Saving Freedom: Truman, the Cold War, and the Fight for the Future of Europe

by Joe Scarborough

The host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe reveals how President Harry Truman defended democracy against the Soviet threat at the dawn of the Cold War.

Harry Truman had been vice president for less than three months when President Franklin Roosevelt died. Suddenly inaugurated the leader of the free world, the plainspoken Truman candidly told reporters he, “felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.”

He faced a hostile world stage. Even as World War II drew to a close, the Cold War was around the corner. The Soviet Union went from America’s uneasy ally to its number one adversary. Through shrewd diplomacy and military might, Joseph Stalin gained control of Eastern Europe, and soon cast an acquisitive eye toward the Balkans—and beyond. Newly liberated from fascism, Europe’s future was again at risk, its freedom on the line.

Alarmed by the Soviets’ designs, Truman acted. In a speech before a joint session of Congress on March 12, 1947, he announced a policy of containment that became known as the “Truman Doctrine”—a pledge that the United States would “support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”

In Saving Freedom, Joe Scarborough moves between events in Washington and those in Europe—in Greece, where the U.S.-backed government was fighting a civil war with insurgent Communists, and in Turkey, where the Soviets pressed for control of the Dardanelles—to analyze and understand the changing geopolitics that led Truman to deliver his momentous speech.

The story of the passage of the Truman doctrine is an inspiring tale of American leadership, can-doism, bipartisan unity, and courage in the face of an antidemocratic threat. Saving Freedom highlights a pivotal moment of the Twentieth Century, a turning point where patriotic Americans worked together to defeat tyranny.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, Presidents, Audiobook, American History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2020

About the author

Charles Joseph "Joe" Scarborough (born April 9, 1963) is an American cable news and talk radio host, lawyer, author, and former politician. He is currently the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC, and previously hosted Scarborough Country on the same channel. Scarborough served in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001 as a Republican from the 1st district of Florida. He was named in the 2011 Time 100 as one of the most influential people in the world.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, he is the son of George F. Scarborough, a businessman, and has two other siblings. When his father died in May 2011, his life story appeared in the Congressional Record and in Politico's Playbook. Scarborough even wrote a eulogy op-ed online.

Joe Scarborough graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School in Pensacola, Florida. He received a B.A. from the University of Alabama in 1985 and a J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law in 1990. During this time he wrote and produced CDs with his band, Dixon Mills, and taught high school. He was admitted to the The Florida Bar in 1991, and practiced law in Pensacola.

Scarborough's most famous case was representing Michael F. Griffin, the accused killer of abortion doctor David Gunn, in early to mid-1993. He made several court appearances for Griffin. "There was 'no way in hell I could sit in at a civil trial, let alone a capital trial,' he claims now, referring to the prospect of prosecutors seeking the death penalty against Griffin." Scarborough assisted Griffin in choosing a trial lawyer from the many who offered their services, and he also shielded the family from the media exposure, pro bono.

Scarborough also helped to raise his political profile and made numerous contacts by assisting with a petition drive in late 1993 to oppose a 65 percent increase in the City of Pensacola's property taxes.

In 1994, Scarborough won the Republican Party primary for Florida's 1st congressional district, which came open after eight-term Democratic incumbent Earl Hutto announced his retirement. In the general election he defeated the Democratic candidate, Pensacola attorney Vinnie Whibbs, with 61 percent of the vote. Whibbs was the son of well respected, former Pensacola mayor, Vince Whibbs. The win was not considered an upset, since the 1st was traditionally a conservative district. The district had not supported a Democratic candidate for U.S. president since 1960. While Democratic candidates continued to win most local offices well into the 1990s, they tended to be conservative even, by Southern Democratic standards. It had been widely believed that Hutto would be succeeded by a Republican once he retired.

Scarborough was reelected with 72 percent of the vote in 1996. In 1998 and 2000, he was opposed by only a write-in candidate.

Scarborough supported a number of pro-life positions while in Congress, including the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, that made it a crime to harm a fetus during the commission of other crimes, though he did not vote for the passage of the final bill.

Scarborough sponsored a bill to force the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations after a four-year transition and voted to make the Corporation for Public Broadcasting "self-sufficient" by eliminating federal funding. He also voted for the "Medicare Preservation act of 1995," which cut the projected growth of Medicare by $270 billion over ten years, and against the "Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996," which raised the minimum wage to $5.15. Scarborough had a conservative voting record on economic, social, and foreign policy issues, but was seen as moderate on environmental issues and human rights causes, including closing the School of the Americas and Lori Berenson.

