About the Book

On May 14, 1948, the United States became the first nation to grant recognition to the State of Israel. Reflecting on this event, President Harry S. Truman would claim that this was one of “the proudest moments” in his life. Many motives have been attributed to Truman’s support for the creation of Israel: his Baptist beliefs, his humanitarian concern for Europe’s 100,000 displaced Jews, public opinion, and intense lobbying on behalf of the Zionist cause. But it was by no means an easy decision for him to make.

A Safe Haven follows Truman as he grappled with the pros and cons of recognizing Israel. Ronald and Allis Radosh draw on entries in the president’s recently rediscovered diary to reveal the pressures he faced from all corners of the globe to reach a decision about the future of Israeli independence. This dramatic recounting of a key moment in postwar foreign relations is essential to a full understanding of Middle East politics.

Ronald Radosh is the author or co-author of many books, including The Rosenberg File (with Joyce Milton) and Divided They Fell: The Demise of the Democratic Party, 1964-1996. He was appointed to the Public Information Declassification Board (PIDB) by President George W. Bush in 2007, and is a contributing editor to the New York Sun.

Allis Radosh received her Ph.D. in American history from the City University of New York. She was the founder and president of Historical Concepts, Inc. She is the co-author, with her husband, Ronald Radosh, of Red Star Over Hollywood and the author of Persia Campbell: Portrait of a Consumer Activist.

“[A] revelatory account of Truman’s vital contributions to Israel’s founding.” — Wall Street Journal

Critical Praise

“[A] revelatory account of Truman’s vital contributions to Israel’s founding. . . . Told by the Radoshes with an elegance informed by thorough research.” — Wall Street Journal

“This is an excellent examination of a presidential decision that has had immense historical consequences.” — Booklist

“ A Safe Haven, is an outstanding achievement. This is certain to become an essential work for students, journalists, and statesmen---indeed, anyone interested in understanding Israel’s origins.” — Michael Oren, author of Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present, and Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East.

“In their deeply engaging study of Truman and the foundation of Israel, the Radoshes capture the dramatic intersection of momentous millennial aspirations and the thrilling intricacies of political intrigue with remarkable narrative skill. ” — Ron Rosenbaum, author of Explaining Hitler and The Shakespeare Wars

“Even knowing how the story ends, A SAFE HAVEN, had me sitting on the edge of my seat watching Harry Truman weigh the arguments of his friends and advisors in the months, then weeks, then days leading up to his recognition of Israel.” — Cokie Roberts, New York Times bestselling author of The Ladies of Liberty

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Product Details

• ISBN: 9780060594640
• ISBN 10: 0060594640
• Imprint: Harper Perennial
• On Sale: 04/20/2010
• Trimsize: 5.310 in (w) x 8.000 in (h) x 1.050 in (d)
• Pages: 464
• List Price: $16.99
• BISAC1 : HISTORY / Middle East / Israel & Palestine
• BISAC2 : HISTORY / Middle East / General
• BISAC3 : HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century
• BISAC4 : POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / Diplomacy
• BISAC5 : POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Middle Eastern