Becoming Eisenhower: How Ike Rose from Obscurity to Supreme Allied Commander

Summary

When Dwight Eisenhower graduated from West Point in 1915, few would have predicted he was destined for greatness. Yet the young officer made the most of the opportunities he was given, made a lasting impression on superiors, and eventually gained a reputation as an excellent staff officer.

Fifty-nine graduates became generals during World War II, but none of that was clear at the time, especially not for the young Dwight Eisenhower, who graduated sixty-first in a class of 164.

During the 1920s into the early 1930s Eisenhower started to catch the eye of superiors and earned positions under the U.S. Army's leading lights.

Eisenhower joined the General Staff in Washington, DC, where he helped develop war plans and eventually became deputy chief of staff under George Marshall. When the time came to appoint a commander to execute the plans, Marshall knew Eisenhower was the man for the job.

Becoming Eisenhower is the story of a young man who first pursued the army for its free education, the story of an officer who was initially overlooked, the story of how General Eisenhower carried these experiences not only into Supreme Command but also the presidency.