While in Congress, Scarborough received a number of awards, including the "Friend of the Taxpayer Award" from Americans for Tax Reform; the "Guardian of Small Business Award" from the National Federation of Independent Busine

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book that looks at a specific topic or issue in a president’s life. It is not a biography. I noticed this is becoming a trend now to dissect an issue in history or a president/prime minister’s life rather than writing about the entire event.

The book is well written and researched. Scarborough focuses primarily on President Truman’s foreign policy achievements. Truman’s major concern after WWII was rebuilding a starving and destroyed Europe; and, Stalin’s aggression and how to stop it before all of Europe became part of the USSR. The author does provide a bit of background for those not familiar with the topic. I was interested, considering today’s dysfunctional Senate, how Truman and Arthur Vandenberg worked together. I noticed that Scarborough quoted Winston Churchill “Truman more than any other man saved civilization”. If you are interested in this topic, you will enjoy reading this book.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is eight hours and five minutes. Joe Scarborough does a good job narrating the book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

That turned out to be a quick read. It's not a long book at all. Author Joe Scarborough has a point to make in his story and he makes it very clear. In 1947, President Harry Truman made a speech before Congress announcing his "containment " policy. This would be containment of the Soviet Union and it would become known as "the Truman Doctrine." As the author makes clear, Truman ended the long period of isolationism in American history, except for World War I. After that war, the USA returned to isolationism until World War II....Truman was determined not to throw away the Allied victory in 1945, a victory won at such a heavy cost in lives. He would stand up to the Soviets, who, as Churchill said, had drawn an "Iron Curtain" across Europe. This meant, first of all, giving aid to the Greek government battling the communist guerrillas who threatened to take over the country and, secondly, support for Turkey, which was threatened by the Soviets wanting to control the Straits.
The Greek Civil War presented an urgent crisis for Truman as the Greek government looked like it would fall. I did not know much about that war. I knew that the US sent aid to help the Greeks but they also sent military advisors. I did not know the name of Lt. Gen. James A. Van Fleet but he was the man who organized the Greek army into a capable fighting force. The war was a difficult one. Stalin was cautious and did not directly aid the Greek communists but they were able to fall back on bases in the neighboring communist countries of Yugoslavia, Albania, and Bulgaria. In the end, the communists were defeated without Truman sending in American troops, which, of course, he did not want to do. The Greek National Army made its final attacks on the guerrilla positions near the Albanian border. To finish off the guerrillas, Helldivers, carrier-based navy dive bombers, flown by Greek pilots, made a crushing aerial assault on their last base. Surviving guerrillas fled into Albania and the civil war was ended. As the author states it, "The Truman Doctrine in Greece was an unambiguous American triumph." And Truman had won without needing to send in US combat troops...As the author also points out, what had worked in Greece would not always work in the future in Asia...

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s an interesting trend in the past 20 years or so, of authors of history and biographies taking their subjects and writing about selected parts of their lives. Former congressman and current “Morning Joe” pundit has done this with Harry Truman and the important foreign policy moves he made during his 8 years in office. His new book, “Saving Freedom: Truman, the Cold War, and the Fight for Western Civilization”, begins basically after the end of World War 2, and recounts the beginning of a Cold War with our former ally, the Soviet Union.

I’m sure everyone reading this review are familiar with Truman’s first few months in office after succeeding Franklin Roosevelt in April, 1945. Truman found out - at long last - about our development of an atomic bomb. Truman was very clear about the bomb being yet another weapon-of-choice against the Japanese. He later said he had no doubt in using the two bombs to help facilitate Japanese surrender. (If you’re really interested in that time period, please check out A J Baime’s excellent work, “The Accidental President: Harry S Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World”.) Scarborough’s book sort of picks up where Baime’s book ends.

Scarborough looks at how Stalin took advantage of a dying Franklin Roosevelt when they met at Yalta in February, 1945 to discuss the coming post war reorganization of Germany and Europe. Winston Churchill was there, too, but the general assumption was that the post war world would have 2 major influences - the United States and the Soviet Union. Truman stepped into the role of Stalin’s adversary.

