Woodrow Wilson (Profiles in Power Series)

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 301 EAN: 9780582247376 ISBN: 0582247373 Label: Longman Manufacturer: Longman Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 288 Publication Date: 2002-06-13 Publisher: Longman Studio: Longman
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Editorial Reviews: Most famous in Europe for his efforts to establish the League of Nations under US leadership at the end of the First World War, Woodrow Wilson stands as one of America's most influential and visionary presidents. A Democrat who pursued progressive domestic policies during his first term in office, he despised European colonialism and believed that the recipe for world peace was the self-determination of all peoples, particularly those under the yoke of the vast Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. His efforts to resist heavy reparations on Germany fell on deaf ears, while the refusal of France, Russia and Britain to accept a League of Nations led by America, together with the US Senate's refusal to ratify the League, led to its ultimate failure. Woodrow Wilson has traditionally been seen by both admirers and critics as an idealist and a heroic martyr to the cause of internationalism. But John Thompson takes a different view, arguing that Wilson was a pragmatist, whose foreign policy was flexible and responsive to pressures and events. His conclusion, that Wilson was in fact an exceptionally skilful politician, who succeeded in maintaining national unity whilst leading America onto the world stage for the first time in its history, offers a challenging interpretation for anyone interested in the man and his era.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: concise and insightful Comment: This biography is focused exclusively on Wilson's political life. Within those constraints, while being short and concise, it is very analytical and insightful. The author analyses why Wilson did what he did. While sharing with us some notable opinions on these subjects, he always offers his own objective and analytical views as well. Excellent book - I learned something from almost every page. Customer Rating: Summary: Concise Clear Biography of President Wilson Comment: An excellent short but complete biography of Woodrow Wilson, a thoughtful peace loving man born into a pious and academic household. He was born in 1856 and lived in Staunton, Virginia, a Southern Border state. He grew up in a time that he saw the ravages caused by the Civil War. His quest for peace and reform was always intense - no more wars. He tried studying law, but did not like the and quiet thoughtful man made him a natural for Princeton although he brought many interesting new ideas for educational reform. He became President of Princeton University from 1902 -1910. Leaving Princeton, he was also thought of as a reformer when he became governor of the state of New Jersey from 1911-1913, His race for President was both smart and surprising (Taft and Roosevelt split the ticket). Wilson ran a good race, but was behind - he had a lots of luck and political maneuvering to get the nomination. That was interesting, as well as when he became president - how the federal reserve system was developed - his greatest achievement. The book's description of his presidency (1913-1921) and his poor cardiovascular health gives a clear picture of how he presided over the country - by sheer will. He knew he was very ill, but "paced" his meetings, avoided many by prioritizing, and would not talk business at home. World War 1 was beyond his control and his wish for isolationist policy failed because of the global political winds. The League of Nations and 14 Points take on an interesting angle when compared with the United Nations today. Another interesting part of his life is when his first wife dies while he is in office - he goes on through his deep depression. He courts and marries his second wife while still in office. She and his doctor cover up how ill he is. When he has his most debilitating stroke, his second wife actually becomes the "first woman president" - although the country did not know she was running the country. Can one imagine a President getting away with that in today's media and talk show programs? He was not functioning as President - she took over, making the decision to do so as well as decisions written on papers passed through his office. Basically she was President of the U.S. for the last 17 months he was in office. Customer Rating: Summary: Limited Comment: This is not a full biog of WW. Its a look at his way of using power, mainly at Princeton and as Pres of the US. That leaves out quite a bit! There is very little in the book on how WW dealt with Congress, even during WWI (though more on this subject is here regarding the League of Nations.) There is VERY little about domestic concerns during WW's presidency, esp. with regard to race. Thompson is not only a bit too sympathetic toward his subject, but far too deferential to William Link's previous assessments of WW as well. Customer Rating: Summary: A Man Ahead of His Time Comment: Few figures in American history have as polarizing effect on people as Thomas Woodrow Wilson. While he accomplished a great deal during his term, his legacy is haunted by a glaring failure. John A. Thompson takes a concise, yet surprisingly thorough look at the political career of the 28th President of the United States in the Profiles in Power Series. Woodrow Wilson seemed to be an unlikely candidate to one day become president. As the son of a presbyterian minister, he often placed his faith ahead to political feasibility. After serving as the president of Princeton, his progressive ideals led to his election as governor of New Jersey. His popularity led to his nomination as the democratic candidate for president in a year when the republican electorate was split between Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft. Among his accomplishments as president were the Child Labor Act, the Federal Reserve Act, and the Federal Trade Commission Act. Wilson is also commended for his role as a leader during World War I. While various factions including former President Teddy Roosevelt called for American involvement in the war, Wilson exhausted every possible means for peaceful resolution. Supporting by George Washington's farewell address statement to avoid European entanglements, Wilson pressed forward in negotiations. Only when Germany refused to discontinue attacks on merchant ships was Wilson's hand forced into war. After the allied victory, Wilson became a key figure in establishing the peace in Europe. Wilson was the first president to travel to Europe during his term in office. It was during his work in Europe that he attempted to implement the League of Nations. Wilson was humbled in the eyes of the Europeans that exhaulted him when the U.S. senate refused to ratify American membership. In a show of partisanism that was uncharacteristic in its time, republican senators refused to accept the League of Nations as it was. Wilson is one of the key figures in American history, whose only major failure was a project so ambitious that many considered it utopian. His interests were not political but universal and international ideals. World War II was among the problems foresaw and could have prevented. I was certainly enlighted as to the facts of the Wilson administration through this book. While there are certain omission such as much of Wilson's youth, the book is recommended to those seeking to expand their knowledge of Woodrow Wilson. Customer Rating: Summary: A masterful achievement ! Comment: John A. Thompson, author of the Reformers and War: American Progressives Publicists and the First World War (1987)and a leading authority on the Progessive Era and First World War, has written a superb and compact biography of Woodrow Wilson, the best one-volume biography of Wilson that we have. Thompson's insightful account focuses on Wilson's leadership style and assesses both its strengths and weaknesses. As president of Princeton, governor of New Jersey, and president of the United States, Wilson exhibited both firmness and flexibility, and idealism and a practicality. Examining the abilities and the limits of political leadership in American democracy, Thompson carefully weighs the degree to which Wilson's successes and failures were a result of his own actions and a consequence of other factors beyond his control. This is a masterful achievement. More Reviews