Heroes, Villains & Dupes

About the Book

The existential question facing the antebellum presidents was how to resolve the dichotomy between the freedoms guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence and the protection of slavery established by the Constitution. This work details how each president dealt with this issue. It then ranks the presidents on the sole criterion of their ability to recognize slavery as the critical threat to national unity, and to act decisively to end the evil and peacefully preserve the Union. The book ends with the beginning of the Civil War – the result of presidents’ efforts.

About the Author

Paul Ronan is an amateur historian with a lifelong interest in the causes of war, especially the American Civil War. He served over 30 years of active and reserve duty in the United States Air Force, rising to the rank of full Colonel. As an Air Force officer, he was deeply concerned with how the early recognition of the causes of war and timely preventive action could prevent armed conflict. His civilian career included 30 years in the defense industry in engineering and management, developing business strategies to complement the Nation’s military strategy.