This work investigates whether Franklin D. Roosevelt’s foreign policy decisions during his presidency were calculated strategic maneuvers or failures of moral and diplomatic leadership. Robert Dallek, a prominent historian, utilizes extensive archival research and diplomatic records to analyze the complexities of Roosevelt's decision-making process. The author argues that Roosevelt functioned as a master politician who navigated intense domestic isolationism while simultaneously managing the global demands of World War II. By examining the administration's actions regarding Japan, the Soviet Union, and the Holocaust, Dallek provides a framework for understanding the constraints and objectives that defined American foreign policy during this era.

Historians and scholars frequently cite this text as a foundational analysis of Roosevelt's wartime diplomacy. Experts highlight the author's rigorous defense of Roosevelt's political pragmatism against common historical criticisms.