Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush

by Steven M. Gillon

Steven Gillon, New York Times bestselling author of America's Reluctant Prince, is back with the story of how WWII shaped the characters and politics of seven American presidents.

World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.

The lessons of World War II, more than party affiliation or ideology, defined the presidencies of these seven men. They returned home determined to confront any force that threatened to undermine the war’s hard-won ideals, each with their own unique understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America’s role in global politics.

In Presidents at War, Gillon examines what these men took away from the war and how they then applied it to Cold War policies that proceeded to change America, and the world, forever. A nuanced and deeply researched exploration of the lives, philosophies, and legacies of seven remarkable men, Presidents at War deftly argues that the lessons learned by these postwar presidents continue to shape the landscape upon which current, and future, presidents stand today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, War, World War II, Audiobook

528 pages, Hardcover

First published February 11, 2025

Reviews

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steven Gillon is an American historian who has written several books on post-WWII American history. His 2025 book Presidents at War focuses on how various US presidents who were veterans of WWII implemented the lessons and worldview from their personal war experiences into steering US foreign policy during their subsequent administrations. The book focuses largely on the following 7 US presidents: Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Reagan and the elder Bush, skipping only Jimmy Carter in sequence (Carter was enlisted in the Navy during WWII but never saw combat).

This is definitely an interesting and ambitious premise for a nonfiction book aimed at general audiences, and I think Gillon succeeds in some aspects but falls short in others. Gillon is an engaging writer, which lends to a very readable, fast-paced book. His research into each future president's WWII experiences is extensive, and he vividly paints a picture of the sociocultural and political issues at play that influenced each man to enlist or serve in the ways that he did. On the other hand, this book is quite repetitive, written largely chronologically but with frequent jumps back and forth in the timeline where prior information is recapitulated. Gillon is also quite condescending and negative about certain presidents. Finally, there's a lot of conjecture that's clearly Gillon's opinion (maybe research-informed opinions, but opinions still).

I do think the book nicely illustrates generational divides between the generations that lived and fought in WWII and the subsequent generations who don't and inherently can't understand the mentality prevalent during those times.

My statistics:
Book 189 for 2025
Book 2115 cumulatively

[Collyn Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

read if you like:
📚 historical non-fiction
🇺🇸 US history
🪖 war history

summary:
I have a soft spot for US history, so when I got the chance to review this book, I jumped on it. It tells the story of the involvement of seven U.S. presidents — Eisenhower, JFK, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Reagan and H.W. Bush through the lens of their involvement in World War 2, and how the roles they played influenced their politics for years to come.

The book is written chronologically, integrating in each president as their involvement in the war begins, and going back and forth on how their experiences shaped the war, and themselves. It goes deep into many of their involvements, which I found fascinating, as I don’t feel like you read a lot about individual presidents involvement in war as a serviceman. While I knew the story of JFK from living in Boston, many of the others were new to me. It also touches on where some of these men knew each other or how they interacted before their days in politics, which I found fascinating, just given the fact that we often don’t talk about them in groups but rather focus on their individual achievements. Thinking on it now, our last 3 (I think) presidents did not serve in a war, and it’s so interesting how earlier in the century, it was uncommon to be in politics without that background, and how critical that experience was in shaping their policies and relationships.

During a time of such turmoil, I found it comforting to read about a time when decisions were made based on facts and first hand experiences, rather than rhetoric or lies.

Thanks to the Penguin Group, Dutton and NetGalley for the copy to review. If you love US history, I recommend checking this book out today!

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given the book a higher rating because the author has a nice writing style, but I took off a point because of his obvious bias that seeps through, culminating in his complete disdain for Donald Trump. For example, he uncritically quotes John Kelly's claim that Trump said that, "Hitler did some good things." Anyone who is familiar with John Kelly would know that he is not the most credible source. Is it conceivable that the President who has Jewish grandchildren, who moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, who is enormously popular in Israel, is an admirer of Hitler? Please. His disdain for Reagan is a close second. Sad that a good book is flawed in this way, but I guess it is a symptom of the times.

[WM D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading a very good and informative book about how World War Two helped shape the psyche of seven former presidents. It takes the reader into each president’s military service and how it affected their ability to understand foreign policy.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ phenomenal structure and information in this book. Great breakdown of how WWII affected presidents perspectives and decisions.

[Mr. Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my blog, Mr. Book's Book Reviews.

Thank you, Penguin Group Dutton, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mr. Book just finished Presidents At War: How World War II Shaped A Generation of President, From Eisenhower And JFK Through Reagan And Bush.

