The president they called a bumbler was secretly a Cold War chessmaster. Plot twist!
He went off to war an unknown soldier and returned a beloved national hero. Often dismissed as a "do-nothing" president and a good-natured bumbler, Dwight D. Eisenhower -- the last American president to be born in the 19th century -- was actually a skillful politician, a tough Cold War warrior, and one of America's most misunderstood and unappreciated presidents. Two-part documentary from American Experience.
Writing
David McCullough's narration could make a grocery list sound epic.
Editing
Archival footage woven like a political thriller, not a dusty lecture.
Director
Adriana Bosch
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during the early Clinton years, this documentary quietly argues for 'boring' competence over charisma in presidents.
Adriana Bosch later directed American Experience episodes on Reagan and Clinton, essentially completing her 'misunderstood presidents' trilogy.
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