a cknowledgments 367Over the past several years I have presented a number of lectures that
helped me refi ne ideas for this book. On three occasions Jerry Mileur,
professor emeritus of political science at the University of Massachu-
setts, invited me to present lectures on wartime presidential leadership
to his summer cohort of international scholars. Nicole Mellow also gave
me the opportunity to speak on the subject to her Williams College
students. It was a privilege to deliver a series of four lectures on the
theme, “Victory in the Balance: How Presidents Wage War,” to the
Smithsonian Resident Associate Program in Washington, D.C., on
November 6, 2010. For that opportunity and the arrangements, my
thanks go to Anna Lakovitch and Kristin Schmehl. Sid Milkis gener-
ously alerted the Smithsonian staff of my research and thus made my
appearance there possible. He also spoke of my work to his University
of Virginia colleague John Owen, which resulted in an invitation to
a conference co-sponsored by the university’s Miller Center and the
journal Security Studies on the impact of recent American presidents on
foreign policy. At that event I had the opportunity to present material
drawn from chapters 5 and 6 of this book. Feedback from the partici-
pants, especially Ron Krebs, helped me refi ne my arguments.
A number of scholars off ered constructive criticism of individual
chapters of this book, based on their expertise in particular wartime
presidencies and historical eras. I am deeply grateful for the generous
help I received from James McPherson, Jon Rosenberg, Warren Kimball,
Larry Berman, Jim Pfi ff ner, and Stephen Dyson. For comments and
ideas on my earlier writings on presidential war powers and wartime
leadership, I also thank William Adler, Don Anderson, MaryAnne
Borrelli, John A. Garafano, Fred I. Greenstein, Joel Lefkowitz, Bruce
Miroff , Stepen Pimpare, Stanley Renshon, and Brandon Rottinghaus.
Th ey all did their best to steer me in the right direction and correct
mistakes. None of them shares responsibility for my interpretations or
for any errors that may remain.
A book project is not a book, of course, until it fi nds a publisher. In
helping me navigate the path into the world of commercial publishing,
a tip of my hat goes to Phil Alcabes, Ruth O’Brien, Corey Robin,
Rogan Kersh, and especially Jim Morone. When I went in search of a
literary agent, I connected with Ted Weinstein, who combined realism
and optimism in just the right amounts. He made the happy match