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I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel
2020 Selah Award Winner
Improbable, if not impossible. How could a people who’d been scattered for two millennia reestablish a homeland on their ancient soil?
Against all odds, an irresistible desire to return grew in courageous Jewish men and women who set out to rebuild their decimated homeland.
Help came first through Great Britain’s pledge to restore Palestine to the Jews. Britain, however, nearly reneged on that promise just as the Jews faced the Nazi Holocaust.
Near the end of WWII, an unlikely man rose to the presidency of the United States. Harry S. Truman, a farmer and failed business owner, would decide not only the fate of Jewish survivors but also the future of their homeland.
As a vote approached in the fledgling United Nations, pressure mounted. Truman slammed the White House doors shut to all who wanted to discuss Jewish statehood. Could anyone persuade the most powerful man in the world to reconsider?
I Am Cyrus tells the epic story of Israel’s rebirth—promises made, promises broken, and ultimately the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy that this people would indeed return to their Promised Land.
Check out the book trailers for I Am
youtu.be/J0BOeDbxpicyoutu.be/ESezckRGmQk
Improbable, if not impossible. How could a people who’d been scattered for two millennia reestablish a homeland on their ancient soil?
Against all odds, an irresistible desire to return grew in courageous Jewish men and women who set out to rebuild their decimated homeland.
Help came first through Great Britain’s pledge to restore Palestine to the Jews. Britain, however, nearly reneged on that promise just as the Jews faced the Nazi Holocaust.
Near the end of WWII, an unlikely man rose to the presidency of the United States. Harry S. Truman, a farmer and failed business owner, would decide not only the fate of Jewish survivors but also the future of their homeland.
As a vote approached in the fledgling United Nations, pressure mounted. Truman slammed the White House doors shut to all who wanted to discuss Jewish statehood. Could anyone persuade the most powerful man in the world to reconsider?
I Am Cyrus tells the epic story of Israel’s rebirth—promises made, promises broken, and ultimately the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy that this people would indeed return to their Promised Land.
Check out the book trailers for I Am
youtu.be/J0BOeDbxpicyoutu.be/ESezckRGmQk
549 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2019
64 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Craig von Buseck
13 books9 followersFrom college campuses and churches to boardrooms, and from radio to television and webcasts, Dr. Craig von Buseck has been in the public eye for more than 35 years. As a sought-after keynote and conference speaker, Craig has spoken across the US and overseas. Craig is an award-winning, multi-published author and serves as the Managing Editor for Inspiration Ministries website in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Craig is also a contributing writer for CBN online, The Write Conversation, MTL Magazine, and Charisma Magazine. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and an MA in Journalism from Regent University. He has two new books this year: 'Victor! The Final Battle of Ulysses S. Grant,' which is a biography of the last two years in Grant’s life; and a companion book, 'Forward! The Leadership Principles of Ulysses S. Grant.'
Craig’s recent books include 'I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel,' published by Iron Stream Media /LPC books. This biography won the prestigious Selah award in 2020 and was a finalist for The Truman Award from the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library. Craig’s other books include 'Seven Keys to Hearing God’s Voice,' 'Nobody Knows: The Harry T. Burleigh Story,' and 'Praying the News,' co-written by 700 Club co-host Wendy Griffith.
Craig has extensive speaking experience and travels often to conferences, professional events, churches, and writer training meetings.
Craig is also a contributing writer for CBN online, The Write Conversation, MTL Magazine, and Charisma Magazine. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and an MA in Journalism from Regent University. He has two new books this year: 'Victor! The Final Battle of Ulysses S. Grant,' which is a biography of the last two years in Grant’s life; and a companion book, 'Forward! The Leadership Principles of Ulysses S. Grant.'
Craig’s recent books include 'I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel,' published by Iron Stream Media /LPC books. This biography won the prestigious Selah award in 2020 and was a finalist for The Truman Award from the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library. Craig’s other books include 'Seven Keys to Hearing God’s Voice,' 'Nobody Knows: The Harry T. Burleigh Story,' and 'Praying the News,' co-written by 700 Club co-host Wendy Griffith.
