The General vs. the President
MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War
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Narrated by:
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Scott Brick
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By:
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H. W. Brands
About this listen
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From master storyteller and historian H. W. Brands comes the riveting story of how President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur squared off to decide America's future in the aftermath of World War II.
At the height of the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman committed a gaffe that sent shock waves around the world. When asked by a reporter about the possible use of atomic weapons in response to China's entry into the war, Truman replied testily, "The military commander in the field will have charge of the use of the weapons, as he always has." This suggested that General Douglas MacArthur, the willful, fearless, and highly decorated commander of the American and UN forces, had his finger on the nuclear trigger. A correction quickly followed, but the damage was done; two visions for America's path forward were clearly in opposition, and one man would have to make way.
Truman was one of the most unpopular presidents in American history. Heir to a struggling economy, a ruined Europe, and increasing tension with the Soviet Union, on no issue was the path ahead clear and easy. General MacArthur, by contrast, was incredibly popular, as untouchable as any officer has ever been in America. The lessons he drew from World War II were absolute: appeasement leads to disaster, and a showdown with the Communists was inevitable - the sooner the better. In the nuclear era, when the Soviets, too, had the bomb, the specter of a catastrophic third world war lurked menacingly close on the horizon.
The contest of wills between these two titanic characters unfolds against the turbulent backdrop of a faraway war and terrors conjured at home by Joseph McCarthy. From the drama of Stalin's blockade of West Berlin to the daring landing of MacArthur's forces at Inchon to the shocking entrance of China into the war, The General vs. the President vividly evokes the making of a new American era.
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Partners in Command
- George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace
- By: Mark Perry
- Narrated by: James Anderson Foster
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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The first book ever to explore the relationship between George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower, Partners in Command eloquently tackles a subject that has eluded historians for years. As Mark Perry charts the crucial impact of this duo on victory in World War II and later as they lay the foundation for triumph in the Cold War, he shows us an unlikely, complex collaboration at the heart of decades of successful American foreign policy - and shatters many of the myths that have evolved about these two great men and the issues that tested their alliance.
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Engrossing
- By Jean on 03-02-21
By: Mark Perry
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Arik
- The Life of Ariel Sharon
- By: David Landau
- Narrated by: Waler Dixon
- Length: 19 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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From the former editor in chief of Haaretz, the first in-depth, comprehensive biography of Ariel Sharon, the most dramatic and imposing Israeli political and military leader of the last forty years. The life of Ariel Sharon spans much of modern Israel’s history. A commander in the Israeli Army from its inception in 1948, Sharon participated in the 1948 War of Independence, played decisive roles in the 1956 Suez War and the Six-Day War of 1967, and is credited here with the shift in the outcome of the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
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Larger than Life Hero
- By Eugene Choong on 10-07-24
By: David Landau
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American Caesar
- Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964
- By: William Manchester
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 31 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Virtually all Americans above a certain age hold strong opinions about Douglas MacArthur. They either worship him or despise him. Now, in this superb book, one of our most outstanding writers, after a meticulous three-year examination of the record, presents his startling insights about the man. The narrative is gripping, because the general's life was fascinating. It is moving, because he was a man of vision. It ends, finally, in tragedy, because his character, though majestic, was tragically flawed.
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A Great American
- By Charlotte A. Hu on 05-19-13
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Ministers at War
- Winston Churchill and His War Cabinet
- By: Jonathan Schneer
- Narrated by: Matthew Brenher
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In May 1940, with France on the verge of defeat, Britain alone stood in the path of the Nazi military juggernaut. Survival seemed to hinge on the leadership of Winston Churchill, whom the king reluctantly appointed prime minister as Germany invaded France. Churchill's reputation as one of the great 20th-century leaders would be forged during the coming months and years as he worked tirelessly first to rally his country and then to defeat Hitler.
