Woodrow Wilson: Reluctant Warrior

• Documentary

Episode overview

He revolutionized American foreign affairs with his strong leadership during World War I, but his questionable domestic policies made him one of the most controversial U.S. presidents of the twentieth century. Born in Virginia on the eve of the American Civil War, Thomas Woodrow Wilson was one of the many Americans who were deeply disturbed by the grave consequences of this infamous domestic battle. As president, Wilson's abhorrence of bloodshed became evident in his masterfully diplomatic handling of America's involvement in World War I. In this captivating program, the world's leading Wilson scholar Kendrick Clements reveals how Wilson rose from Princeton professor to New Jersey governor to U.S. president in just a few short years, and extensive film footage provides insight into Wilson's sometimes turbulent years in office. Join Biography as it revisits the life and times of one of America's true statesmen, Woodrow Wilson.

60 minutes