On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed this executive order establishing the President's Committee on
Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, committing the government to integrating the segregated military.
1948: THE POLLSTERS’ DEFEAT
Democratic prospects seemed hopeless in 1948. Harry Truman, who had become President on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death in 1945, had little popular appeal.
Truman faced a strong Republican contender, Thomas E. Dewey, and third-party pressures from Progressives and “Dixiecrats.” (Southern Democrats in the States’ Rights Party)
Political experts-and nearly every public opinion poll-predicted a Dewey victory. Chicago’s Tribune (see photo) felt safe in printing a “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline before all the votes were counted. Actually, Truman defeated Dewey-with 24,105,812 popular votes and 303 electoral votes. Dewey won 21,970,065 popular votes and 189 electoral votes.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.