Political Science ETDs

Publication Date

5-30-1967

Abstract

This is a study of the way a President of the United States makes decisions in public policy. Because all decisions made by the President are not the same, the various categories of these decisions and the way a President approaches these decisions will be outlined in the first chapter.

This thesis is concerned with a single case study, the decision by President Harry S. Truman to authorize the building and development of the hydrogen bomb. The hydrogen bomb problem affords excellent material for investigating Presidential decision making primarily because key Presidential advisors, congressmen, and administrators had strong feelings either for or against the bomb's construction. President Truman had to instigate an armed truce between these warring elements not only so he could arrive at a decision, but so that his decision would produce results. How he accomplished this armed truce is the subject of this thesis.

Degree Name

Political Science

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Political Science

First Committee Member (Chair)

Helen Moyer Ingram

Second Committee Member

Tommie Phillip Wolf

Third Committee Member

Illegible

Document Type

Thesis

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