Overview

This volume, the third in a series of James G. McDonald's edited diaries and papers, covers his work from 1945, with the formation of the Anglo-American Committee, through 1947, with the United Nations' decision to partition Palestine between Jews and Arabs. The ""Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry Regarding the Problems of European Jewry and Palestine"" was a group charged with finding a solution to the problem of European Jewish Refugees in the context of the increasingly unstable British Mandate in Palestine. McDonald's diaries and papers offer the most thorough personal account we have of the Committee and the politics surrounding it. His diary is part travelogue through the desolation of postwar Europe and a Middle East being transformed by new Jewish settlements and growing Arab intransigence. McDonald maintained discreet contact with Zionist and moderate Arab leaders throughout the Committee's hearings and deliberations. He was instrumental in the recommendation that 100,000 Jewish refugees enter Palestine and won President Truman's trust in order to counter attempts to nullify the report's recommendations.

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9780253015099

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Reviews

On previous volumes in the series: Inspiring--McDonald's prescience and energy are simply amazing. But because we know what is soon to happen to Europe's Jews, we share his frustration that no one seems to be listening. --The Wall Street Journal Will undoubtedly reignite the charged debate over whether Roosevelt could have done more to rescue millions... who died in Nazi death camps. --The New York Times A major resource for the research of one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century. --Jewish Political Studies Review , reviewing a previous edition or volume

""Unusually engaging and suspenseful for a such a scholarly enterprise, To the Gates of Jerusalem is an essential volume for all university libraries and collections focused on the history of the Middle East in the twentieth century.""—Jewish Book Council ""To the Gates of Jerusalem focuses on the months between December 1945 and the Israeli declaration of independence on May 14, 1948. Although McDonald's diary ends in April 1946, the remaining years of his activities are superbly documented by the editors. Indeed, this is perhaps the best example of an edited diary that this reviewer has seen.""—H-Net Reviews H-Judaic ""The scholarship underpinning these edited diaries and papers is impeccable and meticulous, directing those wishing further details to important sources. But nonspecialists and general readers will find this volume eminently accessible, at times gripping. The skillful design and presentation include an excellent brief overview of the period, an epilogue, valuable chapter introductions, footnotes, and sidebars that together successfully overcome the sometimes truncated nature of the primary materials. Through its focus on one individual, the book provides a sophisticated and balanced account of three dramatic years.""—Middle East Journal ""The layout, featuring each paragraph of the diaries followed by meticulous explanation and annotation, makes the material accessible and easy to understand. This excellent method, so different from the usual text and turgid footnotes, results in a definitive ""case study"" of the history of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry.""—Studies in Contemporary Jewry ""The Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry profoundly shaped the international diplomacy that led to the U.N. resolution to partition Palestine in 1947 and the foundation of Israel in 1948. The American James G. McDonald exercised considerable influence on the committee's deliberations and recommendations. This volume superbly captures the mind of McDonald as he engaged in such work of profound consequence. Focusing on the 1945-1947 era, this collection of diary entries and other materials from McDonald's papers is excellently edited, presented, and enhanced with supporting information. Thus, this collection is a must-see for students and scholars researching the origins of Israeli statehood, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the decolonization of the Middle East, and other important topics.""—Peter L. Hahn, The Ohio State University ""For anyone interested in the history of the Middle East and how things came to be as they are, To the Gates of Jerusalem is indispensable reading. But it is also far more than just that. It provides an insight into the rarefied world of the international diplomat as it was in the wake of World War II. One sees how both international considerations and idiosyncratic personalities played a role in the decisions that were made. Thanks to wonderful editing and the interspersing of historical information that provides an important context, this book is not just for the specialist in this field. It makes for fascinating reading.""—Deborah E. Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies, Emory University ""Inspiring—McDonald's prescience and energy are simply amazing. But because we know what is soon to happen to Europe's Jews, we share his frustration that no one seems to be listening."" —The Wall Street Journal ""Will undoubtedly reignite the charged debate over whether Roosevelt could have done more to rescue millions . . . who died in Nazi death camps."" —The New York Times ""A major resource for the research of one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century."" —Jewish Political Studies Review""—, reviewing a previous edition or volume ""Inspiring—McDonald's prescience and energy are simply amazing. But because we know what is soon to happen to Europe's Jews, we share his frustration that no one seems to be listening."" —The Wall Street Journal ""Will undoubtedly reignite the charged debate over whether Roosevelt could have done more to rescue millions . . . who died in Nazi death camps."" —The New York Times ""A major resource for the research of one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century."" —Jewish Political Studies Review""—

For anyone interested in the history of the Middle East and how things came to be as they are, To the Gates of Jerusalem is indispensable reading.But it is also far more than just that.It provides an insight into the rarefied world of the international diplomat as it was in the wake of World War II.One sees how both international considerations and idiosyncratic personalities played a role in the decisions that were made.Thanks to wonderful editing and the interspersing of historical information that provides an important context, this book is not just for the specialist in this field.It makes for fascinating reading. Deborah E. Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies, Emory University

Unusually engaging and suspenseful for a such a scholarly enterprise, To the Gates of Jerusalem is an essential volume for all university libraries and collections focused on the history of the Middle East in the twentieth century. Jewish Book Council

Author Information

Norman J. W. Goda is the Norman and Irma Braman Professor of Holocaust Studies at the University of Florida and author of Tomorrow the World: Hitler, Northwest Africa, and the Path toward America; Tales from Spandau: Nazi Criminals and the Cold War; and The Holocaust: Europe, the World, and the Jews, 1918-1945. He is author (with Richard Breitman) of Hitler's Shadow: Nazi War Criminals, U.S. Intelligence, and the Cold War and (with Richard Breitman, Timothy Naftali, and Robert Wolfe) of U.S. Intelligence and the Nazis. Barbara McDonald Stewart, daughter of James G. McDonald, has taught at George Mason University and is author of United States Government Policy on Refugees from Nazism, 1933–1940. Severin Hochberg, a historian formerly at what is now the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, teaches at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Richard Breitman is Distinguished Professor of History at American University and author, most recently, of FDR and the Jews (with Allan J. Lichtman). His other books include The Architect of Genocide: Himmler and the Final Solution and Official Secrets: What the Nazis Planned, What the British and Americans Knew. He is editor of the journal Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

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