Presidential Decisions for War: Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Iraq (The American Moment) - 2nd Edition

Following World War II, Americans expected that the United States would wage another major war against a superpower. Instead, the nation has fought limited wars against much weaker states, such as North Korea, North Vietnam, and Iraq. This revised and updated edition of Presidential Decisions for War analyzes the means by which four presidents have taken the nation to war and assesses the effectiveness of each president's leadership during those conflicts. Gary Hess recreates the unfolding crises in Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq to probe the reasons why Presidents Truman, Johnson, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush and their advisors decided in favor of war. He compares the performance of the commanders-in-chief and evaluates how effectively each understood U.S. interests, explored alternatives to war, adhered to constitutional processes, and built congressional, popular, and international support. A new conclusion points out, that unlike the administrations of Truman, Johnson, and the elder Bush, George W. Bush's White House actively sought to change the international order through preemptive war and aggressive democracy building. Fully revised and featuring an examination of how each of the presidents learned from history and juggled the demands on diplomacy, this comparative study of presidential war-making elucidates how effective executive leadership — or its absence — directly affects the outcome of wars. From The Publisher: Following World War Ii, Americans Expected That The United States Would Wage Another Major War Against A Superpower. Instead, The Nation Has Fought Limited Wars Against Much Weaker States, Such As North Korea, North Vietnam, And Iraq. This Revised And Updated Edition Of Presidential Decisions For War Analyzes The Means By Which Four Presidents Have Taken The Nation To War And Assesses The Effectiveness Of Each President's Leadership During Those Conflicts. Gary Hess Recreates The Unfolding Crises In Korea, Vietnam, And Iraq To Probe The Reasons Why Presidents Truman, Johnson, George H.w. Bush, And George W. Bush And Their Advisors Decided In Favor Of War. He Compares The Performance Of The Commanders-in-chief And Evaluates How Effectively Each Understood U.s. Interests, Explored Alternatives To War, Adhered To Constitutional Processes, And Built Congressional, Popular, And International Support. A New Conclusion Points Out, That Unlike The Administrations Of Truman, Johnson, And The Elder Bush, George W. Bush's White House Actively Sought To Change The International Order Through Preemptive War And Aggressive Democracy Building. Fully Revised And Featuring An Examination Of How Each Of The Presidents Learned From History And Juggled The Demands On Diplomacy, This Comparative Study Of Presidential War-making Elucidates How Effective Executive Leadership-or Its Absence-directly Affects The Outcome Of Wars. Series Editor's Foreword -- Preface To The Second Edition -- Introduction: Presidential Leadership And International Crises -- 1: Harry S Truman And The Korean Crisis: We Can't Let The U N Down -- 2: Harry S Truman As Commander In Chief: Decision By Indecision -- 3: Lyndon B Johnson And The Vietnam Crisis: America Keeps Her Word -- 4: Lyndon B Johnson As Commander In Chief: The Strategy Of Wishful Thinking -- 5: George H W Bush And The Persian Gulf Crisis: This Aggression Will Not Stand -- 6: George H W Bush As Commander In Chief: The Imperatives Of Coalition Warfare -- 7: George W Bush And The Second Crisis With Iraq: Time Is Not On Our Side -- 8: George W Bush As Commander In Chief: History Overpowers Ideology -- Conclusion: Four Presidents And Their Wars -- Bibliographical Essay -- Index. Gary R. Hess. Includes Bibliographical References ([291]-319) And Index.

Following World War II, Americans expected that the United States would wage another major war against a superpower. Instead, the nation has fought limited wars against much weaker states, such as North Korea, North Vietnam, and Iraq. This revised and updated edition of Presidential Decisions for War analyzes the means by which four presidents have taken the nation to war and assesses the effectiveness of each president's leadership during those conflicts.

Gary Hess recreates the unfolding crises in Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq to probe the reasons why Presidents Truman, Johnson, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush and their advisors decided in favor of war. He compares the performance of the commanders-in-chief and evaluates how effectively each understood U.S. interests, explored alternatives to war, adhered to constitutional processes, and built congressional, popular, and international support. A new conclusion points out, that unlike the administrations of Truman, Johnson, and the elder Bush, George W. Bush's White House actively sought to change the international order through preemptive war and aggressive democracy building.

Fully revised and featuring an examination of how each of the presidents learned from history and juggled the demands on diplomacy, this comparative study of presidential war-making elucidates how effective executive leadership—or its absence—directly affects the outcome of wars.

Contents......Page 8 Series Editor’s Foreword......Page 10 Preface to the Second Edition......Page 12 Introduction: Presidential Leadership and International Crises......Page 16 1 Harry S. Truman and the Korean Crisis: “We can’t let the U.N. down”......Page 23 2 Harry S. Truman as Commander in Chief: Decision by Indecision......Page 56 3 Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam Crisis: “America keeps her word”......Page 90 4 Lyndon B. Johnson as Commander in Chief: The Strategy of Wishful Thinking......Page 128 5 George H. W. Bush and the Persian Gulf Crisis: “This aggression will not stand”......Page 168 6 George H. W. Bush as Commander in Chief: The Imperatives of Coalition Warfare......Page 214 7 George W. Bush and the Second Crisis with Iraq: “Time is not on our side”......Page 236 8 George W. Bush as Commander in Chief: History Overpowers Ideology......Page 264 Conclusion: Four Presidents and Their Wars......Page 293 Bibliographical Essay......Page 306 B......Page 336 E......Page 337 I......Page 338 L......Page 339 P......Page 340 S......Page 341 W......Page 342 Z......Page 343 "In 1950, Americans expected that the United States would wage another major war in the near future. Instead, over the course of the next half-century, they fought limited wars against minor powers: North Korea, North Vietnam, and Iraq. In Presidential Decisions for War, Gary R. Hess explores the ways in which Presidents Truman, Johnson, and Bush took America into these wars. He recreates the unfolding crises in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf, explaining why the presidents and their advisers concluded that the use of military power was ultimately necessary to uphold U.S. security. The decisions for war are then evaluated in terms of how effectively the president assessed U.S. interests, explored alternatives to war, adhered to constitutional processes, and built congressional, popular, and international support."--BOOK JACKET.