Letter from Harry S. Truman to Eleanor Roosevelt
5/17/1948
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President Truman sent this response to Eleanor Roosevelt regarding conscientious objectors during World War II. He states his opinion that "all the honest conscientious objectors have been released."
He also describes Private First Class Desmond Doss. Doss entered the military, but refused to kill enemy soldiers or carry a weapon because of his religious beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist. He served in a non-combatant role as a medic. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945 – one of the few conscientious objectors ever to earn the award – for his heroic actions assisting injured soldiers near Urasoe-Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands.
He also describes Private First Class Desmond Doss. Doss entered the military, but refused to kill enemy soldiers or carry a weapon because of his religious beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist. He served in a non-combatant role as a medic. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945 – one of the few conscientious objectors ever to earn the award – for his heroic actions assisting injured soldiers near Urasoe-Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands.
Transcript
I decorated him with a Congressional Medal of Honor. [arrow drawn up to this statement from text below]THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
May 17, 1948
Dear Mrs. Roosevelt:
I read your letter of thirteenth with a great deal of interest. I have thoroughly looked into the conscientious objectors case and, I think, all the honest conscientious objectors have been released.
I'll admit that it is rather difficult for me to look on a conscientious objector with patience while your four sons and my three nephews were risking their lives to save our Government, and the things for which we stand, these people were virtually shooting them in the back.
I ran across one conscientious objector that I really believe is all man — he was a young Naval Pharmacist Mate who served on Okinawa carrying wounded sailors and marines from the battlefield. [line drawn from here to statement at the top of document: I decorated him with a Congressional Medal of Honor.] I asked him how it came about that he as a conscientious objector was willing to go into the things of the battlefield and he said to me that he could serve the Lord and save lives as well there as anywhere else in the world. He was didn't weigh over one hundred and forty pounds and he was about five feet six inches tall. I shall never forget him.
My experience in the first world war with conscientious objectors was not a happy one — the majority of those with whom I came in contact were just plain cowards and shirkers — that is the reason I asked Justice Roberts to make a complete survey of the situation and to release all those that he felt were honestly conscientious objectors and that has been done. My sympathies with the rest of them are not very strong, as you can see. [crossed out text: I do appreciate your interest in them and can see now that all danger is passed why they would want to get out of jail.]
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned]
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
29 Washington Square, West
New York 11, New York
This primary source comes from the Collection HST-PSF: President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration).
National Archives Identifier: 4708723
Full Citation: Draft of Letter from Harry S. Truman to Eleanor Roosevelt; 5/17/1948; Roosevelt, Eleanor: General [2 of 3]; Personal Files, 1945 - 1953; Collection HST-PSF: President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration); Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, MO. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/truman-to-eleanor-roosevelt, June 20, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
