Description
Book SynopsisEisenhower''s Fine Group of Fellows examines the contributions and management of civilians during the Eisenhower administration. Valerie Adams provides a concise history of the roles played by civilian advisers in developing a national security strategy. By examining the successful utilization of civilians in the Eisenhower administration, Adams draws lessons for the future from our recent past. The cooperation of Eisenhower''s administration was exemplary in many aspects, including: the management of ad hoc civilian committees, the utilization of science and technology, and the personal leadership of Eisenhower himself. Eisenhower''s Fine Group of Fellows draws a blueprint from the past for the future and is of great interest to historians of the period and forward thinkers.
Trade ReviewEisenhower's Fine Group of Fellows is a fascinating account of the effort to craft a cohesive national security policy in the face of powerful social, political, and technological change. Focusing on Ike's effort to work within the framework of what he called 'the Great Equation' - the need to safeguard national security while preserving the American way of life - Valerie Adams provides a lively and thoughtful rendering of how major strategic decisions were made in the 1950s. She shows how Eisenhower liked to use civilian committees, and how he did so successfully, even if the process sometimes went awry. In her story, we get a vivid sense of the emergence of the national security state. -- Allan M. Winkler, distinguished professor of history, Miami University of Ohio
Adams takes a novel approach.... Adams has crafted a solidly researched and clearly written book that skillfully explains Eisenhower's evolving thoughts on nuclear warfare and effectively demonstrates how his concerns about the economy influenced the administration's national security strategy. -- Bejamin P. Greene * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online, January 2009 *
Eisenhower's Fine Group of Fellows is both good history and practical advice for any administration. In this timely book, Valerie Adams shows us a confident president who carefully chose skilled advisors, considered their advice, and therefore attained crucial goals in the Cold War. -- Kurk Dorsey, University of New Hampshire
Table of ContentsPart 1 Part I: The Debating Club Meets National Security Needs: The Solarium Project (1953) Chapter 2 The Three C's: Containment, Cost Cutting, and the "Chance for Peace" Chapter 3 Talk About "Liberty" Doesn't Stop People From Becoming Communists: Organizing a National Security Policy Part 4 Part II: Urgency Without Despair: The Killian Report (1955) Chapter 5 "Gone Are the Days When Madness Was Confined": Continental Defense and the Threat of Surprise Attack Chapter 6 Finally a Project Worthy of its Mettle: The Science Advisory Committee Applies Technology to National Security Part 7 Part III: Portraying a United States in the Gravest Danger in its History: The Gaither Report (1957) Chapter 8 You Want How Much for Bomb Shelters? Civil Defense and the Fear of Fallout Chapter 9 Questioning the Wisdom of Using Civilian Committees: The Gaither Committee Goes Too Far
