Ike: An American Hero

by Michael Korda

Book Overview

A big, ambitious, and enthralling new biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower, full of fascinating details and anecdotes, which places particular emphasis on his brilliant generalship and leadership in World War Two, and provides, with the advantage of hindsight, a far more acute analysis of his character and personality than any that has previously been available, reaching the conclusion that he was perhaps America's greatest general and one of America's...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060756659
• ISBN13: 9780060756659
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 800 Pages
• Weight: 2.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

v.good read :)

I read this book for a leadership class. It is a good read for anyone interested in american history and leadership.

Lessons for modern leaders

A fun and fascinating read for the insights it offers into the personality, background and leadership style of General Eisenhower. Korda musters some fascinating nuggets. For example, Ike showed a keen awareness of the importance of managing "cultural" issues in coalition operations. In the weeks and months leading up to Operation Overlord, thousands of American troops were massing in England in preparation for the Normandy invasion. Despite sharing a common language, British habits and mores seemed weird and outlandish to American G.I's (and vice versa). Mutual harassment, abuse and fighting were on the rise between American and British soldiers. Ike addressed this by launching educational programs that that included exposing G.I's to British culture, including local tours and providing opportunities for G.I's to visit British families in their homes. Also important, any incidents involving abuse or degradation of British people by G.I's met with swift and strict disciplinary action. Through policies like this, Ike showed how strong multi-national coalitions can be built, overcoming suspicion and distrust born of cultural differences. Leaders and policy makers today concerned with increasing "cultural awareness" for more effective operations could learn some lessons from Ike.

An enjoyable and insightful read

Although this is a long book, it is also a quick read due in no small part to the author's crisp writing style, which holds the reader's interest. This is a very engaging biography of a great American general. The best part of this book is its beginning. The author immediately puts the subject matter of this biography in context by pointing out that "heros" are really not part of the American culture, and generally those who experience acclaim in their lifetimes are later the subject of criticism and revisionism. Thus US Grant had a drinking problem, Lincoln did not free the slaves as quickly or as completely as he ought, etc. Thus it is with Eisenhower as well. While "Ike" received adulation in his lifetime for leading the Western armies to victory against Germany, revisionists have been at him ever since criticizing his "broad front" strategy against Germany, his alleged "hands off" leadership style as both General and President, etc. The famous "Eisenhower grin" is taken by revisionists as nothing more than evidence that Ike was a shallow chap who made it to the top by virtue of a pleasant personality. Nothing, the author points out, was more predictable than that this type of revisionism would occur. This biography makes the case that Eisenhower was in fact a remarkable man with numerous gifts including intelligence, integrity, and the ability to gain the confidence of superiors by his exercise of these traits. One also discerns that Eisenhower had the ability to see through detail to find and solve the main component of a problem. This biography makes it plain that Eisenhower was identified by several powerful Army generals fairly early in his career, as someone destined for high rank and great responsibility. First General Conner (who I had never heard of) groomed Ike and saw to it that he attended the Army's Command and General Staff School and other schools that Army "comers" seek to attend. Conner brought Ike to the attention of General Marshall, who no one has ever accused of being subject to influence by someone's vapid "nice guy" personality. In a very short time Marshall saw to it that Ike was placed in charge of implementing America's plans to defeat Nazi Germany. The rest, as they say, is history. Korda's analysis of Ike's performance as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe is very interesting. Unabashedly pro-Eisenhower, Korda makes the case that Ike had some learning to do on the job (his performance in North Africa was far from perfect) but that he learned quickly. Indeed, the entire American Army was essentially green and not battle-tested; Ike was far from alone in this regard. North Africa served to blood and harden the American Army, including its commander, Eisenhower. It also taught Ike and the British how to fuse two (three, counting the French) armies into a single fighting force. Korda's thesis of Ike as a General is essentially to liken him to Ulysses S Grant. Korda argues that Eisenhower

"I Like Ike"

I now read a lot of WWII historical material - fiction and non fiction. I almost did not buy this book given both the formal book reviews and the reader reviews. That would have been a mistake. I found it a great "telling" of the times with insight into the true character of "ike"- competent and interesting details of the plethora of battles that occurred that in many books are too arcane to really follow set against the vast array of "difficult" personalities from all sides that had to balanced to pull this off. There are interesting asides for "phrases" from the times ( "the whole nine yards" for example - you'll have to read it to learn that one ). I am 62 and a retired career miiltary officer so for me it was a "hit" on two levels: first some of "my times" albeit toward the end of WWII and my own life in these grand institutions and my life with the military. As the major media chewed on Ike in his presidency, you appreciate that often what you "saw on the surface" with this great American was not the true story and there was a complex, humble and talented man at work that was instrumental in our history at a pivotal time. And as usual, there are the lessons of history that we continue to ignore in current times.

He Likes Ike

Michael Korda's writes history in line with the new historiography that emphasizes people, personality, and psychological insight over dates, facts, and out-of-context events. Some mistake this for lack of depth or precision, but in doing so they miss Korda's point. "Ike: An American Hero" is a history of Ike the person who then influenced history out of his personality. In this sense, though Korda breaks no new "historical" ground, he does provide fresh historical perspective. What we have here is an enchanting, charming, flowing narrative of the man Ike. In a sense, we might call it "I Like Ike" for indeed, Korda like's Ike and expresses why millions of Americans did also. Especially compelling is the juxtaposition of Ike's self-effacing, team-building, understated leadership style with the likes of Patton, Montgomery, De Gaulle, and Churchill. In some ways, this biography is a "Good to Great" in personal, military, and presidential leadership. Ike evidences all the characteristics of Collins' "level-five leader" who is tenaciously concerned with the good of the "company" (nation) and could care less who gets the credit when the good occurs. One might gain just as much reading this work as an essay in leadership as by seeing it as a historical essay. Yet, history and biography it is. The "dirt-poor kid makes good" narrative is priceless. Though not ground-breaking, the fuller human dimensions of Ike from child, to military hero, to world leader is what makes this work distinctive. In many ways, this book, coupled with the also just released "The Preacher and the Presidents" (about evangelist Billy Graham and his spiritual friendship with eleven American presidents, including Eisenhower) offer tremendous insight into the power of personality. Rather than being enraptured with power, both Graham and Eisenhower model the reality that focused vision flowing from a humble commitment to a larger-than-life cause and flowing out of character (rather than being a "character") is what true greatness is all about. Besides all that, "Ike" is just plain good writing. Crisp, fast-paced, filled with human interest, captivating story-telling--it's all here in Korda's telling of Ike's life. Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.