by Jim Newton
46 those who sought equality and those who denied it: See, for instance, DDE to Graham, March 30, 1956, Billy Graham folder, box 16, Name Series, Whitman File.
47 “followed the President’s formula”: Brownell and DDE, conversation, May 31, 1955, Phone Calls Jan.–July 1955 (1), box 9, DDE Diary Series, Whitman File.
48 supported the Court’s ruling in Brown: Ann Whitman, Aug. 19, 1956, entry, Aug. 1956 (1) folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
49 international appreciation vis-à-vis the Soviets: Dudziak, Cold War Civil Rights, pp. 109–10.
50 “I’m afraid we’ll have plenty of trouble”: Hazlett to DDE, Oct. 14, 1954, Swede Hazlett 1954 (1) folder, box 18, Name Series, Whitman File.
51 relaxing with the Gang: Sept. 12, 1954, Presidential Appointment Books, DDEPL.
52 condemnation of the world: 214th NSC Meeting, Sept. 12, 1954, box 6, NSC Series, Whitman File.
53 strike the Soviet Union itself: Ibid.
54 “The hard way”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 465.
55 “armed attack in the West Pacific”: A copy of the treaty may be found at http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/chin001.asp.
56 “In any combat where”: March 16, 1955, news conference, APP.
57 “I am afraid”: Exchange of letters from June 29 and July 2, 1954, Arthur Eisenhower (3) folder, box 11, Name Series, Whitman File.
58 “I know so many things”: Whitman, Nov. 24, 1954, entry, which includes Knowland conversation, Nov. 1954 (1) folder, box 3, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
59 “No man on earth”: Ibid., which includes meeting with Montgomery.
60 general’s testimony earlier that year: Time, Oct. 4, 1954.
61 attacking Watkins as a coward: See http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/
common/censure_cases/133Joseph_McCarthy.htm.
62 against McCarthy’s censure, annoying Eisenhower: New York Times, Dec. 3, 1954.
63 “done a very splendid job”: New York Times, Dec. 5, 1953.
64 “I thought the stories”: Hagerty, Dec. 6, 1954, entry in Diary, p. 127.
65 “Why it was called such”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 330.
66 the U-2 program was launched: Pedlow and Welzenbach, CIA and the U-2 Program, p. 37.
67 most of his day for Clay: Nov. 18, 1954, Presidential Appointment Books.
68 “once he got on to the real purpose”: DDE, entry for Nov. 20, 1954, in Diaries, p. 288.
69 “in some position of great responsibility”: DDE to Hazlett, Dec. 8, 1954, Hazlett 1954 (1) folder, box 18, Name Series, Whitman File.
CHAPTER 10: HEARTACHE
1 “I still remember”: DDE to Churchill, March 22, 1955, doc. 1355, HP.
2 “there seems to be no final answer”: DDE, Jan. 10, 1955, entry in Diaries, p. 291.
3 “growing up and getting tougher”: Hagerty, Jan. 18, 1955, entry in Diary, p. 164.
4 “the ability to blow hell”: Dec. 13, 1954, entry in ibid., p. 133.
5 “I felt I was being called upon”: See Arlington National Cemetery synopsis of Ridgway’s career, at http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ridgway.htm.
6 “carry their dissents”: DDE and Dulles, conversation, Jan. 25, 1955, Phone Calls Jan.–July 1955 (3), box 9, DDE Diary Series, Whitman File.
7 “A division of soldiers”: DDE and Radford, conversation, Feb. 1, 1955, Phone Calls Jan.–July 1955 (2), box 9, DDE Diary Series, Whitman File.
8 “I said I did not think”: March 6, 1955, meeting, Meetings with the President 1955 (7) folder, box 3, White House Memoranda Series, Dulles Papers.
9 “I said that this would require”: Ibid.
10 invade Quemoy and Matsu by April 15: Ann Whitman, April 2, 1955, entry, April 1955 (6) folder, box 5, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
11 “By God, this has got to stop”: Hagerty, March 28, 1954, entry in Diary, p. 218.
12 watch his tongue: Memorandum for Files, March 12, 1955, doc. 1342, HP.
13 “seems to have no comprehension”: DDE, March 12, 1955, entry in Diaries, p. 296.
14 “Not by me”: March 30, 1955, news conference, APP.
15 “I want to make clear”: Ibid.
16 “Foster and I live”: Adams, unpublished manuscript, p. 618.
17 “I felt an almost physical reaction”: Hughes, Ordeal of Power, p. 208.
18 “I do hope you will be willing”: Eden to DDE, cable, received on May 6, 1955, John Foster Dulles May 1955 folder, box 5, Dulles-Herter Series, Whitman File.
19 before Eden’s formal note: New York Times, May 5, 1955.
20 open to a summit under the right conditions: DDE to Eden, cable, May 6, 1955, Dulles May 1955 folder, box 5, Dulles-Herter Series, Whitman File.
21 “Believe that the time has now come”: Acting Secretary to DDE, cable, transmitting from Dulles, May 9, 1955, Dulles May 1955 folder, box 5, Dulles-Herter Series, Whitman File.
22 “This business of trying to reach”: May 11, 1955, news conference, APP.
23 Molotov seemed flexible: Dulles to DDE, telegram, May 14, 1955, Dulles May 1955 folder, box 5, Dulles-Herter Series, Whitman File.
