The Watchdog

How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World War Two

By: Steve Drummond

Narrated by: Steve Drummond

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

The story of how a little-known junior senator fought wartime corruption and, in the process, set himself up to become vice president and ultimately President Harry Truman.

Months before Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt knew that the United States was on the verge of entering another world war for which it was dangerously ill prepared. The urgent times demanded a transformation of the economy, with the government bankrolling the unfathomably expensive task of enlisting millions of citizens while also producing the equipment necessary to successfully fight—all of which opened up opportunities for graft, fraud and corruption.

In The Watchdog, Steve Drummond draws the listener into the fast-paced story of how Harry Truman, still a newcomer to Washington politics, cobbled together a bipartisan team of men and women that took on powerful corporate entities and the Pentagon, placing Truman in the national spotlight and paving his path to the White House.

Drawing on the largely unexamined records of the Truman Committee as well as oral histories, personal letters, newspaper archives and interviews, Steve Drummond—an award-winning senior editor and executive producer at NPR—brings the colorful characters and intrigue of the committee’s work to life. The Watchdog provides listeners with a window to a time that was far from perfect but where it was possible to root out corruption and hold those responsible to account. It shows us what can be possible if politicians are governed by the principles of their office rather than self-interest.

©2023 Steve Drummond (P)2023 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

The emphasis on how people from different political parties can and did work in the best interests of of the country

Liked it all particularly the epilogue following the characters after the work they did on the committee.

Why Harry Truman happened to be in the right spot

A veteran of the first World war, Harry was elected to the Senate from Missouri ending up responsible for cleaning out contractors and corporations who were bilking the government out of millions. Not to mention delivering flawed goods. Might be a good time to audit current providers.

Everyone In Washington Today Should Read This Book

I've read a bunch of World War II books and a heck of a lot on Harry Truman, but this is a new take on how Truman got in the position to be selected as FDR's running mate in 1944. It is a great book!

It dives pretty deep into the weeds of congressional rules and procurement regulations but it moves fast and is an easy listen. it also sheds new light on Harry Truman and who he was as a leader and a man.

Interesting Take On the War Effort Stateside

I learned so many new things about the war effort at home. Amazing the level of effort and the speed at which it was done. Did not know Harry Truman’s involvement and what vaulted him to the vice presidency.

Fresh topic well executed

I was pleased to see a book on a fresh topic about Harry Truman. It was also a fresh topic about WWII. And the author does a terrific job of deep research, balanced judgements and good writing. The narration was excellent. Highly recommended fire those who want a deeper dive on Truman and American efforts in WWII.

Very Well Done

I had read about the Truman Committee before, but this was an excellent dive down into the work that the Committee did as well as a great study of the leadership and innovative way Truman ran the Committee and the support he gave to its workers. I highly recommend this book. I love that the author, in the Epilogue, followed up with a brief biography of the members after Truman left the Committee. The author, as narrator, struck the right tone for the book.

FIVE STARS!!!

Steve Drummond’s account of the war-time accomplishments of the Truman Committee, it’s Chairman, and its members and staff is a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in WWII history and mid-20th century American culture. This meticulously researched account of the committee’s work, coupled with Drummond’s very evident gift for storytelling, transports the listener (and/or reader) to this most fascinating period in world history and American politics. Don’t miss it!

Great book, great narration

Author has dug out a terrific amount of material on the activities, leadership & accomplishments of the Truman Committee. I think it is well known that Truman came to FDR’s attention because of the Committee. But I was unaware of how it accomplished the spectacular rise of Truman from an obscure junior senator (with a perhaps undeserved past connected to a political boss) to the vice presidency & presidency. The book is especially good on the higher profile investigations the Committee did during WW2.

An interesting slice of history

I really enjoyed learning the issues with government contracting during WWII and the inspiring way that the Truman committee ferreted them out. I like Steve’s writing style and his reading of the book, how he tried to convey the personalities and not just the events, and how he summarized things for us at the end. A great read (or listen!).

When Harry First Gave-Em Hell

Never went to college. A failed businessman. A small time county judge. A ward politician. A junior senator from Missouri. And shortly later, President of the United States?!! How did that happen? What pole-vaulted Truman into the limelight such that making him Roosevelt's Vice President made sense?

World War II gave Truman a unique opportunity to show leadership with a Committee he developed to investigate corruption, crime, and stupidity in government war contracts. And this made a big difference, saving money and lives with situations like catching the steel manufacturer who deliberately sold defective and inferior steel in order to make profits, even though it lead to Liberty ships breaking in half at sea.

The Truman Committee issued 32 unanimous investigation reports with all its senator members, Republican and Democrat, signing on to each of the reports. None of their reports had dissents.

Anyone who has read Truman by David McCullough or Plain Speaking by Merle Miller would know about the Truman Committee. But what Steve Drummond writes about in this book fills in the details that make in easy to understand how Truman would have been nominated Vice President in 1944. The man had a national presence and public confidence from the work he had been doing on his committee.

This book makes it easy to see the character of the man whom Americans came to love. While others played politics, the Truman Committee members unselfishly and apolitically served the war effort, presenting well investigated factual reports from which action could be taken to reform contracting and production practices such that the public respected, had faith in, and believed in the Truman Committee. And Truman.