Ken Hechler: 6 books

It was a stunning strategic victory of World War II–and one of the most fantastic breaks for the Allies. On March 7, 1945, a small group of American infantrymen, engineers, and tank crews secured the Ludendorff Bridge that crossed the Rhine. The successful mission saved thousands of American lives...

These essays show President Harry S. Truman made considerable contributions as an “immigration president,” though he generally has not been given credit for immigration policy. Truman pioneered refugee admissions, was the first president to propose eliminating all racial/ethnic bars in immigration,...

When he assumed the presidency in April 1945, Harry S. Truman inherited various international sources of turmoil, including the ambiguity of American policy toward political Zionism. Three years later, President Truman recognized the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, just 11 minutes after the announcement...

President Harry Truman identified himself repeatedly as a champion of civil liberties in the American system of government. Although the pursuit of peace topped his agenda, Communist containment and civil liberties were, in his mind, closely linked. The American Constitution's Bill of Rights was a...

This collection of essays examines President Truman’s somewhat contentious relationships with Congress. Authors evaluate Truman’s successes and defeats and measure him against later presidents of the United States. While the Truman era has been perceived as a stalemate between the executive and...

Harry S. Truman oversaw the beginning of a dramatic shift in the relationship between the U.S. government and Native Americans. Not generally associated with Native Americans or Native American affairs, Truman’s presidency marked the end of the Indian New Deal begun under the Roosevelt administration...