Product Description

This biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower takes the reader up through his military career and his leadership as Allied Supreme Commander, his presidency - the first of the Cold War - and his relations with family, friends and Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, McCarthy, Nixon, LBJ and others.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #55931 in Books
• Published on: 1992-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 640 pages

Customer Reviews

More Than Meets the Eye
With D-DAY, CITIZEN SOLDIERS, and UNDAUNTED COURAGE, Stephen E. Ambrose has taken his place with Sir Martin Gilbert, Michael Grant, and Gerald Posner as a top historian.

With EISENHOWER: SOLDIER AND PRESIDENT, his earlier biography of the man most responsible for the Allied victory in WWII, we can see his talents beginning to come into bloom.

This volume is an abridgement of a two-parter Ambrose authored, and, as such, is not the book CITIZEN SOLDIERS is. Further, there are those who hold that Eisenhower as President really did nothing (a canard this book helps to dispel), and so would be quite boring as the subject of a book.

In truth, neither is the case. Ambrose forcefully catalogues Eisenhower's accomplishments, both on the battlefield and in the Oval Office. And, in spite of his obvious asffection for Ike, he is not afraid to deal with the General's shortcomings--his temper, his early failing as a commander, his reluctance to help the Civil Rights Movement, and his use of the CIA in covert actions.

Along the way, he paints a marvelous picture of a humane warrior, a man who detested battle beyond even the pacifists of his generation because he'd actually seen what it could do. And he gives a much-needed boost to a presidency that did much more than meets the eye in terms of preserving peace and prosperity in an otherwise dangerous world climate.

EISENHOWER: SOLDIER AND PRESIDENT, then, is a great place to start for both an understanding of the importance of Ike AND an introduction to the writing talent of Ambrose.

Concise and captivating
Eisenhower is one of the greatest leaders of our century. Ambrose really gives you the details without boring, and mundane facts. Feel what is must have been like to plan the D-Day invasion, and then deal with the Cold War. Eisenhower was a masterful leader often practicing Carnegie principles to motivate his people. Charismatic, and brilliant, people instinctively followed him. Ambrose does an awesome job of putting us in Ike's shoes.

Educational
In Ambrose's biography of Eisenhower, the many nuances of the former President are brought to life, initially,with vivid color. However, during the Eisenhower presidency, the events that took place barely include topics that make the best seller list. The author, however, does an excellent job in describing Ike's relationships and meetings with many "volitale" and historical figures. Montgomery whined incessantly when things did not go his way and Patton's outrageous temper and ego were a couple of examples of the "problems" Ike had to deal with while leading the Allied forces in the European Theatre of Operations. Ambrose does a good job letting the reader know of the characteristics that enabled Eisenhower to take care of these situations.