This book will be published on February 11, 2025.

This is the fourth book that I have read by this author. I previously gave The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich And The Rivalry That Defined A Generation a B+ in 2011, Pearl Harbor: FDR Leads The Nation Into War a B in 2022 and read The Kennedy Assassination—24 Hours Later: Lyndon B. Johnson’s Pivotal First Day As President in 2010, but that was before I started giving grades.

This was an enjoyable read about the presidents from Eisenhower to Bush’s actions during WW II and then their political careers. I just didn’t see much of connecting the two. But, it was still informative, and interesting, enough to warrant a high grade.

Among the many interesting topics in the book was the president/VP relationships between Eisenhower/Nixon and Johnson/Kennedy, along with the Kennedy/Nixon rivalry, Kennedy’s plans and evolution prior to his assassination, how Reagan used the slogan “make America great again” before Trump and Reagan’s “talent” for just making up stories and using them for political gain.

However, one flaw in the book was the author repeating the myth that Nixon didn’t challenge the results of the 1960 election. There were challenges in 11 states. Nixon claimed he had nothing to do with it, just like Trump disavows Project 2025, but his campaign staff was involved in the challenges and nobody believed Nixon’s disavowal. This is one mistake that I will point out whenever I see it, and this book can’t be an exception. But, speaking of Nixon, one of the strong points of the book was its discussion of Nixon’s treason by sabotaging Johnson’s peace efforts at the end of the 1968 campaign.

I give this book an A. Goodreads and NetGalley require grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).

This review has been posted at NetGalley, Goodreads and my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews

Mr. Book finished reading this on October 27, 2024.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magnificent book about the 7 presidents who were also involved in war [starting in WW2] personally, as well as when in office.

Deeply researched [I LOVED hearing some of my most favorite biographers being quoted in this book] and so well-written that one often forgets that this is OUR HISTORY and is not some excellent book of fiction; I guarantee you will learn so much reading this book - some good, some bad [my biggest surprise was some of what I learned about Eisenhower - I'll need to read a book about him now], but all of it extremely interesting.

If you love history and the history of war and presidents, and are looking for a well-written book on that subject, this is absolutely the book for you. I highly recommend it! Brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley, Steve M. Gillon, and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton/Dutton for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-reasoned and -written look at the impact of World War II service shaped the world views and actions in office of Presidents Dwight D Eisenhower, John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, Richard M Nixon, Gerald R Ford, Ronald W Reagan, and George H W Bush. All of these men served in the military during World War II, several (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Ford, and Bush) seeing actual combat and potential loss of life. Gillon argues that this experience gave them first-hand knowledge of the carnage of war, and influenced their desire to never again allow that to happen if avoidable. (Only Reagan, who spent the war technically in uniform, but actually sleeping safely in his own home every night as he made movies in Hollywood, emerged with a distorted bravado and acceptance of a Hollywood notion of war.) I found this history fascinating.

[Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise and appreciated hearing the specifics of each president’s service record. I thought the insights of how their service impacted their decisions was thin. There were a couple of AHA moments but not many. Unless you’ve decided aren’t familiar with these presidents, I’d pass. 2.5*

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of how several presidents where shaped by their service in World War II. Drawn largely from secondary sources such as biographies there is some repetition as some of the stories overlap.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a solid readdddd!!! That was all so interesting! Unfortunately I don't know very much abt post WWII politics, so it was so cool to learn!

[Tim Franks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good history and connections with presidents with the World War 2 era. Enjoyed many parts of this book. It was mostly ruined and a lower score because the author had to put his liberal agenda in there too much. Especially the Epilogue is an unnecessary swipe at all the more recent conservative leaders of our country.

[Rhoda Saatela · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of us in our “Golden Years”, this is our history. Many of us are the progeny of WWII veterans. we may be too young to have had any interest or knowledge of politics in the 50s, we were pre-teens, teenagers and maybe college freshman when JFK was assassination. We watched classmates, neighbors, relatives fly off to Vietnam. We’ve lived through the racial riots, campus protests and the murders of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. This is a well written, non-partisan account of how WWII shaped the policies and actions of from Eisenhower to George H.W. Bush. It’s worth a read.

[Rick Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I touted this book to friends and family as the best history boof I had read in years. I kidded it was a six on a scale of five stars. So why a 4? Because the historian stopped being a historian.

The book tracks the presidents who served in WWII to some extent or another. Mr. Gillon relates their war experiences and then their campaigns and times in office.