Craig has extensive speaking experience and travels often to conferences, professional events, churches, and writer training meetings.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 13, 2020
This book not only captures the history in a concise and very readable way, it also captures the emotions, of the Israelis and most of all, of President Truman ... he might have been pre-disposed in favor of a Jewish state, but the process of overcoming opposition to get there was difficult ... there is a description of serious presidential decision-making that contrasts so sharply with what America is experiencing today
June 3, 2019
Such a good book. So well written. Not at all dry. Absolutely filled with some of the most amazing information I don't ever remember hearing. Highly recommend this truly informative book!! I received an advance reader copy. Opinions are my own.
May 3, 2019
Filled with history and amazing details. This book is great to use as a group study or individual read. I learned valuable information while reading this book. Great read.
September 15, 2021
Dr. Craig von Buseck has written a significant book. In I Am Cyrus, he describes the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 and the vital role U.S. President Truman played in it.
More importantly, he links the desire for a Jewish Homeland to its biblical foundations. He does an excellent job of tracing Jewish history over the nearly 2,000 years from the Roman expulsion to the establishment of Israel. Along the way, he leads the reader through the dream of Jewish Homeland and how it blossomed in the 19th century among the Jews after centuries of persecution such as the Spanish Inquisition and the pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe.
In the 19th century, Jews returned to the Middle East in greater numbers with better organization and financing from the Rothschilds and others.
After the First World War, the British were given a mandate over the Middle East to help with reconstruction after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. In 1919, the British issued the Balfour Declaration which called for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland in Palestine which contained the original Jewish Nation. They then spent the next thirty-nine years doing everything they could not to keep their promise. There’s an interesting parallel between how the British treated the Jews and how they treated the Irish during this time. At least they were consistent, but the Jews suffered greater hardships from their so-called political benefactors.
World War II and the Holocaust brought the matter to a crisis point. But the British sided with the Arabs in the region because they controlled the oil. The British ignored the progress the Jewish settlements that transformed the land and built a productive society. The British refused to allow more Jews to move to Palestine. They’d rather let the Jews linger in the squalor of displaced persons camps throughout Europe. One of the major differences von Buseck points out is the displaced person camps didn’t have gas chambers. The treatment of the Jews immediately after the war was horrific.
After the war, the idea of portioning Palestine into separate areas for the Jews and Arabs gathered momentum. Again, the British first supported it than pulled back.
President Truman firmly believed in the Jewish right to a homeland and worked to achieve it despite opposition from the British and his own State Department.
The matter reached a crisis point when the British announced they were giving up their mandate and pulling out of Palestine. The Jewish leaders planned for a declaration of a Jewish State as soon as the English left. The Arabs threatened to annihilate them.
The idea was floated to replace the mandate with a vaguely defined trusteeship. Truman remained steadfast for partition. His State Department went behind his and presented to the United Nations the U.S. official position supported a trusteeship.
Von Buseck details the tremendous pressure Turman was under from all sides of the dispute. The most hurtful was the betrayal within his own administration. To his credit, Truman listened to everyone, tried to persuade them, and remained steadfast in seeing the Jews have a homeland.
Meanwhile, Jewish leaders in Palestine prepared to proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state when the English left.
The day arrived, on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared and immediately recognized by President Truman.
I highly recommend this book. Von Buseck’s study is well researched. His presentation is balanced, showing the strengths and weaknesses of the people involved. He doesn’t soft soap any of the participants in the events in the book.
His narrative flows smoothly. At heart, he is a storyteller, and this important book shows that.
If you want to understand the Jewish journey and the establishment of their homeland, this is a must book to read. You will experience their heart-breaking struggles and their determination to be free in the Promised Land God gave them so many years ago.
You will also see the strength and determination of Truman as he remained firm in his decision to support the Jewish dream of a homeland.
This is a book not to be missed.
More importantly, he links the desire for a Jewish Homeland to its biblical foundations. He does an excellent job of tracing Jewish history over the nearly 2,000 years from the Roman expulsion to the establishment of Israel. Along the way, he leads the reader through the dream of Jewish Homeland and how it blossomed in the 19th century among the Jews after centuries of persecution such as the Spanish Inquisition and the pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe.
