An internationally acclaimed historian and essayist explores the presidency of Washington and considers his conflict with Jefferson--a conflict that determined the future of America. After a long and distinguished international career as a politician, commentator, and author, Conor Cruise O'Brien has written another tour de force that will surely spark debate. In First in Peace , O'Brien, described as "a man who so persistently asks the right questions" ( THE ECONOMIST ), both poses and answers the question of how America's future was shaped during George Washington's presidency. First in Peace considers the dissension between Washington and Thomas Jefferson, revealing Washington's clear-sighted political wisdom while exposing Jefferson's dangerous ideology. O'Brien makes the case that Washington, not Jefferson, was the true democrat, and commends Washington's clarity of vision in restoring good relations with Britain, his preference for order and pragmatism, and his aversion to French political extremism.