.S. government were appalled at these decisions, believing that Roosevelt was too “soft” on the Soviets and naive in his belief that Stalin would cooperate with the West after the war. Truman gravitated to this same point of view, partially because of his desire to appear decisive, but also because of his long-standing animosity toward the Soviets.
On April 23, 1945, Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov arrived at the White House for a meeting with the new president. Truman immediately lashed out at Molotov, “in words of one syllable,” as the president later recalled. As Molotov listened incredulously, Truman charged that the Soviets were breaking their agreements and that Stalin needed to keep his word. At the end of Truman’s tirade, Molotov indignantly declared that he had never been talked to in such a manner. Truman, not to be outdone, replied that if Molotov had kept his promises, he would not need to be talked to like that. Molotov stormed out of the meeting. Truman was delighted with his own performance, telling one friend that he gave the Soviet official “the straight one-two to the jaw.” The president was convinced that a tough stance was the only way to deal with the communists, a policy that came to dominate America’s early Cold War policies toward the Soviets.
Truman confronts Molotov - Apr 23, 1945 - HISTORY.com
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Molotov Here For Security Conference 1945 Newsreel
(1) "At the invitation of Pres. Truman, the Soviet Foreign Commisar arrives in Washington to confer with the President, Sec. Stettinius, and Anthony Eden bef...
Thank you TSgt Joe C. for letting us know that on April 23, 1945 with 2 weeks of the death of President FDR, Harry S. Truman berated Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov at the White House for a meeting with the new president.
President Truman charged that the Soviets were breaking their agreements and that Josef Stalin needed to keep his word. At the end of Truman’s tirade, Molotov indignantly declared that he had never been talked to in such a manner.
The incident indicated that Truman was determined to take a “tougher” stance with the Soviets than his predecessor had.
"At the invitation of Pres. Truman, the Soviet Foreign Commisar arrives in Washington to confer with the President, Sec. Stettinius, and Anthony Eden before the West Coast United Nations meetings convene." scenes of Molotov arrives at Blair House in DC, on way to San Francisco conference (2) Aviation in the News - "Jumbo Aeroplane Tire - Wright Field, Ohio, An aeroplane tire measuring 110 inches and weighing three quarters of a ton, is regidly tested on a machine which is equally unique. Final Seattle B-17 - When Boeing's Seattle, Wash. plant turns out its last Super Fortress the 30,000 employees make a gay occasion of the event." scenes of last B-17 rolled out at Boeing plant in Seattle that will make B-29s (3) In the Wake of War in Germany - "The Allies continue to pile up crushing defeats on the Nazis as they rush eastward from the Rhine. At Coblenz, the huge bridge lies broken in the Rhine, and doughboys maintain the 'Watch on the Rhine' while General Bradley and General Patton attend flag raising ceremonies at Ehrenbreitstein Castle, Heidelberg University is entered. Only shells of the ancient buildings are standing, while a modernistic building built by U.S. funds, reveals the generosity of American financiers. Duisburg, Limbourg, Osnabruck, and Munster are entered. The streets are filled with hills of broken buildings and wreckage. Mayors try to rally their citizens. The pathetic Volksturm, the home guard, surrenders, to join the thousands of combat troups previously captured. Frantic, hungry civilians break into ruined stores and stalled trains to steal food and clothing. German Atrocities - Allied armies free thousands of slave laborers, both men and women, from the infamous concentration camps. The victims hands had been mutilated, and numbers tattooed on their arms. One tremendous graveyard contains 30,000 dead! The occupant of each grave had been sent there by Nazi torture and barbarism." scenes of dead bodies and horses, crowds loot stores and railroad cars, girls show tatooed numbers from slave labor camps, in France families await return of loved ones, Heidelberg liberated, flag raised, Gen. Omar Bradley and Gen. Patton. (complete newsreel)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wk1zvgdeGU
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
President Truman charged that the Soviets were breaking their agreements and that Josef Stalin needed to keep his word. At the end of Truman’s tirade, Molotov indignantly declared that he had never been talked to in such a manner.
The incident indicated that Truman was determined to take a “tougher” stance with the Soviets than his predecessor had.
"At the invitation of Pres. Truman, the Soviet Foreign Commisar arrives in Washington to confer with the President, Sec. Stettinius, and Anthony Eden before the West Coast United Nations meetings convene." scenes of Molotov arrives at Blair House in DC, on way to San Francisco conference (2) Aviation in the News - "Jumbo Aeroplane Tire - Wright Field, Ohio, An aeroplane tire measuring 110 inches and weighing three quarters of a ton, is regidly tested on a machine which is equally unique. Final Seattle B-17 - When Boeing's Seattle, Wash. plant turns out its last Super Fortress the 30,000 employees make a gay occasion of the event." scenes of last B-17 rolled out at Boeing plant in Seattle that will make B-29s (3) In the Wake of War in Germany - "The Allies continue to pile up crushing defeats on the Nazis as they rush eastward from the Rhine. At Coblenz, the huge bridge lies broken in the Rhine, and doughboys maintain the 'Watch on the Rhine' while General Bradley and General Patton attend flag raising ceremonies at Ehrenbreitstein Castle, Heidelberg University is entered. Only shells of the ancient buildings are standing, while a modernistic building built by U.S. funds, reveals the generosity of American financiers. Duisburg, Limbourg, Osnabruck, and Munster are entered. The streets are filled with hills of broken buildings and wreckage. Mayors try to rally their citizens. The pathetic Volksturm, the home guard, surrenders, to join the thousands of combat troups previously captured. Frantic, hungry civilians break into ruined stores and stalled trains to steal food and clothing. German Atrocities - Allied armies free thousands of slave laborers, both men and women, from the infamous concentration camps. The victims hands had been mutilated, and numbers tattooed on their arms. One tremendous graveyard contains 30,000 dead! The occupant of each grave had been sent there by Nazi torture and barbarism." scenes of dead bodies and horses, crowds loot stores and railroad cars, girls show tatooed numbers from slave labor camps, in France families await return of loved ones, Heidelberg liberated, flag raised, Gen. Omar Bradley and Gen. Patton. (complete newsreel)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wk1zvgdeGU
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
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