More About Presidents at War
Steven Gillon, New York Times bestselling author of America's Reluctant Prince, returns with the story of how WWII shaped the characters and policy of six American presidents.
World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international politics and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of six American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush.
The lessons of World War II, more than party affiliation or ideology, defined the presidencies of these six men. They returned home determined to confront any force that threatened to undermine the war’s hard-won ideals, each with their own unique understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America's role in global politics.
In Presidents at War, Gillon examines what these men took away from the war and how they then applied it to Cold War policy that proceeded to change America, and the world, forever. A nuanced and deeply-researched exploration of the lives, philosophies, and legacies of six remarkable men, Presidents at War deftly argues that the lessons learned by these post-war presidents continue to shape the landscape upon which current, and future, presidents stand today.
More About Steve Gillon
Steven M. Gillon is the scholar in residence at the History Channel, a professor of history at the University of Oklahoma, and a Senior Fellow at the Miller Center for the study of the presidency at the University of Virginia. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on modern American history and politics, and his articles have appeared in academic journals and such newspapers as the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, and The Boston Globe. He has made appearances on NBC’s Today show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News as a commentator and expert on issues related to modern American history. He has written or edited nearly a dozen books, including the New York Times bestsellers America's Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr. and The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry That Defined a Generation.
Thoughts on Presidents at War
Presidents at War covers over 50 years, starting from the late 1930s when war in Europe was revving up and the men who would become President were watching until George H.W. Bush left office in 1993. It also lightly touches on the Presidents who came after Bush. I found the viewpoint interesting as I had never stopped to consider how serving in World War II affected these men and how they would steer the country for decades. What I found revealing was the tracing of the evolution of the men's beliefs, what made them change (sometimes political expediency, sometimes true changes in their worldview) and their relationships (and feuds) with each other. I had never considered that Munich would cast such a long shadow. Even after Vietnam, they were still harkening back to "remember Munich".
This is more my personal failing than the book, but I struggled with some sections that focused on economics. There was a bit of rereading and paging back to past sections but that's because my strength is NOT economics.
What I found most appealing was that this book covered such a long period of time. With the luxury of time, you can appreciate history through a long lens - noticing people making decisions with the thought of how it would improve their career years or even decades later. The history of the alliances these men forged with one another - despite sometimes personally disliking each other - was also an intriguing peek behind the curtain.
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