In his 1933 inaugural address; Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Yet even before Pearl Harbor; Americans feared foreign invasions; air attacks; biological weapons; and; conversely; the prospect of a dictatorship being established in the United States. To protect Americans from foreign and domestic threats; Roosevelt warned Americans that "the world has grown so small" and eventually established the precursor to the Department of Homeland Security - an Office of Civilian Defense (OCD). At its head; Roosevelt appointed New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia; First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt became assistant director. Yet within a year; amid competing visions and clashing ideologies of wartime liberalism; a frustrated FDR pressured both to resign. In Defenseless Under the Night; Matthew Dallek reveals the dramatic history behind America's first federal office of homeland security; tracing the debate about the origins of national vulnerability to the rise of fascist threats during the Roosevelt years. While La Guardia focused on preparing the country against foreign attack and militarizing the civilian population; Eleanor Roosevelt insisted that the OCD should primarily focus on establishing a wartime New Deal; what she and her allies called "social defense." Unable to reconcile their visions; both were forced to leave the OCD in 1942. Their replacement; James Landis; would go on to recruit over ten million volunteers to participate in civilian defense; ultimately creating the largest volunteer program in World War II America. Through the history of the OCD; Dallek examines constitutional questions about civil liberties; the role and power of government propaganda; the depth of militarization of civilian life; the quest for a wartime New Deal; and competing liberal visions for American national defense - questions that are still relevant today. The result is a gripping account of the origins of national security; which will interest anyone with a passion for modern American political history and the history of homeland defense.
#883371 in Books imusti 2015-07-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.50 x 1.50 x 9.40l; .0 #File Name: 0199685568560 pagesOxford University Press USA
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerExcellent read; it really gets into the thinking of the Emperor Napoleon and his war machine21 of 21 people found the following review helpful. Impeccable Research Brings Napoleon's Ideas Into One Serious WorkBy SeattleBookMamaWhat an ambitious project! This tome is not the kind of thing any writer puts together for money. It’s a labor of painstaking love and pride. Years were spent assembling Napoleon’s military ideas. Thank you once and thank you twice; to Oxford University Press and Net Galley for allowing me to preview the DRC. And of course; thank you to Mr. Colson for his effort. You can buy it this month.The difficulty in publishing Napoleon’s ideas is that they were scattered. The man was not only a military genius but also an academic one; and every time he turned around he was having someone take something down. Assembling them into one place was another matter; particularly since he was captured; exiled; captured again; exiled again. In a fit of despondency he tossed the memoir he had begun into the flames at one point. So gathering everything together and then sorting the philosophical; which still has relevancy; from the technological part of Napoleon’s military work that is now outdated by more sophisticated weaponry; is another massive task. It’s no small wonder it took someone a long time to do the job and do it right. The reader will perhaps be surprised to learn how many quotations have been ascribed to Napoleon that he actually never said.That said; I also have to acknowledge that the niche audience here is academic. This is nobody’s breezy popular biography. And whereas I could happily never see some media jerk throw together something and pretend it’s accurate based upon his own personal fame; at the same time; I just need to warn the reader that this is going to be tough going. I’m persistent; I love history. I was willing to wade through Neil Sheehan’s Pentagon Papers; and I was willing to fight my way through this book too. But for most readers; either a purpose; such as perhaps upper level or graduate level university course work or a thesis; or a really intense interest in French history and military strategy will be required to get through it.Colson’s scholarship and research are beyond reproach. Read the introduction and you’ll get the point. He has done his homework many times over. In fact; unless one is a fluent reader of French; it would be impossible to duplicate his effort even if one were inclined to try. But why do that; when you can access this excellently researched and painstakingly organized volume?Highly recommended for the serious scholar.1 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Not a quick readBy elrond77I have to admit I bought this on a whim. I think this book is written in the same format as Clausewitz On War; which I have not read. The book is full of footnotes. Every other paragraph seems to be an excerpt. It has its moments and I learned a few things; but I found it difficult and slow to read.