Truman also recognized that the US couldn’t return to its isolationist roots. We had to have a place at the world table and not hide behind the expose of oceans, separating us from Europe and Asia. We had to get involved in the post war world.

Scarborough’s book is a great read for an armchair historian.

[Steven Z. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A favorite question that was asked by pundits and historians in 1989 revolved around who was responsible for the bringing down of the Berlin Wall, and two years later the collapse of the Soviet Union. President George H.W. Bush took credit for winning the Cold War, while others argued it was due to the Reagan presidency. In his new book, SAVING FREEDOM: TRUMAN, THE COLD WAR, AND THE FIGHTFOR WESTERN CIVILIZATION MSNBC “Morning Joe” host, Joe Scarborough argues that it was because of the policies implemented by President Harry S. Truman which allowed the United States to become the lone superpower in the early 1990s.

For those who are conversant with the events and personalities that dominated the foreign policy debate in the post-World War era Scarborough offers little that has not been written elsewhere. However, to the author’s credit he tells an absorbing story that created the foundation of American foreign policy that lasted for over seven decades.

One of the books dominant themes is the idea that the United States should assume the mantle of world leadership because of the vacuum created by England’s financial distress and the socialist agenda of the Labour Party. This concept was the anti-thesis of American foreign policy since the founding of the republic and George Washington’s “Farewell Address” that called for “no entangling alliances” and became the basis of American isolationism. The Democratic Party had been open to world leadership dating to Woodrow Wilson’s concept of economic internationalism, but the 1920s saw a fundamental change brought about by Republican disengagement on the world stage. Scarborough argues it took men like George C. Marshall, Dean Acheson, George Kennan, and Harry Truman to confront Soviet expansionism along with Republican senator Arthur Vandenberg for the United States to accept the challenge and implement a policy of containment rather than pre-war appeasement when confronted by a threatening autocracy.

Scarborough begins his argument with the situation that existed in Greece in 1946 and tries argues that aid to Greece and Turkey formed the basis of the Truman Doctrine discussed in the context of the history of American foreign relations. In doing so, Scarborough, for me at least has written a rendition of “Foreign Policy for Dummies” as he provides a series of broad surveys of foreign policy issues in each chapter to explain events. At times he goes a bit far exemplified by the unnecessary chapter dealing with Palestine. Scarborough at times can be somewhat verbose as he frames situations, for example, “Soviet ambitions were set in motion. Like a shark smelling blood in the ocean, Stalin was ready to move on British former colonies and clients.” Further, Scarborough has the annoying habit at the conclusion of a number of chapters resorting to a false sense of drama by asking superficial questions, I assume to enhance a sense of foreboding. I would suggest that he let the material playout, rather forcing the narrative.

As I read the book, I got the feeling that the monograph was overly interspersed with speeches, whether Truman on the stump trying to gain support for aid to Greece and Turkey, speeches by Senators and House members in their respective committees or on the floor of the Senate and House chambers, and witnesses called before Congressional committees. At times I felt I was reading a book of speeches and dialogue linked by a narrative rather than a discussion that had great potential for insight and analysis. Further, when one examines Scarborough’s sources, he provides extraordinarily little. With no end notes or bibliography, he offers a short bibliographical essay that encompasses roughly sixteen secondary sources and the mention of the THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES (FRUS) series published by the State Department. Further he should pay more attention to critical details like his discussion of the Monroe Doctrine visa vie the Truman Doctrine as he leaves out the role of the British and their Foreign Secretary, George Canning. He may argue that the Truman Doctrine was the successor to the Monroe Doctrine, but he forgets that at the turn of the century Theodore Roosevelt instituted the Roosevelt Corollary.

To Scarborough’s credit he writes in a noticeably clear and understandable prose. His discussion of the debate in Congress, newspapers, and the personalities involved reflects a command of the historical material, and his coverage of political negotiations and the preparation of the American people for the passage of the Truman Doctrine and its significance is well done. He stresses the reactionary and regressive nature of the Greek regime as an obstacle to obtaining Congressional aid and his analysis of Truman’s speech to Congress is dead on. But again, at times he is prone to overstatement. His key argument is strong that Truman engaged in one of the “greatest selling” jobs of any president as he convinced an isolationist leaning congress to support an internationalist policy.

