Truman’s Faith, Niebuhr’s Doubt episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 9, 2025 · 59 MIN

Truman’s Faith, Niebuhr’s Doubt

from SNAFUBAR · host College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt

Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. In this week's episode, we’re going to focus our attention on President Harry Truman: we’re going to look a little bit at his pre-presidential life of military service, and then we’re going to turn to his presidency, highlighting the moral urgency that he brought to questions of global responsibility and interventionism. We’ll introduce the Truman Doctrine and then we’ll spend some time digging into his State of the Union addresses. We'll also look at the work of American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and how his philosophy provides alternative approaches and ways of thinking to Truman's own thoughts on America's role in the world. Today's episode is co-hosted by Sara and our writer/researcher Roman Sotomayor, an alum of Cal Poly Humboldt who has worked closely with Sara on different research projects and on engaging with the local veterans community here in Humboldt. SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor (who also hosted today's episode)SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Works Cited:National Parks Service, Harry S Truman and the Influences of his Service in World War IHarry S. Truman Library & Museum, Biographical Sketch: Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United StatesNational Security Archive, President Harry S. Truman, Handwritten Remarks for Gridiron Dinner, circa 15 December 1945[78]National Archives, Truman Doctrine (1947)Allierten Museum, “Cold War” - The (Pre)History of a TermLinen for Project Gutenberg, State of the Union Addresses of Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman Library & Museum, President Truman’s Remarks, Syracuse, NYThe American Presidency Project, Harry S. Truman Public ApprovalDaily News, Daily News from New York 217Reinhold Niebuhr, The Irony of American HistoryReinhold Niebuhr, The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness

Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. In this week's episode, we’re going to focus our attention on President Harry Truman: we’re going to look a little bit at his pre-presidential life of military service, and then we’re going to turn to his presidency, highlighting the moral urgency that he brought to questions of global responsibility and interventionism. We’ll introduce the Truman Doctrine and then we’ll spend some time digging into his State of the Union addresses. We'll also look at the work of American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and how his philosophy provides alternative approaches and ways of thinking to Truman's own thoughts on America's role in the world. Today's episode is co-hosted by Sara and our writer/researcher Roman Sotomayor, an alum of Cal Poly Humboldt who has worked closely with Sara on different research projects and on engaging with the local veterans community here in Humboldt. SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor (who also hosted today's episode)SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Works Cited:National Parks Service, Harry S Truman and the Influences of his Service in World War IHarry S. Truman Library & Museum, Biographical Sketch: Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United StatesNational Security Archive, President Harry S. Truman, Handwritten Remarks for Gridiron Dinner, circa 15 December 1945[78]National Archives, Truman Doctrine (1947)Allierten Museum, “Cold War” - The (Pre)History of a TermLinen for Project Gutenberg, State of the Union Addresses of Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman Library & Museum, President Truman’s Remarks, Syracuse, NYThe American Presidency Project, Harry S. Truman Public ApprovalDaily News, Daily News from New York 217Reinhold Niebuhr, The Irony of American HistoryReinhold Niebuhr, The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness

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Truman’s Faith, Niebuhr’s Doubt

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Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. In this week's episode, we’re going to focus our attention on President Harry Truman: we’re going to look a little bit at his pre-presidential life of military service, and then we’re going to turn to his presidency,...

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