Isaacson delves deep into the careers and personalities of six remarkable men from the "political establishment."

Averell Harriman, Dean Acheson, George Kennan, Robert Lovett, John McCloy, and Charles Bohlen had an extensive influence, serving under 4 administrations and offering advice to 2 more.

Their unique outlooks, assumptions, and wealth of experience not only molded the American century but also played a crucial role in rebuilding Europe. However, it also led the country to become embroiled in two land wars in Asia.

As for why I initiated this book, it was because the title immediately grabbed my attention while I was perusing my library's Overdrive collection.

After patiently waiting on hold for several months, it was finally my turn to immerse myself in it.

And the reason I completed it was that, despite its hefty length of 33 hours and 27 minutes, which was no easy feat for the faint of heart or those with only a casual interest.

Nevertheless, with 6 main characters, there were numerous instances when I craved more in-depth exploration of certain subjects that I was already familiar with.

Conversely, there were also parts that I wanted to skip entirely as they seemed rather uninteresting.

Overall, it was fascinating to reexamine those pivotal moments of decision-making and view them through the prism of friendship and the old boy networks that existed.

This is an absolutely amazing story that delves into the origins and early years of the Cold War. It does so by presenting the lives of six individuals who had a profound impact on US foreign policy during the 1930s - 1960s.

The book commences with a concise biography of each of the six, highlighting their relationships with one another starting from their college days. These six men, consisting of two bankers, two lawyers, and two diplomats, not only influenced US foreign policy but also played a crucial role in its implementation. Their Cold War policy evolved from wartime collaboration with the Soviets to a stance of firmness, then to confrontation and distrust, followed by containment, reduction of armaments, and finally flexible response.

However, when it came to the Vietnam War, the so-called “Wise Men” seemed to lose their wisdom. They were handicapped by their Cold War mentality, which ultimately led to the end of the containment policy in Vietnam. Isaacson and Thomas are truly remarkable storytellers. They vividly describe the events, the interactions of the main players, and the behind-the-scenes strategizing that occurred between the US and the USSR. The authors accurately explain the transition from the “Wise Men’s” bipartisan consensus on foreign policy to a “raw new order” and the subsequent decline in US foreign policy-making. These six men firmly believed that they were not only saving the world but also shaping a new world order. It is indeed a great read that offers valuable insights into this significant period of history.

Right now, there is a great deal of focus on "Look at these six wealthy white men and how they achieved their status" (spoiler alert: for the most part, they were born as wealthy white men).

It seems that the narrative is often centered around their privileged beginnings rather than their actual efforts or achievements.

I find myself more intrigued when they embark on their "let's stop the USSR" endeavors. However, at present, I am somewhat bored with the current emphasis.

It would be refreshing to see a more in-depth exploration of their actions and decisions during that crucial period.

Perhaps then, a more comprehensive understanding of their roles and the impact they had could be achieved.

Until then, I will continue to wait for a more engaging and informative account.

An amazing story unfolds about 6 men who had a profound impact on shaping the Western World and American politics from World War II through the Vietnam era. We are all familiar with their names - Acheson, Bohlen, Harriman, Kennan, Lovett, and McCloy. Isaacson and Thomas delve deep into the origin of the momentous decision to drop the first atomic bombs. They also explain the significance of the Marshall Plan, which was crucial in rebuilding Europe. The transition of the USSR from being an ally during World War II to an adversary that the United States aimed to outdo after the war is explored in detail. Additionally, the origins of the Vietnam buildup and many other important aspects are covered. This is truly fascinating reading for students of history, providing them with valuable insights into a complex and influential period.

The story is captivatingly written throughout. However, it was just confusing at times, and lacking in some analysis that would have made the book excellent.

Who are the six Wise Men again? There's Acheson, of course, the Secretary of State. Harriman, the really gregarious guy who always seems old but sticks around anyway. Kennan, the tortured but lovable intellectual who, as Ambassador to the Soviet Union, very endearingly becomes persona non grata in the Soviet Union for clumsy words at an airport. Lovett, who I'm pretty sure was the loyal Wall Street oil guy. Gosh, I already forgot the last two. Anyway, I kept getting the six Wise Men confused with each other. They're really great, though.

The Establishment, really, is just people. These six guys mostly served under Democrats. They were loyal and trusting and decidedly not ambitious or backstabbing or prone to leaks. But to what extent do elected leaders set the tone? Truman, Eisenhower, and JFK chose to surround themselves with these guys; LBJ and Nixon preferred others. The six guys had an instinct for public service, jumping between government and the private sector as needed. It's hard to believe that Wall Streeters today would tolerate such devotion to the country without getting seduced by Washington's cameras and bright lights. But then again, as Harriman said, "The only way to make a person trustworthy is to trust him." (Was it Harriman who said that? Or one of the others?)

About containment...some of the Six Wise Men had a saying -- "Explain clearer than the truth" to convince the public -- which sounds like a pretty way of saying, "To convince the public of what we know is right, it's okay to do a little lying and exaggerating." If the Soviet Union yearns for world domination and Communism is an absolute danger that must be contained, then of course we need to go into Vietnam. But if the Soviet Union is a fundamentally defensive country, and China and the Soviet Union don't really like each other despite the Communism, and Europe matters more, then maybe we can tolerate a Communist South Vietnam, which we eventually did.

Fascinating book about how government used to work. Isaacson follows 6 men who made US post-war foreign policy. He delves deep into their working methods, exploring how they collaborated, argued, and learned from one another. He also examines the networks they constructed and nourished.

Isaacson presents a comprehensive analysis, highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of these networks. On one hand, they were founded on respect, which facilitated cooperation. However, they were also insular, composed mainly of the rich and lacking in diversity.

