The War Presidents

Guest blogger Kathie Fuston shares with us a fun event, free and open to the public.

 

The Maury County Historical Society will meet at Polk Presidential Hall a 2 p.m. Sunday, July 15.

Tom Price, curator, will speak on the current exhibit, “The Toughest Decisions: The War Presidents.” This exhibit was partially underwritten by the Maury County Historical Society, and members and guests are encouraged to attend this free event.

This original exhibition presents an overview of 12 past U.S. Presidents who served as Commander-in-Chief during wars.

“The Toughest Decisions” features original artifacts and documents that belonged to or relate to Presidents Madison, Polk, Lincoln, McKinley, Wilson, F. Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, L. Johnson, Nixon, G. Bush, and G. W. Bush.

When the question is asked, “‘How many lives are you willing to sacrifice’— it tears at my heart.” George Bush made that poignant remark to his five children in a letter written on the last day of 1990. Presidential struggles with life-and-death decisions are also evident in other documents such as the “fork in the road” memo to Lyndon Johnson and a remarkable audiotape of Richard Nixon’s impromptu visit to the Lincoln Memorial during the Vietnam War.

Displayed artifacts that offer glimpses of the Presidents’ desks and bookshelves include Abraham Lincoln’s pouncet box, Franklin Roosevelt’s telephone, Harry Truman’s world clock and books on the Korean War from Dwight Eisenhower’s personal library.

To recognize the soldiers who fought in the wars, the exhibition also features uniforms, flags, weaponry and personal keepsakes.

For additional information, call Kathie Fuston at (931) 797-8506.