Presidents at War

Though Lyndon B. Johnson did not make the initial decision to enter the conflict in Vietnam, he accepted the burdens of the unofficial war when he took office. Through full-color and black-and-white photos, informative sidebars, and engaging text, readers sneak a peek into the Johnson administration and the people who advised him, gaining insight into the combat and political strategies of the war itself and its legacy. Understanding the pressures of this unpopular war and what went into the decision making to ramp up the conflict will give readers a new perspective on the frustrating struggle that took place in this small nation in Southeast Asia.

Before he became the first president of the United States, George Washington had already made his mark as a military leader. As commander in chief of the nascent Continental army, Washington guided colonial forces to victory over the British during the American Revolution. Through informative text and historical imagery, readers will follow Washington's trajectory as a military commander and strategist and discover how his innate leadership skills–exhibited on the battlefield and during his tenure as president–earned him the title "Father of His Country."

Abraham Lincoln is the only US president to have had his entire term encapsulated by war. Through primary sources, images, and compelling narrative, students will learn how President Lincoln approached and executed the seemingly impossible job of chief commander of the Union army during the Civil War. They will discover Lincoln's hands-on management of battlefield strategy, his creative tactics for dealing with difficult generals and ruthless political opponents, and his unfaltering conviction that the Union must be saved at all cost.

After Adolf Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, igniting World War II, it fell to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to keep his nation neutral while preparing it for war. When Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor brought that war to America, his strong, steady leadership guided it through all but four months of the most brutal war in the history of the world. Through full-color and black-and-white photos, informative sidebars, and engaging narrative, readers gain insight into Roosevelt's administration and the people who advised him, as well as the combat and political strategies of the war itself and its legacy.

Woodrow Wilson led America into the First World War in 1917. Historians have debated his methods and motives ever since. This volume explores Wilson's complex personality and the immense challenges he faced. Through quotes and vivid examples, the reader sees America and the world in a time when it seemed everything might come apart. Wilson is central to the story, but the reader also experiences the leading generals and the common soldier as well as the "Big Four," the men who redrew the maps when the war ended.

After Osama bin Laden, leader of the Islamic militant group al-Qaeda, took responsibility for the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush launched a battle against violent extremist organizations that threatened the security of America. His fight against terrorism sent millions of US troops into battle in Afghanistan and Iraq. This book looks at how President Bush led the War on Terror, the challenges and success of these efforts, and how his actions have shaped the world we live in today. Sidebars and quotes highlight key events, while full-color photos and straightforward, yet compelling text bring this very recent war to life for readers.

From humble beginnings and a nontraditional upbringing, Barack Obama worked his way through law school and then onto Chicago's political scene. After serving in the state legislature and one term in the Senate, Obama became the first African American president elected in the United States. His mettle would immediately be tested as he inherited a country at war-with terror. This ongoing conflict seems to have no end in sight. Read about the president's actions to defeat the terror organizations that threaten America's safety. Quotes from the two-term president himself bring readers into the Situation Room, where matters of life and death are decided.