The case for combat : how presidents persuade Americans to go to war / Edward J. Lordan.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Presidential War Rhetoric: An Overview -- 2. The War of 1812 (1812-1815) -- 3. The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) -- 4. The Civil War (1861-1865) -- 5. The Spanish-American War (1898) -- 6. World War I (1914-1918) -- 7. World War II (1941-1945) -- 8. The Korean War (1950-1953) -- 9. The Vietnam War (1964-1973) -- 10. The Persian Gulf War (1991) -- 11. The War on Terror (2001-?) -- 12. Conclusions.

"From James Madison to George W. Bush, many American presidents have faced the challenge of convincing Americans to support their decisions to go to war. What rhetorical techniques have they employed to make their case for combat? Which messages have been most effective---and which approaches have been most ethical?" "In the United States, the decision to use military force typically is made by the president, even though it is actually the Congress that has the authority to commit the nation to war. It is also customary for the president to inform the American people when that decision has been made---and to attempt to convince the citizens to support their government in the decision to go to war." "The book traces the development of the rthetoric used by presidents to convince Americans to go to war, from the earliest days of the nation to the latest conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The author begins by examining the governmental issues related to the war decision, and then evaluates presidential speeches over the course of ten American conflicts to determine how effective---and ethical-presidents were in communicating with various publics. Taking neither a pronor anti-war stance, this text focuses entirely on the period leading up to the announcement of a formal conflict."--BOOK JACKET.