The bulk of the book is devoted Eisenhower through Nixon and is, the six on a scale of five. Mr. Gillon's larger points were buttressed by small and large events that supported his theses.

Unfortunately, after Nixon, his treatment of Reagan and Bush was short and cursory and fell back on his thesis that all Republicans campaign on fear and racism. But the later presidents were not treated to the extensive and thoughtful the first four were, How does a historian relate the action to get Saddam out of Kuwait without nary a mention of the alliance Bush built before going into Desert Storm? Or treat the fall of the Soviet Union in a mere half dozen pages?

But Eisenhower through Nixon was superb. Ford through Bush was significantly weaker but the book is still very good. I would suggest skipping the epilogue altogether. It was not history, but editorial and is devoted to all the presidents since those who served in WWII.

[Csparrenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave up on this book at least five different times. I thought that the early 70 pages were boring. But I kept coming back and reading another 10 pages. Then, once we got to 1946 and these men began running for public office, I found the book much more interesting. It provided a good look at history From that point on to the present. I disagree with what the author put in the epilogue as I feel that it was totally and completely slanted and revealed the author’s bias. Therefore, only three stars.

[Chad Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven M. Gillon’s “Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush” is a masterful exploration of the profound impact World War II had on the lives, philosophies, and presidencies of seven influential leaders. Gillon, a distinguished historian and bestselling author, combines meticulous research with compelling narrative to deliver an insightful account that transcends traditional political analysis. The book delves deeply into the formative experiences of Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush during the war. Gillon demonstrates how the crucible of WWII shaped their character, instilled a unique sense of patriotism, and defined their approach to leadership in the Cold War era. Each president’s story is illuminated with vivid detail, showcasing their sacrifices and their determination to uphold the ideals forged during the conflict. What sets “Presidents at War” apart is Gillon’s ability to weave personal anecdotes with broader historical themes. He skillfully highlights how these leaders internalized lessons from the war—lessons that influenced their policies on global diplomacy, military strategy, and national unity. The book argues convincingly that their shared wartime experiences transcended party lines and ideological divides, creating a generation uniquely equipped to navigate America’s postwar challenges. Gillon’s nuanced writing ensures that readers not only understand the historical significance of these presidencies but also appreciate the human dimension behind each leader’s decisions. His ability to contextualize their wartime experiences within broader societal transformations makes this work both enlightening and deeply moving. For history enthusiasts and political scholars alike, “Presidents at War” is an essential read. It offers a fresh perspective on leadership during one of America’s most transformative periods and underscores how the legacy of WWII continues to shape presidential decision-making today.

[Robbie See · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven Gillon capably organizes the history of seven United States presidents by considering the impact of their World War II military service on their philosophy of governance. For most, their experience resulted in a deep distrust of negotiation in the face of aggression, because they had seen Neville Chamberlain fail with the Munich Accord. Additionally, the costs of war converted most presidents into Keynsians who tolerated increasingly large deficits. Thus, many 20th century Americans lived through a protracted war in Vietnam along with rising national debt and inflation. Although the trend line was clear, each president’s movement on it was unique. Gillon’s descriptions of the variations on that theme are fascinating.

Along with the military and economic trends, the political trends are also interesting. Race-baiting, class resentment, and making and breaking campaign promises all factor into the political success and failure of presidents.

Like several other reviewers, I greatly appreciated the insights into the mid-century presidential history; however, I believe it’s too early to tell the story of Donald Trump. The book would have been stronger if Steven Gillon had left readers with the obvious parallels to Nixon and allowed us to draw our own conclusions

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven M. Gillon’s "Presidents at War" is a deeply researched exploration of how World War II forged the leadership styles, political philosophies, and decision-making instincts of the eight U.S. presidents who served in the military during the conflict. From John F. Kennedy’s valor in the Pacific to George H.W. Bush’s harrowing experience as a Navy pilot, Gillon draws a clear line between battlefield experiences and presidential behavior.

What makes this book stand out is its dual focus: it’s not just a war history, and it’s not just political biography. Gillon deftly shows how the war instilled a sense of duty, pragmatism, and global awareness in these future leaders. The narrative is especially strong when it connects personal wartime trauma to later policy decisions—like how Dwight D. Eisenhower’s strategic mindset as Supreme Allied Commander influenced his cautious approach to Cold War escalation.

Recommended for readers interested in presidential history, military influence on leadership, and the long shadow WWII cast over American politics in the second half of the 20th century.

[Janice Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Illuminating book looking at the lessons of WWii & impact on the future of American and the world.

