The Historical Dictionary of the Roosevelt-Truman Era examines significant individuals, organizations, and events in American political, economic, social, and cultural history between 1933 and 1953. This was a period of enormous significance in the United States due to the impact of the Great Depression, World War II, and the onset of the Cold War. The presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman witnessed the origins of the modern American welfare system and the rise of the United States as a world power, as well as its involvement in the confrontation with communism that dominated the latter half of the 20th century.

The 1930s were dominated by economic collapse, stagnation, and mass unemployment. This crisis enabled the Democrats to recapture the White House and embark upon a period of reform unsurpassed until the 1960s. Roosevelt's New Deal laid the foundations of a welfare system that was further consolidated during and after the Second World War. American involvement in World War II helped to secure victory in Europe and in Asia. American participation in the war led to economic recovery but also brought with it enormous demographic and social changes. Some of these changes continued after the war had ended, but further political reform was to be limited due to the impact of the Cold War and the effects of America's new role as the world's leading superpower in the atomic age. The A to Z of the Roosevelt-Truman Era examines significant individuals, organizations, and events in American political, economic, social, and cultural history between 1933 and 1953. This was a period of enormous significance in the United States due to the impact of the Great Depression, World War II, and the onset of the Cold War. The presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman witnessed the origins of the modern American welfare system and the rise of the United States as a world power, as well as its involvement in the confrontation with communism that dominated the latter half of the 20th century.

U.S. Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower first entered into the public eye during World War II as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. In 1952, he was elected as the 34th President of the United States and served two terms. During those terms he oversaw the cease-fire of the Korean War, kept up the pressure on the Soviet Union during the Cold War, made nuclear weapons a higher defense priority, launched the Space Race, enlarged the Social Security program, and began the Interstate Highway System. The Historical Dictionary of the Eisenhower Era examines significant individuals, organizations, and events in American political, economic, social, and cultural history during this era in American history. In addition to the hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on politics, economics, diplomacy, literature, science, sports, and popular culture, a chronology, introductory essay, and several appendixes are also included in this valuable reference.

The period from 1913 to 1933 is not often seen as a coherent entity in the history of the United States. It is more often viewed in terms of two distinct periods with the pre-war era of political engagement, idealism, and reform known as “progressivism” separated by World War I from the materialism, conservatism and disengagement of the “prosperous” 1920s. To many postwar observers and later historians, the entry of the United States into the European conflict in 1917 marked not just a dramatic departure in foreign relations, but also the end of an era of reform. This second edition of Historical Dictionary from the Great War to the Great Depression covers the history of this period through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about a vital period in U.S. history.

William Jefferson Clinton’s legacy remains a matter of significant contention among historians, political scientists, and pundits even after a decade of time to reflect. The narrative of Clinton’s two terms may be, in some sense, the tale of two different men—or at least two incongruous public views of the nation’s 42nd chief executive. On the one hand, there is the Clinton who left the White House more popular than when he took office—entering with a 58 percent approval rating and leaving with a 66 percent approval rating. On the other hand, an ABC News poll conducted on his last day showed that 67 percent of Americans said Clinton was not honest and trustworthy. The Historical Dictionary of the Clinton Era covers both sides of the Clinton presidency through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, including the president, his advisors, his family, his opponents, and his critics, as well as members of Congress, military leaders, and international leaders. This book is a vital access point for students, researchers, and anyone interested in the presidency of Bill Clinton.

The Progressive Era, the period in the United States between 1898 and 1917, was a time of great social, political, and industrial change. Following the Spanish-American War of 1898, an event that signaled the emergence of the United States as a great power, the country soon was involved in its first overseas guerrilla war, in the Philippines. Vast changes in communications and transportation, immigration and migration patterns, social mores, gender roles, family structure, class structure, work patterns, business methods, education, intellectual life, religion, the professions, technology, science, medicine, and much else were transforming the scope and feel of people's lives and relationships. In many ways what happened in this era set the agenda for the rest of the 20th century. The Historical Dictionary of the Progressive Era is the most comprehensive and coherent reference work on the Progressive Era. Through its chronology, introductory essay, bibliography, appendixes, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on the key events, people, organizations, and ideas of the period, this resource is a lively, complete, and accessible overview of this significant era.

James Earl Carter, Jr. – better known as Jimmy Carter – was not the greatest or most popular president of the United States but he did accomplish quite a lot in the fields of civil rights, energy and foreign policy during his term from 1977 to 1981. However, the economy fared badly and he lost face in his dealings with Iran. So when he left after one term, he was not greatly missed… or so it seemed. For, after the presidency, he made an amazing comeback as a diplomat and trouble-shooter in international crises, becoming an amazing ex-president. And even the earlier views of his presidency have been improving… at least he did not get the country into a war. This rather special trajectory is explained in the Historical Dictionary of the Carter Era, with an obvious focus on his term as president. His run for the presidency and what he did during his term in office is traced carefully by the chronology. The introduction takes a longer view and also puts events in a broader context. Then the dictionary section, with hundreds of detailed and cross-referenced entries, tells us more about his policy in various fields but also how America changed culturally and socially during this period. The extensive bibliography points toward further information, although this book is certainly a good starting point and also a place to refresh one’s memory.