Video: 'Truman & the Railroad Strike of 1946 - Part 1' (Truman address at 0:17)

(Friday, May 24, 1946, 9:00 p.m. EST; during the Strike wave of 1945–46) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman made a nationwide radio address tonight regarding the railway strike, and delivered an ultimatum: “If sufficient workers to operate the trains have not returned, by 4 p.m. tomorrow, as head of our government, I have no alternative but to operate the trains by using every means within my power … I shall ask our armed forces to furnish protection to every man who heeds the call of his country in this hour of need.”

Having set a deadline of 19 hours for action, Truman closed by saying that he would address a joint session of Congress the next day at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Video: 'Truman & the Railroad Strike of 1946 - Part 2'