Newcomer Steven E. Condon''s breakthrough analysis and novel presentation of one of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson''s most celebrated Civil War victories, Second Manassas (a.k.a. Second Bull Run), is full of surprises. The list includes a mistaken mountain, a warning that never was, and John Pope''s supposed real plan for entrapping Stonewall Jackson-a plan that Condon claims could have worked, had it only been implemented as Pope had ordered it. No, "The Court-Martial of General John Pope" is not alternate history. And, no, the many startling insights and new discoveries within this book are not fictions, even though they are presented inside the framework of a fictional trial taking place in the afterlife.It seems that the much maligned Union general John Pope has demanded a trial in order to once and for all clear his military reputation from 150 years of accumulated slights, slanders, and misconceptions. And who is defending Pope in the Valhalla Courthouse? None other than that peerless American defense attorney Clarence Darrow.The packed courtroom blazes with electricity and occasionally thunders in outrage as the wily Darrow pulls one white rabbit after another out of his well-stocked magician''s hat in a performance that rivals his very best. But Darrow has his work cut out for him as he faces a tribunal as daunting as any that ever sat in judgment at Nuremberg, packed as it is with the ablest generals of history; ranging across the centuries from Alexander the Great to America''s George S. Patton, these masters of the military art have-like all others-long considered Pope to be a laughingstock. Equally entertaining are the events outside the courtroom as twice each day three noted members of the press corps-including Mark Twain and Nellie Bly-furiously debate among themselves the merits of Darrow''s long string of revelations. Readers can enjoy the excitement of courtroom drama as they thrill to some of the most startling discoveries in Civil War history in recent times and discover one of the fiercest but least known rivalries in American history.This is because "Court-Martial" boasts as one of its centerpieces a rivalry that Condon reveals to be one of the most fascinating in American history: the fierce competition between Union General John Pope, the darling of the radical Republicans, and Union General George McClellan, the military standard bearer of the conservative Democratic Party and later Abraham Lincoln''s Democratic opponent for President in 1864. Condon''s book convincingly demonstrates for perhaps the first time the true depth and terrible impact of this fateful rivalry.President Obama''s June 2010 removal of General Stanley McChrystal from command of American forces in Afghanistan was not the first case of a US commander-in-chief experiencing a strained relationship with one of his senior generals while in the midst of waging a difficult war. Harry Truman had his share of troubles with the imperious Douglas MacArthur in the Korean War. And before both these Presidents, Abraham Lincoln suffered the misfortune of being saddled with the vain, contemptuous, and overly cautious George McClellan.But whereas both Truman and Obama were decisive in ridding themselves of their troublesome general, Lincoln was not. Although privately favoring the replacement of McClellan with Pope, the President did not want to anger the Democrats by openly removing McClellan from command. So instead he attempted to surreptitiously feed McClellan''s army bit by bit to Pope, an act of political equivocation that led him down a twisting path that ultimately left Lincoln feeling, in his own words, "controlled" by "circumstances" and stranded in a situation "with no remedy at present." This state of affairs proved disastrous for Pope and perhaps for the Union as well, as Condon demonstrates.Competing with the Pope-McClellan rivalry for attention is the drama of the controversy that spurred one of the most celebrated and politically volatile court cases of the latter half of the 19th Century, the fifteen-year conflict between John Pope and the general officer who was court-martialed and drummed out of the army for not giving Pope his full support at Second Manassas-Major General Fitz John Porter, noted friend and protégé of George McClellan. Darrow hammers away as mercilessly at McClellan and Porter as he does at Confederate icon Stonewall Jackson, often times igniting in the audience a maelstrom of fury that occasionally threatens to shut down the trial.Condon''s book provides a wealth of evidence detailed in over 300 end notes. Although this list includes some important new finds, much of Condon''s evidence surprisingly comes from that picked over old gold field "War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies". This hundred-volume collection of thick black, gold embossed books published by the U.S. government in the 1880''s is crammed full of thousands of military telegrams, dispatches, and post battle reports, forming what many consider to be the "bible" of Civil War historians. Yet Condon manages to find new and sometimes radically different insights in telegrams previously cited by many Civil War writers before him.Some historians and Civil War aficionados will object to Condon''s placement of his new evidence and his new interpretations of old evidence inside a dramatic fictional story instead of placing it within the traditional setting of a purely non-fictional military campaign study. In his defense Condon points to the extreme degree to which John Pope''s military reputation has been unintentionally misrepresented and the 150 years for which this has gone on. He argues that in order to shake the public''s long frozen opinion of John Pope free from its icebound state, the setting of a trial and the skills of an advocate of the caliber of Clarence Darrow were required. According to Condon, John Pope was "court-martialed" after the Second Manassas Campaign, but the trial took place in the courtroom of history rather than before a military tribunal. His new book represents Pope''s second day in court-something that has been a long time in coming. To those who consider this placement of fact in the context of dramatic fiction to be unfortunate, Condon hopes nevertheless that they will still enjoy his tale.
