In your opinion, who was the most important President from USA and why?

Question

For you, born in USA, is easier anwer this question than me. JFK, FDR, Washington and Lincoln were very important presidents of USA, but maybe one of then could be more important.

Difficult choice, my friends.

Answer 1

The most important President of the US, if not for all time then at least the 20th Century, was Harry Truman. He lacked much of the polish and attention that other presidents have received (FDR, JFK, Washington) but consider:

- he, with Churchill, shaped the post-WWII world and effectively created the US's Cold War policy;
- again, with the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine, he provided the foundation for a resurgent, non-Communist Europe.
- he presided over a period of economic prosperity in the US that led to the social/political/cultural movements of the 1960's.
- he made progress towards racial equality in the US that grew into larger movements.
- under his guidance, the US made its major debut as an international power within the rubric of an international peacekeeping organization (NATO, UN, SEATO).
- for better or worse, he committed the US towards the inclusion of nuclear weapons in its defense policy.

Answer 2

In my humble (or not so humble) opinion, the most important president hte United States has ever had was the first official president, George Washington.
It was his leadership that set the example for all who have come after him, He also began the tradition (later the law) that a President not serve any more than 2 terms. He was also the only president to have ever been voted in by a unanimous vote.

Many people will say it was #16, however there have been others who have been war-time presidents. Also, contrary to popular opinion, he did not free the slaves. He freed the slaves in the NORTHERN states only. He had absolutely no authority ion the Confederate states, and knew this. Had he not been assassinated, and had been able to lead the reconstruction, then, I might possibly vote for him.

Other will say it was FDR. There have been other war-time presidents. There have also been other presidents that have served through severe economic depressions: A. Johnson, Grant, even Reagan (whop was President for the worst single day loss in stock market history).

President Kennedy, while charasmatic, was not around long enough to have been anything other than President. He was neither a great, nor a pooor one. He was inaugurated in January, and was killed 11 months later.

Again, in my opinion, iut all boils down to the one that developed the process of Presidential leadership, and began the traditions that became de jure laws for the office.

Answer 3

That's a tough question. I know everyone has his or her favorite president, Lincoln, Washington, JFK, Roosevelt (FDR) and so forth, but how do we really know? Why not Adams, Taft, Grant, Johnson, Monroe, Wilson, and Carter?

I guess we have to decide what "important" means. For the sake of the question I will say that "important" means which president had the best positive impact on our country and society for short and long term results. Agreed?

Okay, with the above agreed upon, how would we really know? We all know what history teaches us about a presidents actions and choices during times of trouble, but there is little thought as to long term impact and the possible impact of alternate choices and choices that were made in times that were not historically popular. The result of that is we ignore the hundreds of smaller choices made by presidents that were at the helm when there was no crisis thus we never consider the impact.

George Bush may go down as a hero in history, or he may go down as a boob. Bush made choices during tough times that history will judge. What about Bill Clinton? Jimmy Carter? Jerry Ford? These presidents will be footnotes because nothing huge happened on their watch just like the watches of many presidents. Even though there was nothing huge worthy of a full page in a future history book, each of the named presidents made choices every day that may make a huge impact on our lives that we just don't know where the impact came from, positive and negative.

So who was most important? Beats me. Sure, I have historical favorites, but except for the likes of Zack Taylor, how can I really make a choice with so many variables.

Answer 4

The President of the USA whose influence was most important was Woodrow Wilson. He signed the legislation creating the Federal Reserve, which made it possible for the USA to turn into an empire. This is an act whose repercussions are still being felt, because the manipulation of the money supply by the Federal Reserve have wiped out the value of the US dollar and have set the United States on the road to bankruptcy by funding overseas adventurism.

Also, by putting the USA into World War I (a war in which the interests of the United States were not under attack at all), Wilson made it possible for the war to continue, wiping out Germany and Austria-Hungary, which led to the Versailles treaty, whose mis-treatment of Germany led to Hitler's ascention, and thence to World War II.

If we'd had some other President than Woodrow Wilson, history might have been completely different. It was Wilson who turned America from a republic concerned only with managing its own affairs into some sort of global crusader whose nose has to be stuck into every other country's business.

Answer 5

I think George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are the most important President from the USA. Washington's leadership started the creation of a new and great nation. Lincoln's speech in Gettysburg awakens Americans view about justice to all people of any color and creed.

Answer 6

My personal favorite is Lincoln. OK, Washington got us on the right track by setting a pace we follow to this day, but Lincoln superintended the greatest crisis the country ever faced, and did it with such aplomb that the country did not split in half and did not so poison the Northern victory that, but for the "Forget, Hell" crowd, the name of the country ceased to be plural: "these United States" became "the United States". The resulting centralization, while it has had its disadvantages, made the country capable of meeting the challenges of the 20th century. And, by the way, Lincoln was a superb wartime commander in chief: set broad national policy; let his generals execute.

Answer 7

Most important I would have to say Calvin Coolidge because he showed that just expecting to cruise through a presidency or any kind of political office for that matter will end up in utter disaster. Though no one seemed to learn that lesson.

Answer 8

In recent history I would say JFK because of the changes made to the country during and as a result of his administration.

Answer 9

George Washington, without his military leadership America wouldn't exist.

Answer 10

JFK because he faced down the Russians in Cuba