Truman Dbq

Thesis/Argument: Although my original thesis and a few other answers resembled that of Dr. Carey’s, I think this one may work as well. “An examination of the origins of the NSC illuminates our understanding of Truman as president as well as our understanding of bureaucratic politics. Ultimately, it even informs our knowledge of foreign policy, for the NSC was the newest weapon in the Cold War.” (Page 361. first paragraph) Nelson is arguing that by looking into the evolution of the NSC, we can learn valuable information regarding Truman as a president, bureaucratic politics, and foreign policy.

Objective: I believe the author’s objective was to give the reader a strong understanding as to what Truman’s presidency was like, and what his personality

360 second paragraph. Also, Truman believed that Foreign policy should only be handled by the president, p.378. The reader can also see how the formation of the NSC affected bureaucratic positions, who were worried that the unification of the defense would severely affect their current jobs. p.362 first three paragraphs. The author claims that this was a major reason that people turned their nose at the proposal of a unified army. We also get to see how foreign issues affected Truman, such as the Korean War, P.373 second and third paragraph. The Korean War and other issues made Truman realize how important the NSC council was to him, p.377 first three paragraphs. Political power was a common theme throughout Nelson

She then shows the beginnings of the formation of the NSC, and the major people involved in its creation. Next, she shows Truman’s relationship with his few trusted people and his opinions on some social issues during his presidency. She also shows how the formation of the NSC affected other political figures within the white house and other agencies. By the end, she comes to the conclusion at the importance the NSC was to the Truman administration and his outlook on foreign policy.
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What types of evidence does the author use? Historical documents, memoirs and diaries from Truman, Keenan and other historical figures of that time. There are also scholarly journals, published books, and transcripts from interviews. All in which is located at the bottom of each page.

Does the author suggest or imply anything not in evidence? – The author was not certain when Souers and Truman first met. Nelson states that they “probably met in 1945 when he presented the plan of the JSC for the intelligence coordination.” (pg.367) Nelson also says that Truman’s presidency came as a surprise without any background info as to why. Although this may be factual, I don’t really see any evidence to as why his Presidency was a surprise.

What is the intended audience for the book? Being a scholarly and well-researched document, Anna Nelson’s article is intended to help scholars, researches, and