Harry S. Truman: Presidential Rhetoric

This bibliography is divided into three sections: (1) speech sources in the Harry S. Truman Library, (2) Harry S. Truman's primary written sources, and (3) secondary sources.

The most important sources for the study of Harry S. Truman's presidential rhetoric are in the Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri. The library contains finding aides for all materials, and the staff is helpful and knowledgeable in the arcane art of conducting research in a presidential library.

The papers of Harry S. Truman, speech files, contain preliminary drafts as well as the final reading copy for all of his speeches and addresses. Unfortunately, the drafts are not always numbered or dated, nor do they always indicate who wrote and/or emended them. Although Truman did make last minute changes on the final reading copy, one may most often encounter Truman's underlining words and phrases for vocal emphasis.

The president's secretary's files, speech files, also contain important drafts and pertinent memorandum for the process of inventing and editing the speech. On the drafts, one may expect to find Truman's emendations, although these are not, as a rule, copious.

One must also consult the papers of Truman's principal speech advisers. These include the papers of David Bell, Clark Clifford, George Elsey, Joseph Jones, David Lloyd, Charles Murphy, Richard Neustadt, and

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