Although it is a long read with numerous details, it is very well written, as is characteristic of most of Isaacson's books. His engaging prose makes it accessible and enjoyable for readers interested in the inner workings of government and foreign policy.

I should have quit this book. There were indeed a few bright spots from which I learned a lot, but overall, it felt like a depressing drag. At the end of the day, after 75 years, not much has really changed in Russian foreign policy. To this day, we still struggle to interpret the meaning of a single word or even a comma.

I picked up this book mainly because of Averell Herriman, an interesting individual who persistently positions himself in the middle of many affairs in an attempt to gain power and recognition. This is a large-scope book that revolves around the careers of Averell Harriman, Dean Acheson, George Kennan, Robert Lovett, John McCloy, and Charles Bohlen. Each of them has additional staff and fellow cabinet members who are tracked throughout the narrative. It's a lot of people to keep straight. Most of them attended school together from a young age or were in the same social circles. I really loved learning more about General Marshall, and Truman is truly a star.

President Truman's description of Gen MacArthur (before he was justifiably fired, and his classmate General Marshall agreed) was "Mr. Prima Donna, Brass Hat, Five Star MacArthur".

The wartime "ditty" from GB goes like this: "Our Uncle who art in America, Sam be thy name, thy Navy come, thy will be done...give us this day our Marshall aid, and forgive us our un-American activities."

According to Churchill, the Marshall Plan was "the most unsordid act in history." It was a rare government program that ended once its usefulness disappeared.

Keenan's view on Russia was that "Until we stop pushing the Kremlin against a closed door, we shall never learn whether it will be prepared to go through an open one."

Keenan's comment on Acheson's article against his proposal was: "No hard feelings, a very good article; rarely if ever have I seen error so gracefully and respectably clothed."

So, truly appreciate the enormous amount of work that went into this book.

One might not have expected the extensive breadth in terms of the years that are covered within its pages.

Surprisingly, I ended up really enjoying the comprehensive overview of history that it ultimately became.

Yes, it was indeed an incredible look at a particular group of men, but it was so much more than that.

It is a long and detailed read, demanding patience and focus.

However, in the end, it is most definitely worth it.

The wealth of information and the unique perspective it offers make it a remarkable piece of work.

It provides a deeper understanding not only of the individuals but also of the historical context in which they lived and the events that shaped their lives and the world around them.

Overall, it is a book that leaves a lasting impression and is well worth the time and effort invested in reading it.

Forget the cheese, let's get out of the trap.

DNF at 30%. I have read several Isaacson books, but this one is not to my liking. It is about six white men who, for reasons beyond comprehension, all ended up as friends, dabbled in foreign policy, and whose names many of us still know. That being said, there is so much information presented to the reader in this book that it is difficult to digest it all. I did learn that the Japanese internment was even worse than we all thought, and that U.S. Jews asked America to bomb the train tracks to Auschwitz but were told that it was best for the people on their way to the concentration camp that the war ended sooner. God knows what other horrifying revelations remain.

This book seems to be more of a collection of facts and details rather than a cohesive and engaging narrative. It feels overwhelming at times, and I found myself losing interest as I tried to keep up with all the information. While there are some interesting tidbits and historical insights, they are buried beneath a mountain of text.

Maybe I'm just not the right audience for this book, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed. I was hoping for a more in-depth exploration of the lives and relationships of these six men, but instead, I got a dry and dense history lesson.

One of those cases where the professionalism and thoroughness of the project carries it,

despite the authors being dolts. There are just howlers throughout. For instance, they misunderstand what "begging the question" means.

Or when they claim early on that our six subjects acted without any ideology before launching into a description of their shared beliefs!

As a group-biography, it has the same faults as something like The Best and the Brightest or Team of Rivals. It is forced to be overlong so that everyone's activities are included at all times.

In this case, it also skips over large chunks of the Eisenhower era simply because these guys were out of power at the time.

And unlike Halberstam, the writing is less evocative than competent. Plus, there are strange decisions like spending pages rehashing a subject's personality about 600 pages in.

The book definitely makes me want to read more about Kennan and Acheson, who seem to be the more interesting of the group.

All six were central to the establishment because they were willing to serve and be used as tools of power, even if it meant bending the truth and convincing themselves of falsehoods.

For example, Kennan's telegrams may have been more nuanced and sophisticated than their reputation, but he was also willing to go along when they were used to boost fears of communism and justify a giant national security apparatus.

Even if he had some later doubts about his monster, he was still the Dr. Frankenstein of this story.

Here is some interesting information about six remarkable men. They repeatedly answered their nation's calls to contribute to diplomacy efforts, starting from World War II and continuing through the eras of LBJ and, in a couple of cases, Reagan. However, it must be noted that this account is a long and slow read. It delves deep into the details of their diplomatic endeavors, exploring the various challenges they faced and the strategies they employed. Each man brought his own unique skills and perspectives to the table, and their combined efforts had a significant impact on their nation's diplomatic relations. Despite the length and slowness of the read, it offers valuable insights into the complex world of diplomacy during those crucial historical periods.

Court History reveals an interesting aspect. Even during the supposed height of democratic success in America, contrary to what is commonly believed, only a relatively small number of individuals actually held the reins of power. They ruled the State in ways that were largely unknown to the general public. The public, for the most part, was content not knowing, having "authorized" those in office through elections.

Despite its length, it is a fast read that covers the entire spectrum of history in the 20th century. The first chapters, in particular, are fascinating as they explain the rise to power of the six men under discussion, especially McCloy.

Elihu Root and Henry Stimson were the de facto "godfathers" of Harriman & company, who then went on to shape the post-war or cold war world.

This book is written for those who mainly want to admire the characters involved, with only occasional criticism or editorializing. It offers a unique perspective on a significant period of history and the individuals who played crucial roles during that time.