April 12, 1945: America is stunned by the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Vice President Harry Truman, who has been kept out of war planning, must assume command of a nation at war on multiple continents. Wallace tells the gripping true story of the turbulent days, weeks, and months leading up to August 6, 1945, when Truman gives the order to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. He takes readers inside the minds of the iconic and elusive figures who join the quest for the bomb, each for different reasons. Truman's journey during these 116 days is a story of high drama: from the conflicting advice he receives from generals, to wrestling with the devastating carnage that will result if he gives the order to use America's first weapon of mass destruction. Told with vigor, intelligence, and humanity, Countdown 1945 is the definitive account of one of the most significant moments in history.