How well have US presidents managed crises they faced in office? Why did some crises become success stories in presidential leadership, while others are viewed as failures? We examine 11 episodes of presidential crisis-management decisions, focusing on how well presidents understood the causes of the crisis, directed crisis-management teams and were willing to re-think assumptions. Did they create advisory teams oriented toward teamwork and open discussion? Or did they fall into common traps of false analogies, groupthink and unrealistic expectations? After an overview in week one, in each session two crises concerning a common theme are profiled, one a success story, the other a failure, with attention on how presidential leadership styles led to good or bad outcomes. No homework or prereading is assigned.

• Week 1: Overview: Understanding Crises in the Context of History, e.g., Korean War Profile
• Week 2: John Kennedy: Learning from Failure - Bay of Pigs vs. Cuban Missile Crisis
• Week 3: Nation Building: Marshall Plan vs. Escalation in Vietnam 1965
• Week 4: Presidential Scandals: Resignation and Survival - Watergate vs. Iran-Contra
• Week 5: Domestic Reform: Reagan’s Social Security Reform 1983 vs. Clinton’s Health Care Reform 1993
• Week 6: Defining Objectives: Iraqi Gulf War 1991 vs. Iraqi Invasion 2003