Eisenhower: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century (Military Profiles) [Hardcover]

Douglas Kinnard (Author)

Book Description

Series: Military Profiles | Publication Date: September 9, 2002

Dwight David Eisenhower proudly claimed that he “came from the very heart of America.” Yet it could be argued that, despite those provincial beginnings, no other American exerted more influence on world history during the twentieth century. From his humble birth in Abilene, Kansas, Eisenhower rose to the supreme command of the Allied armies that helped destroy Adolf Hitler’s Nazi war machine and to the presidency of the United States. Douglas Kinnard’s profile of this great soldier-statesman describes his rise through the ranks of the peacetime army of the 1920s and 1930s the recognition of his abilities by such leaders as Douglas MacArthur and George C. Marshall, his “great crusade” in Europe during World War II, and his two terms in the Oval Office. Kinnard’s penetrating look at this great military leader and commander in chief serves as an introduction to Eisenhower’s life and provides a concise account of the momentous military and political events of the first half of the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Douglas Kinnard’s books include Presiden Eisenhower and Strategy Management: A Study in Defense Politics, Ike 1890-1990: A Pictorial History, and The Certain Trumpet: Maxwell Taylor and the American Experience in Vietnam. A graduate of West Point, he served his country during three wars, retiring as a brigadier general. During his academic career, he held the posts of chief of military history for the U.S. Army and director of the Center for Military History. He joined the political science faculty of the University of Vermont in 1977 and was named professor emeritus in 1984. He resides in Alexandria, Virginia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc.; 1st edition (September 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574883992
• ISBN-13: 978-1574883992
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,826,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #97 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( E ) > Eisenhower, Dwight D.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Why this soldier statesman mattered., April 13, 2009

By 

Kevin M Quigg (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Eisenhower: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century (Military Profiles) (Paperback)

The author shows why Eisenhower was the dominant soldier of WWII. Not only did he lead a grand coalition that defeated the Nazis and Fascists, but he also led the United States in the fight against the Soviets in the Cold War. Eisenhower used his skills as a leader to not only build consensus for his allies, but also had to work with a variety of egos that threatened to break the coalition apart. The author shows Eisenhower's skills in this short summary history.

This is an OK read for a brief history of one of our famous wartime leaders. There are more thorough and detailed books on the market, but this should give a reader a snapshot of a true leader.