In the 19th century, Jews returned to the Middle East in greater numbers with better organization and financing from the Rothschilds and others.
After the First World War, the British were given a mandate over the Middle East to help with reconstruction after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. In 1919, the British issued the Balfour Declaration which called for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland in Palestine which contained the original Jewish Nation. They then spent the next thirty-nine years doing everything they could not to keep their promise. There’s an interesting parallel between how the British treated the Jews and how they treated the Irish during this time. At least they were consistent, but the Jews suffered greater hardships from their so-called political benefactors.
World War II and the Holocaust brought the matter to a crisis point. But the British sided with the Arabs in the region because they controlled the oil. The British ignored the progress the Jewish settlements that transformed the land and built a productive society. The British refused to allow more Jews to move to Palestine. They’d rather let the Jews linger in the squalor of displaced persons camps throughout Europe. One of the major differences von Buseck points out is the displaced person camps didn’t have gas chambers. The treatment of the Jews immediately after the war was horrific.
After the war, the idea of portioning Palestine into separate areas for the Jews and Arabs gathered momentum. Again, the British first supported it than pulled back.
President Truman firmly believed in the Jewish right to a homeland and worked to achieve it despite opposition from the British and his own State Department.
The matter reached a crisis point when the British announced they were giving up their mandate and pulling out of Palestine. The Jewish leaders planned for a declaration of a Jewish State as soon as the English left. The Arabs threatened to annihilate them.
The idea was floated to replace the mandate with a vaguely defined trusteeship. Truman remained steadfast for partition. His State Department went behind his and presented to the United Nations the U.S. official position supported a trusteeship.
Von Buseck details the tremendous pressure Turman was under from all sides of the dispute. The most hurtful was the betrayal within his own administration. To his credit, Truman listened to everyone, tried to persuade them, and remained steadfast in seeing the Jews have a homeland.
Meanwhile, Jewish leaders in Palestine prepared to proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state when the English left.
The day arrived, on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared and immediately recognized by President Truman.
I highly recommend this book. Von Buseck’s study is well researched. His presentation is balanced, showing the strengths and weaknesses of the people involved. He doesn’t soft soap any of the participants in the events in the book.
His narrative flows smoothly. At heart, he is a storyteller, and this important book shows that.
If you want to understand the Jewish journey and the establishment of their homeland, this is a must book to read. You will experience their heart-breaking struggles and their determination to be free in the Promised Land God gave them so many years ago.
You will also see the strength and determination of Truman as he remained firm in his decision to support the Jewish dream of a homeland.
This is a book not to be missed.
January 25, 2022
This book is so very well researched. I learned so much about the nation of Israel from its early beginnings until it became a nation. There is so much history in this book that I never knew about and although I knew about Harry S. Truman becoming president of the USA after President Roosevelt died, I don't think that I ever knew about President Truman's role in acknowledging Israel as a nation just 11 minutes after it become a nation on May 14, 1948. This book is so very well researched and while some might not like it because it is historical in nature, the author, Craig von Buseck, has written the book in a way that it not boring but very interesting and intriguing and I just couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in finding out more about Israel and its struggles to become a nation after 2,000 years, on May 14, 1948! Well written!
June 20, 2019
Helpful, detailed history of the founding of Israel
Very informative, enjoyable book! I wanted to get a better background and understanding of the founding of Israel and this has been a helpful resource. It's well written and researched and I have already recommended it to friends who are interested in this subject.
Very informative, enjoyable book! I wanted to get a better background and understanding of the founding of Israel and this has been a helpful resource. It's well written and researched and I have already recommended it to friends who are interested in this subject.
November 30, 2020
Very well put together story of the struggle for creation of Israel. I learned a lot even though I read pieces of this story before and was familiar with many of the central figures. The author’s work of connecting all the dots is very much appreciated. And it’s a great read for all those who are not familiar with this story.
December 19, 2022
This is a fairly straightforward account of the complexities of modern Israel and the challenges surrounding the millenia-long struggle for a homeland. Well researched and readable.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews