USS Harry Truman (CVN 75) - Naval Cruise Book

“1 945. while posing for a portrait during a spring \acation at Warm Springs, Ga., Roosevelt complained of a severe headache and then collapsed. He never regained consciousness. Vice President Truman received a call summoning him to come quickly to the White House. Twenty minutes later, he was ushered into a room where Eleanor Roosevelt told him simply, " Harry, the president is dead. " Truman stood silent for several seconds before asking at last: " Is there anything I can do for you? " " Is there anything wc can do for you? ' ' she replied. " For you are the one in trouble At 7:09 p.m. in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Supreme Court Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone administered the oath of office to Truman, making him the 33 " ' president of the United States. Talking to reporters the following day, Truman said, " I don ' t know ifyou fellows ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me what had happened, I felt like the moon, the stars and all the planets had fallen on me. " " The baby is born " Truman ' s demand for a speedy end to the War in Europe was fulfilled when word was announced that Germany had surrendered unconditionally. But the victory was tempered with concerns about the war in the Pacific. Japan was determined not to surrender, and military observers estimated that Japan could go on fighting for at least another year, even though their chances of victory had all but diminished. ., - > . j» While Truman was at Potsdam, Germany for the conference to determine the future of postwar Europe, he received an important message: " The baby is born. " " 7b the best of my ability ... " - Presi- dent Truman is sworn in as the 33rd president of the United States after Franklin D. Rooseve lt died in 1945. i.V.« > ' -iir i-SiiiSMBI Wi ^ A ^ .^ 1. V " .i ii A r\ ■.w=*rvi-^?. ' . & ' ife^^«»nsBBS»sa? ”