Presidential decisions for war

By Gary R. Hess

Subjects: Presidents, Intervention (International law), Foreign relations, Johnson, lyndon b. (lyndon baines), 1908-1973, Case studies, United states, military policy, Truman, harry s., 1884-1972, United states, foreign relations, 1945-1989, Decision making, Cold war, Cold War, Military policy, Intervention (international law), United states, foreign relations, 1989-1993, Presidents, united states, History, Bush, george, 1924-2018

Description: "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.