From the archives, December 1, 1945
WEST POINT, NY (CBS) — President Truman announced his new strategy in the Pacific in a speech Saturday night, vowing to deploy 30,000 additional troops to the Pacific theatre as quickly as possible and setting July 1947 as a date to begin pulling U.S. forces out of the region.
“I do not make this decision lightly,” the president said, telling more than 4,000 West Point Military Academy cadets that “as your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service.”
CBS News chief war correspondent Larry LeSueur said Tuesday night that the speech will be looked back at as the “defining moment of the Truman presidency.”
“This was the night when Harry Truman took full ownership of the war in the Pacific,” he said.
The president also said that U.S. troops will begin to come home in approximately 18 months, though he did not set a date for a full withdrawal of American forces. The troop surge, he said, will “allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of the Pacific in July of 1947.”
In the highly-anticiated address, the president said that while gains had been made against Japan since he came into office, the country has “moved backwards” for several years, in part because the United States has been focused on Europe.
The president also responded to those who oppose a timetable for withdrawal and seek what he called “a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort – one that would commit us to a nation building project of up to a decade.”
“I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what we can achieve at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests,” he said. “Furthermore, the absence of a timeframe for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Japanese government.”
“America has no interest in fighting an endless war with Japan,” added Mr. Truman.
The president has received criticism from “hawks” in both parties for his cancellation of former president Roosevelt’s Manhattan Project. He made a veiled reference to the so-called “Atom Bomb” when he said “we have at times made mistakes.”
In previous statements, Mr. Truman was more outspoken against the so-called “Buck Rogers” technology, saying “the science is settled” that an Atom Bomb is not feasible. American troops are currently scheduled to begin withdrawal from Germany in late 1946, where American forces continue to face attacks from Nazi insurgents.
“Our policy of pursuing talks with Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz of the Third Reich will allow a satisfying conclusion of hostilities in Europe,” Mr. Truman told the cadets.
Turning his attention back to the Pacific, the president then addressed the Japanese people directly, telling them “America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering.”
“We have no interest in occupying your country,” he said.
Brilliant Frank. Simply brilliant.
…er, I mean Basil.
I just KNEW there was a reason Obama was president. We’re in some kind of alternate quantum universe that started under Truman!! Basil, you’re a genius.
That pretty much sums everything up.
Has our illustrious leader ever had an idea of his own? I suspect not.
Jon R: your link got truncated in the middle, and leads to a 404.
Did he not once blame the mess he inherited on his predecessor?
It is so inspiring to watch a true military genius in action. This must be how the Italians felt under the leadership of il duce. He even does the chin up thing!
I wonder how the FDR speech regarding the “troop surge” at Normandy would have went and how the liberal media would have covered the huge number of dead and wounded suffered.
More archives:
From 1953:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) – President Adlai Stevenson proclaimed today that Americans will just have to accept the communist-run countries of South Korea and Taiwan. Saying “There’s no way we’re sending more American boys to fight land wars in Asia,” Stevenson pledged to send his Chief of Staff, Major Dwight Eisenhower to negotiate with the Chinese over the safe withdrawal of US forces from the region. “Korea and Taiwan are on their own,” said the President. “We have no interests there and shouldn’t be forcing ourselves on Asian countries. We’re sorry to hear about Chiang Kai-shek but there’s nothing we can to about it.”
In related events, Major Eisenhower, still recovering from his losses in Europe during WWII and recent demotion after a falling out with President Truman, was en route to the region but found time to comment on General Douglas MacArthur’s recent capture and prosecution / torture by the Chinese. “We just have to trust our Chinese friends to do the right thing in a spirit of cooperation,” said Eisenhower. “What else can we do?”
You know when you put it that way it makes the president look like even more of an idiot than I thought he was.
-sarcasm- So, when are we going to see our forces off of Japanese, German, and Korean soil? Support our Troops! Bring them all Home! -/sarcasm-
Anybody remember that scene from the original Airplane movie where Striker and Elaine are making out on the beach? He tells her he is flying out on a bombing mission the next morning and proceeds to give away the entire battle plan. This “presidential decision” sure seems like life imitating art to me. Not really the type of “art” I want to see imitated with Obama in charge.
Great one, Basil. I was sure, as Teh One prattled along, I could hear loud, hearty, unified laughter from various warlord caves. And the Kremlin.
Well I believe Truman was a real genius.
Good one, Basil!
Only one minor thing. Speech date has to be PRIOR to the actual bomb dropping dates in August 1945.
Ah yes a very good scenario, but here’s what I think would have happened if today’s Democrats had been in charge back then…….(Dec. 8th 1941-NY Times)– Today, in a major speech to the nation, President Roosevelt denounced yesterdays attack on United States forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Calling the it vicious and unprovoked he labeled the sneak attack a ”day that will live in infamy” and promised the nation a full and complete investigation to be led by the Honolulu Police Department assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” I have tasked FBI Director Hoover and his agency with assisting the Honolulu PD in investigating and apprehending the perpetrators of this unprovoked attack on America, and bringing them to justice.” The President said. He further stated, ” The American people and the rest of the world can be assured that I will not rest until the perpetrators of this dastardly act of aggression are standing before a judge in Honolulu. Even now as I speak, indictments are being drawn up against the following suspects, Emperor Hirohito, Prime Minister Tojo, Admiral Yamamoto, Admiral Nagumo and the entire Japanese Navy and Army. The Honolulu Police Chief and Mr. Hoover have assured me they are quite capable of bringing these suspects to justice and I have full confidence in their abilities to bring this matter to a swift and just closure,” The President was quoted as saying.
Of course, as we all know, none of the above ever really happened, mostly due to the fact that on the 9th of December the NY Times published a story reveling our ability to read Japanese messages because we had successfully cracked their secret code. That’s why today we all speak Japanese…..except the people east of the Mississippi who all speak German.
It is amazing to hear first-hand, from someone who has been there and done it. I just finished reading “Words for Warriors:
A Professional Soldier’s Notebook” by Ralph Puckett and was amazed at how much leadership it requires to lead a troop of soldiers. Ralph Pucket spent virtually his entire career leading troops in peace and war. He recounts many of his personal experiences, as well as those of other military professionals, and how each relates to the end product of “getting the job done.” Sections such as training, taking care of soldiers (employees), personal life, strategy and goals are broken down into easy to read and understand incidents. I certainly hope that our current leaders really think things through to make the best decision for our great nation!