I have read several histories of the Truman administration, and David McCulloch's definitive biography, and when I saw Ascent to Power I was excited to read about this critical period in American history through the lens of the transition from Roosevelt to Truman, and how, in the midst of the end of the second world war, the beginning of the cold war, the politics of a country facing inflation and the growing pains of political strife in which the foundations of the democratic majority that Roosevelt brought together was under strain. The book did not disappoint. It was well written, easy to follow, and told a story in a way that worked. I can't say I learned a LOT about Truman - as I knew his history quite well, but I think the reader without such background will gain a lot.

I have one criticism, and it is one that has gnawed at me the last week since I finished reading it. The author spent plenty of time talking about the "Jewish issue" and the creation of Israel, but he seemed incapable of not bringing his anti-Israel bias to the page, over and over. Almost the entire book focused on the period of 1943-1952, but with Israel he regularly made reference to the present day, and often made references that simply were biased through his own narrative and perspective. He only did this one other time, with a reference to Putin and Ukraine, but with Israel it was on-going. . t took a book that would have been 5 stars and knocked it down a notch for me. it wasn't necessary.

Harry and Joe made the world I grew up in

I was born in 1955. By that time Harry Truman had been out of power for two years. Joseph Stalin died in 1953. But for the first thirty years of my life, the international and political world I lived in was the one they made in Truman's first term as President of the USA, from 1945-1948. Indeed, as I look at the headlines on 16-Apr-2024, with Israel and Palestinians once more at war, and Putin's Russia trying to reconquer Ukraine, it is obvious that, even though we have to some extent moved on, we still live in the world that Harry and Joe made.

Harry and Joe met for the first time in Potsdam on 17-Jul-1945. Harry was impressed by Joe: “I can deal with Stalin. He is honest— but smart as hell.” Joe thought Harry was a lightweight, “Truman’s neither educated nor clever.” Stalin was not exactly wrong. In July, 1945, Harry *WAS* a lightweight. He had been ignored by Roosevelt and given no access to the political machinations that were central to his presidency. But Joe missed something important: Harry was a quick learner.

And something else: Harry was surrounded by smart people, and he was smart enough to use them. Harry appointed George (Marshall) as his Secretary of State, and stood aside and let him take the credit for sending American treasure and people to Japan and Europe (Germany included), resulting in an economically strong alliance of democracies that kept Joe's Soviet Union in a box until it finally collapsed, many years later.

We should pause for a second to appreciate how unusual this was. The historical rule is "To the victor go the spoils". It was entirely precedented and accepted that when you won a war, you walked off with everything that wasn't nailed down. This, indeed, was Joe's approach to that portion of Germany left in his hands -- to loot it. Harry and George brought about economic miracles in Japan and Germany (seriously, look up the German word Wirtschaftswunder). They didn't do this because they were generous -- they did it because they were smart. Far too many people -- even powerful world leaders -- believe that one person can benefit only if others lose. Harry and George made a bet that a powerful Japan and Europe would be good for the USA.

Harry also did other things that shaped the next several decades. He dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. But he was known as a straightforward, honest, and fair man. And he seems to have deserved that reputation. Harry recognized the new state of Israel within minutes of its declaration. Harry also championed civil rights in the USA -- a weaker version than we would now support, but it was the first big step towards a more fair USA. Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond, who deserted Harry's Democratic Party over the civil rights issue, when asked why he would desert over Harry's actions when he had overlooked similar promises made by Roosevelt in 1944, answered that the difference was that “Truman really means it.”

David L. Roll's Ascent to Power: How Truman Emerged from Roosevelt's Shadow and Remade the World, is not a complete biography of Truman.

"Unlike previous histories of the Roosevelt and Truman presidencies, this book focuses on the transition— the long shadow cast by the dead president, Truman’s struggle to emerge, and how decisions during the years of transition, 1944 through 1948, impacted the peoples who survived the sword."*

Thus, compared to a full biography like David McCullough's Truman, Ascent to Power is relatively brief and focused. (I was taken aback by Roll's calling the entire four years of Truman's first term the "transition", but since he is straightforward about doing that, I have no real complaint.) It is not by any means a light read, and there was little here I didn't already know. I had not previously appreciated the extent to which these four years made the world I grew up in. That was an enlightenment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advance reader copy of Ascent to Power: How Truman Emerged from Roosevelt's Shadow and Remade the World. Release date 23-Apr-2024.

*This quote is from an advance reader copy of Ascent to Power, and may change before publication. If necessary, this review will be corrected on the release date.

Franklin Roosevelt’s deteriorating health and lack of communication left Harry Truman unprepared for the monumental challenges he faced as the new president. As Truman’s efforts to maintain Roosevelt’s conciliatory approach with the Soviets faltered, he rapidly adapted and shaped the presidency in his own image. This gripping narrative shows his extraordinary transformation into a confident leader steering America through pivotal challenges. The book is engrossing, informative, and easy to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Turman was a man who looked like he would fail at the presidency. The product of a political machine, kept in the dark by FDR, he led the US through the early Cold War, the Korean War, the formation of Israel, and the desegregation of the armed forces. Roll doesn't shy away from Truman's flaws (he called lunch counter strikers "communists"), but he paints a picture of a courageous leader that stepped out of his predecessors shadow to set the stage for the next half-century of American policy.

A fascinating look at the history of Roosevelt and Truman. This had so much information I’d never read before, it was wonderful.

It was time for a great history lesson. I am pretty familiar with the history of FDR, but not so much of Truman. So when I was offered an ARC of this book from NetGalley, I was happy. And I was not disappointed!
Roll offers up an inside look at the end of the FDR presidency, and the ascension of Harry Truman's. He does so in a manner that is easy to read and understand. I found myself surprised at a lot of things in the book. Truman's dislike of being President (or so he told people), his early history with some unsavory characters back in Missouri, and his determination to set his own agenda for his presidency.
His dealings with the major global players is covered well. Stalin, Churchill, and all the important political figures in DC. The author uses some of Truman's own notes and letters, as well as his aides, to give a behind the scenes look. He exposes Truman's positive points, as well as many of his flaws. I was surprised at his civil rights opinions, as well as his feelings on the formation of Israel. I guess everything in the Presidency eventually comes down to politics, and getting those votes.
All in all, it works well. I learned a lot.

This was a wonderful book. Never have I read a book about such a complicated political action that was so clearly written.