Having led the nation through economic depression and war for 12 years, Franklin Roosevelt suddenly died on April 15, 1945. The day after taking the oath of office,

Harry Truman told a group of reporters, "Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now."

Truman was faced with the daunting challenges of concluding the Second World War,

demobilizing the U. S. economy, and helping to establish peace and stability in the

postwar world.

Explain those challenges

.

Why did the emerging "Cold War"

preoccupied much of Truman's presidency?