Dewey Defeats Truman facts for kids
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"Dewey Defeats Truman" was a very famous and incorrect headline printed on the front page of the Chicago Tribune newspaper. This big mistake happened on November 3, 1948. It was the day after the 1948 presidential election. The newspaper wrongly said that Thomas E. Dewey had won. But actually, the current United States President, Harry S. Truman, had won a surprising victory!
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The Famous Newspaper Mistake
This headline is one of the most well-known errors in newspaper history. It shows how quickly news was sometimes reported before the internet. The Chicago Tribune was so sure of the outcome that they printed their early edition with the wrong winner. This happened because they went to print before all the votes were counted.
Who Were Truman and Dewey?
Harry S. Truman was the President of the United States at the time. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Many people thought he would lose the election. His opponent was Thomas E. Dewey, who was the Governor of New York. Dewey was a member of the Republican Party. Most experts and polls predicted that Dewey would win by a lot.
Why Did the Newspaper Get It Wrong?
On election night, early results seemed to favor Dewey. Newsrooms in 1948 relied on telegraphs and phone calls to get updates. The Chicago Tribune had a deadline to print their early morning edition. Based on the information they had, and what most people expected, they decided to print the headline "Dewey Defeats Truman." They wanted to be the first to report the winner. However, as more votes were counted through the night, Truman started to catch up. He eventually won the election.
What Happened Next?
President Truman was traveling by train after the election. When his train stopped in St. Louis, Missouri, he was given a copy of the Chicago Tribune with the wrong headline. He held up the newspaper with a big smile for photographers. This moment became an iconic image in American history. It showed the world the newspaper's huge mistake and Truman's unexpected win. The "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline became a symbol of how polls and predictions can sometimes be wrong.
Images for kids
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President Truman holding an early edition of the November 4, 1948 Chicago Daily Tribune showing an erroneous presidential election headline
