Channels, Fall 2020

Page 60 Caldwell • Eisenhower Something of import to note, in the cases of both Adams and Dulles, is how while both men would unhesitatingly attest to the strong and savvy leader Eisenhower was, Eisenhower’s leadership style often highlighted those very qualities in those two men for the public eye. Greenstein notes that Eisenhower’s “strategies involved making the chief of state aspect of the president’s job evident, while veiling much of his political leadership.” 75 His style was one of delegation and neutrality; while this benefitted and built up the men he chose to be on his team in the political arena, it did not help him with regard to public perception. Considering who Eisenhower was, however, this does not come as a surprise. Having matured in the ranks of the Army, serving under Generals like Connor, MacArthur, and Marshall, and overseeing a grand scheme like Operation Overlord in World War II, Eisenhower was not a man prone to seeking public favor above all else. He was a military man at heart, and when put in a political context, he still saw the practicality of military organization and delegation and thus organized his administration to mimic that. Eisenhower’s “staff formulations were designed to max imize responsibility in each department… he surrounded himself with bold and forceful talents he admired and sought vigorous participation and debate at cabinet or staff meetings.” 76 This kind of organization at the White House had not been seen before, but it would be a lasting legacy of the Eisenhower administration. Along with the abundance of primary source material that proves the deft, savvy, and invested leader Eisenhower was in his role as President, historians can look to the legacy that he left behind him when he left office. His domestic and international record is substantial. While it may have appeared that little happened during his two terms, Eisenhower actually dealt with a number of tricky international and domestic situations. His handling of said situations was not always infallible, but for the most part, he dealt with the pressures and problems well. Internationally, Ike first tackled Korea. He oversaw the signing of an armistice that ended the Korean War in July of 1953. After Korea, he and his administration turned their attention to fighting communism throughout the world. He also had to deal with the Suez Crisis and the U.S. relationship with Egyptian President Nasser in the mid-1950s, involving the U.S. with the fate of the Middle East for the foreseeable future. A significant component of foreign affairs during Eisenhower’s presidency was the U.S. - Russian relationship and the delicate manner in which Eisenhower and Dulles had to contrive to handle the temperamental Cold War tensions that were ever-present in this time. Eisenhower’s administration walked a fine line between the mutual desire to combat communism and not provoking the Russian bear, but that attempt was somewhat ruined by the U-2 spy plane that was shot down over Russia in 1960. The incident was an embarrassment to the United States and put a serious damper on the promising 75 Ibid, 100. 76 Cook, The Declassified Eisenhower, 150.