Presidents of War
Presidential historian Michael Beschloss joined the Council to explore how American leaders have coped with the pressures of war, and how the scope of Presidential power has evolved.
About this event
There is no more serious task a president can undertake than to lead a nation into war. Those presidents who held the office during wartime have sometimes needed to shelve their domestic policy ambitions. In addition, presidents of war have also had to contend with challenges from the Constitution’s War Powers Clause, Congress, the media, anti-war protestors and even their closest advisors during conflict. How have presidents coped with the pressures of war? And how has the scope of Presidential power evolved over the course of America’s conflicts?
About the Speakers
Michael Beschloss
Michael Beschloss, Presidential Historian, NBC News; Contributor, PBS NewsHour
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Security and Diplomacy
Cécile Shea is a nonresident senior fellow on security and diplomacy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. She is the president of Wakaru Communications and a special advisor to the Council’s Next Generation programs.