The Age of Eisenhower
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | William I. Hitchcock |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
| Parent | Simon & Schuster |
The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s is a 2018 publication authored by William I. Hitchcock and issued by Simon & Schuster. This work explores the tenure of Dwight Eisenhower during the 1950s. Upon its debut, the book was met with largely favorable critiques.
Background
William Hitchcock, a historian with expertise in modern European and Cold War affairs, dedicated eight years to researching this volume. His investigation involved extensive use of materials from the Eisenhower Presidential Library, the National Archives at College Park, the Library of Congress, and the Miller Center for Public Affairs.
Contents
The Age of Eisenhower addresses domestic initiatives—characterized as a "middle way"—including topics such as McCarthyism and the Civil rights movement, while placing significant emphasis on foreign policy and Cold War tactics. Hitchcock portrays Eisenhower’s administration as one marked by relative steadiness and an "absence of large-scale conflict," depicting him as a "hardworking, skillful president." Nevertheless, the book offers critique regarding certain foreign policy choices, the administration’s handling of McCarthyism, and its inconsistent civil rights record.
Reception
The Age of Eisenhower was generally well-received by critics. A review from Kirkus described it as a "measured, mostly admiring" biography featuring a "lengthy, well-documented argument," though it ranked below Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith. The Economist echoed this sentiment but praised the overall conclusion of the book. Steven Casey, writing in Cold War History, deemed it timely and "cogently argued," commending its polished prose. According to Publishers Weekly, the book serves as a revisionist biography noted for its thoroughness and convincing use of archival sources, concluding that Hitchcock effectively establishes Ike as a figure of global historical significance. Bryce Christensen from Booklist described it as "comprehensive and persuasive." In The Wall Street Journal, Richard Rhodes lauded it as a "rich narrative." Alvin S. Felzenberg in The Claremont Review of Books called it masterful, suggesting it "should put to rest one of the worst forecasts in U.S. history." David Stebenne in The American Historical Review highlighted its "new and intriguing arguments," praising Hitchcock’s "balanced and fair" treatment of civil rights while noting a lack of explanation for Eisenhower’s neglect of this issue.
Foreign policy constitutes the primary focus of the book. Casey identified this as its central theme, while Felzenberg commended its examination of CIA interventions. In contrast, David Watry’s review in Journal of Cold War Studies criticized certain depictions of Eisenhower’s foreign policy as misleading—particularly Hitchcock’s narrative on the Korean Armistice Agreement—and pointed out omissions concerning the 1956 Suez Crisis and Vietnam in 1954, despite praising domestic policy coverage. Watry acknowledged Hitchcock’s argument that Eisenhower was a “consequential” leader but disputed several conclusions. Stebenne appreciated Hitchcock’s compelling evidence despite conflicting assessments of foreign affairs, summarizing the work as presenting "a clear, coherent narrative" accompanied by well-crafted writing.