subject: A Look at Reconstruction in History [print this page] In conclusion, President Johnson was directly responsible for the downfall of his own political career as well as the failure of Reconstruction. He had no political savvy, his plan for Reconstruction allowed southern whites to abuse and disgrace it, he was responsible for his own impeachment, he allowed a Radical Congress to seize control of the government, and he was a poor and inept statesman. President Johnson was not the correct man to lead a country during a very confusing and complex time in the United States History.
