>> welcomeme to the new program series from the trim in my brain to do. thank you for joining us today for our next trip down the tracks. i'm the director of strategic initiatives and host for our journey through the permanent exhibition at the truman presidential library and museum. .. i give the all aboard a quick thank you to our generous whistle stop series sponsor.

today we will travel to missouri at the turn of the century to explore truman's formative years. after watching truman and with the introduction film which was brilliantly detailed in the first episode in the whistle stop series, so to explore the origins of the very first thing that prepared him for the presidency. and with that hands-on interactive in the first room th i through the reconstruction was made on to succeed in the presidency in the background, and diverse experiences and of course personal relationship and this includes it. [inaudible].

is one of the things that this was untrue minute and now today's journey we have a very special conductor, it is me and rather self and through this incident i would probably internationally recognized that country and am honored to be your conductor today so is a list and we will get to the locomotive going although truman was for l the last of the nine prisons who he did not had a degree in an early age and tenderly and she was an avid reader and fromrl the bible, and history, and poetry, and once they said the truman was a great student of history was a extremely important to understand if one wants to understand.

and he was infamous, this is a photograph of him went an agent 13 as a child, his ability to play sports, and endure other outdoor activities and so, he did spend time reading and playing the piano. ♪ ♪♪ in galleries and you walk by the piano, truman enjoyed playing and this was one of them. and he was piano playing with the whole story by itself in we'll save it for another day, this point we will focus on the reading and this photograph of treatment with his brother vivian and truman was about four years old in this picture and he was two and they would both catch this. and before that, present and bacterial infection could be deadly especially in children

and he was paralyzed arms and then than the exit and during that time when truman began to read so much. and he could not get up without health so he would for the books out on the floor in front of him and he would read that way ways to the birthday, his mother, and also great men and famous women and the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent people in history. before the soldiers in the story, they were heroes and artists and authors and they're not the n original ones that truman it did, they work boston time and they are in the same time and truman later accounts ofe us time reading his books ad his favorite of which on these pages was one of the turning points in his life.

not to be outdone by his wife and his father john talk about immigration and women an introduction to a list of heroes that he strove to emulate the characters there, nothing they would carry with him through the presidency. these are detailed in the gallery. some of what truman rented what he took up way from it but county estate during during his presidency and before he finishes the story, the biographies and individuals are far from these books with truman and mary and john and john wanted a house full of books for the families. and they've got as many books as they could, it would have shakes bird with truman quickly consumed any also like poetry during the poems and songs of

famous people, he first wrote in longhand is a high school senior and he carried in his wallet for the rest of his life in 1832, and you will hear this now. and it no longer and. [inaudible]. the confederation of the world, shovels and rounded all, and kindly center, black up against the wall. [inaudible]. and remembering it then he would read every weekend and saying that he readd them all which could've been the case and truman it claims that he read the bible twice by age 12 and by age 13, he said that he had read every volume, at least 2000

books, three - 4000 by some estimations in the independence library which is scene here. and you can see that is in the right hand side, i will refer you now, he said it believe it or not i read them all including it is closing and served me well my trials came. and scene here and there senior class photo and truman it was a very back wrote in the fourth from the left and truman and in 1950s, the history archives at the truman library in one of his classmates in a child's, calling a great historian as you remember the particular instance truman it help straighten out ngthe voice during a conversati. as a in oklahoma and in kansas

between 1990, in 1992 in a very day which in start of the, an attorney and how many were killed and copies of the canvas and of course, truman had the answers would and henry recalled that they wanted to call him out but they wouldn't do it because they had oney respect for him i. and later in life he would call himself that when he those years in looking back, truman it said reading history was far more interesting than a romantic it instructions by teaching and i wanted and i needed it. and i see that history has extremely valuable lessons i i learned from it as a leader and a man ability to know what to do when they don't want to do and to write it did in the writings

of the book about people, and the truman gallery from his readings and from that it we hae the following about truman's abilities. above all patriotism was important, shame was detectable and encourage and the courage is not an always facing fellow but when i was at home, it is your heart, strong mighty and a great deal of courage and i think amanda will get through. and in world war ii, truman's postwar democratic order, the gallery stops on the tracks truman it wrote about what he believed it was the ideal man, in the first place, ralph and he must not be colder in the

