On this day in 1950, President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize control of the nation’s railroads to avert a strike. So much for the boy from Missouri being a socialist.

From History.com:

In a public statement that day, Truman insisted that “governmental seizure [of the railroads] is imperative” for the protection of American citizens as well as “essential to the national defense and security of the Nation.” He used the same justification for seizing control of steel plants when the United Steel Workers union struck later in the year.

The railroad strike lasted for 21 months. Finally, in May 1952, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, the Order of Railway Conductors and another union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, accepted the Truman administration’s terms and went back to work.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-orders-army-to-seize-control-of-railroads

And from Railroads.com:

Truman’s first move was to order the establishment of an emergency board that would negotiate with the unions and attempt to settle their qualms before the strike began. However, the unions rejected the conditions set outright and still seemed determined to strike by August 25th. It was then that Truman stepped in, ordering the US Army to seize control by 4 PM on August 27th. The seizure was successful, although the strike went on nonetheless.

http://www.railroad.net/articles/topics/the-railroad-strike-of-1950.php