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Welcome addition to the literature of World War II
- By Mike From Mesa on 05-02-15
By: Jonathan Schneer
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Berlin 1961
- Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth
- By: Frederick Kempe
- Narrated by: Paul Hecht
- Length: 20 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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A former Wall Street Journal editor and the current president and CEO of the Atlantic Council, Frederick Kempe draws on recently released documents and personal interviews to re-create the powder keg that was 1961 Berlin. In Cold War Berlin, the United States and the Soviet Union stand nose to nose, with the possibility of nuclear war just one misstep away.
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I am scared in retrospect
- By theenglishmajor on 06-26-11
By: Frederick Kempe
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George Marshall: A Biography
- By: Debi Unger, Irwin Unger
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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A major historical biography of George C. Marshall - the general who ran the U.S. campaign during the Second World War, the Secretary of State who oversaw the successful rebuilding of post-war Europe, and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize - and the first to offer a complete picture of his life.
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Disappointing
- By Jean on 11-12-14
By: Debi Unger, and others
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Lincoln and Churchill
- Statesmen at War
- By: Lewis E. Lehrman
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 17 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Acclaimed historian Lewis Lehrman, in his path-breaking comparison of both statesmen, finds that Lincoln and Churchill - with very different upbringings and contrasting personalities - led their war efforts, to some extent, in similar ways. As supreme war lords, they were guided not only by principles of honor, duty, freedom, but also by the practical wisdom to know when, where, and how to apply these principles. They made mistakes which Lehrman considers carefully. But the author emphasizes that, despite setbacks, they never gave up.
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Outstanding book
- By Barmand on 03-07-18
By: Lewis E. Lehrman
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The World Remade
- America in World War I
- By: G. J. Meyer
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 24 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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After years of bitter debate, the United States declared war on Imperial Germany on April 6, 1917, plunging the country into the savage European conflict that would redraw the map of the continent - and the globe. The World Remade is an engrossing chronicle of America's pivotal, still controversial intervention into World War I, encompassing the tumultuous politics and towering historical figures that defined the era and forged the future.
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"100% America" - a disturbing place to be
- By DPM on 04-01-17
By: G. J. Meyer
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Six Days of War
- June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
- By: Michael B. Oren
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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In Israel and the West, it is called the Six Day War. In the Arab world, it is known as the June War or, simply, as "the Setback". Never has a conflict so short, unforeseen, and largely unwanted by both sides so transformed the world. The Yom Kippur War, the war in Lebanon, the Camp David accords, the controversy over Jerusalem and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the intifada, and the rise of Palestinian terror are all part of the outcome of those six days.
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Great overview of Middle East troubles
- By Patrick Marstall on 07-23-06
By: Michael B. Oren
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Eisenhower
- The White House Years
- By: Jim Newton
- Narrated by: John H. Mayer
- Length: 19 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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If you think of our 34th president as little more than the babysitter-in-chief during the prosperous fifties, think again. Dwight Eisenhower was bequeathed an atomic bomb and was the first American president not to use it. He ground down Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism until both became, as he said, "McCarthywasm".
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A simpler time?
- By Ray on 11-12-11
By: Jim Newton
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Darkest Hour
- How Churchill Brought England Back from the Brink
- By: Anthony McCarten
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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May 1940. Britain is at war, Winston Churchill has unexpectedly been promoted to prime minister, and the horrors of Blitzkrieg witness one Western European democracy fall after another in rapid succession. Facing this horror, with pen in hand and typist-secretary at the ready, Churchill wonders what words could capture the public mood when the invasion of Britain seems mere hours away. It is this fascinating period that Anthony McCarten captures in this deeply researched and wonderfully written new book, The Darkest Hour.
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Gripping
- By Jean on 12-06-17
By: Anthony McCarten
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A sweeping, magisterial biography of the man generally considered the greatest president of the 20th century, admired by Democrats and Republicans alike. Traitor to His Class sheds new light on FDR's formative years; his remarkable willingness to champion the concerns of the poor and disenfranchised; and his combination of political genius, firm leadership, and matchless diplomacy in saving democracy during the Great Depression and the American cause of freedom in World War II.
