1884-1972

Examines how Harry Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, and George W. Bush have confronted wars that seemed impossible for America to win, describing how each president faced the challenges of fighting an unpopular war and used their presidential power to undermine the checks and balances of the Constitution.

Presents a rhetorical analysis of the Truman Doctrine speech, which was addressed to Congress on March 12, 1947, and analyzes the influences on the speech's content and delivery, the impact it had on foreign policy, and other related topics.

Traces the origins of the nuclear arms race of the mid-twentieth century, focusing on the story of "First Lightning, " the 1949 Soviet test bomb.

Tells the life story of U.S. president Harry S. Truman focusing on his younger years, describing his childhood in nineteenth-century Missouri, his first real job, and his relationship with his father, as well as his road to the White House.

Discusses the events and decisions that led to the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, particularly Truman's role as decision maker and initiator of the act.