The Buck Stops Here: The 28 Toughest Presidential Decisions and How They Changed History - Softcover

Kiester Jr, Edwin; Craughwell, Thomas J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 159233427X ISBN 13: 9781592334278

Publisher: Fair Winds Press, 2010

Synopsis

The Buck Stops Here consists of twenty-eight engrossing accounts of the most important United States presidential decisions in history. They range from the abolition of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation to the acquisition of vast new territory with the Louisiana Purchase to the establishment of enduring institutions such as Medicare and Americas national parks. These decisions encompass, too, such less-well-known measures as the G.I. Bill of Rights, which cleared the way for more than two million veterans to receive a college education, as well as acts that reverberated worldwide, including Theodore Roosevelts construction of the Panama Canal, Harry S Trumans deployment of the atom bomb, Richard Nixons visit to China, and John F. Kennedys pledge to put a man on the moon. Thomas J. Craughwell and Edwin Kiester Jr.s fascinating survey of twenty-eight crucial presidential decisions opens a door into the White Houses corridors of power, giving readers an insiders view of how and why these decisions were made, while providing a yardstick with which we might, perhaps, gauge the success of current and future presidents. Each chapter places the reader squarely in the historical period while presenting the issues at stake, the interests at work, and the obstacles encountered. This book takes the reader into the minds of some of American historys greatest leaders and analyzes the enduring, often far-reaching, sometimes unforeseen consequences of these presidential decisions-in their own time, and right up to the present day. Some of these decisions were simply expedient; others required the courage of conviction in the face of intense opposition. Some were motivated by political loyalties, but many were evidently inspired by noble visions of a better nation, a fairer world. All were momentous, and helped define who we are and how we live now.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas J. Craughwell is the author of more than a dozen books, including Failures of the Presidents, Stealing Lincoln's Body, The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History, and The Greatest Brigade. He has written articles on history, religion, politics, and popular culture for the Wall Street Journal, The American Spectator, and U.S. News & World Report. He lives in Bethel, Connecticut.Edwin Kiester Jr. has written more than 2,000 magazine articles and twelve books on subjects ranging from science to history. His most recent books are Before They Changed the World, An Incomplete History of World War I, and An Incomplete History of World War II. He lives in Essex, Massachusetts.

Edition details

• Publisher: Fair Winds Press
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 159233427X
• ISBN 13: 9781592334278
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288