Ascent to Power

February 26, 2024
Historian Roll (George Marshall) offers a perceptive examination of Harry Truman’s first presidential term. Tracking Truman’s evolution from accidental president into confident leader, Roll contends that this period comprised the country’s “most consequential and productive events since the Civil War.” When Roosevelt died 82 days into his fourth term, first-term vice president Truman found himself “utterly unprepared” as Roosevelt had “made no effort to bring him up to speed.” He threw himself into “a days-long crash course in foreign affairs” in order to carry on negotiations with the Allies regarding the handling of postwar Germany and come to a decision on America’s use of nuclear weapons against Japan. Domestic issues also arose, including the need for a “reconversion plan” for returning troops. A disastrous 1946 midterm election for the Democrats was what finally “liberat Truman from the long shadow cast by FDR,” according to Roll, as it led Truman to take proactive stances on the Soviet Union’s expansionist efforts abroad and civil rights at home. Truman adopted “a level of engagement in the world beyond anything that FDR had envisioned” with the Marshall Plan to reconstruct Europe and the harsh anti-Soviet Truman Doctrine, while his Committee on Civil Rights set a firm foundation for future progress. Exceptionally thorough, Roll’s blow-by-blow makes for an insightful portrayal of high-stakes diplomacy and politicking. This will enthrall mid-century history buffs. Agent: John Wright, John Wright Literary Assoc.

February 15, 2024
An intriguing historical study of a major presidential transition period. Some historians view Harry Truman's presidency as little more than a footnote to the eventful, tumultuous Franklin Roosevelt era. In his latest book, Roll, author of George Marshall and The Hopkins Touch, shows that nothing could be further from the truth. The author examines the period between Roosevelt's death in 1945 and the 1948 election, which saw Truman unexpectedly win office in his own right. The two men had known each other, but not particularly well, and bringing Truman onto the Democratic ticket in 1944 was largely a way to displace the far-left Henry Wallace. As vice president, Truman had been cut out of important decisions and information, so he was entirely unprepared when Roosevelt died. Roll describes how he initially focused on continuing Roosevelt's policies about fighting the war and winning the peace, but he gradually brought in his own ideas and became entirely his own man after the 1948 victory. He was logical and systematic on issues such as the use of the atomic bombs, the rebuilding of Germany and Japan, opposition to the Soviet Union, and support for a Jewish homeland, which Roll explores. On the domestic front, Truman moved much further on civil rights than Roosevelt had done, winning support from Black leaders. Many of his policies were bitterly opposed, but he mostly prevailed, always emphasizing that the buck stopped on the presidential desk. Roll tells the story with authority, although some of his detours, such as the chapter on Roosevelt at the Tehran conference in 1943, seem to stray a long way from his theme. However, for readers who are not familiar with Truman, Ascent to Power is informative and accessible. With solid research, Roll brings to life a short time frame that laid the foundation for the decades to come.

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April 1, 2024
Thrust into the "great white jail" of the Executive Mansion upon Franklin Roosevelt's death just a few months into his fourth term, Harry Truman faced extraordinary challenges. FDR had essentially already won the war; now it was up to Truman to win the peace. Confronting the powerful personalities of Churchill and Stalin, deciding whether to drop the new atomic bomb, overseeing the birth of the United Nations, and transitioning the U.S. out of wartime economic controls presented unprecedented issues. Succeeding a larger-than-life eastern aristocrat, the Missouri farm boy used both midwestern common sense and a keen command of politics to lead the nation. Roll (George Marshall, 2020) focuses on Truman's journey to the contentious 1948 reelection that legitimized his own success. Roll doesn't hesitate to point out Truman's errors and unnerving changes of mind. He casts light on Truman's postwar, foresighted advocacy of civil rights, despite his personal aversion to "social equality," and his strong yet bumbling and conflicted support for the creation of Israel. Roll admires Truman's ability to project self-assuredness without arrogance. This is an engrossing account of post-WWII history and a thrilling portrait of a humble man who did much to shape history.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.