The Real Ike

Martin Mack Teasley, now retired, spent thirty-five years at the Eisenhower Foundation and Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library. Previously he was director of the Boston Federal Archives and Records?Center. Teasley served as?a US Air Force intelligence officer on active duty and in the reserves, retiring as a colonel.

Preface 1. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene: From Ivory Tower to People's Library 2. The Ike Nickname: A Most Affection Ethnic Slur 3. Ike the Athlete: An NCAA Rules Violator? 4. "Hail to the Chef" Ike the Cook 5. The First Preppy President 6. Oy Vey! Ike the Terrible Swedish-Jew 7. Not So Fast, Barack Obama! Ike's Black Ancestry 8. Ike the Pilot: Fulfilling a Young Man's Dream 9. "Take Me to Your Leader": Ike and the Extraterrestrials p>10. "Other Losses": General Eisenhower's One Million Missing German POWs 11. Kay Summersby: Did Ike Have an Affair? 12. The Profane Ike: Blame the Army 13. "Dwight van Gogh": Eisenhower the Artist 14. Ike and the Atomic Bomb: A Steady Hand 15. Move Over Richard Nixon! Eisenhower's Secret Recordings 16 Ike the Cultural Warrior: The Eisenhower Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC 17. "Deporter in Chief": Operation Wetback, 1954-1955 18. Ike and the Emmy: The Father of the Modern Presidential Press Conference 19. A Natural Curiosity: How Ike Invented the Internet and Other Neat Scientific Stuff 20. Ike the Wordsmith: "He Really Should Have Been an Editor!" 21. Ike and God: A Coworker with the Almighty 22. Eisenhower on America's Youth: "I, for One, Believe in You" 23. Finding Common Ground in Public Conversations: Eisenhower's American Assembly 24. Abilene Honors Ike: Being a Hometown Hero Has Its Limitations 25. The Prescient Eisenhower: Ike's 1965 Predictions for the Year 2000 Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

"Throughout history, notable leaders and their endeavors have been subject to outsized rumors and sometimes conspiracy theories. Mack Teasley has done a masterful job of turning his attention to Dwight Eisenhower and some 'stories' of him in his time. His book is a concoction of juicy meat, amply spiced with humor and irony. It's authoritative. It's fun. It's a great read."-Susan Eisenhower "The Real Ike: Eisenhower Fact and Fiction is a delight-at once a pleasure to read, and a perceptive insight into the life and personality of one of America's greatest presidents. It is also a trustworthy resource written by a supremely qualified historian and archivist. Myths are busted, truths are exposed, and readers are entertained. A must-read!"-Daun van Ee, coeditor of The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, 1974-2001 "Did Dwight D Eisenhower box with Knute Rockney? Did he have an affair with his British driver? Did he cover up evidence of UFOs? The answer to these questions-land more-are to be found in Martin Mack Teasley's breezy, The Real Ike. Teasley is a true Eisenhower expert, having served as the deputy director of the Eisenhower archives, but he also has a good style and a fun sense of humor, making this a useful and informative read about our 34th president."-Tevi Troy, author of The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry "Martin Mack Teasley has written a book that scholars and general readers alike will find absorbing. It is a work of impressive scholarship, it is full of rich anecdotes, and it deals admirably with controversial issues. For anyone with an interest in Eisenhower the person, Eisenhower the president, military history, political history, World War II, or the Cold War, this book is a must-read."-J. Samuel Walker, author of The Day That Shook America: A Concise History of 9/11 "This is a remarkably entertaining and informative read on the personal and public life of one of the giants of the 20th century. Having 'lived' with Dwight David Eisenhower for much of his life, Martin Mack Teasley knows what made him tick. Teasley likes Ike, but he does not shy away from controversies surrounding the nation's 34th president, including his relationship with Kay Summersby, his treatment of German POWs, his attitude toward nuclear weapons, and 'Operation Wetback.' I highly recommend this insightful book on the man 'who came from the heart of America' and changed the course of history."-Stephen F. Knott, author of Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy "A treasure trove of Eisenhoweriana, providing fresh perspective on Dwight Eisenhower's public career, private life, and the qualities that defined him. The Real Ike belongs on a short shelf of essential works about Eisenhower and his times."-Michael J. Birkner, coeditor of Democracy's Shield: Voices of World War II "Martin Mack Teasley brings his varied and extensive experience to bear in this delightful volume. The Real Ike provides intimate detail, corrects misconceptions, and presents lesser-known facts about the nation's 34th president. Timely and entertaining, this book illuminates the important role of presidential libraries, reminds us of Eisenhower's centrality in significant events, and evokes an important era of US history."-Mary E. Stuckey, author of For the Enjoyment of the People: The Creation of National Identity in American Public Lands