Dwight Eisenhower (1890–1969) had been a major for 16 years, but he was an ambitious man. In 1936, he was promoted to permanent lieutenant colonel, after commanding a combat regiment. Seven years later, in 1943, Eisenhower was a full general and in 1944 was made supreme commander the Allied Expeditionary Forces. He led Allied forces to victory over the Nazi Germany and later became president. It was a meteoric rise, seemingly from out of nowhere.
“Becoming Eisenhower: How Ike Rose from Obscurity to Supreme Allied Commander” by Michael Lee Lanning follows Eisenhower’s career from 1915 to 1942, examining his preparation for success as supreme commander. The author looks at how Eisenhower got there, looking at his various postings before becoming commander of U.S. forces in Europe.
