Public support for Truman was rising. Nevertheless, most Americans did not believe that he could win reelection in the 1948 presidential election.

Truman said that in his campaigns he had always gone directly to the people to meet them face to face, and that running for president should be no different. He said that if you stand in front of the people, they will know whether what you say is true.

Truman threw himself fully into the 1948 presidential campaign. He traveled across the United States by train, delivering hundreds of speeches along the way, including in many small towns and rural communities that few people knew about. Later generations called this campaign the “whistle-stop campaign.”

At each stop, Truman stood at the rear platform of his train and delivered speeches. His audiences included farmers from various states, children from orphanages, and residents of rural areas.

Truman refused to concede defeat and instead redoubled his efforts. Although most Americans believed Truman would lose, they also admired his fighting spirit. His supporters shouted to him, “Give ’em hell, Harry!”—referring to the Republicans. Across the country, Truman’s supporters echoed the chant: “Give ’em hell, Harry!”

Truman worked hard to win the votes of wage earners, Jews, African Americans, Catholics, and other groups that traditionally supported the Democratic Party. In his final radio address before Election Day, Truman promised to maintain peace and to lead a government that would work tirelessly to help the people. He then returned to his home in Missouri to await the election results. As it turned out, Truman won reelection in a stunning upset.