Arthur Vandenberg

The Man in the Middle of the American Century

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, 20th Century, Biography & Memoir, Political
Cover of the book Arthur Vandenberg by Hendrik Meijer, University of Chicago Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Hendrik Meijer ISBN: 9780226433516
Publisher: University of Chicago Press Publication: October 16, 2017
Imprint: University of Chicago Press Language: English
Author: Hendrik Meijer
ISBN: 9780226433516
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication: October 16, 2017
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Language: English

The idea that a Senator—Republican or Democrat—would put the greater good of the country ahead of party seems nearly impossible to imagine in our current climate of gridlock and divisiveness. But this hasn’t always been the case. Arthur H. Vandenberg (1884–1951), Republican from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the model of a consensus builder, and the coalitions he spearheaded continue to form the foundation of American foreign and domestic policy today. Edward R. Murrow called him “the central pivot of the entire era,” yet, despite his significance, Vandenberg has never received the full public attention he is due—until now. With this authoritative biography, Hendrik Meijer reveals how Vandenberg built and nurtured the bipartisan consensus that created the American Century.
           
Originally the editor and publisher of the Grand Rapids Herald, Vandenberg was appointed and later elected to the Senate in 1928, where he became an outspoken opponent of the New Deal and a leader among the isolationists who resisted FDR’s efforts to aid European allies at the onset of World War II. But Vandenberg soon recognized the need for unity at the dawn of a new world order; and as a Republican leader, he worked closely with Democratic administrations to build the strong bipartisan consensus that established the Marshall Plan, the United Nations, and NATO. Vandenberg, as Meijer reveals, was instrumental in organizing Congressional support for these monumental twentieth-century foreign policy decisions.

Vandenberg’s life and career offer powerful lessons for today, and Meijer has given us a story that suggests an antidote to our current democratic challenges. After reading this poignant biography, many will ask: Where is the Vandenberg of today?
 

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The idea that a Senator—Republican or Democrat—would put the greater good of the country ahead of party seems nearly impossible to imagine in our current climate of gridlock and divisiveness. But this hasn’t always been the case. Arthur H. Vandenberg (1884–1951), Republican from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the model of a consensus builder, and the coalitions he spearheaded continue to form the foundation of American foreign and domestic policy today. Edward R. Murrow called him “the central pivot of the entire era,” yet, despite his significance, Vandenberg has never received the full public attention he is due—until now. With this authoritative biography, Hendrik Meijer reveals how Vandenberg built and nurtured the bipartisan consensus that created the American Century.
           
Originally the editor and publisher of the Grand Rapids Herald, Vandenberg was appointed and later elected to the Senate in 1928, where he became an outspoken opponent of the New Deal and a leader among the isolationists who resisted FDR’s efforts to aid European allies at the onset of World War II. But Vandenberg soon recognized the need for unity at the dawn of a new world order; and as a Republican leader, he worked closely with Democratic administrations to build the strong bipartisan consensus that established the Marshall Plan, the United Nations, and NATO. Vandenberg, as Meijer reveals, was instrumental in organizing Congressional support for these monumental twentieth-century foreign policy decisions.

Vandenberg’s life and career offer powerful lessons for today, and Meijer has given us a story that suggests an antidote to our current democratic challenges. After reading this poignant biography, many will ask: Where is the Vandenberg of today?
 

More books from University of Chicago Press

Cover of the book Nightmarch by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book General Cytology by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Making Modern Japanese-Style Painting by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Debating Darwin by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Dinner with Darwin by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Patterns in Nature by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Rivalry and Reform by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Dreams, Illusion, and Other Realities by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Oduduwa's Chain by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Leo Strauss's Defense of the Philosophic Life by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Embodied Mind, Meaning, and Reason by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Excommunication by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book The Meaning of the Body by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book Drunk Driving by Hendrik Meijer
Cover of the book African Successes, Volume IV by Hendrik Meijer
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy