Eisenhower: A 20th Century Hero in War and Peace

by Jack Van Der Slik

Dwight D. Eisenhower looms large as one of the authentic heroes of the 20th century. At the age of 51 he was a career infantry officer when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. When the U.S. Army and President Franklin D. Roosevelt needed a commander, Ike, as everyone knew him, was ready.This book traces Eisenhower's preparation for World War II and follows his growth as a military leader. He became the Supreme Commander of all the allied forces in Europe and shaped the success of America and its allies in gaining victory over Germany in World War II. After the war, Eisenhower helped America and its allies put into place the building blocks for peace. He directed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to counter the ambitions of the Soviet Union and its satellites in a rising Cold War.In 1952 Eisenhower was unsatisfied with the direction of American foreign-policy. He responded to a popular call to duty as America's 34th president. The issues were many -- the Korean conflict, communism and the Iron Curtain, nuclear defenses, transportation infrastructure needs, rising civil rights issues, domestic economic matters and the preservation of world peace. For eight years he led the nation to both peace and prosperity. Incredibly, the United States never lost a soldier or a foot of ground to military action during his presidency.This is a fast moving biography with a strong story line. It is readily accessible and engaging, especially suited for referral by teachers to reluctant readers. Eisenhower's legacy of optimism included faith in American democracy that he believed "will select future leaders who... will have the vision and selflessness to... [guide America] to the great destiny for which she was created." Get to know him and, like millions of American before you, you too will "like Ike."

199 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2013

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book covering the life of Eisenhower. This book tends to skim over the events and circumstances of his life, which makes this an excellent choice for those who know very little about the man.

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poorly written and/or edited book about a great man. Eisenhower gets five stars-the book should probably be more like three but it averages out to the score I gave it I guess.

Probably a decent synopsis of the career of Eisenhower with a sprinkling of the man in there somewhere. It is short if not necessarily sweet.