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Motion Picture MP2002-95

Screen Gems Collection (outtakes from the television series “Decision:  The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman”)

Administrative Information

Footage
290 feet
Running Time
8 minutes 48 seconds
Film Gauge
35mm
Sound
sound
Color
Black & White
Produced by
Screen Gems in association with Ben Gradus
Restrictions
Unrestricted
Description

Harry S. Truman answers questions from soldiers at Fort Leavenworth, mostly about the Korean War. This is apparently a continuation of MP2002-87. Sound only. 

Speakers
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972
Date(s)
ca.
1961 - 1963

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This item does not circulate but reproductions may be purchased.

To request a copy of this item, please contact truman.reference@nara.gov​​​​​​​

Please note that this video belongs to a different video collection than the items available to be borrowed by teachers, from our Education Department.

Moving Image Type
Screen Gems

Shot List

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Reel 1

0:00   Harry S. Truman answers questions from soldiers, probably at Ft. Leavenworth (see SR94-9). This recording was probably part of the Talent Associates background material for the series, which was later taken over by Ben Gradus. See also MP2002-87 for more of this session. Harry S. Truman is talking about Teheran (Iran); the situation was discussed by leaders of big states. He discusses the situation of the 38th parallel in Korea; we didn’t have enough troops to occupy, so he agreed the Russians could occupy the northern zone and the United States, the southern zone.
2:07   Question about why didn’t we use the atomic bomb in Korea? Mr. Truman replies that he wanted to stop a war, not start one. He talks about Ethiopia going to the League of Nations to protest Mussolini’s aggression. The United Nations was called into the picture to avert aggression.
4:01   Question about how the Koreans were held accountable for atrocities. Mr. Truman replies they should be held accountable.
4:55   Question about Prisoners of War, was there a plan to rescue prisoners? Mr. Truman replies yes, but there was another chance of starting ` World War III. We didn’t want to make our Korean Prisoners of War go back if they didn’t want to.
6:00   Question about effort to rescue Prisoners of War – effort was delayed by weather. Mr. Truman replies that he sent a plane to get Bataan Death March survivors. there were conversations at the end of World War II to try the Emperor of Japan. He wanted to have the Emperor order the Japanese troops to surrender; that was the only way they would surrender.