Title: Eisenhower at War 1943-1945 Author(s): David Eisenhower Pages: 977 Publisher: Random House Publication date: 1986 Language: Format: PDF ISBN-10: 0394412370 ISBN-13: Description: Eisenhower at War 1943-1945
By David Eisenhower
* Publisher: Random House
* Number Of Pages: 977
* Publication Date: 1986-08-12
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0394412370
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780394412375
* Binding: Hardcover
Summary: A Thorough Study of Ike At War
Rating: 5
"Eisenhower at War 1943-1945" is a long, detailed and thorough study of Dwight Eisenhower's career in the Mediterranean and Europe during World War II.
I like books which confront the reader with ways of viewing things not previously thought of. This book meets that test. I had always thought of Eisenhower as a commander directing armies of conquest. This book shows him, as he is often depicted, as a Chairman of the Board, a negotiator who worked to achieve a concensus among often squabbling rivals. Caught between his subordinates and politicians who were not his direct superiors, Ike often had to walk the tightrope over a chasm of dismissal and defeat. The amateur often thinks of strategy, but this book clearly shows Ike as the professional, rationing available supplies among the dream list of targets. I find that the treatment of the coordination of moves of the Western Allied with those of the Russians introduces a whole new perspective on war planning. The sections on the closing maneuvers of the war explain in great detail the competing interests and viewpoints as the wary allies jockeyed for postwar position and tested each other's resolve.
Although over eight hundred pages, David Eisenhower avoids becoming so bogged down in details as to lose the reader's interest. Although writing about his grandfather, this book is not a "homer." While generally favorable, the doubts of some, such as Gen. Marshall, do find their way into the narrative.
"Eisenhower At War" is a must for any student of Gen. Eisenhower or World War II.
Title: Eisenhower at War 1943-1945