critical we must have a warmhearted love someone. and he was a good student, not exactly. the second grade report card scene here. and for the teachers who said he was a good student but not an exceptional one a especially future press secretary who mathematics teacher, they call them brilliant, they said that truman and special something in later years, i was admitted i knew that harry would amount to something. at the high school, truman had to study law t and finance was n the finances and truman with his

families and during the careers. in working in banks and for the city including bank where he had an important conversation there, he was a good employee. that was before he was called back to the family farm. and in his diaries he continued to read it and then he would just for fun. and then he would leave the family farm, a preview there, that was in world war i and although the next book during world war i, truman with his knowledge of french history, on the city anyways he insisted it the cathedral and also had met

joan of arc in history which we would learn in the book evidence, 30 years of public service and ethical and moral guidance and he would make decisions, pass issues arose and trumanec it senior on the truman balcony after the addition of the white house, look for insight pretty fighting communism and even though they are not running for another term and truman didn't only use histd upon before making a decision and an aunt taken away from his favorite books is a young boy, under fire comes to mind and truman wrote in an autobiography i though biography, a military career and women, i found the

first victory they wanted was in the primal urges and all of them conversed printed any notice and he was referring to white men and where they saw the women, and animals and theaters and george washington among others. [inaudible]. and why hannibal was strategist who later went into politics and studying the individual strengths and weaknesses in doing so in fact would only with one eye in truman it would later talk about the history, someone prime example of what was in a genius that he may achieve against tremendous odds. and then the formal education did not match that and worked

hard to compensate for his and the interstate commerce, subcommittee charged investigating with the finances, truman had more than 50 history and more undercover and later years, he was surprised how disappointed he was with the congressman would utilize the library. so, sitting in the oval office, truman said that a man is appointed with other people have experience, i respect it is easier for him to go through a similar experience pretty is ignorance the causes most eight mistakes, the man ought to know the american history at least and he thought he would like to be a history teacher added truman responded with, yes, i

think so, it would be not nearly so much trouble. and so after years of reading, truman was aware of the demagogues and bigotry and among these he concluded that the ku klux klan and the information in missouri and confederates, truman it be that the present he did not sit idly by any longer and do nothing of the glaring injustices occurring in the south and in response to home, truman responded, if there living 80 years behind their times and the sooner they come out of it, the better it will be for the country, and themselves. and we have an upcoming series, truman will go on to be military and the workforce. and history informs truman it

about our great republic amos also speaking of challenges for democracy and on june 16th 1949 angel reporter inquiring about the recent history in his administration of an down in a country in a didn't go to hacking it will not now. and it the members of his father to that and assess the situation it braided and the history we have now. and now, as we know, avelino about truman, the family bible scene here twice at the age of 12 because he said so and one, a great deal of familiarity of the bible from the fact that i run it through twice, before i was

12 years old and as it was 20, in the large, truman it eventually had the movement by order and including the 33rd degree ring petite work throughout the presidency and the private politics gallery and while it was given to him, honor in the mason pretty and truman found the core of government which he described in the 1950s to address and quote president truman divine ordering him, himself. >> this nations ideas, was given to moses on mount sinai, the fundamental basics of the bill

of rights and the constitution comes from the teachings of we get to exodus, matthew and st. paul, who in on the mount gives us the rights and matt will understand it as the world. for this is doing to others as you would have others do unto you and treat others as you would like to be treated, amy think of such a philosophy has no place in politics of ovgovernment, but it is of which you can base and lasting government. and on a rock and will not fail. >> one of truman's famous was on 137, a sitdown ea, and he remembered zion and then it named in self-administered

history education and in part of the jewish faith and also that the bible and babylonia and allowed them influence truman's views on the establishment of the jewish homeland and the idea the joyce returning to zion was for the presence even though many in the military establishment strongly opposed the idea. on may 14, 1948, truman declared the fact of recognition of the original government to the state of israel which was fascinating story that we will explore another time card and the military leader, famous for holg the power no longer than necessary and by george washington, truman admired it the man's ability to know how and when to lead on the repower and truman were on april 6,

