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John Quincy Adams and the Foundations of American Foreign Policy Paperback – January 1, 1973

by Samuel Flagg Bemis (Author)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 8 ratings
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No American has had a more illustrious career in diplomacy that John Quincy Adams.
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  1. Print length
    640 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    W.W. Norton & Co.
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1973
  5. ISBN-10
    0393006840
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0393006841
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W.W. Norton & Co. (January 1, 1973)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 640 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393006840
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393006841
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
8 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

THOMAS JENSEN
5.0 out of 5 stars WHAT STATESMANSHIP IS REALLY LIKE
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2013
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Just when I thought that renderings of John Quincy Adams by Nagel and Wheelan were the be-all-end-all of our great American statesman, along comes a classic. Samuel Flagg Bemis' work is truly fascinating. This first edition, written in 1949, is his in-depth treatment of how John and Abagail Adams prepared their son for future use and service to his Nation, is impressive as it is incredible. Before JQA entered Harvard, he had already sat at many of the great world courts, holding his own with kings and future presidents alike.

Diplomacy and true statesmanship is severely lacking in most modern political types. This book takes us up to the early stages of JQA's presidency. JQA was certainly no hack. All of his work and training of his mind, helped establish this great Constitutional Republic of America.

I can't wait to get my hands on eyes on Bemis' second edition to the JQA sage: John Quincy Adams and the Union.

Alfred A. Knopf Publishers should SERIOUSLY consider republishing these great works of Bemis.
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jojo
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2016
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Fine product and quick delivery
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GSJ2100
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading in American Foreign Policy
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2022
If you are able to stomach the phraseology of Professor Flagg's era, especially in regard to Native Americans, you will be rewarded with a book that after over 70 years remains a classic in the field of American Diplomacy. To understand the origins of early American Diplomacy and the great wisdom that was evoked in George Washington's Farewell Address and to see it enacted through the first part of John Quincy Adams long political career, one needs to begin with Flagg's great work. While well written, there are instances when some of the sentences in the book could have used additional editing. Notwithstanding these minor irritations, the book's deep dive into the origins of essentially the pre-World War 2 American diplomatic mentality is enlightening. If you are unwilling to read the entire book (and one should) at least carefully read the book final chapter, 'The Foundations of American Foreign Policy." It gives the reader a brief and clear overview of the policies that created a foreign policy that still resonates today.
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Cody Carlson
4.0 out of 5 stars An Important Biography/Foreign Policy History of Adams and Early United States Diplomacy
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018
Samuel Flagg Bemis' 1949 work John Adams and the Foundations of American Foreign Policy is a look at both the famed American diplomat's life and his role in crafting American's diplomatic traditions. Bemis, a longtime professor of history at Yale University, brought a considerable knowledge of early American diplomacy to his subject, as evidenced by his myriad earlier works: 1926's Pickney's Treaty, a Study of America's Advantage from Europe's Distress, 1937's The Diplomacy of the American Revolution, and 1936's Diplomatic History of the United States, to name but a few.
In the preface to the work Bemis notes that John Quincy Adams enjoyed two careers “separated by an interlude as President of the United States” (ix). The first career was his role as America's premier diplomat during the 1790s and early 19th century. The second was as champion against slavery in the House of Representatives after he left the White House. Adams' first career is the focus of this book.
Rather than writing a straight diplomatic history of the period, Bemis combined the instrument of diplomatic history with that of traditional biography. The first several chapters chronicle the early years and public life of Adams. The reader sees the young Adams accompanying his diplomat father to Europe during the American Revolution, where he first began his appreciation for the wider world and America's place in it. Indeed, by the time he was fifteen years old he was perhaps the most well-traveled American alive. Bemis then moved to Adams' own career beginning as a diplomat under the administration of George Washington.
Adams' marriage, family life, and time in the Senate are all covered, but it is his return to Europe and the diplomatic sphere that concerns Bemis. “If it had not been for the renewal of war in Europe, John Quincy Adams might never have risen beyond the office of Senator from his native state... perhaps president of Harvard University” (134). Bemis' chapter on Adams' actions in the negotiations over the Treaty of Ghent offered a wonderful view of the diplomat at work, and illustrated the complexities of diplomacy in not only ending a war, but in trying to forge a new peace. It is Bemis' look at Adams as Secretary of State that proves most enlightening, and makes up the last half of the book. Here Bemis analyzes diplomatic events such as the formulation of the Monroe doctrine (which was Adams' creation but one for which he refused to make political capital in his presidential run in 1824), the Adams–Onís Treaty (which saw Spain sell Florida to the United States in 1819), the question of America's northwest border with Canada, and more.
Bemis' final chapter sums up much of what made Adams such a unique and important figure in American diplomatic history. He wrote, “Adams's success as a diplomatist resulted from more than his personal qualities, his vast learning, and his long practical experience... It stemmed from taking advantage of the favorable position of the new Republic in world geography and world politics” (571).
Bemis drew upon a considerable about of research for this book. His sources included Adams' memoirs, letters, and public papers. His secondary sources included Charles King's Eulogy on John Quincy Adams, John T. Morse, Jr.'s John Quincy Adams, and more. Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. wrote in the American Academy of Political Science that “This volume supersedes all previous studies of John Quincy Adams.” Everett S. Brown likewise praised Bemis' work in the The American Political Science Review by stating that “Professor Bemis has provided us with an excellent account of a truly great American.”
Bemis does indeed make a strong case for Adams' critical role in shaping early American foreign policy, and indeed the very physical shape of nation itself. While Bemis approaches his subject with a reverential awe, painting Adams as a tireless and brilliant servant of his nation, he stops short of hagiography by showing Adams' humanity. The diplomat and statesman's letters to his family frequently show a man only too aware of his human limitations but striving for excellence nonetheless. The result is a compelling and highly informative analysis of his life and work.
The book is a bit jarring at times in its presentation as it attempts to mash together an American foreign policy narrative/analysis with traditional biography. Still, the work's solid research and persuasive argument ultimately overcome any defects in its presentation.
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