This book presents new evidence revealing how Stonewall Jackson was able to elude the Union army twice: first to carry out his raid to Manassas Junction and later to avoid General John Pope's converging Union forces. It is an account full of surprises including a mistaken mountain, a warning that never was, and Union General John Pope's real plan for entrapping Jackson. It is all part of the untold story of the important Second Manassas Campaign (a.k.a. Second Bull Run). Second Manassas was the second of two consecutive campaigns orchestrated by Robert E. Lee by means of which he shifted the center of conflict in the Eastern Theater from the gates of Richmond, Virginia to the threshold of Washington, D.C., opening the way for Lee's first invasion of the North. This double-barreled achievement formed perhaps Lee's greatest accomplishment of the war and one with few parallels in military history. The Second Manassas Campaign did much to enhance the reputations of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. It also created the legend of Union General John Pope, the man whom they defeated. According to this legend John Pope was an army commander who was prone to make one boneheaded mistake after another, a general who was totally outclassed by his renowned opponents, and a general who afterwards lied to cover up his own incompetence. One can't discuss the magnitude of Lee and Jackson's achievement in winning the Second Manassas Campaign without addressing the competence of the man whom they defeated. Because of the fact that their victory was achieved by beating a man who for all intents and purposes demonstrated himself to be a second-rate general, Lee and Jackson's achievement--despite its far reaching consequences--has always attracted less attention than have Lee's campaigns that immediately preceded and followed it, The Seven Days and Antietam, respectively. Recent research, however, reveals that John Pope was much more than a second-rate general, as is evidenced by a proper understanding of how he performed in the days immediately preceding the Second Battle of Manassas, days in which Stonewall Jackson's abilities shone brightly. This new and surprising research achieves two ends. First it provides the real explanation of how the great Stonewall Jackson accomplished one of his greatest feats. And secondly it demonstrates that Lee and Jackson defeated much more than a second-rate general, thus placing Lee and Jackson's victory in the Second Manassas Campaign in its true perspective and revealing it to be one of the greatest accomplishments achieved by this remarkable military duo.
A Washington Post 2019 Notable Selection A vivid and inspiring account of the "bromance" between Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The extraordinary partnership of Barack Obama and Joe Biden is unique in American history. The two men, their characters and styles sharply contrasting, formed a dynamic working relationship that evolved into a profound friendship. Their affinity was not predestined. Obama and Biden began wary of each other: Obama an impatient freshman disdainful of the Senate's plodding ways; Biden a veteran of the chamber and proud of its traditions. Gradually they came to respect each other's values and strengths and rode into the White House together in 2008. Side-by-side through two tension-filled terms, they shared the day-to-day joys and struggles of leading the most powerful nation on earth. They accommodated each other's quirks: Biden's famous miscues kept coming, and Obama overlooked them knowing they were insignificant except as media fodder. With his expertise in foreign affairs and legislative matters, Biden took on an unprecedented role as chief adviser to Obama, reshaping the vice presidency. Together Obama and Biden guided Americans through a range of historic moments: a devastating economic crisis, racial confrontations, war in Afghanistan, and the dawn of same-sex marriage nationwide. They supported each other through highs and lows: Obama provided a welcome shoulder during the illness and death of Biden's son Beau. As many Americans turn a nostalgic eye toward the Obama presidency, Barack and Joe offers a new look at this administration, its absence of scandal, dedication to truth, and respect for the media. This is the first book to tell the full story of this historic relationship and its substantial impact on the Obama presidency and its legacy.
