Channels, Fall 2020

Channels • 20 20 • Volume 5 • Number 1 Page 57 includes his honest thoughts about his desire to lead well out of concern and love for his country. One such letter, written on October 23, 1954, confesses to Swede his angst over those who would accuse him of allowing John Foster Dulles to run foreign affairs. He writes, “so far as Dulles is concerned, he has never made a serious pronouncement, agreement, or proposal without complete and exhaustive consultation with me in advance and, of course, my approval.” 61 He often answers public critiques directed towards him in the private correspondence between Swede and himself, defending his decisions and course of action to his dear friend. This source reveals a more vulnerable side of Eisenhower than seen in either the Papers or The Eisenhower Administration. Another source that shows a more honest Eisenhower is The Eisenhower Diaries. Compiled and edited by Robert Ferrell, the diaries “reveal the innermost thoughts of the soldier - statesman,” and put on display “a man who carefully masked his shrewdness, his purposes.” 62 Diaries are unique sources of information, for they often reveal who the author really is - there is no reason for pretense or falsehood with oneself. Eisenhower’s diaries are no different; here, Ike had significantly less of a censor. One diary entry from January 10, 1955 serves as an example of this in how it recounts his frustration with a certain Senator from California, of whom Eisenhower wrote, “In his case, there seems to be no final answer to the question ‘How stupid can you get?’” 63 Within his diaries, Eisenhower discussed everything from interesting new facts to his opinions of various characters around him. He would often use the blank pages as a kind of private therapy session, processing whatever dilemma he needed to think through without worrying about a loose tongue breaching confidentiality. Though the diaries contained in this volume cover far more than just the presidency, the excerpts included from that time reinforce the supposition that Eisenhower was the real power behind the scenes. He writes of long talks with ambassadors, senators, aides, and assistants. One of the most frequently mentioned political associates in these entries is John Foster Dulles, his Secretary of State. Eisenhower often wrote of conversations with Dulles where they reasoned through potential foreign problems and the solutions they desired or resolved conflict in their respective points of view. One such entry, dated January 10, 1956, records that “the secretary and I discussed the whole story of our foreign operations since 1953… we have tried to keep constantly before us the purpose of promoting peace with accompanying step-by- step disarmament.” 64 Such discussions oriented around clarifying perspectives and goals appear to be a habit Eisenhower often carried out with his subordinates. His diaries record many a similar meeting with different people. 61 Ibid, 135. 62 Dwight D. Eisenhower, The Eisenhower Diaries, ed. Robert H. Ferrell (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1981), xi. 63 Ibid, 291. 64 Ibid, 305.