Widely lauded as one of the great foreign policy presidents, Theodore Roosevelt thrived in spite of a challenging domestic political landscape. He did so, argues Great Power Rising, by combining an inspiring vision for national greatness, faith in the people and the U.S. system, political dexterity, and skilled leadership.

Acknowledgements Introduction 1. The Education of TR: Politics and Foreign Policy, 1882-1903 2. A Subject of Such Weight: The Politics of European Interventions in Latin America, 1901-1903 3. Panic-Struck Senators, Businessmen, and Everybody Else: Colombia, Panama, and the Canal Route, 1902-1904 4. Triumphs and Setbacks: The Roosevelt Corollary, the 1904 Election, and the Dominican Intervention 5. Behaving Righteously: Relations with China, 1904-1906 6. Foolish Offensiveness: Relations with Japan, 1905-1909 7. The Stern, Unflinching Performance of Duty: TR and World War I, 1909-1919 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

"A thoughtful, deeply researched book....[that] contends that TR believed in the intelligence of the 'plain people' and was convinced that the American people, if properly led, would support an ambitious foreign policy agenda." -- Charles E. Neu, Journal of American History "Some credit for the United States starting on its path to greatness must go to President Theodore Roosevelt, although this is not only for his skills as a statesman in competing or collaborating with foreign statesmen but more, according to Thompson, for his mastery of domestic politics in building popular support for, and mitigating domestic opposition to, his foreign policies....Great Power Rising is a retelling of that familiar story from the inside out. Thompson shows with impressive diligence that Roosevelt was as deft, bold, and consequential a statesman behind the scenes...as he was in the spotlight." -- Kenneth Weisbrode, Diplomacy & Statecraft "This excellent study on TR's political finesse and his efforts to shape U.S. foreign policy is scholarly, appealing to a wide audience, and a significant contribution to the historiography of Theodore Roosevelt." -- Theodore Roosevelt Association Book Prize "Though Thompson does not provide a final answer to this question, his detailed analysis of Roosevelt's political strategy moves us closer to one." -- Benjamin Coates, H-Net "An insightful, well-researched interpretation of early 20th century American policymaking and Theodore Roosevelt's influence on it...Great Power Rising makes a meaningful contribution because of its nuanced view of the ties between the American democratic environment and US foreign policy." -- Stanley Schwartz, Strategic Visions "This is the most comprehensive and insightful treatment yet done of Theodore Roosevelt's approach and actions in foreign policy. To Thompson's great credit, he examines where TR stood after he left the White House and brings back the intellectual and policy dimensions of his quarrel with Woodrow Wilson."--John Milton Cooper, Jr., author of Woodrow Wilson: A Biography "John Thompson cogently places Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy into its domestic context, revealing in the process the importance of public opinion, mass communications, and party politics to the rise of the United States. Clearly argued and brimming with colorful detail, this book recasts not only TR's statecraft, but also the enduring interplay between international affairs and domestic politics."--Jay Sexton, author ofA Nation Forged by Crisis: A New American History "The great merit of John M. Thompson's study, backed by an impressive array of primary sources, is to shed new light on the domestic context - particularly public opinion - and to reveal to what extent it was a major determinant of TR's foreign policy. As such this novel approach to TR's diplomacy usefully and neatly completes previous works similarly devoted to his unique statecraft in international affairs."--Serge Ricard, editor of A Companion to Theodore Roosevelt "Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to embrace the idea of the United States as a world power. Great Power Rising thoughtfully examines how domestic politics shaped and constrained his efforts to pursue more activist policies abroad. In doing so, it highlights a lesson that still holds true for presidents today-successful statesmanship requires understanding and navigating the currents of public opinion."--James M. Lindsay, Council on Foreign Relations

Selling point: First book on the politics of Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy. Selling point: Examines the entirety of Roosevelt's career, not just his presidency. Selling point: Analyzes the role of domestic politics in US engagement with the world in the late nineteenth through early twentieth centuries.

John M. Thompson is Team Leader and a Senior Researcher in the Global Security Team at the Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich. He is co-editor of Progressivism in America: Past, Present, and Future and America's Transatlantic Turn: Theodore Roosevelt and the "Discovery" of Europe.

Selling point: First book on the politics of Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy. Selling point: Examines the entirety of Roosevelt's career, not just his presidency. Selling point: Analyzes the role of domestic politics in US engagement with the world in the late nineteenth through early twentieth centuries.