Reassessment of President Truman's profound influence on U.S. foreign policy and the Cold War. The author contends that Truman remained a parochial nationalist who lacked the vision and leadership to move the United States away from conflict and toward détente. Instead, he promoted an ideology and politics of Cold War confrontation that set the pattern for successor administrations.

Independence to Washington --First Encounters -- Preparing for Peacemaking -- A Stony Place: Potsdam -- A Personal Declaration of Cold War -- The Year of Decisions -- The Die Is Cast -- In Behalf of Europe: The Truman Doctrine, 1947-1952 -- The World Split in Two: The Marshall Plan and the Division of Europe -- Cat on a Sloping Tin Roof: The Berlin Blockade, 1948-1949 -- "To Make the Whole World Safe for Jews": Truman and Palestine-Israel -- "Sand in a Rat Hole": Double Policy in China -- Turning Point: Containment Comes to Korea -- Rollback to Retreat: The Politics of War -- Double Containment: America over Europe Divided -- Conclusion: Truman and Another Such Victory.