Introduction and Thesis
The 18th president of the United States; Ulysses Grant occurs as one of the most transformational leaders of all time. In fact, their life mark the unprecedented efforts that can be tapped from effective and efficient leadership. Born by the close of the year 1822(Broadwater 24), Ulysses Grant was often perceived to be a failure in his tender years. This can be accredited to the fact that he failed in a myriad of occupations that he tried. On a similar note, he was indifferent as a student, and this is perhaps he would never transform into a leader whose reign in the History of the United States and the world at large remains to be adored by everyone. This paper limits itself to offering a succinct discussion of various issues aligned with Ulysses Grant as a leader. In a nutshell, Ulysses Grant reign was marked by remarkable successes and some failures.
Body: discussions
As previously mentioned herein, Ulysses Grant reign was marked by a wider array of successes and some failures. Worth noting that he attained most of his successes as a military leader. In fact, Ulysses Grant is often regarded as “the hero of the civil war” for the comprehensive role he played in commandeering the civil war (Bowery 18). To be precise, Ulysses Grant was focused on taking control of the Mississippi Valley when the civil war had gathered momentum. This appeared to be a “tall” task, but Ulysses Grant was determined. It is as a result of his determination that saw the takeover Donelson Fort of Tennessee, which was a strategic territorial win for the Union Army. It was after this win that he was promoted to the rank of a major general.
The preceding months saw the attainment of immense victories by the Union Army, which led to his promotion to a General-in-Chief of the Army. There are various reasons as to why Ulysses Grant success as a General-in-Chief of the Army during the civil war is considered to be of immense significance. Above all, the civil war was considered a Napoleonic War whose victory was not foreseen (Longacre 9). Nonetheless, Ulysses Grant managed to transition the Union Army into winning the war. Notably, Ulysses Grant employed overly innovative strategies, which involved the use of new equipment’s such as the entrenching tool and grooved rifle. The use of these strategies led to the eventual toppling over of the Confederate Army by the Union Army that was under Ulysses Grant’s able leadership.
Apart from portraying crucial leadership traits as a military leader, Ulysses Grant leadership skills were eminent during his reign as the President of the United States. In fact, it was during his reign as the president when civil rights laws came into effect. Worth noting is the fact the civil rights laws were some of the reforms advocated for by black and radical republicans during the Reconstructing Period (Broadwater 69). On a similar note, these civil rights helped in quelling the Ku Klux Klan violence. By facilitating the enactment of the civil rights laws, Ulysses Grant made a significant accomplishment in that these laws paved way for the Fifteenth Amendment, which enhanced equality for all regardless of racial origin. As an example, it resulted in accordance of voting rights for African-Americans.
Another unequivocal attainment made by Ulysses Grant aligns with the foreign policy successes that were attained during his reign. Notably Ulysses Grant advocated for various foreign policies, which were certainly influential. Above all, Ulysses Grant developed the famous Indian Policy. This policy was important in that it precipitated the reformation of Indian agencies of western origin, which offered a comprehensive platform for the Americanisation of the Indians. On another note, Ulysses Grant advocated for reimbursement from the Great Britain for the role they played in destabilising the Union obstruction of the Confederate Ports (Bowery 29).
While it is true that Ulysses Grant attained a number of attainments as a military leader and president, there are certain failures that emerged during his reign. Above all, it is imperative to note that when he was elected as the American president, he failed to united allies. On another note, he made various federal appointments to his family and friends. In fact, he made these appointments without consulting party leaders whose opinion was of the essence in such matters. These failures are perhaps accredited to the fact that he lacked the much needed political experience for the presidential post. In addition, Ulysses Grant failed in that he could not provide adequate responses during the depression period and the Panic of the year 1873 (Longacre 92). As a result, he left office at a low point in his career because his previous attainments were tarnished by his failures, which occurred at the later stages of career as a leader.
Conclusion
Work Cited
Bowery, Charles R. Lee & Grant: Profiles in Leadership from the Battlefields of Virginia. New York: American Management Association, 2005. Print.
Broadwater, Robert P. Ulysses S. Grant: A Biography. Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood, 2012. Print.
Longacre, Edward G. General Ulysses S. Grant the Soldier and the Man. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006. <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlab k&AN=502999>.