In the end we are left with a dichotomy; an incomplete narrative, but with a theme that seems to hold together in terms of the importance of the Truman Doctrine over the last seventy years or so. If there is a lesson to be learned from Scarborough’s monograph it is the importance of pursuing bipartisan approaches to major foreign policy issues and that politicians need to weigh issues in relation to their effect on American national security, not political polls, commentary of pundits on cable news, or the demands of an autocratic leaning president.

[Jamie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book in the library I picked it up, read the blurbs on the front and back, and spent several minutes weighing whether I wanted to get it. The title did not give me much confidence, sounding like it might have come from a Fox Afterschool Special for Junior Republicans. In fact, the subtitle of the print edition I was looking at is different from what is listed here on Goodreads, saying that the fight was for Western Civilization, not Europe.

There was also the fact that the author is a political pundit, a group known more for shouting than intellectual depth. Also, no ghost writer was credited, which made me wonder how someone with a full time job declaiming his opinions could have had the time to research and write a history book, even a short one like this of only about 240 pages. As it happens, in the Acknowledgments at the end there are names and descriptions of people who seem to have done much of the heavy lifting.

On the other hand, it was a subject I was interested in and wanted to know more about, and despite my misgiving, it turned out to be a worthwhile read, well written, well researched, and making effective use of source material. Whoever actually wrote it did a good job.

When we think about President Harry Truman today we tend to remember the atomic bomb or Korea and MacArthur, but this book is about the tumultuous year which followed Britain’s 1947 decision to withdraw from what had been its empire and areas of influence. Britain was broke and could barely sustain even token forces, leaving open the very real possibility that the Soviet Union would take advantage of nations with shattered economies and tenuous democratic institutions. “Stalin’s strategy developed into an exercise in finding vulnerable countries where he coould [sic] expand the Soviet’s reach without tempting a direct conflict with the United States.”

If the United States did not step forward and provide economic assistance and political support many countries would fall to Communism, as Stalin relentlessly pushed his agenda via propaganda, Fifth Columnists, and civil wars. The problem was that America retreated into isolationism as soon as World War II was over. Many people still remembered the fevered propaganda that had helped draw the country into the First World War (butchered babies!, crucified nuns!), which all turned out to be lies, and they felt they had been tricked into joining the Allies. In Lynne Olson’s Those Angry Days, she writes that “according to a 1937 Gallup poll, 70 percent of the American people thought it had been a mistake for the country to enter the war.” In the years after World War II the old isolationist sentiment re-emerged, strong as ever.

World War II had cost 407,000 American lives and billions of dollars, and for many people that was more than enough. The rest of the world could sort out its own problems. Truman himself was widely seen as a political lightweight, the accidental president who had been selected for the Vice Presidency after the previous incumbent, Henry Wallace, lost the confidence of the party bosses. Roosevelt seems to have thought little of Truman, who didn’t even learn of the atomic bomb project until he was thrust into the Presidency and had to make the momentous decision whether to use it.

When it came time for Truman to make a case for supporting Greece and Turkey, asking the American people to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and stake out a position as leader of the Free World, he was fortunate to have the right people in the right places, and the wrong people pushed off to the sidelines. The right people were George C. Marshall and Dean Acheson, along with Senator Arthur Vandenburg, a former isolationist who came to understand the gravity of the situation and lent his formidable support to convincing other Senators and Congressmen to vote for the legislation. The wrong person was the same Henry Wallace whom Truman had replaced on the 1944 presidential ticket. He stridently opposed American foreign aid and endlessly inveigled against supporting Greece and Turkey. Had he not been dropped from the ticket he would have succeeded Roosevelt and the US would not have lifted a finger to assist countries threatened by the Communists. It is a sobering thought to consider what the world today would have looked like if that had happened.

Marshall’s reputation as the architect of victory in World War II gave him enormous prestige and guaranteed that his positions would be give serious considerations. Acheson, brilliant but aloof and with a low opinion of politicians, was respected but not liked on Capitol Hill. His views on Congress could very well be repeated today, as he thought of them as “beholden to narrow and parochial interests, incapable of understanding seismic changes buffering world affairs any more than they could grasp the need for the United States to adopt an increasingly expansive role.”

Turkey was in a stronger position than Greece, and is mentioned only occasionally in the book, but Greece was in danger of imminent collapse. The Germans had destroyed everything when they withdrew in 1944, including roads, bridges, and ports, and burned hundreds of villages. It did not help the prospects for democracy that the post-war Greek government was brutally, murderously oppressive, making many people think that Communism might not be such a bad alternative.

