Why Ike Matters

AGE OF EISENHOWER

“William Hitchcock has given us an absorbing account of an era that looms large not only in the long history of the West but in our time. Dwight Eisenhower helped create a strong, dynamic, and in many ways enviable America. There were flaws, yes, and dreams deferred—but taken all in all, Ike’s achievements on the battlefield and in the public square of peacetime are towering, and we live still in their long shadow.”

Jon Meacham, author of Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George H.W. Bush and American Lion

“Eisenhower’s steady hand, deep experience, and seriousness of purpose served America well during eight perilous years. William Hitchcock’s insightful and stimulating study couldn’t be more timely.”

—  H. W. Brands, University of Texas

From 1945 to 1961, no American dominated politics and society more than Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was the nation’s pre-eminent soldier and diplomat, an academic leader, and from January 1953, the thirty-fourth President of the United States. Yet Ike remains somewhat elusive. What ideas drove him? What were his greatest achievements as president? What legacy did he leave? And what can we learn about our own hyper-partisan time by studying Eisenhower?

In “The Age of Eisenhower,” award-winning University of Virginia historian William I. Hitchcock explains why Ike matters and shows what we can learn from him.

Amazon.png

Recent Posts

Trump threatened to nuke North Korea. Did Ike do the same?

This essay by Professor William Hitchcock originally appeared in the Washington Post Do nuclear threats work? President Trump seems to think so. His recent warning that the United States would rain down “fire and fury” upon North Korea may have been improvised, as some media reports suggest, but it may also be part of a strategy to … Continue reading Trump threatened to nuke North Korea. Did Ike do the same?

New Evidence on Eisenhower & CIA Overthrow of Iranian Government, 1953

In 1953, the CIA organized the overthrow of the Iranian government. Why, and how much was Dwight Eisenhower involved? Recently declassified State Department documents help tell the story.  Just six weeks into his presidency, Eisenhower received an alarming message from the CIA about Iran: “A Communist takeover is becoming more and more of a possibility.” … Continue reading New Evidence on Eisenhower & CIA Overthrow of Iranian Government, 1953

The Spike in Ike

Dwight D. Eisenhower is looking better and better. This week, a new poll of historians ranks him as the fifth best president in our nation’s history. The top four – Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt—remain unchanged from previous surveys done in 2000 and 2009. The big story in the 2017 C-Span … Continue reading The Spike in Ike

More Posts