The birth of a new action hero, Crossbow O'Connor, a man ready to carve his name with blazing bullets, flying fists, and damsels in disarray. A hero pursued by women even more than by his deadly opponents, all of whom he handles with the aplomb of a master, leaving the latter either dead or shaking in their boots and the former naked, exhausted, teary-eyed, and amazed, and yet still yearning for more--had they but the energy--after the longest, most passionate, and most unbelievable bedroom encounter of their lives.
Newcomer Steven E. Condon''s breakthrough analysis and novel presentation of one of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson''s most celebrated Civil War victories, Second Manassas (a.k.a. Second Bull Run), is full of surprises. The list includes a mistaken mountain, a warning that never was, and John Pope''s supposed real plan for entrapping Stonewall Jackson-a plan that Condon claims could have worked, had it only been implemented as Pope had ordered it. No, "The Court-Martial of General John Pope" is not alternate history. And, no, the many startling insights and new discoveries within this book are not fictions, even though they are presented inside the framework of a fictional trial taking place in the afterlife.It seems that the much maligned Union general John Pope has demanded a trial in order to once and for all clear his military reputation from 150 years of accumulated slights, slanders, and misconceptions. And who is defending Pope in the Valhalla Courthouse? None other than that peerless American defense attorney Clarence Darrow.The packed courtroom blazes with electricity and occasionally thunders in outrage as the wily Darrow pulls one white rabbit after another out of his well-stocked magician''s hat in a performance that rivals his very best. But Darrow has his work cut out for him as he faces a tribunal as daunting as any that ever sat in judgment at Nuremberg, packed as it is with the ablest generals of history; ranging across the centuries from Alexander the Great to America''s George S. Patton, these masters of the military art have-like all others-long considered Pope to be a laughingstock. Equally entertaining are the events outside the courtroom as twice each day three noted members of the press corps-including Mark Twain and Nellie Bly-furiously debate among themselves the merits of Darrow''s long string of revelations. Readers can enjoy the excitement of courtroom drama as they thrill to some of the most startling discoveries in Civil War history in recent times and discover one of the fiercest but least known rivalries in American history.This is because "Court-Martial" boasts as one of its centerpieces a rivalry that Condon reveals to be one of the most fascinating in American history: the fierce competition between Union General John Pope, the darling of the radical Republicans, and Union General George McClellan, the military standard bearer of the conservative Democratic Party and later Abraham Lincoln''s Democratic opponent for President in 1864. Condon''s book convincingly demonstrates for perhaps the first time the true depth and terrible impact of this fateful rivalry.President Obama''s June 2010 removal of General Stanley McChrystal from command of American forces in Afghanistan was not the first case of a US commander-in-chief experiencing a strained relationship with one of his senior generals while in the midst of waging a difficult war. Harry Truman had his share of troubles with the imperious Douglas MacArthur in the Korean War. And before both these Presidents, Abraham Lincoln suffered the misfortune of being saddled with the vain, contemptuous, and overly cautious George McClellan.But whereas both Truman and Obama were decisive in ridding themselves of their troublesome general, Lincoln was not. Although privately favoring the replacement of McClellan with Pope, the President did not want to anger the Democrats by openly removing McClellan from command. So instead he attempted to surreptitiously feed McClellan''s army bit by bit to Pope, an act of political equivocation that led him down a twisting path that ultimately left Lincoln feeling, in his own words, "controlled" by "circumstances" and stranded in a situation "with no remedy at present." This state of affairs proved disastrous for Pope and perhaps for the Union as well, as Condon demonstrates.Competing with the Pope-McClellan rivalry for attention is the drama of the controversy that spurred one of the most celebrated and politically volatile court cases of the latter half