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Another American History Pearl from H.W. Brands
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Lone Star Nation
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Texas: From Spanish colony to statehood
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Talented writer and narrator, but too biased/long
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8 Thoughts on 'American Colossus'
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Andrew Jackson
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Very Thorough
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Lone Star Nation
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In the early 1800s, three young men strode onto the national stage, elected to Congress at a moment when the Founding Fathers were beginning to retire to their farms. Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, a champion orator known for his eloquence, spoke for the North and its business class. Henry Clay of Kentucky, as dashing as he was ambitious, embodied the hopes of the rising West. South Carolina's John Calhoun, with piercing eyes and an even more piercing intellect, defended the South and slavery.
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Excellent
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The Money Men
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A best-selling historian's gripping account of the powerful men who controlled America's financial destiny. From the first days of the United States, a battle raged over money. On one side were the democrats, who wanted cheap money and feared the concentration of financial interests in the hands of a few. On the other were the capitalists who sought the soundness of a national bank and the profits that came with it.
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Not clear what this book is really about
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T.R.
- The Last Romantic
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Too much opinion
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Reagan
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Ronald Reagan today is a conservative icon, celebrated for transforming the American domestic agenda and playing a crucial part in ending communism in the Soviet Union. In his masterful new biography, H. W. Brands argues that Reagan, along with FDR, was the most consequential president of the 20th century. Reagan took office at a time when the public sector, after a half century of New Deal liberalism, was widely perceived as bloated and inefficient, an impediment to personal liberty.
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To the framers of the Constitution, political parties were a fatal threat to republican virtues. They had suffered the consequences of partisan politics in Britain before the American Revolution, and they wanted nothing similar for America. Yet parties emerged even before the Constitution was ratified, and they took firmer root in the following decade. In Founding Partisans, master historian H. W. Brands has crafted a fresh and lively narrative of the early years of the republic as the Founding Fathers fought one another with competing visions of what our nation would be.
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Very educational
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The Last Campaign
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William Tecumseh Sherman and Geronimo were keen strategists and bold soldiers, ruthless with their enemies. Over the course of the 1870s and 1880s these two war chiefs would confront each other in the final battle for what the American West would be: a sparsely settled, wild home where Indian tribes could thrive, or a densely populated extension of the America to the east of the Mississippi.
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Outstanding Unbiased Native American History
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When gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill on the American River, it completely transformed the territory of California. Hundreds of thousands of people sped to California by any means possible, and small cities sprung up to service their needs as they sought the precious metal. By 1850, California had become a state; it had also become a symbol of where the nation was going.
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Very Enjoyable
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The Zealot and the Emancipator
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Master storyteller and best-selling historian H. W. Brands narrates the epic struggle over slavery as embodied by John Brown and Abraham Lincoln - two men moved to radically different acts to confront our nation’s gravest sin. The Zealot and the Emancipator is acclaimed historian H. W. Brands' thrilling account of how two American giants shaped the war for freedom.
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I Never Knew That!
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Douglas MacArthur
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Douglas MacArthur was arguably the last American public figure to be worshipped unreservedly as a national hero, the last military figure to conjure up the romantic stirrings once evoked by George Armstrong Custer and Robert E. Lee. But he was also one of America's most divisive figures, a man whose entire career was steeped in controversy. Was he an avatar or an anachronism, a brilliant strategist or a vainglorious mountebank?
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Claims to be balanced... glosses over flaws
- By Us 5 Camp on 07-03-18
By: Arthur Herman
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1774
- The Long Year of Revolution
- By: Mary Beth Norton
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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From one of our most acclaimed and original colonial historians, a groundbreaking book - the first to look at the critical "long year" of 1774 and the revolutionary change that took place from December 1773 to mid-April 1775, from the Boston Tea Party and the First Continental Congress to the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
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The US revolutionary war was baked in by 1775
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By: Mary Beth Norton
What listeners say about The General vs. the President
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- Rosemary Wells
- 10-22-16
Superb history, well read
This book is a winner. A visit to a forgotten time whose lessons we should heed now. So well organized, edited and spoken!
