Northeast Asia and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman made decisions as president that would have a decisive impact in determining the course of history in Northeast Asia after World War II. These essays examine how Truman acted to resolve challenges facing the United States from 1945 to 1952 in Japan, China, and the two Koreas. The authors, all recognized authorities on postwar US intelligence or foreign relations, present new and provocative explanations for Truman’s policies that previous historians have debated for a half-century.
Extensive research in government archives, manuscript collections, and Chinese and Soviet source materials present a more complete assessment of the impact of Truman’s policies toward China and in the Korean War, Truman’s decisions about Japan, and especially the dropping of atomic bombs and postwar occupation. This collection looks at how Truman’s decisions in Northeast Asia defined the legacy of his presidency.