The Communist insurgents controlled most of the north of the country and emerged from their mountain hideouts to kill and destroy, hoping to push the country into collapse so that they could step in and take power. The Greek army, poorly trained and equipped, could do little against them, and even when they were successful the insurgents would slip across the border to their bases in Albania and Yugoslavia. They also adopted the horrific tactic of kidnapping children and herding them over the border where they could be indoctrinated into good little Communists.

In the end the bill to support Greece and Turkey passed by comfortable margins in both houses of Congress, and became known at the Truman Doctrine, which would guide American foreign policy for decades. The Greek army, reinvigorated by new leadership and American arms, pushed the insurgents back, captured their key towns and strong points and eventually took control of the entire country. Seeing the direction things were going, Stalin decided it was not worth further investments and withdrew support.

A good history book is illuminating and insightful, and despite my earlier misgivings, this one fits the bill. It takes an incident which is almost forgotten today and shows that it was in fact a linchpin in determining the course the post-War world would take.

As a final note, toward the end of the book is a comment by George Keenan, which shows that the old problems are still very much with us. This quote could be used to describe our modern troubles and uncertain future: “The fact of the matter is that there is a little bit of the totalitarian buried somewhere, way down deep, in each and every one of us. It is only the cheerful light of confidence and security which keeps this evil genius down at the usual helpless and invisible depth. If confidence and security were to disappear, don’t think they he would not be waiting to take their place.”

[Jim Ogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Scarborough brings a deft touch to his storytelling and analysis of Harry Truman’s foreign policy successes. He translates this well to the challenges that remain now for a new American administration. May Joe Biden be half as successful as Harry Truman!

A great listen with extra bonus content.

Thank you fir a job well done!

[LemonLinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true reminder that America is a bastion of democracy and "the shining city on a hill" rather than "America First", America only. Read the finer points leading to the development of the Truman Doctrine as a national policy, the bipartisan effort supporting it, the discussion and vote while debating it and finally the implementation of the doctrine prompted a closer comparison and examination of the current resurgance of the "America First" isolationism and rejection of global interests.

Sometimes in politics things happen as they should, indeed as they must. Harry Truman was needed as president in order to deter the rapid spread of Communism following WWII given the vast devastation and weakened economies throughout Europe. Those both to the right and to the left of him politically for differing reasons believed America should look inward during this time which could have meant the end of much of Europe as we know it. The little man who was given zero chance of winning the '48 election did indeed win and did great things much beyond the scope of what had been expected of him. Many even credit his administration with saving the free world at the dawn of the Cold War. After reading this account of that time period, I tend to agree as noted that the Truman Doctrine may well be "one of the proudest moments in American history."

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Read

Like I said in the title this is an interesting book. He really goes deep into the Soviet Union’s thirst for both Greece and Turkey. I don’t remember seeing that very often in the news but he presents the dilemma very very well.

He gets a little lost in his presentation but overall it’s it’s worth it if your history buff

[Jack Nix · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just... wanted a book about Harry Truman. This was hardly that (you wouldn’t guess from the cover). It is filled to the brim with block quotes, and has countless typos. It really seems like Scarborough was given a page requirement, and could not hit it... so he just added in unnecessary long quotes, random details that did not have anything to do with the overall story, and rambling. He also repeats himself a lot - especially the detail that the legislation covered in the book changed the course of history forever (he says this in pretty much every chapter multiple times).
To me, this book came off as a below average ex-congressman trying to impress people about his knowledge on this small little nugget of history, but his ego and bad writing skills got in the way.
I’ll be picking up David McCullough’s Truman book the cleanse my palate after reading this garbage.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it interesting that Joe Scarborough, a conservative Republican of the "old school," would write such a positive book on Harry Truman. But he explains that he had displayed two portraits on the wall of his congressional office, one of Ronald Regan and the other of Truman. It apparently surprised many visitors until told that he admired each of them for their "hawkish" (his words) position on communism in their foreign policy. I found that Scarborough presented Truman fairly, discussing his flaws without hyperbole as well as praising his courage and character.

This is a fairly short book and focuses mostly on the Truman Doctrine and the years directly following War War II. During this period, the United States found itself at odds with the Soviet Union, a formerly close ally. Scarborough demonstrates how Truman's policies influenced global relationships for the next 70 years.