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- Sean
- 01-28-18
Reveals the complexity of two historic figures
The author made me rethink prejudices I had about both men. My opinion of MacArthur has always been colored by his treatment of the WWI vets who were peacefully protesting for relief from the Great Depression—the so-called “Bonus Army”.
In a similar way, I’ve always been uncomfortable with Truman’s use of Atomic Weapons against Japan. I thought both actions devalued human life in a fundamental way.
While the book doesn’t go into detail about either of these incidents, it paints a picture of two men who are too complex to be dismissed with history’s ‘bad actors’. I really appreciated the perspective and recommend this to anyone interested in history.
Also, Scott Brick—the narrator—perfectly captures the tension and gravity of this era. He’s a perfect match to this material, and I recommend checking out his other work on audible.
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- Remington Longstreth
- 08-20-17
The General vs. the President Review
Personal favorites of the book for me were Parts I and V. HW Brands threads the needle of objectivity with precision. There were times in which I felt the frustration MacArthur must have felt with the politicians of Washington DC, located thousands of miles away from the Far East fight. At other times, you can feel the heat of Truman's temper, stemming from the General's insubordination. I recommend this book to those in the Military, and to lovers of History and Biography. It's a good read.
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- Carson Stone
- 10-03-23
Unbelievable in-depth
The level of detail is unbelievable. 10/10 would recommend this book. More than just a history lovers listen.
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- Jose
- 01-16-17
The Patriot vs The Stooge
The sum of the parts, writer and narrator, are some of the very best, they do not disappoint
The book has some great detail on this contentious relationship. For the pro-Mac crowd, you are going to get the bad news that the Joint Chiefs and Omar Bradley were pro-Truman.
HW Brands is pro-Truman in a very respectful way. I can deal with it, because HWB is such a great historian. That said, I came away understanding Mac much better and being even more pro-Mac because I take into account information HWB would consider out-of-bounds for this book.
FDR's and Truman's justice and treasury departments were literally crawling with communists, socialists, and unloyal left-wingers. Not to mention the ever corrupt media. FDR-Truman gave China and Eastern Europe to the communists. They did not tell the Soviets to hit the road after WW2, before traitors gave away the Communists nukes, they could have.
Additionally, we know as historical fact that monetizing silver was done to break the Nationalist Chinese at a critical moment in fighting the Red-Chinese. Harry Dexter White (US Treasury) opening admits this in personal documents he left behind after death. White did not hide his Soviet spying because he thought the US was destined to become communist and he wanted due historical credit.
The left wing always claimed that Nationalist China was corrupt, wasteful, etc. But look at Taiwan, it’s a first world nation with a high standard of living. This proves Mac’s position that smearing the Nationalists was a calculated lie to undermine Nationalist China.
Also proving that Mac was right, Eisenhower ended the Korean war by warning that Nukes were on the table. The Chinese and Russians wanted nothing to do with true Industrial War with the USA. They could not handle that. They could handle bleeding the USA with little wars in Vietnam and other places.
End of the Day, Mac is still a Great Patriot and Truman is still just a corrupt New Deal Stooge
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4 people found this helpful
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- greg potts
- 02-02-22
Good historical perspective
Love Scott Bricks narration on a good piece of history. Interesting times with Interesting people.
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- USA VETERAN
- 09-02-17
EXCELLENT
Solid account of the history and power struggle of President Truman and General MacArthur. Truman, of course, was right in his decision to fire his general. Though I am a lifelong Republican, I would have proudly voted for this great American. Great listening experience - Superb narration, too.
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- Ridhaa Ahmed
- 01-27-18
Magnificent detail
I though that this book was very well written in terms of the detail that it was able to include in an entertaining way. Well narrated but even better researched.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-17-23
GHH
Not a bad book a little slow at times but I did learn a lot
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-17-24
H.W. Brands is a great historian
I think this book fully tells the tale of what really happened from a well researched point of view.
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