Harry Truman During his presidential terms Harry Truman showed resilience in the face of the many foreign affairs he faced. Events that would highlight Truman's characteristics as an admirable leader include the difficulties he faced during World War II and his efforts to contain communism during Cold War tensions. Truman took office after Franklin Delano Roosevelt died from a brain hemorrhage. He was sworn in on April 12, 1845, becoming the 33rd President of the United States. Within a month of Truman taking office, World War II in Europe was almost over, within a month Hitler had committed suicide and Germany was raising the white flag, yet the war in the Pacific with Japan had intensified. Military planners advocated an Allied invasion of Japan, but Truman contradicted this by saying that this strategy would prolong the war another year and result in the deaths of many American soldiers. Truman knew that there was a second option through the Manhattan Project which developed the atomic bomb, while attending the Potsdam Conference, which discussed how to make Japan surrender, Truman was informed that an atomic bomb test had been successful, his efforts to an earlier conclusion of the war were in place. Truman approved the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan; then on August 6, 1945 the B-29 Enola Gay bomber dropped the first bomb on Hiroshima. Casualty estimates are severe, but more than 100,000 civilians died instantly. Japan had not yet surrendered and then the second bomb was dropped on August 9th on Nagasaki, five days later the Japanese surrendered so on September 2nd 1945, World War II was finally over.` Even though this war was over, the The Cold War had just begun ... middle of the paper ... the controversy over the launch of the atomic bomb considered inhumane and racist by American public opinion. Furthermore, his handling of early Cold War tensions would have been considered impressive by a president who claimed not to have much experience in foreign affairs; however, he managed to carry forward the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan which contributed to future containment policies during the Cold War. A leader is someone who takes initiative no matter how inexperienced or unsophisticated he may be, this is evident in Truman because he did not ask to be president of the United States, the title was simply given to him and he acted. Handle every situation to the best of one's ability despite difficulties and circumstances. Truman was a great leader at a time when his country needed him most and he intended to serve his county well.