Review of Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Waging Peace"
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Date Published: November 17, 2025
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“The White House Years: Waging Peace” was the third of four books that Dwight D. Eisenhower published: (1) “Crusade in Europe,” (2) “The White House Years, Mandate for Change,” (3) “The White House Years: Waging Peace,” and (4) “At Ease: Stories I Tell To Friends.”
In “The White House Years: Waging Peace,” Dwight D. Eisenhower writes about the last of his two-terms as 34th President of the United States—the four years from 1956 to 1961. “Waging Peace” was released in the United States in late 1965 and like its predecessor, ran serially in some newspapers and was widely reviewed across the country by political friend and foe alike. Although Eisenhower says that these books should not “be taken as an index or guide” for the future polices of the United States of America, I believe that these works do—quite clearly, define certain personality traits we should look for in any candidate seeking to inhabit the corner office of our Republic—the West Wing of the White House.
Links to the reviews of his other books can be found on the Eisenhower home page on this website [here].
In “The White House Years: Waging Peace,” Dwight D. Eisenhower writes about the last of his two-terms as 34th President of the United States—the four years from 1956 to 1961. “Waging Peace” was released in the United States in late 1965 and like its predecessor, ran serially in some newspapers and was widely reviewed across the country by political friend and foe alike. Although Eisenhower says that these books should not “be taken as an index or guide” for the future polices of the United States of America, I believe that these works do—quite clearly, define certain personality traits we should look for in any candidate seeking to inhabit the corner office of our Republic—the West Wing of the White House.
Links to the reviews of his other books can be found on the Eisenhower home page on this website [here].
Peter E. Greulich, November 17, 2025
A Review of “The White House Years: Waging Peace” by Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Reviews of the Day: 1965
- Selected Insights from “Waging Peace” by Eisenhower
- This Author’s Thoughts on “Waging Peace” by Eisenhower
Reviews of the Day: 1965
- This Book’s Value Is Limited By Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Writing Practices
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On November 07, 1965, The Los Angeles Times published a review of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s book: “The White House Years: Waging Peace.” In the review entitled “Ike’s Pen Scratches Surface of Profundity—Acuity,” Marvin Seid wrote—in part, the following:
“The value of this work lies in the view General Eisenhower is able to present of major national and international problems. … In the modern world, the President of the United States, by choice or otherwise, is usually at the center of things, and the view from the center is often unique. … "The inclination (or necessity) to withhold full explanation or comment because of the proximity of the events … combined with Eisenhower’s reluctance to ‘deal in personalities,’ deny these reminiscences a punch and a fullness they might otherwise have had.” “Ike’s Pen Scratches Surface of Profundity,” Marvin Seid
The Los Angeles Times, 1965 |
A high-quality, color image of the front dust cover of "Waging Peace.”
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- Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Writing Style is “Matter-of-Fact and … Flat”
On November 21, 1965, The Daily Press of Newport News, Hampton, Virginia published a review of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s book: “The White House Years: Waging Peace.” In the article entitled “Eisenhower’s Report of Stewardship,” John Barkham wrote—in part, the following:
“With this sober, substantial tone General Eisenhower closes his report on his two-term stewardship as this nation’s Chief Executive. It is not precisely a stirring record: the President takes so matter-of-fact a view of events in his second term that everything comes out in the same flat, even tone. …
“There were crises, to be sure—the U-2 incident [and capture of its pilot], his third illness [possible stroke], the troop landings in Lebanon, Federal intervention [for Civil Rights reasons] in Little Rock—but time has removed the tension and dimmed the excitement.”
“There were crises, to be sure—the U-2 incident [and capture of its pilot], his third illness [possible stroke], the troop landings in Lebanon, Federal intervention [for Civil Rights reasons] in Little Rock—but time has removed the tension and dimmed the excitement.”
“Eisenhower’s Report of Stewardship,” John Barkham
The Newport News Daily Press, 1965
The Newport News Daily Press, 1965
- Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “Waging Peace” Will Profit a Limited Audience
On November 21, 1965, The Great Falls Tribune carried a New York Times review of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s book: “The White House Years: Waging Peace.” In this review entitled “Second Volume of Ike’s Memoirs Makes No Attempt to Justify His Presidential Administration,” Eliot Fremont-Smith wrote—in part, the following:
“Except for historians and readers interested in presidential personality, the book is a mesmerizing affair—partly because the author’s prose style is ponderous in the extreme, partly because he offers few surprises, factual or personal, and partly because the book reflects so well … those somewhat leaden, faded years of Eisenhower’s second administration.”
“Except for historians and readers interested in presidential personality, the book is a mesmerizing affair—partly because the author’s prose style is ponderous in the extreme, partly because he offers few surprises, factual or personal, and partly because the book reflects so well … those somewhat leaden, faded years of Eisenhower’s second administration.”
“Second Volume of Ike’s Memoirs,” Eliot Fremont-Smith
The Great Falls Tribune, 1965
The Great Falls Tribune, 1965
- A Positive Balancing Perspective on Eisenhower’s Usage of Power
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On December 11, 1965, The Globe and Mail of Canada, published a review of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s book: “The White House Years: Waging Peace.” Gerald M. Craig provided the following information—in part, in his review entitled “Too Close To See Trees?:”
“Like the first volume of General Eisenhower’s Presidential memoirs published two years ago, this second volume is a rather prosaic—simple, almost an external, survey of his years in the White House. … The narrative itself is comprehensive and factually accurate, but it is also commonplace and unrevealing. … “Eisenhower never tried to overawe his allies or to overpower the weak. In many ways his Administration will be compared unfavorably with those of his successors, but in his restrained and responsible use of power his record may look better as the years go on.” “Too Close To See Trees,” Gerald M. Craig
The Globe and Mail, Canada, 1965 |
Front Cover of “The White House Years: Waging Peace.”
