David Kaiser

Recent Articles

1972's Lessons for the Democratic Party

As some in the Democratic Party look ahead to a possible contested convention, the lessons of 1972 become even more important

By David Kaiser

What Was Lost When the Berlin Wall Fell in 1989

The fall seemed to mark the victory of capitalism over communism. In the succeeding decades, however, it has turned out that both sides lost

By David Kaiser

World War II Launched a New Age of Global Power. 80 Years After the War Began, That Era Is Ending

On Sept. 3, 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. Nearly everyone old enough to remember that time as an adult has passed

By David Kaiser

Donald Trump and Boris Johnson Rode the Same Wave Into Power. History Suggests the Parallels Won’t Stop There

For more than two centuries, U.S. and U.K. politics have evolved in sync, writes historian David Kaiser

By David Kaiser

How the U.S. Departure From Afghanistan Could Echo Kissinger's Moves in Vietnam

"It clearly remains in the nature of the American empire — like so many of its predecessors — to overextend itself"

By David Kaiser

This Shutdown Isn’t the First Time the U.S. Government Has Broken Down. The History Doesn't Bode Well for Trump

In none of these cases, significantly, did the breakdown come to an end thanks to a reconciliation

By David Kaiser

How Understanding the 'Greatest' Generation Can Help Us Understand George H.W. Bush

He was the last president of the generation that fought World War II

By David Kaiser

Trump Wants to Leave a Nuclear-Weapons Treaty. Here’s What Happened When Arms Control Failed in the 1930s

Twice in the 20th century, the great powers tried to create a peaceful world for the long run by limiting armaments. And, with recent developments, it appears as if those efforts have twice failed

By David Kaiser

A Lawyer Changed the Course of the Watergate Investigation. Michael Cohen Could Play a Parallel Role

A tale of two lawyers

By David Kaiser

Robert F. Kennedy Is Remembered as a Liberal Icon. Here's the Truth About His Politics

For many American liberals, RFK became a symbol of not just a better past, but also a better future that might have been

By David Kaiser

How Early Warnings About the Effect of Television on American Politics Came True

When new technology or new economic innovations first emerge, smart people often sense where they might lead

By David Kaiser

Immigration Debates Have Always Been Tied to America's Moments of Crisis

Every great time of American turmoil has found new answers to the question of who gets to be an American

By David Kaiser

How President Trump Is Succeeding Where FDR Failed

Trump’s conflict with Senators from his own party has an important historical precedent

By David Kaiser

President Trump, North Korea and a Brief History of Nuclear Threats

A nuclear power has threatened another state with destruction in the past—but the previous episode does not bode well for President Trump

By David Kaiser

What the 1960s Reveal About What's Next for American Protesters

There's a link between the patterns seen a half-century ago and those seen today, argues a historian. What happens next is the question

By David Kaiser

The War That Started 80 Years Ago Wouldn't Happen Today. We Can Still Learn From It

It began with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident

By David Kaiser

A Historian's Reflections on What John F. Kennedy Meant to Americans

"Election night in 1960 remains, without question, the most exciting night of my entire life."

By David Kaiser

If Trump and Nixon Comparisons Hold, Here’s What Comes Next

"Nixon hung on to office for as long as he could, at great cost to the country. More than 40 years later, the scars of Watergate remain."

By David Kaiser

The U.S. Contemplated a Nuclear Confrontation in North Korea in 1953. We Can Learn From That Moment

Leaders discussed the use of atomic weapons in Korea in a meeting in March of 1953

By David Kaiser

You Can Compare President Trump to Richard Nixon, But Times Have Changed

A historian argues that the comparisons can only go so far

By David Kaiser
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