Op-ed: Eisenhower Rightly Rises in Historians' Eyes

Dwight Eisenhower keeps rising among the ranks of presidents, with presidential scholars now regularly putting him in the top five, notes historian Evan Thomas in a Washington Post opinion piece. Why? "In part, these scholars have learned more about Ike's 'hidden hand': his subtlety in achieving peace and prosperity in the 1950s," writes Thomas. "But historians have also come to admire Ike's skillful moderation and his ability to get along with others while getting his way—in other words, his leadership." World War II allies saw it up close. Citing Jonathan Jordan's book Ike and Winston, Thomas writes about how Eisenhower charmed Britain's aristocratic leadership—including Winston Churchill—with curiosity and lack of ego, even as he kept firm control.

"Be humble, be unpretentious, don't huff and puff: useful models for our immodest and insecure age," writes Thomas. In that historic wartime partnership, it appears that Churchill, for all his bulldog image, was the more emotional one, agonizing over bombing campaigns that threatened civilians. Eisenhower, guided by duty, overruled him when he believed harsh choices would save Allied troops. "Of the two great men, Jordan suggests, Eisenhower was the greater leader, because he was better able to sublimate his considerable ego in the exercise of power," writes Thomas. Read the full piece.