While much of this book focuses on events well-known to any reader of history, it illuminates the experiences of the men who lived through WW II. An honest look at the good, bad, and ugly experiences of war, this book also focuses on economic principles and political motivation. Heroic dignity, compassion, and duty to country merge with personal ambition, hubris, and love of power. Reading this book forces the reader to confront personal beliefs, media perceptions, and historical dogma of the last 1/2 of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. It is a good history & political lesson for those too young to remember many of the events. History teachers would be well advised to read, study & assign this book as a vision of American at both its worst & best.

[Elaine Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the US government post-World War II. Its focus is on the effects of World War II on postwar presidents up to George HW Bush, although later administrations are also covered. In addition to their domestic policies, there is considerable coverage of the war in Vietnam and other military engagements. The postscript takes it into the Biden administration. I appreciated the analysis over those years from his perspective. The Trump second term apparently had not started when he completed the book. He would have to take an entirely new line of thinking and several more chapters to convey his thoughts about our current situation. Trump has upended all ideas of cohesiveness, logic, justice, or sanity in the way our government is now run.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Presidents At War
After a strong start on the premise of the book, the author slide into an interesting but off-point retelling of mid-20th century presidential history not clearly tied to the legacy of WWII. The early sections dealing with the “Lessons of Munich” (that to offer appeasement to Hitler, as Chamberlain did encourages aggressors), were strong. WWII experience and its impact on the presidencies of Eisenhower, Kennedy and Bush were well done. After the first third to half of the book, most of the narrative was about politics and competing economic theories. I think the author “lost the thread” of the story he was trying to tell. As a 20th American presidential history it was good, not great.

[Barry Davidoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very perceptive book about how the Presidents from Eisenhower to Bush were shaped by World War II. The book is engrossing and flows very smoothly
Gillon has strong command of all facts and each President. Rather than writing about one President he writes how events shaped all of them. He switches between Presidents to show how they compared.
A small issue is not mentioning Jimmie Carter, He was a midshipmant at the Naval Academy and graduated in 46. Although he did not serve in combat there was a perception that they would seve in the war. Many of the instructors had been in the war zone and members of the immediate preceding classes had served.

[Jacob Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very informative and well written, but does not cover any new ground that hasn’t already been written about. It does a great job of analyzing a WW2 vet’s presidency through the lense of their war experience, but does not actually discuss anything new. The latter half of the book is also very rushed. We spend a long time with Ike, Nixon, and even Johnson. But the Reagan presidency, one of the most consequential presidencies of the 20th century if not ever, gets rushed through to get to the end. Overall it’s a great book for history buffs, but as a history teacher myself, I find it lacking in new material.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look at seven American Presidents, Eisenhower to Bush(George H), and how World War II and their personal experiences in that war shaped their lives/views.
While some of the history was known to me,I did learn a lot of things I hadn't known before.
It's fascinating to see the lessons learned (and in some cases, NOT learned)
I feel each President is given a fair shake,and that the warts of each are shown,while not eclipsing the person as a whole.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.

There are two things that drew me to this book, I am into politics and my grandfather served during world war two.

I had not realized how many presidents had served during WW2 and also didn't know what some of them went through during it. I also liked learning some more about their time as president.

this was a long book but I definitely really enjoyed reading it.

[Joni · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author was very biased. For example, Joe Biden stood up to Russia when it attacked Ukraine. Why then did he limit the weapons that we gave to fight off Putin. The author also loved Kennedy and dislike most of the republican candidates.

His premise did not always fit the history and the author went through contotions to "make it fit" his narrative.

Very disappointing.

[Vanessa Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was easily a four star read for me... until the last couple chapters when the author shifts gears and makes it extremely political. If he'd stopped with George HW Bush, this would have been a better read.

There were a lot of interesting stories about the presidents covered, and this is certainly an interesting angle to take when investigating them.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic and connects WWII to most of the presidents in the 20th century in ways I had never considered. I've never considered the way in which these men's experience with service shaped their decisions in office, especially their views on the Vietnam War. I feel like it also gave really interesting personal context to each of these presidents, as well.

[Dale Smith]

Not the most factual conclusions.

This book was a good read until the author's biases came out in the last portions of the book. Many of his conclusions are not supported by facts or evidance.

[Bob Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 4.5 stars. Interesting thesis of how their various experiences in WW2 impacted the lives and decisions of 7 presidents. Author doesn’t hesitate to call out their weaknesses nor the morality trade offs they make to attain or keep power. Worth the read.