First published 2018
Michael Beschloss examines America's wartime presidents from James Madison through modern times. The presidential historian spent ten years researching how chief executives led the nation into conflicts and mobilized for victory. Beschloss reveals presidents wrestling with Congress, courts, media, advisors and protesters while making decisions that sent thousands to their deaths. He shows these leaders seeking support from spouses and families, turning to prayer, and either withstanding war's pressures or breaking under them. Drawing from interviews with participants, original letters, diaries, and declassified documents, Beschloss traces how presidential war powers evolved from the Founders' constrained vision to today's reality where one person can launch civilization-ending nuclear weapons. The book spans two centuries of American military history through the intimate lens of leadership under extreme pressure.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, 21st-century, military-history, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: decision-making, leadership
Period: Modern Times
752 pages · Hardcover · Crown