'EISENHOWER, THE PRESIDENT"

Stephen Ambrose, the book's author died this past month. He is perhaps best known for his books dealing with World War II, especially the recent Steven Spielberg/HBO series, "Band of Brothers," the book written in 1992, and "D-Day", published in 1994. It was after Ambrose, as a young man, met returning veterans from World War II, according to his obituary in TIME Magazine (p. 23, October 28, 2002) that he began his fascination with events before, during, and after World War II. All told, he was the author of 38 books, but his fame was somewhat diminished a couple of years ago when he was accused of plagiarism, or at least, of not quoting some of his sources and implying that they were his words. Eisenhower, The President is the second volume of an extensive biography of the general and president, published in 1984, after two decades of research, writing, and editing.

As Ambrose points out in his introduction, that "along with the two Roosevelts, he is the only Twentieth Century {President who, when he left office, still enjoyed wide and deep popularity" (Ambrose 9). However, there is a clear distinction between being a popular president both during and after leaving office, and a "good, effective" President. What we learn from this second volume, devoted to Eisenhower's presidency, is that he was pragmatic- the same traits he demonstrated as Allied Supreme Commander. There were those who would have preferr

Related Essays

Eisenhower & Kennedy & Farm Policy .... inherited by John F. Kennedy when he took office after a hard fought campaign against Republican candidate (and Eisenhower's Vice President, Richard M. Nixon). .... (4506 18 )

Eisenhower and US Policy in Southeast Asia By t .... On April 7, 1954, President Eisenhower held a press conference during which he was asked to comment "on the strategic importance of Indochina to the free world .... (5419 22 )

John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address .... Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we .... (630 3 )

Wiener v. United States (1958) Wiener, the plaintiff, sued the federal government after President Dwight Eisenhower removed him from the War Claims Commission (WCC) in 1953. .... (1365 5 )

AMERICAN BETRAYAL .... No, he was concerned about British profits. It would be 1953, when Eisenhower became President, that the United States would become involved. Why? .... (1229 5 )

Category: History - '