Discussion Questions

These question will help students explore the major ideas and themes in the film. See the Program Summary for descriptions of specific program segments.

Before Watching

1. Explain to students that during World War II Eisenhower became an enormously popular military hero and, at one point, was approached by both major political parties as a candidate for president; he decided to run as a Republican. Ask students why they think a distinguished military career such as Eisenhower's might be make a person an appealing candidate for president. When might such experience not be advantageous? Ask students to consider how the military careers--or lack of--of other presidents, candidates, or potential candidates (such as Colin Powell) have affected their political careers.

2. What was the Cold War? Why was it considered "cold"? Develop a class definition and timeline. Have students brainstorm a list of issues, images, and events from the Cold War during the 1950s. Ask students to choose a particular issue or event and watch for it during the program. Have them take notes to add to their prior knowledge.

3. Before viewing the program, ask students to watch a 1950s television show together in class, such as "I Love Lucy," "Father Knows Best," "Leave It to Beaver," etc. Have them take notes about the lifestyle and values presented in the program. What does the program reveal about the economy, lifestyles, societal values, and political climate of the 1950s? What perspectives are missing? Ask students to look for examples of these elements as they watch Ike.

After Watching

1. In what ways did the experiences of his early years, especially his military experience, form Eisenhower's personality and views, and influence his behavior as president?

2. When Eisenhower left the presidency, he had a reputation as a "do-nothing" president who played golf during serious crises. Recently, historians have begun to revise this view. Why was Eisenhower considered to be a failure in his own time? How did his personal style, described as the "hidden hand," contribute to the contemporary view of his presidency? What has contributed to an improvement of his reputation? How much can a president predict or create his own legacy? How might a president's interest or concern in his or her legacy affect the way he or she governs?

3. Eisenhower regularly used the intelligence services to gather information about the activities of the Soviet Union (see the U-2 documents), but also attempted to initiate a policy of "open skies" so that countries could inspect each other's missile installations from the air. Ask students what they think of "open skies" as a policy. Was it an innovative attempt to de-escalate the Cold War? Why did it fail? What other policies could or should Eisenhower have pursued? How might the Cold War have been different if the U.S. and Soviet Union had been more open with each other from the 1950s onward?