Harry and Eddie: The Friendship That Changed the World

Author Beverly Joan Boulware invites children and adults alike to enjoy learning about the lives of President Harry Truman and his best friend, Eddie Jacobson. These two men fought together in the trenches during the Great War known as World War I. Harry was the unit’s Captain and Eddie was a Sargent who ran the unit’s canteen. Amazingly, all of the men under Harry’s command survived the war. During the war the men in the battalion developed friendships built on trust because of the hardships they endured.

After the war ended, Harry Truman and Eddie Jacobson both married and became business partners in Kansas City, Missouri. They were able to build a successful business known as the Truman and Jacobson Haberdashery. Unfortunately, the economy took a turn for the worse. They experienced financial problems which forced the closing of their store. Through it all their friendship survived and they remained loyal to their God, their country, their family and their friends.

After the Truman and Jacobson Haberdashery business failed, Harry and Eddie’s lives took different directions. Harry became a successful judge and later a senator from the State of Missouri. Eddie worked as a traveling salesman. Although they were both busy men, they made it a priority to spend time with each other and their former friends from the army.

Eventually, Eddie was able to open his own store, the Westport Menswear in Kansas City, Missouri. Harry was elected Vice-President on the Roosevelt-Truman ticket for FDR’s 4th term of office. Upon the sudden death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, after only 82 days as Vice-President, Harry found himself in the position of the highest office in the land.

Misunderstanding concerning Israel becoming a nation occurred during Harry Truman’s time as President of the United States. World War II had threatened the existence of the Jewish population in Europe. Americans were not aware of the extent of the suffering and death inflicted upon the Jews, the handicapped, special populations and those that disagreed with the Nazi regime.

Eddie was the person who was able to intervene on behalf of hundreds of thousands of people who were imprisoned in holding camps after the war. Eddie was able to believe in Harry despite media reports and the disparaging phone calls he received from leaders, friends and family. Both Harry and Eddie displayed great courage and took responsibility in the crisis situation they faced. In fact President Truman kept a sign on his desk that read, “The buck stops here.” Eddie Jacobson was told he was the “last hope” for a Jewish state as much of the world was against Israel becoming a nation. You will learn how he responded to the challenge.

In this book you will read how Harry kept his word to Eddie about helping the Jewish Holocaust survivors that endured the terrible ordeals of World War II. Harry and Eddie s friendship changed the world as they had a historic part in the creation of the modern nation of Israel. They had learned through the experiences they shared to trust one another. They were men that cared deeply about building a better world. Harry and Eddie: The Friendship that Changed the World is about encouraging people through the examples of Harry and Eddie to step up to the plate in situations where they can make a difference.

Beverly Joan Boulware is a literacy specialist that has taught elementary children and middle grades students. She encourages them to understand and use language through reading, classroom discussion and creative writing. Her love of words and books are evidenced by numerous publications in literacy journals. Dr. Boulware received her Bachelors in Elementary Education, and her Masters in Reading Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Her Doctorate degree in Reading Education is from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Presently she is a Professor of Literacy Education at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN.