Date of Graduation

Spring 2026

Degree

Master of Arts in History

Department

History

Committee Chair

Ron Leonhardt

Abstract

During World War Two, Harry S. Truman led the Senate Select Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, also known as the Truman Committee, in its oversight of military contracts and the war effort. The Truman Committee saved the U.S. government billions by identifying and discouraging waste, fraud, and abuse, and saved many armed forces personnel’s lives through identifying defective products. Truman’s background in World War One service and his time as a local official in Missouri show signs of the integrity and commitment to good governance that made the Truman Committee so successful. The Truman Committee’s membership, staff, principles, and investigative process guided the Committee’s work and impacted its effectiveness. The Committee built productive relationships with other Senators and Senate bodies, the Executive Branch, and investigation subjects through trust-building practices. These practices, some novel in congressional oversight, boosted the Truman Committee’s reputation and helped it conduct more effective oversight. This thesis relies on an examination of the Truman Committee’s documents, oral history interviews with Truman’s associates and Senate staff, and Truman’s personal writings to gain insight into Truman’s leadership and the Committee’s practices. The thesis centers the Truman Committee in its research, highlighting its work and impact on congressional oversight and the United States’ war effort.

Keywords

Harry S. Truman, congressional investigations, Senate Select Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, World War Two, government oversight

Subject Categories

Political History | United States History

Copyright

© Victoria Kelley-Chiarelli

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