"Rise to Globalism" Book Critique The book, "Rise to Globalism" by Stephen E. Ambrose and Douglas G. Brinkley, presents a way to discuss America's foreign policy from 1938 through Obama's first term, focusing on such pivotal events as World War II, the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam, and the SALT treaties. The authors talk about seven different wars; the wars in Europe, Asia, Iraq, Korea, the beginnings of the Cold War, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. During each war/ altercation, Ambrose and Brinkley also list what was going on in America and the effects the wars had during these times. Also brought up, was some of the American Presidents and their action plan against whichever dilemma faced. I thought this book was very descriptive and very …show more content…
The presidents listed included; Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr, and Obama. I thought the most interesting president listed in the book was Nixon. He was almost one of the presidents to be impeached, but, resigned right before they could do so. From the book, the authors write, "Precisely because their numbers were so great, however, the doves did have an influence, because both Nixon and Humphrey had to go after their votes. Nixon did so when he announced that he had a 'secret plan to end the war,' without explaining what it was. Humphrey, meanwhile, hinted that he was secretly a dove, but could not reveal his true position until safely elected..."(chapter 12, pg. 225). This whole situation seemed …show more content…
Kennedy seemed like the best president that we've had according to this book. The authors praised him. Talking about JFK in the book, "John F. Kennedy had a vison. He thought the United States was the last, best hope for mankind. He wanted prosperity and happiness for all the world's people and believed the United States was capable of supplying the leadership necessary to achieve those goals. He surrounded himself with the very best minds America had to offer appointing men who had the techniques and the brains that would enable the new administration to solve any problem, indeed to go out and find new problems so that they could solve them." (chapter 10, pg. 171). Described here, Kennedy was the smartest and realistic president the United States