stating that he would not want a third term in 1952 and you can read both of them on these two papers i will also refer you. in my opinion, hate years of government is enough and sometimes too much. for any man to serve and there is something inpr power that isn a man's blood in the money and they been known to do and public and the greatest history of the world, i want this country to continue ahe republican in the balance in washington, and down again and such men as washington, jefferson it and andrew jackson, all of them could've had a continuation of an office and they would start on the road to dictatorship. they also inspired a truman to embrace private life after the presidency in here, you got it, reading it in their homes in

independence, missouri. and when asked by his editor, truman answered no young man, like to read myself awake and truman's office, here's a list to get you started, five, these are commentaries and autobiography, the roman empire, missouri struggle for statehood in the republican, and the work of robert burns of the complete works of another and 15 decisive battles of the world, charles economic interpretation of the constitution, and william shakespeare, all of his readings and this was from the president and if you start out even

inconceivable you'll find a lengthy study and i will keep you out of mischief to. and hand over the controls to david michael in the final thoughts and truman's ass well for the literature and in front of the library, and owner of the library's 50th anniversary in 2007. >> harry truman's, he said among other things, that i don't know anybody in the world who ever ran as much are constantly has he did and it was what you would call a book form. warm and the standard works of greece and

rome and for history, if there was something in a book that was part of life, a section of life for a former time, was of interest because it had to do with people. harry truman would withstand the history and he understood the history is not simple and in the history of our country is simple and america is not simple and he understood in a way, such thing as the past, nothing ever happened in the past, and only happen in the present in somebody else's present, not ours. john adams, george washington, harry truman, who didn't walk around saying this was in the past. are we remarkable in this. and truman understood the

english language from 1948 campaign and almost all delivered on the backs of the train and much equality of the language, the english language and how crowded his teachers must have been. one syllable word if he could suffice for three syllable word, that's what he would pick and had less to do with the fact that it has a classical education which is exactly but not if teachers that john adams had her thomas jefferson and its through george washington or harold green and only can sixth

grade education but to read the classics and in translations classical education, was with the understood and founding time. and so the red arctic hundred parts of history and classical history of virtue, honesty, character, and character is destiny they said, and if you want to study that in a model, look at the story of harry truman.de common sense is not common as well as observed and who knows how many before but truman understood that predict and had value of common sense.

>> truman's first real test of the common sense, character and leadership was in world war i and find out what happened after truman home, they wouldn't be left out of the greatest is remaking adverse the world is ever seen of all to live for this information about future oninstallments and other interesting programs by setting up our e-mail letter at truman library institute .org. >> looking history tv is looking back throughout the years of the nation's capitol. >> washington and in south dakota but you agree with the chance of the field trip spinning the natural resources i think that is true in addition to among many other symbols and also in the future and in the

world today, events are taking place hundreds of millions of people and democratic rule, post livable and restore than in the previous years printed we still hope that there may be a time on the stairs of christmas and whee the 19 and so we could look forward to a future and. [inaudible]. in the family and friendships and treasure. [inaudible]. and through congress, and best wishes to you for a merry christmas and happy holiday season and now i'm going to ask my colleagues, to read christmas - is a beacon of hope and a

symbol of our celebration of this holy season. [inaudible]. [cheering and applause]. ♪ ♪♪ ♪ ♪♪ ♪ ♪♪ >> history and the holidays holland, cspan.org/history, weakens on "c-span2" are an intellectual fees every saturday, american history tv tells america stories and on sunday, he brings you the latest nonfiction books and authors,

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our television programs are also available as a podcast and you can find them all our cspan now mobile app, anywhere you can get your podcast. >> cspan's american history tv continues now, you can find the full schedule for the weekend under program guide our cspan.org/history. >> the crunches of how and why things happen and sometimes it seems that it possesses many task and in his new book "liberty is sweet" he seeks out history of the american revolution it, and more than as thousand eyewitness accounts i can check the history of any of those are freely available online at you can read for yourselves and it can be found online, the website national archives through the national historical publications.