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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence
The acclaimed autobiography of Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt is
brought to the reader anew in this well-produced edition, inclusive
of all notes and appendices. Written over years and published in
1913, this lengthy yet engrossing biography sees one of the United
States finest Presidents recount his life in his own words.
Theodore Roosevelt sets out events in a way which clarify how he
came to possess his beliefs. We hear of his love of the great
outdoors which would in turn result in the establishment of
America's national parks, and his belief in commerce as an engine
for progress which would lead to the state-sponsored construction
of the Panama Canal during his presidency. Seldom straying to
dryness or heady description of the many and varied events of his
life, Theodore Roosevelt instead imbues every chapter with keynote
personality and liveliness. Personal letters with influential
figures are shared, placing the reader deep in the political world
which this popular, charismatic leader was immersed.
For years, the history of the anti-Nazi resistance in Germany was
hidden and distorted by Cold War politics. Providing a much-needed
corrective, Red Orchestra presents the dramatic story of a circle
of German citizens who opposed Hitler from the start, choosing to
stay in Germany to resist Nazism and help its victims. The book
shines a light on this critical movement which was made up of
academics, theatre people, and factory workers; Protestants,
Catholics and Jews; around 150 Germans all told and from all walks
of life. Drawing on archives, memoirs, and interviews with
survivors, award-winning scholar and journalist Anne Nelson
presents a compelling portrait of the men and women involved, and
the terrifying day-to-day decisions in their lives, from the Nazi
takeover in 1933 to their Gestapo arrest in 1942. Nelson traces the
story of the Red Orchestra (Rote Kapelle) resistance movement
within the context of German history, showing the stages of the
Nazi movement and regime from the 1920s to the end of the Second
World War. She also constructs the narrative around the life of
Greta Kuckhoff and other female figures whose role in the anti-Nazi
resistance fight is too-often unrecognised or under appreciated.
This revised edition includes: * A new introduction which explores
elements of the Red Orchestra’s experience that resonate with our
times, including: the impact of new media technologies; the dangers
of political polarization; and the way the judiciary can be shaped
to further the ends of autocracy. The introduction will also
address the long-standing misconception that the German Resistance
only took action when it was clear that Germany was losing the war.
* Historiographic updates throughout the book which take account of
recent literature and additional archival sources
When Abraham Lincoln expressed gratitude for the northern churches
in the spring of 1864, it had nothing to do with his appreciation
of doctrine, liturgy, or Christian fellowship. As a collective
whole, the church earned the president's admiration because of its
rabid patriotism and support for the war. Ministers publicly
proclaimed the righteousness of the Union, condemned slavery, and
asserted that God favored the Federal army. Yet all of this would
have amounted to nothing more than empty bravado without the
support of the men and women sitting in the pews. This creative
book examines the Civil War from the perspective of the northern
laity, those religious civilians whose personal faith influenced
their views on politics and slavery, helped them cope with physical
separation and death engendered by the war, and ultimately enabled
them to discern the hand of God in the struggle to preserve the
national Union. From Lincoln's election to his assassination, the
book weaves together political, military, social, and intellectual
history into a religious narrative of the Civil War on the northern
home front. Packed with compelling human interest stories, this
account draws on letters, diaries, and church records from 165
manuscript collections housed at 30 different archives and
libraries, letters and editorials from 40 different newspapers, and
scores of published primary sources. It conclusively demonstrates
that many devout civilians regarded the Civil War as a contest
imbued with religious meaning. But in the process of giving their
loyal support to the government as individual citizens, religious
Northerners politicized the church as a collective institution and
used it to uphold the Union so the purified nation could promote
Christianity around the world. Christian patriotism helped win the
war, but the politicization of religion did not lead to the
redemption of the state.
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