TLS as president, one page, 7 x 9, The White House, Washington letterhead, November 15, 1948. In part: “You are very generous in your congratulations. I am extremely grateful for the confidence and trust reposed in me by the American people and I feel very deeply the great responsibilities which I must meet. With all my powers I shall continue to strive for a successful conclusion of the far-reaching issues which face us.” In fine condition, with staple holes to upper left, trivial soling and toning in the borders. In 1948, Truman ordered the desegregation of the armed forces. As a result, a bloc of southern Democrats bolted the party and sponsored J. Strom Thurmond for President in the election of that year. Truman was also challenged on the left by Henry A. Wallace of the Progressive party, who opposed Truman's policy of confrontation with the Soviet Union. Although he won renomination, the President was thought to have little chance of reelection. But Truman embarked on a vigorous whistle-stop campaign across the country, blaming the Republican Congress for most of the nation's ills and highlighting its inactivity by calling a special session of Congress, at which he urged the Republicans to enact into law their own moderately liberal party platform. The campaign was a resounding success. Contrary to all the predictions, Truman defeated his Republican opponent, Thomas E. Dewey, and Democratic majorities swept into the House and Senate. The scientific pollsters, including George Gallup, all predicted that Dewey would beat Truman. (Gallup had won a dramatic bet by correctly predicting the outcome of the 1936 election). Newspapers were so sure the pollsters were right that they printed the headline, "Dewey Defeats Truman." R&R COA.
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