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The twentieth century saw the rise of the United States as a global superpower. That rise was navigated by many presidents using their decisions and ethical understanding. Often, as the United States asserted its authority in the global stage, presidents have attempted to frame that rise as an ethical one that serves the United States and the wider world's interests.
8. Goethals, G.R. (2015) <i>Presidential leadership and African-Americans: ‘an American dilemma’ from slavery to the White House</i>. Leadership : research and practice series. New York, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
One great issue facing the United States has been race. Ever since the founding of the country, presidents have often attempted to balance different interests while also coming to terms with racial prejudice and shifting public attitudes. While some presidents took very bold decisions, including pushing the 13th Amendment in the Constitution for ratification, while African Americans also have had to navigate sometimes hostile leadership.
9. Meenekshi Bose (ed.) (2014) <i>U.S. presidential leadership at the UN, 1945 to present</i>. White House Studies. Hauppauge, New York, Nova Science Publisher’s, Inc.
An arena of presidential leadership has been the United Nations. The United States was a founding member of the United Nations and strongly advocated its position in shaping post-World War II global politics. However, since that time, domestic interests have often collided with interests by the UN body. Presidential actions concerning the UN has largely been in the last two decades been about balancing United States global leadership and domestic or even political pressure at home.
10. Polsky, A.J. (2012) <i>Elusive victories: the American presidency at war</i>. Oxford ; New York, Oxford University Press.
Wars have been stages for the president to lead the country. In the Civil War, Lincoln had to convince the public that the Civil War was in the nation's interest and he only just managed to do that with some timely battlefield victories. In recent wars, including Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, victory has been harder to define and the public's expectation has shifted where the wars were harder to argue as being part of the nation's interest. Conflicts have largely had negative effects on presidential powers in the last few decades and more risk than benefit, damaging public opinion and limiting the larger domestic and international agendas presidents have attempted to press.
