By Christopher Miskimon

While Dwight Eisenhower was the architect or American victory in Europe, John. F. Kennedy commanded a tiny PT Boat in the Pacific. Lyndon Johnson was a naval reservist when the war began, while Richard Noxon and Gerald Ford joined the Navy shortly after the war began. George HW Bush served as a naval aviator, flying combat missions in the Pacific and surviving being shot down. Ronald Reagan was the only one who never served overseas, though he had been part of the Army reserve from 1937. He stayed in the United States and did public relations and made training films.

The author examines what each of these future United States Presidents took from their wartime and military experiences and applied to their time in office and in their lives. The book also looks at how their experiences affected the way they approached the Cold War. The narrative is well-researched and provides a deep look at each man, their effect on the world and their legacies.

Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, From Eisenhower and JFK Through Reagan and Bush (Steven M. Gillon, Dutton Publishing, New York NY, 2024, 528pp., notes, bibliography, index, $35, HC)