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The Eisenhower Chronicles: A Dove in Hawk's Clothing
The second volume of a Biographical Novel series based on Dwight Eisenhower!
"An ambitious novel that illuminates the complexity of one of the great figures of the twentieth century. Ike's homespun manner concealed a remarkably skilled, at times Machiavellian, leader who guided the nation through perilous times. M.B. Zucker brings us inside Eisenhower's world as he wrestles with a series of decisions affecting the survival of free government and the fate of humanity. This is a fun, fast-paced, informative read that captures the man and his times. Highly recommended." Stephen F. Knott, Professor of National Security at the Naval War College and author of Washington and The Alliance that Forged America The 1950s were the most dangerous decade of all time—but they are remembered as boring and peaceful. This composite novel—the second of three volumes—shows how President Eisenhower made that illusion possible. Eisenhower faced overlapping crises - the height of Soviet and Chinese aggression, advisors who viewed nuclear warheads as just another conventional weapon, an inherited national security strategy that could bankrupt the country, a war in Korea, and a Red-baiting demagogue in the Senate. This volume shows how he struck back, devising the most creative and risky plan since Operation Overlord to save the world a second time.
An
“Gentlemen, the President!” Cutler’s Boston Brahmin accent cut through the air. The entire National Security Council stood as Ike entered the Cabinet Room.
“Be seated,” Ike muttered curtly. His advisors sat down and noticed Ike’s brown plaid suit. That suit was a terrifying sight in the Eisenhower White House. It was the President’s signal that he was angry and not to be trifled with. Ike sat at the head of the table.
“I want to start with what we discussed in last week’s meeting. The issue of the Soviet H-bomb and the likelihood that they’ll hit us with it in the near future.”
“I fully believe this prediction will come to pass. It’s why we need to roll back communism. Or contain it at the very least,” Nixon interjected, determined to assert himself as a competent foreign policy thinker among the older, more experienced statesmen.
“It’s too expensive, Mr. Vice President,” Humphrey replied. “The Treasury Department’s analysis shows that NSC 68 will lead to a debt crisis by the decade’s end. We’ve avoided one already only because we ended the war in Korea and Truman’s wage and price controls.”
“Can we review what NSC 68 entails?” Ike asked. “We should be on the same page with what we’re dealing with here.” He turned to Cutler. “Robert, do you mind?”
“Of course, Mr. President,” Cutler replied as he glanced at his notes. “NSC 68 marked the final culmination of the Truman administration’s Cold War strategy. The document was written by Paul Nitze in 1950 and predicted that the Soviets would launch a nuclear strike on the US homeland in 1954 and that the US needed huge conventional forces to carry on the fight against communism after the Soviet strike. President Truman implemented the document after North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, legitimizing Nitze’s predictions of a global communist conspiracy for world domination. This authorization quadrupled military spending to around sixty billion dollars by 1953. That dwarfs the annual level of defense spending during World War II.”
“And it will bankrupt the country if we maintain that level of spending for much longer,” Humphrey stated, slowly emphasizing each word and moving his thumb and index finger together as one unit. “We need to change the way we think about this situation. Opposing communism abroad and our finances at home are part of the same challenge. We need to think of the national debt as a greater threat to national security than the Soviet Union.”
“That’s absurd,” Admiral Radford replied....
"An ambitious novel that illuminates the complexity of one of the great figures of the twentieth century. Ike's homespun manner concealed a remarkably skilled, at times Machiavellian, leader who guided the nation through perilous times. M.B. Zucker brings us inside Eisenhower's world as he wrestles with a series of decisions affecting the survival of free government and the fate of humanity. This is a fun, fast-paced, informative read that captures the man and his times. Highly recommended." Stephen F. Knott, Professor of National Security at the Naval War College and author of Washington and The Alliance that Forged America The 1950s were the most dangerous decade of all time—but they are remembered as boring and peaceful. This composite novel—the second of three volumes—shows how President Eisenhower made that illusion possible. Eisenhower faced overlapping crises - the height of Soviet and Chinese aggression, advisors who viewed nuclear warheads as just another conventional weapon, an inherited national security strategy that could bankrupt the country, a war in Korea, and a Red-baiting demagogue in the Senate. This volume shows how he struck back, devising the most creative and risky plan since Operation Overlord to save the world a second time.
An
“Gentlemen, the President!” Cutler’s Boston Brahmin accent cut through the air. The entire National Security Council stood as Ike entered the Cabinet Room.
“Be seated,” Ike muttered curtly. His advisors sat down and noticed Ike’s brown plaid suit. That suit was a terrifying sight in the Eisenhower White House. It was the President’s signal that he was angry and not to be trifled with. Ike sat at the head of the table.
“I want to start with what we discussed in last week’s meeting. The issue of the Soviet H-bomb and the likelihood that they’ll hit us with it in the near future.”
“I fully believe this prediction will come to pass. It’s why we need to roll back communism. Or contain it at the very least,” Nixon interjected, determined to assert himself as a competent foreign policy thinker among the older, more experienced statesmen.
“It’s too expensive, Mr. Vice President,” Humphrey replied. “The Treasury Department’s analysis shows that NSC 68 will lead to a debt crisis by the decade’s end. We’ve avoided one already only because we ended the war in Korea and Truman’s wage and price controls.”
“Can we review what NSC 68 entails?” Ike asked. “We should be on the same page with what we’re dealing with here.” He turned to Cutler. “Robert, do you mind?”
“Of course, Mr. President,” Cutler replied as he glanced at his notes. “NSC 68 marked the final culmination of the Truman administration’s Cold War strategy. The document was written by Paul Nitze in 1950 and predicted that the Soviets would launch a nuclear strike on the US homeland in 1954 and that the US needed huge conventional forces to carry on the fight against communism after the Soviet strike. President Truman implemented the document after North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, legitimizing Nitze’s predictions of a global communist conspiracy for world domination. This authorization quadrupled military spending to around sixty billion dollars by 1953. That dwarfs the annual level of defense spending during World War II.”
“And it will bankrupt the country if we maintain that level of spending for much longer,” Humphrey stated, slowly emphasizing each word and moving his thumb and index finger together as one unit. “We need to change the way we think about this situation. Opposing communism abroad and our finances at home are part of the same challenge. We need to think of the national debt as a greater threat to national security than the Soviet Union.”
“That’s absurd,” Admiral Radford replied....
Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2021
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About the author
M.B. Zucker
7 books10 followersM. B. Zucker has been interested in storytelling for as long as he can remember. He devoted himself to historical fiction at fifteen and earned his B.A. at Occidental College and his J.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He lives in Virginia with his family. He is the author of three other novels. Among his honors is the Best Fictional Biography Award at the 2023 BookFest.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 7, 2022
Very nicely done. Clearly, the author knows a heck of a lot about the historical facts, and his skills as a historical fiction writer clearly come through as he delves deeply into the mind of one of history's most interesting people. Too bad we don't have Eisenhower-type Republicans anymore!
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