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Selected Insights from “Waging Peace” by Eisenhower
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Writes/Captures Some One-Liners in “Waging Peace”
- Quotes from "The White House Years: Waging Peace"
- “Hindsight is more accurate than foresight but less valuable.”
- “It has been said that freedom is merely the opportunity for self-discipline; when restraint is gone, so is the effectiveness of the democratic system.”
- “In the long pull, candor and bare-bones talk in public affairs are, whenever possible, best for the nation and, indeed, the best politics.”
- “Change based on principle is progress; constant change without principle becomes chaos.”
- “Liberty exists in proportion to wholesome restraint” from Daniel Webster
- “Hindsight is more accurate than foresight but less valuable.”
“Waging Peace,” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1965
- Eisenhower on the Need to Avoid the Creation of a Military-Industrial Complex
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“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
“The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. “Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. “This was, at the end of my years in the White House, the most challenging message I could leave with the people of this country.” “Waging Peace,” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1965
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- Eisenhower Writes About the Effect of [Social] Media on the General public
The 1956 Presidential Electoral Map shows confidence in Eisenhower, unfortunately his party lost control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
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“Communications media bring to us sickening and depressing accounts of deliberate lawlessness, arrogant selfishness, disloyalty, laxity in conduct, and all kinds of downright wickedness.
“Worse, when learning of these things, we seem to have lost some of our capacity for honesty and righteous indignation. … The electorate of a city chooses as its mayor a man serving a jail sentence; churches and homes are bombed; innocent children pay with broken bodies, sometimes with their lives, for the hate and prejudice that lighted the fuses. Witnesses to murder refuse to ‘get involved’ either by assisting the victim or helping the police. … “Such things would provide little cause for comment if they were isolated instances of the presence among us of individuals with psychopathic tendencies. When they are reported regularly as normal occurrences throughout the land, and we seemingly accept them as just 'human nature,' the situation has sinister implications. |
“The real question for each of us then becomes: ‘Am I doing my duty as a citizen?’
“It is certain that if every decent person in this nation would arouse his own conscience, help elect to public office persons of proved courage and integrity, support vocally and morally his police force, his corps of teachers, the local judges and the lawmakers and their governors in state capitals, soon the numerous newspaper [and social media] accounts of such crimes, delinquencies, and neglect would decline. And each of us would once again stand straight and proud, proud of himself, his children, and the community in which he lives.”
“It is certain that if every decent person in this nation would arouse his own conscience, help elect to public office persons of proved courage and integrity, support vocally and morally his police force, his corps of teachers, the local judges and the lawmakers and their governors in state capitals, soon the numerous newspaper [and social media] accounts of such crimes, delinquencies, and neglect would decline. And each of us would once again stand straight and proud, proud of himself, his children, and the community in which he lives.”
“Waging Peace,” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1965
- Eisenhower Uses George Washington as an Example To Avoid “Violent Criticism”
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“I considered the Senate rejection of Admiral Strauss as one of the most depressing official disappointments I experienced during eight years in the White House. …
"The incident shook, for the moment, my faith that democracy could be expected to detect and successfully defend integrity, ability, and bigness against the maneuverings of jealous, vindictive and little men. “But whenever I am tempted, even silently, to express violent criticism of such people or rail at the lack of courage in some holding positions of responsibility in our democratic institutions, I think again of George Washington and the scandalous attacks hurled at him again and again during his second administration. He never lost faith in self-government. "Though cursed and reviled he kept his temper, dignity, and the admiration and respect of history.” “Waging Peace,” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1965
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This Author’s Thoughts on “Waging Peace” by Eisenhower
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This is the third work that I have read of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th President of the United States. His first two publications, Campaign in Europe and The White House Years, are also reviewed on this website: [links to reviews are here.]
This third work, as often stated in the reviews above, I found rather laborious reading for a casual reader looking for insights into our 34th President of the United States. For the most part it is “more of the same.” But there are certain chapters that historically were very interesting! These are a few of the chapters I would read first. Then read other chapters as they align with your historical interests. |
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
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The following chapters provide background on highly historical events that were of interest to me:
Ranking the first three books in order of enjoyment, they would be listed as follows: (1) Crusade in Europe, (2) The White House Years: Mandate for Change, and finally (3) The White House Years: Waging Peace. From a historical reference perspective, I would put Waging Peace at the top of my list since it covers some of the many issues I heard about from my parents or experienced the “fallout” from myself as a U.S. Army soldier stationed in Germany a few decades after World War II.
You do have to “pick and choose” what you want to read though.
Be selective and then read more if so inspired.
Cheers,
- Peter E.
- “Chapter III: Twenty Busy Days” covers the “most demanding three weeks” of President Eisenhower’s time in office;
- “Chapter VI: Civil Rights” highlights Eisenhower’s usage of federal power to support the Supreme Court’s decision that “separate but equal” was an impossibility;
- “Chapter XXII: The Summit That Never Was” covers the implementation of the U-2 program over Russia and the downing of one of our aircraft and capture of Gary Powers;
- “Afterthoughts” is as close as possible to reading Eisenhower’s “musings” about his time in office, the overall effects of his decisions at the time and their future effects.
Ranking the first three books in order of enjoyment, they would be listed as follows: (1) Crusade in Europe, (2) The White House Years: Mandate for Change, and finally (3) The White House Years: Waging Peace. From a historical reference perspective, I would put Waging Peace at the top of my list since it covers some of the many issues I heard about from my parents or experienced the “fallout” from myself as a U.S. Army soldier stationed in Germany a few decades after World War II.
You do have to “pick and choose” what you want to read though.
Be selective and then read more if so inspired.
Cheers,
- Peter E.