Books like Presidents of War by Michael R. Beschloss

Presidential historian Michael R. Beschloss weaves original letters, diaries, declassified documents and interviews to invite readers into the rooms where U.S. presidents faced war and its demands for leadership, strategy, and sacrifice. From James Madison’s War of 1812 through Lyndon B. Johnson’s Vietnam, Beschloss shows how each chief executive engaged Congress, the courts, the press, advisers and anti‑war protestors, while seeking comfort in personal faith and support from family. He breaks down who endured the pressures of war physically and emotionally, and who were ultimately weakened or defeated by them. The work examines executive power, military strategy, and the intimate details of decision‑making that shaped American history, offering readers an inside view of the presidential leaders who mobilized the nation for victory and, at times, widened their own authority.

First publish date: 2018