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Program Summary
He went off to war an unknown soldier and returned a beloved national hero. Often dismissed as a "do-nothing" president and a good-natured bumbler, Dwight D. Eisenhower -- the last American president to be born in the 19th century -- was actually a skillful politician, a tough Cold War warrior, and one of America's most misunderstood and unappreciated presidents. When he left office in 1960, historians ranked Eisenhower in the bottom third of American presidents, below Chester Arthur. By the 1990s, he ranked near the top.
Program Segments: The program has been produced for home video use on video cassette and DVD. The total viewing time is 2.5 hours. For your convenience, we have described the program in segments. You may want to use specific segments to focus classroom discussion and activities.
Tape One, Part One -- Soldier
Segment 1 (begins at: David McCullough appears on screen)
Length: approximately 6 minutes
Starting image: David McCullough speaking
David McCullough introduces the program; overview of Eisenhower's life
Segment 2 (begins at: 6 minutes, 5 seconds)
Length: approximately 8 minutes
Starting image: Eisenhower disembarking from an airplane
Ike's childhood and relationships with brothers and parents; education at West Point; marriage to Mamie Doud; first son's death from scarlet fever
Tape One Part Two -- Road to the Top
Segment 3 (begins at: 13 minutes, 57 seconds)
Length: approximately 4 minutes
Starting image: photo of Eisenhower
Ike's military career: meets mentor General Fox Conner; service under MacArthur in the Philippines
Segment 4 (begins at: 18 minutes, 37 seconds)
Length: approximately 18 minutes
Starting image: blackout and sound of a siren
Ike's role in World War II; his part in the general command under George Marshall; coordination of the British/American war effort; rumors of an affair with his driver Kay Summersby
Tape One Part Three -- Supreme Commander
Segment 5 (begins at: 36 minutes, 36 seconds)
Length: approximately 24 minutes
Starting image: a ship firing its cannons
Ike promotion to Supreme Commander; coordinates the D-day invasion of Europe; promoted again to Commander in the Field, with Patton and Montgomery under him; becomes a five-star General; World War II ends (Note: This segment contains graphic scenes of the aftermath of war. We recommend that you preview the segment before using it in the classroom.)
Tape Two Part Four -- Statesman
Segment 1 (begins at: 0:00)
Length: 14 minutes, 30 seconds
Starting image: Clark Gable at a political rally
Ike's nomination for president in 1952; Russia's subjugation of Eastern Europe; the rise of McCarthyism; Ike's betrayal Marshall; sparring with Truman during the 1952 campaign
Tape Two Part Five -- The Hidden Hand
Segment 2 (begins at: 14 minutes, 30 seconds)
Length: 11 minutes
Starting image: Ike and Mamie
Ike's first term: war in Korea ends; communism "contained" through covert actions and the threatened use of nuclear weapons; Ike works behind the scenes to undermine McCarthy.
Segment 3 (begins at: 25 minutes, 34 seconds)
Length: approximately 13 minutes
Starting image: Eisenhower at a Cabinet meeting
The Cold War: crisis with China is averted; Ike's meeting with the Soviets to negotiate peace, proposes "open skies" policy; CIA begins spying on the Soviets; booming U.S. economy; Mamie as first lady; despite a heart attack, Ike runs for a second term
Tape Two Part Six -- Another Four Years
Segment 4 (begins at: 38 minutes, 36 seconds)
Length: approximately 7 minutes
Starting image: a riot
Ike's domestic policy: civil rights crisis; Brown v. Board of Education decision; Ike sends federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas; vows to uphold the Constitution despite personal feelings
Segment 5 (begins at: 45 minutes, 1 second)
Length: approximately 11 minutes, 33 seconds
Starting image: satellite launch
Arms and space race with Russia; Sputnik is launched; Congress's "missile gap hearings"; Ike suffers a stroke but attends NATO summit; U.S. satellite launch fails; Eisenhower and Krushchev meet; Eisenhower advocates diplomacy -- the "Spirit of Camp David"; Ike's goodwill tour of the world
Tape Two Part Seven -- Mayday
Segment 6 (begins at: 56 minutes, 34 seconds)
Length: approximately 18 minutes
Starting image: invitation to White House dinner
Paris summit between U.S. and USSR; détente predicted but CIA surveillance of Russia is uncovered; U.S. pilot Gary Powers shot down and captured; invitation to visit the USSR rescinded; failure of Paris summit; Ike's presidency ends in disappointment over failed peace negotiations
Tape Two Part Eight -- At Ease
Segment 7 (begins at: 1 hour 14 minutes., 51 seconds.)
Length: approximately 5 minutes
Starting image: the White House
Ike leaves office; press dubs him "Old Bubblehead"; dies in 1969 at age 78; Ike's status and reputation improves dramatically over time
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