Presidential Peacemakers

Since Theodore Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace Prize for helping end the Russo-Japanese War, American presidents have sought to mediate the end of conflicts in violent corners of the world. Some succeeded. What can President Donald Trump learn from his predecessors, as he claims to seek peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere? In this episode, historians Jeremi Suri and Jeffrey Engel talk about why wars are easy to start but hard to end, even -- or especially when -- a U.S. president presses his thumb on the scales. Further reading: The Impossible Presidency by Jeremi Suri When The World Seemed New by Jeffrey Engel Subscribe today to support our important work! Subscriptions begin at only $5 per month. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.