Some of the early voting results from the northeastern states showed Truman winning. But few Republicans worried. They were sure Dewey would be the winner when all the votes were counted.

The Chicago Tribune was also sure who the next president would be, declaring in a huge headline "Dewey Defeats Truman."

But the newspaper was wrong. Everyone was wrong. Everyone, that is, except Harry Truman and the Americans who gave him their votes. Truman went to bed on election night before all the votes were counted. He told his assistant that he would win.

He awoke early the next morning to learn that he was right. Not only did he defeat Dewey, as he thought he would, but he won by a good number of votes. And he helped many Democratic congressional candidates win as well. The Democrats captured both houses of Congress.

After the results were announced, as heard in this old recording Truman showed his sense of humor by joking about the predictions of his defeat.

HARRY TRUMAN: "I had on the National Broadcasting Company and [commentator HV] Kaltenborn was saying ‘While the president is a million votes ahead in the popular vote, we have yet to hear from [words drowned out by applause], and we are very sure that when the country votes come in, Mr. Truman will be defeated by an overwhelming majority.’ And I went back to bed and went to sleep.”

(MUSIC)

Harry Truman would make many difficult decisions as America moved into the second half of the twentieth century.