THE PRESIDENCY: Itchy Problem

Harry Truman sat on the weather deck of the U.S.S. Williamsburg and bared his white chest to the sun. It was his first trip away from Washington since last March, but it was not complete escape. Each morning, courier seaplanes skimmed into the water alongside the presidential, yacht in Chesapeake Bay and delivered locked leather pouches from the White House.

Aboard ship, the President got off two personal letters—neither angry. One was for Britain's Prime Minister Attlee, the other for Iran's Premier Mossadeq. Both discussed Iranian oil; the one that went to Mossadeq expressed "deep concern" about the "explosive" situation...

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