President who ordered the integration of the military in 1948.

• A. Dwight D. Eisenhower
• B. Harry Truman
• C. Franklin D. Roosevelt
• D. John F. Kennedy

Answer: (B)

This question tests knowledge of who began desegregating the U.S. military through a formal policy. Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 in 1948, directing that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed forces without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin, and creating a plan to implement this policy. This move came in the wake of World War II, when Black service members proved their contributions and civil rights advocates pressed for change, making the military desegregation a landmark step in the broader civil rights movement. The other presidents listed didn’t start this policy—Roosevelt’s era ended before such an order could take effect, Eisenhower’s notable civil rights actions occurred in other contexts, and Kennedy’s presidency began later. So, Truman is the correct answer.