Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the United States. He implemented the Marshall Plan to rebuild the economy of Western Europe, and established the Truman Doctrine and NATO. Profoundly inspirational Harry S. Truman quotes will encourage growth in life, make you wiser and broaden your perspective.
If you’re searching for best known presidential quotes that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of quotes from Franklin D. Roosevelt, powerful Jimmy Carter quotes and famous John Quincy Adams quotes.
Famous Harry S. Truman Quotes
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry S Truman
Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers. Harry S. Truman
America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. Harry S Truman
Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four square for the American home but not for housing. They are strong for labor but they are stronger for restricting labor’s rights. They favor minimum wage the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all but they won’t spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine for people who can afford them. They consider electrical power a great blessing but only when the private power companies get their rake off. They think American standard of living is a fine thing so long as it doesn’t spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it. Harry S. Truman
Actions are the seed of fate deeds grow into destiny. Harry S Truman
It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own. Harry S. Truman
When you have an efficient government, you have a dictatorship. Harry S Truman
The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know. Harry S. Truman
Richard Nixon is a no good, lying bastard. He can lie out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, and if he ever caught himself telling the truth, he’d lie just to keep his hand in. Harry S Truman
Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures character. Harry Truman
The Marine Corps is the Navy’s police force and as long as I am President that is what it will remain. They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin’s. Harry S Truman
I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell. Harry S. Truman
A leader in the Democratic Party is a boss, in the Republican Party he is a leader. Harry S Truman
If you can’t convince them, confuse them. Harry S. Truman
A politician is a man who understands government. A statesman is a politician who’s been dead for 15 years. Harry S Truman
Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself. Harry S. Truman
Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don’t ever apologize for anything. Harry S Truman
We must remember that the test of our religious principles lies not just in what we say, not only in our prayers, not even in living blameless lives but in what we do for others. Harry S. Truman
When even one American who has done nothing wrong is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth then all Americans are in peril. Harry S Truman
Selfishness and greed, individual or national, cause most of our troubles. Harry S. Truman
The White House is the finest prison in the world. Harry S Truman
Tact is the ability to step on a man’s toes without messing up the shine on his shoes. Harry S. Truman
Art is parasitic on life, just as criticism is parasitic on art. Harry S Truman
The Republicans believe in the minimum wage the more the minimum, the better. Harry S. Truma
It is understanding that gives us an ability to have peace. When we understand the other fellow’s viewpoint, and he understands ours, then we can sit down and work out our differences. Harry S Truman
I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. Harry S. Truman
The buck stops here! Harry S Truman
The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount. If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State. Harry S. Truman
I do not believe there is a problem in this country or the world today which could not be settled if approached through the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. Harry S Truman
Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day. Harry S. Truman
All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway. Harry S Truman
My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference. Harry S. Truman
You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. Harry S Truman
We should resolve now that the health of this nation is a national concern; that financial barriers in the way of attaining health shall be removed; that the health of all it’s citizens deserves the help of all the nation. Harry S. Truman
There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know. Harry S Truman
In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves self discipline with all of them came first. Harry Truman
America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. Harry S. Truman
Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. Harry S Truman
Once a decision was made, I didn’t worry about it afterward. Harry S. Truman
A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. Harry S Truman
I fired MacArthur because he wouldn’t respect the authority of the president. I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was. Harry S. Truman
A President cannot always be popular. Harry S Truman
Richard Nixon is a no good, lying bastard. He can lie out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, and if he ever caught himself telling the truth, he’d lie just to keep his hand in. Harry S. Truman
You can always amend a big plan, but you can never expand a little one. I don’t believe in little plans. I believe in plans big enough to meet a situation which we can’t possibly foresee now. Harry S Truman
Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship. Harry S. Truman
The atom bomb was no great decision. It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness. Harry S Truman
Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I’ll show you a crook. Harry Truman
Always be sincere, even if you don’t mean it. Harry S Truman
Republicans don’t like people to talk about depressions. You can hardly blame them for that. You remember the old saying Don’t talk about rope in the house where somebody has been hanged. Harry S. Truman
I remember when I first came to Washington. For the first six months you wonder how the hell you ever got here. For the next six months you wonder how the hell the rest of them ever got here. Harry S Truman
I never would have agreed to the formulation of the Central Intelligence Agency back in forty seven, if I had known it would become the American Gestapo. Harry S. Truman
Upon books the collective education of the race depends; they are the sole instruments of registering, perpetuating and transmitting thought. Harry S Truman
The reward of suffering is experience. Harry S. Truman
This administration is going to be cussed and discussed for years to come. Harry S Truman
I come to the office each morning and stay for long hours doing what has to be done to the best of my ability. And when you’ve done the best you can, you can’t do any better. Harry S. Truman
You know that being an American is more than a matter of where your parents came from. It is a belief that all men are created free and equal and that everyone deserves an even break. Harry S Truman
A bureaucrat is a Democrat who holds some office that a Republican wants. Harry Truman
I would rather have peace in the world than be President. Harry S Truman
In most of my campaigns, I find it is best not to mention my opponent by name because, by doing so, it just gives him a chance to get into the headlines. Harry S. Truman
I had faith in Israel before it was established, I have in it now. I believe it has a glorious future before it not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization. Harry S Truman
Millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and to enjoy good health. Millions do not now have protection or security against the economic effects of sickness. And the time has now arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and to help them get that protection. Harry S. Truman
If I hadn’t been President of the United States, I probably would have ended up a piano player in a bawdy house. Harry S Truman
Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive. And don’t ever apologize for anything. Harry S. Truman
A president either is constantly on top of events or, if he hesitates, events will soon be on top of him. I never felt that I could let up for a moment. Harry S. Truman
We must have strong minds, ready to accept facts as they are. Harry S. Truman
The best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. Harry S Truman
When even one American who has done nothing wrong is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in peril. Harry Truman
The human animal cannot be trusted for anything good except en masse. The combined thought and action of the whole people of any race, creed or nationality, will always point in the right direction. Harry S Truman
If you can’t dance then you are a loser. Harry Truman
I’ve said many a time that I think the Un American Activities Committee in the House of Representatives was the most un American thing in America! Harry S Truman
Brave men don’t belong to any one country. I respect bravery wherever I see it. Harry S. Truman
If you can’t convince them, confuse them. Harry S Truman
Men often mistake notoriety for fame, and would rather be noticed for their vices than not be noticed at all. Harry S. Truman
It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours. Harry S Truman
Human life is something that comes to us from beyond this world, and the purpose of our society is to cherish it and to enable the individual to attain the highest achievement of which he is capable. Harry Truman
The reward of suffering is experience. Harry S Truman
How many times do you have to get hit over the head until you figure out who’s hitting you. Harry S. Truman
I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell. Harry S Truman
No nation on this globe should be more internationally minded than America because it was built by all nations. Harry S. Truman
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Harry S Truman
Dictatorship, by whatever name, is founded on the doctrine that the individual amounts to nothing; that the State is the only one that counts; and that men and women and children were put on earth solely for the purpose of serving the state. Harry S. Truman
I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. Harry S Truman
A person who is fundamentally honest doesn’t need a code of ethics. The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are all the ethical code anybody needs. Harry S. Truman
I never gave anybody hell! I just told the truth and they thought it was hell. Harry S Truman
I doubt if there is any problem in the world today social, political or economic that would not find a happy solution if approached in the spirit of the sermon on the mount. Harry S Truman
You can never get all the facts from just one newspaper, and unless you have all the facts, you cannot make proper judgements about what is going on. Harry S Truman
Experience has shown how deeply the seeds of war are planted by economic rivalry and social injustice. Harry Truman
