Masters of War: Endgame--The Cold Warriors

Given the amount of time which has passed since the breakup of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, you'd think the producers would have taken a more straightforward approach in this look at the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, instead of using the same old us-vs.-them, good-guys-vs.-bad-guys tone which has permeated Cold War propaganda for the last 50 years. Here, John F. Kennedy is a noble Defender of Liberty while Nikita Kruschev, of course, is a demon (boo! hiss!). Relating the story of PT 109 during WWII, Kennedy's "heroic" rescue of his men is emphasized, not the fact that his irresponsible hot-dogging put them in mortal danger in the first place. Kruschev is drawn with a metaphorical black hat, while his achievements, such as being in charge of the defense of Leningrad during WWII (as a U.S. ally) and courageously repudiating Stalinism at the Party Congress in 1956 are never mentioned. Lionizing the Kennedys has long been a secular faith in this country, but startling remarks like: "As no president before him, Kennedy will be forced to act as a true military commander in chief..." are simply over the top. Genuinely great Presidents like Madison, Lincoln and Roosevelt must be spinning in their graves. Not recommended. 12 other titles in this U.S. News & World Report series are also available, including: The Turning Point at Guadalcanal, The Knights of Desert Storm, Patton's Charge and D-Day: Day of Decision. (R. Reagan)