The book barely scans Truman's life before or after this period and is true to its title. I intend to find a longer biography to learn more about Truman's long life, having mainly observed his foreign policy actions during his presidency in this book. We are unlikely to see another Truman, especially in politics; the cultural forces that created him have long disappeared. The ability of leaders to compromise and find solutions acceptable to most no longer exists in our highly partisan, angry environment. And that is our loss...

[Christa Furman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I never knew how fascinating was the life of Harry Truman! Joe Scarborough’s book is packed full of information about President Truman and his various cabinet members, & how they led America in a new, international world stage. His writing style is clear and engaging, as well.

[Paul Hart · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a brief work akin to Brian Kilmeade’s pop history, though Scarborough overtly ties historical events he’s recounting to present times. It’s a brisk read, fairly well written, but given the title its focus is unexpectedly narrow. Rather than a broader overview of US aid to Europe, the Berlin Airlift, etc this book focuses almost exclusively on the decision to provide military and economic assistance to Greece.

While the topic is worth writing (and reading) about, Scarborough’s style leaves a lot to be desired. He occasionally slips into first person, something that is not appropriate for this type of book, except perhaps in the introduction and acknowledgements sections. He also tries to tie the events of 1946-47 together with modern events to criticize the isolationism of the Trump administration, a transition which is awkward and doesn’t really work. To connect these eras Scarborough resorts to factual misstatements and declaring debatable propositions as incontrovertible facts. The two most glaring examples are his claim that Trump has no foreign policy achievements (the several peace deals he helped negotiate between Israel and Arab neighbors can be said to refute that assertion), and that his administration allowed the Russians to gain a foothold in Syria (a revisionist claim that whitewashes Obama’s dithering in 2013 after Assad used chemical weapons on his regime’s opponents, resulting in Russia's insertion of itself into the conflict). Thus, Scarborough could use a dose of humility and nuance in his way of thinking.

Another issue with the book is the excessive use of quotations. Large sections are word for word recitations of documents, speeches, etc. that would have been better off as summaries or paraphrases. It seems the publisher told Joe that he needed a longer book if he wanted it printed, and so he took the 10th grade history paper route of excessive quotation paragraphs.

The thing that really drags down the quality of this book, however, is that it has NO ENDNOTES! That’s right - there are no citations at all! This turns it into little more than a high school essay, and definitely drags it a rung below Brian Kilmeade’s and Bret Baier's pop history works. If Scarborough makes this one of a continuing series, I hope he fixes this long list of defects in his next work.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

This is a pretty straightforward history, focused on Truman's post-war foreign relations policy that came to be known as the Truman Doctrine. Faced with Britain's inability to continue to support Greece and Turkey, the Truman Doctrine provided financial aid to both countries in the hopes of staving off Stalin-backed Communist takeovers.

Scarborough details all of the personalities and political maneuvers that went into the development and implementation of the doctrine and its ramifications. He covers some familiar territory but the book's narrow focus allows for an in-depth coverage not possible in books with a wider lens. I was annoyed by an over-reliance of lengthy reproductions of speech and document texts, but the writing is clear and the theme holds together well throughout. In spite of a bit of over-promising in the book's title, it generally does what it sets out to do.

[connor Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book about the birth of the Truman Doctrine and the work needed to change the minds of Congress and the American people to make the USA the global super power it is today. Covers the passing of the torch from Britain to our country in an engaging way with behind closed door stories. The detail is ever relevant today given the changing world climate with the wars in Israel and Ukraine and the changing sentiments of the American people.

We are almost in a state of reversion to which we were in 1946 as people are tired of the USA being so involved with foreign affairs while the domestic population struggles. Will be interesting to see the next decade and if isolationism becomes a more common sentiment as it was between WWI and WWII which only created the rise of fascism.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good short book on how Harry Truman steered the United States through the end of the World War II in Europe and used the Atomic bomb twice on Japan to end the war in Asia. He then kept a strong eye on Stalin and the Iron Curtin. Joe Scarborough is very attached to Harry Truman and tells the reader why he thinks he’s a great president. Very interesting.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Freedom is both a light biography of Harry Truman and a history of the Truman Doctrine. The style is to bounce back and forth from Truman's earlier life to the pivotal decision in 1947 to provide aid to Greece to prevent communist guerrillas from taking over the country. This decision and the efforts to implement it comprise the bulk of the book, which goes into (sometimes agonizing) detail about every step in the process from the speech to Congress to the legislative drafting to the efforts to win over key legislators to the implementation of the relief to Greece. While a significant historical event, the description of the legislative sausage-making was more than I was interested in, and there was no chance that I would ever recall most of the many names that were involved in the process.

