just like the title says, what if Incumbent President Harry S. Truman had ran for President in 1952? Would he have won? If so how does his third term gone? How does this affect both the 1956 and 1960 elections? Does he run for a fourth term or not? Could he have beaten Eisenhower?
 
Truman did attempt to run but was defeated in the New Hampshire democratic primary. He then withdrew to allow the moderate Governor of Illinois Adlai Stevenson to be the democratic party nominee.
 
He was unpopular at the time. He did run, briefly, but after losing a primary, he withdrew. Had he somehow gotten the nomination, he would have lost.
 
Truman's job approval rating in February 1952, just before he withdrew from the race, was an unbelievably low 22-64. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/popularity.php?pres=33&sort=time&direct=DESC&Submit=DISPLAY (It improved a bit after that, but that was probably precisely because he was no longer a candidate.) Yes, Truman was doing badly in the polls in 1948, too, but never nearly that badly; he was 38-45 in June 1948, which means that almost as many people approved as disapproved of his job performance. Even Taft--let alone Ike--could almost certainly have defeated Truman in 1952.
 
Perhaps if the Korean War was a resounding victory and Ike’s health worsened, Truman could coast by to a close win over Taft, campaigning as though Taft sought to destroy the last 20 years of welfare programs.

Even with the seemingly overbearing culture zeitgiest of conformity throughout the 50s, I doubt Truman could match FDR and win in ‘56. Even if he did, how would the 60s go and American culture develop with two presidents over the course of 24 years?
 
Due to the Korean War, a weak economy, and "tax fixing." Truman had struggled in opinion polls before but his approval ratings suffered a steady downward decline from early 1949. By February 1952, military operations in Korea had reached a stalemate, with congressional Republicans hammering Truman for "botching" the war. The conflict was also contributing to rapid inflation and he had initiated unpopular price controls. In 1951 he had fired beloved General MacArthur and there was a huge tax collection scandal in 1951 where a bunch of officials were forced out due to corruption. He also tried to seize the steel industry, which was stopped by the Supreme Court (April 1952). Even though the democrats controlled Congress, splits within the party (Southern Democrats) meant Truman faced a constant struggle in moving his agenda forward.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2008/05/the_unpopular_president.html

The only way he could be successful would be if he somehow reins in MacArthur to not go into North Korea, calls it "mission accomplished" in October/November 1950 (so China/Soviets don't get involved) and then the economy won't get so messed up.
 

SsgtC

Banned
In 1951 he had fired beloved General MacArthur
That actually helped Truman. And killed MacArthur's political dreams. Once the reasons for the firing were made known (that Mac basically told his C-in-C to go fuck himself) the people supported the move.
 
SsgtC,
I don't believe you've interpreted the public reaction correctly, "Following the relief, most of the avalanche of mail and messages sent to the White House by the public supported MacArthur. On issues like character, integrity, honor and service, they rated MacArthur as the better man. What support Truman garnered was largely based on the principle of civilian control." Pearlman, Michael D. (2008). Truman and MacArthur: Policy, Politics, and the Hunger for Honor and Renown. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-35066-4. OCLC 159919446. plus Webcast Author Interview at the Pritzker Military Library on 24 June 2009

As I interpret the above reaction, while Truman was correct about requiring civilian control, the international gaffs by Truman over the use & control of nuclear weapons in our arsenal as well as the love for MacArthur (rightly or wrongly), Truman lost a lot of public support.
 
Would Eisenhower run against a sitting President?

When Eisenhower announced his candidacy--or at least implied he would accept the GOP nomination--Truman was not only a sitting president but by all appearances a candidate for re-election. It was only on March 29, 1952, at the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner that Truman announced "I shall not be a candidate for reelection. I have served my country long, and I think efficiently and honestly. I shall not accept a renomination. I do not feel that it is my duty to spend another 4 years in the White House." http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=14439 (This was after Kefauver had defeated him in the New Hampshire primary.)

Eisehower had already announced in January 1952 that while he would not leave his NATO assignment, citizens had a right "to place before me next July a duty that would transcend my present responsibility." which basically meant that he would accept the Republican nomination if offered. And he said this at a time when it was widely assumed Truman would run.

So the answer to whether Ike would run against Truman is that he did.
 
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