A diplomatic historian examines six major international wars involving the United States and concludes that American involvement was unjustified in each case. America's national security was not in fact sufficiently threatened to merit a call to arms. The author analyzes the events leading up to each war and the justification of wars in general. His book combines lively history with lucid and relevant general argument.

"Twenty-five years after Richard Nixon resigned from office, his legacy remains shrouded in controversy. His was a complex, inconsistent, and even contradictory presidency, shaped by the man's personality and political practices and played out during one of America's most turbulent eras. [The author] now draws on the latest archival releases to take a fresh look at Nixon and place his administration in proper historical perspective."--Jacket.