There is also some discussion of Truman's decision to recognize Israel and the Election of 1948, but most of Truman's second term, including the Korean War and any domestic policy, is not covered. It's a book about how the Truman Doctrine and the age of American intervention began and not a lot else. But it's a very strong account of this subject and presents a convincing case for Truman's historical significance.

[BOOKLOVER EB · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Saving Freedom," Joe Scarborough focuses on President Harry Truman's foreign policy achievements. After FDR's death in 1945, Truman inherited an office that, at first, he felt unprepared to occupy. Quite a few Americans were weary of conflict and preferred to concentrate on domestic matters. However, President Truman was concerned that Stalin was sowing seeds that could result in the Soviet domination of Europe. Since Truman needed broad cooperation to implement his plans, he and his brilliant advisers concentrated on convincing Congress to prop up the economy of Greece, which was in ruins. In 1947, after numerous meetings and negotiations, Truman won over enough legislators to achieve his goal of assisting Greece. The mission of the Truman Doctrine was to promote democracy and contain the spread of Communism.

Scarborough's writing style is refreshingly concise, lucid, and fast-paced. He humanizes the individuals who played important roles in Truman's administration. In addition, the author draws on solid primary and secondary sources to trace the origins of the Cold War and describe Truman's foreign policy initiatives. Furthermore, Scarborough provides enough background information about Truman to enlighten those may not be familiar with his military service, limited formal education, failed attempt at running a business, and early forays into politics.

This a timely and enlightening look at how government can work when skillful and patriotic individuals are at the helm. Truman was clever enough to know when the time was right to promote his agenda. He refused to bow to outside pressure when he felt morally obligated to make certain decisions, and remained humble yet resolute throughout his tenure. Truman had his share of flaws. He was not a great orator and many believe that America's participation in the Korean War was misguided and costly. Although Truman left the White House with a ridiculously low approval rating, prominent historians have praised the former haberdasher from Missouri for his vision, integrity, and ability to work across the aisle. Scarborough convincingly makes the case that Truman's actions helped shape America's leadership in the world for much of the twentieth century.

[Tonja, · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love any book about Truman!

[Megargee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather than a biography of Pres. Harry S Truman, of which I have read several, this is a relatively brief account of the origins of what became known as the Truman Doctrine and the origins of the Cold War. After VE Day, and the defeat of Japan, the Soviet Union was poised to extend its domination over Eastern Europe and take over the areas that Germany had previously occupied.
Scarborough's focus is on Greece which had endured Axis occupation. When the British, exhausted by fighting the Axis since 1939, confessed that they were unable to protect Greece and the Balkan states from Communist domination, Truman decided that it was up to the US to step forward and oppose Stalin's plans to effectively rule all of Eastern Europe. Through the Marshal Plan and what became known as the Truman doctrine, Truman rallied the West to preserve democracy in Greece and neighboring states rather than let the United States revert to the isolationism that had followed World War 1. Thus began the so-called Cold War and the formation of the Iron Curtain.
Scarborough writes clearly and with a minimum of scholarly apparatus to tell Truman's story.

[David Miraldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who want a concise history of US foreign policy following World War II, this book delivers. Scarborough tells how the US abandoned its century-long policy of isolationism to take a leadership role in world affairs. The author develops the story of Harry Truman and the decisiveness that defined his presidency.

For those unfamiliar with the Greek civil war, this book provides insights into that decade-long struggle. When Greece and Turkey were vulnerable to collapse and coming under the Soviet bloc, Truman and the US had a decision to make: whether to allow those government to fall or whether to provide economic and military aid to bolster them. After such a huge expenditure of life and money to defeat Hitler and Japan, the US could not allow those sacrifices go for naught. Thus was born the Truman Doctrine -- that the US would provide economic and military aid to selected countries deemed to be important to a region in order to provide stability and defeat Communism.

I believe one of Scarborough's motivation to tell this story is to show how both parties came together and acted in a bipartisan manner to do what was best for our nation and the world. He wanted to remind us that when this happens, our country is capable of accomplishing great things.

