Eisenhower: Becoming the Leader of the Free World

Winner of the Kansas State Library's Kansas Notable Book Award

In this engaging, fast-paced biography, Louis Galambos follows the career of Dwight D. Ike Eisenhower, offering new insight into this singular man who guided America toward consensus at home and a peaceful victory in the Cold War.

The longtime editor of the Eisenhower papers, Galambos may know more about this president than anyone alive. In this compelling book, he explores the shifts in Eisenhower's identity and reputation over his lifetime and explains how he developed his distinctive leadership skills. As a career military officer, Eisenhower's progress was uneven. Galambos shows how Ike, with the help of Brigadier General Fox Conner, his mentor and patron, learned how to profit from his mistakes, pivot quickly, and grow as a military and civilian leader. On D-Day, Eisenhower guided the largest amphibious force in history to a successful invasion of France and a decisive victory. After the defeat of Nazi G