The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made

O’Toole (The Five of Hearts: An Intimate Portrait of Henry Adams and His Friends, 1880–1918) offers a comprehensive biography of Woodrow Wilson and a fresh perspective on his moral vision and legacy. The book provides an intimate portrait of Wilson’s life and identifies his “deep sense of moral responsibility” as the guiding factor behind his actions and decision-making: his extensive domestic reforms to broaden economic security, his invasion of Mexico to stave off revolution and dictatorship there, his belief in U.S. neutrality after the outbreak of war in Europe, his eventual decision to send troops to make the world “safe for democracy,” and his fight for the League of Nations. O’Toole writes with compassion and impartiality, and does not fail to note Wilson’s self-righteousness, his political blunders, and the more sordid aspects of his administration—his “immoral bargain” of segregating the civil service in return for Southern Democratic votes, his “refusal to budge on women’s suffrage,” and his stifling of wartime dissent. Unfortunately, Wilson’s interventions in Central America and the Caribbean are only granted a couple of passing mentions; scholars and students of foreign policy will notice that glaring omission. Nevertheless, this gracefully written account will likely renew debates on Wilson’s role in a century of U.S. foreign policy and the role of the United States in international affairs. (Apr.)