[Peter Tillman]

NYT review, by John Gans: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/bo...
Excerpt:
"In an earnest, engaging new book, “Saving Freedom,” Joe Scarborough, the eponymous host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” shows readers why and, most important, how Truman set a precedent for all his successors — and cable news chatter — more than seven decades later. If the story of the 33rd president’s commitment, which at first aided only peoples in Greece and Turkey, is familiar, Scarborough’s focus on Truman and other elected officials is not. By crediting wily politicians for America’s Cold War policy instead of the wise men in the government’s bureaucracy, Scarborough reminds readers that long telegrams like George Kennan’s and policy memorandums from the State Department don’t make successful doctrines; politicians do."

Good review. Interesting-sounding book, of a President I have long admired. Especially compared to the last two!

[Michael Paquette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well detailed examination of a momentous period in American history that achieved far reaching goals of expanding democracy over a war torn world and preventing aggression from tyranny. The results of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan reverberate to our current era and are a stark warning against isolationist beliefs. A compelling account of Presidential leadership and a building of bipartisn support that had far reaching results that would eventually result in the fall of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. About 35 years ago I worked with a man who had been a soldier of General Alexandros Papagos' fighters against the Communist guerillas and he told me that that moment in European history was a glorious victory that was won with a great decision by our American President to offer strategic support. This book details the background of that moment and the significance of its historical reach.

[Tom Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be an interesting focus on Harry Truman’s contribution to the post WWII society we live in. Instead of writing about all of Truman’s life or his time as President, this explains in substantial detail how Greece and Turkey were likely saved from a Soviet takeover after WWII when the Truman administration convinced Congress and the American people that the US had to take a world leadership role against an expanding communist Soviet empire. I was traveling through Greece and Turkey while reading this, which made it very real and not just some recounting of history from seventy five years ago.
Some of it is a little dry reading with the description of all the legislative and political deal making, but the stakes were high and it could have easily turned out differently with a major negative impact on the Western world.
After reading David McCullough’s biography of Truman I respected Truman’s contribution to the US, and Joe Scarborough’s book just adds to that respect.

[Mike (HistoryBuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well told story of the successes of President Truman’s administration. This book gives you a quick synopsis of some of the great achievements to come from his administration even as he had to contend with a republican controlled congress, which he managed to wrangle to his side. To name a few: the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, formation of NATO, establishment of the state of Israel, and desegregation of the military.

This is not a full biography, just some of the major highlights. For a full bio, I would recommend Truman, by David McCullough.

[Steven Hix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was never going to get in the habit of reading history books by cable news show hosts, and this book only reaffirmed that instinct. The interesting subject is what drew me to the book in the first place, but the author spends so much time writing minor character introductions (that somehow feel both unnecessary and inadequate) and worshiping Truman’s folksy upbringing (you’ll hear at least 400 times that he was a “failed haberdasher”) that he doesn’t really get into it.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read! I haven’t read much about Truman and the beginnings of the Cold War so I learned a great deal. It is crazy to see how one man who barely became president shaped 70 years of American foreign policy.

[Chris Gregg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well done and researched book. An interesting fact of American history.

[Dave Mackler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, not so much. The writing style is not that of well know historians but then Joe S. is an entertainer with his morning show and bands. On the other hand reading the book provided interesting historical information about the significant events that took place on Truman's watch and how his personal decisions and actions affected so much of the world. I was unaware of the steps that took place that took place that resulted in Truman being Vice President in Roosevelt's last term and how Truman had then been isolated from Roosevelt during the short time prior to his death.

The book is interesting in providing information and historical perspective but to greeter extent seems related to others in his administration as much as Truman. I did learn and have a new understanding of how important in our history the Truman administration was.

[Brandon Coyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally believe the book is insightful and inspirational. It helps the readers understand what risks and sacrifices were taken during the vanguard against the growing communist threat.

Pros
-It brings a whole new point of view over some of the politicians it refers to.
-Sticks to the historical timeline
-A reader will learn a lot from this book

Cons
-Definitely, a slow read, to obtain all the information
-Written for a select few audiences

I would recommend this to any Cold War history lover, or to any Post World War Two history lover.

[Martin Kilkenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book and a part of history I knew very little about. Very easy to read and understand and you have to love Scarborough for dropping the F bomb today on his show.