of the 19th Century, the fifteen-year conflict between John Pope and the general officer who was court-martialed and drummed out of the army for not giving Pope his full support at Second Manassas-Major General Fitz John Porter, noted friend and protégé of George McClellan. Darrow hammers away as mercilessly at McClellan and Porter as he does at Confederate icon Stonewall Jackson, often times igniting in the audience a maelstrom of fury that occasionally threatens to shut down the trial.Condon''s book provides a wealth of evidence detailed in over 300 end notes. Although this list includes some important new finds, much of Condon''s evidence surprisingly comes from that picked over old gold field "War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies". This hundred-volume collection of thick black, gold embossed books published by the U.S. government in the 1880''s is crammed full of thousands of military telegrams, dispatches, and post battle reports, forming what many consider to be the "bible" of Civil War historians. Yet Condon manages to find new and sometimes radically different insights in telegrams previously cited by many Civil War writers before him.Some historians and Civil War aficionados will object to Condon''s placement of his new evidence and his new interpretations of old evidence inside a dramatic fictional story instead of placing it within the traditional setting of a purely non-fictional military campaign study. In his defense Condon points to the extreme degree to which John Pope''s military reputation has been unintentionally misrepresented and the 150 years for which this has gone on. He argues that in order to shake the public''s long frozen opinion of John Pope free from its icebound state, the setting of a trial and the skills of an advocate of the caliber of Clarence Darrow were required. According to Condon, John Pope was "court-martialed" after the Second Manassas Campaign, but the trial took place in the courtroom of history rather than before a military tribunal. His new book represents Pope''s second day in court-something that has been a long time in coming. To those who consider this placement of fact in the context of dramatic fiction to be unfortunate, Condon hopes nevertheless that they will still enjoy his tale.
The early 21st century has not been kind to California's reputation for good government. But the Golden State's governance flaws reflect worrisome national trends with origins in the 1970s and 1980s. Growing voter distrust with government, a demand for services but not taxes to pay for them, a sharp decline in enlightened leadership and effective civic watchdogs, and dysfunctional political institutions have all contributed to the current governance malaise. Until recently, San Diego, California—America's 8th largest city—seemed immune to such systematic governance disorders. This sunny beach town entered the 1990s proclaiming to be "America's Finest City," but in a few short years its reputation went from "Futureville" to "Enron-by-the-Sea." In this eye-opening and telling narrative, Steven P. Erie, Vladimir Kogan, and Scott A. MacKenzie mix policy analysis, political theory, and history to explore and explain the unintended but largely predictable failures of governance in San Diego. Using untapped primary sources—interviews with key decision makers and public documents—and benchmarking San Diego with other leading California cities, Paradise Plundered examines critical dimensions of San Diego's governance failure: a multi-billion dollar pension deficit; a chronic budget deficit; inadequate city services and infrastructure; grandiose planning initiatives divorced from dire fiscal realities; an insulated downtown redevelopment program plagued by poorly-crafted public-private partnerships; and, for the metropolitan region, inadequate airport and port facilities, a severe underinvestment in firefighting capacity despite destructive wildfires, and heightened Mexican border security concerns. Far from a sunny story of paradise and prosperity, this account takes stock of an important but understudied city, its failed civic leadership, and poorly performing institutions, policymaking, and planning. Though the extent of these failures may place San Diego in a league of its own, other cities are experiencing similar challenges and political changes. As such, this tale of civic woe offers valuable lessons for urban scholars, practitioners, and general readers concerned about the future of their own cities.
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