24 “is regarded as beginning”: Approval ratings courtesy of the APP; other survey data from Geneva Conference folder, box 29, Confidential File 1953–61, White House Central Files, Records of the President, DDEPL.
25 “amateurish” and “dangerous”: Aug. 8, 1955, entry, Telephone Conversations General May 2, 1955–Aug. 31, 1955 (3), box 4, Telephone Calls Series, Dulles Papers.
26 “He’s got them down at Quantico”: Adams, Firsthand Report, p. 91.
27 a transfer to Defense: Whitman, May 25, 1955, entry, May 1955 (2) folder, box 5, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
28 “the position of the Soviet Union”: Memorandum of Conversation, June 23, 1955, Dulles June 1955 folder, box 5, Dulles-Herter Series, Whitman File.
29 heading for Augusta: DDE to Hobby, Nov. 24, 1953, Oveta Culp Hobby folder (6), box 19, Administration Series, Whitman File.
30 “nearing the end of her rope”: Whitman note to file, Feb. 24, 1954, Hobby folder (3), box 19, Administration Series, Whitman File.
31 vaccines soon resumed: Statement by Surgeon General Leonard A. Scheele, May 8, 1955, Hobby (1) folder, box 19, Administration Series, Whitman File.
32 “personal reasons”: Hobby to DDE, July 13, 1955, Hobby (1) folder, box 19, Administration Series, Whitman File.
33 “All who knew you as a dedicated”: DDE to Hobby, July 13, 1955, Hobby (1) folder, box 19, Administration Series, Whitman File.
34 “best man in the Cabinet”: Time, July 25, 1955.
35 “would be a mighty force”: DDE, Radio and Television Address, July 15, 1955, APP.
36 hope that surrounded Geneva: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 512. Also John Eisenhower’s memo of Geneva trip contained in Geneva Notes—Maj. Andy Goodpaster, Whitman File.
37 twelve hundred feet above sea level: These observations are from John Eisenhower’s memo of the trip.
38 “we could hardly refuse”: Time, July 18, 1955.
39 seating chart for the discussions: July 17, 1955, memo, Geneva Conference, July 18–23, 1955 (4), box 2, International Meetings Series, Whitman File.
40 an old friend, Sir James Gault: Whitman, July 17, 1955, entry, July 1955 (3) folder, box 6, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
41 retired to dinner alone: John Eisenhower, memo.
42 “I trust that we are not here”: Opening statement at the Geneva Conference, July 18, 1955, APP.
43 by prearrangement, slipped out: Whitman, July 18, 1955, entry, July 1955 (3) folder, box 6, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File. Also John Eisenhower’s memo.
44 “They were jumpy as hell”: John Eisenhower, interview with author, Oct. 7, 2010.
45 “Even Gromyko managed”: John Eisenhower, memo.
46 “a meeting between them”: Ibid.
47 “You can make all the pictures”: Transcript of summit meeting, July 22, 1955, folder (13), box 29, Confidential File, 1953
–61, White House Central Files, Records of President, DDEPL.
48 “A sound peace”: Ibid.
49 “I didn’t know I would”: John Eisenhower, memo.
50 “I wish the people of the world”: Adams, Firsthand Report, p. 178.
51 “I thought we had the makings of a breakthrough”: John Eisenhower, memo.
52 “there was no smile in his voice”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 521.
53 “From that moment until the final adjournment”: Ibid.
54 confirmed Dulles’s skepticism: Adams, Firsthand Report, p. 177.
55 “does not want peace”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 522.
56 seven trout: Details of these summer weeks are culled mainly from the Presidential Appointment Books for that period.
57 eastern slope of the Rockies to Denver: Draft of DDE’s Heart Attack, Sept. 1955, box 11, Howard Snyder Papers, 1881–1976, DDEPL.
58 doctor Howard Snyder recalled: Ibid.
59 arriving at 3:11 a.m.: Ibid.
60 Ike fell into shock, according to Snyder: Ibid.
61 slipped out of his bed: In addition to questions about the veracity of Snyder’s records, there are issues with their precision, as the alleged bedside notes do not always conform to his later recollections. In this instance, his manuscript indicates that Mamie got into bed at 4:05 a.m., while his notes say the time was 4:30 a.m. Where there are discrepancies, I have opted to rely on the bedside notes.
62 dress in civilian clothes: DDE Medical Records, 1955, box 3, Snyder Papers.
63 “there has been no period of shock”: Lasby, Eisenhower’s Heart Attack, p. 107.
64 saving Eisenhower’s life: Robinson to various recipients, Oct. 18, 1955, Eisenhower Oct. 1955 folder, box 3, Robinson Papers.
65 “It may have been”: Jan. 19, 1956, news conference, APP.
66 heart attack on Icky’s birthday: Susan Eisenhower, Mrs. Ike, p. 288.
67 leaving Ike’s seat vacant: See Sept. 29, 1955, Presidential Appointment Books, DDEPL, as well as Adams, Firsthand Report, p. 186.
68 shocking the dour Adams: Hagerty, oral history interview.
69 “He is a darn good young man”: Whitman, Oct. 10, 1955, entry, Oct. 1955 (6) folder, box 7, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
70 “He has not quite reached”: Ibid.
71 “If I didn’t think you knew”: Draft of DDE’s Heart Attack.
72 over the breast pocket: John Eisenhower, Strictly Personal, p. 183.
73 played on a phonograph in his room: John Eisenhower, interview with author, Oct. 7, 2010.
74 “a wonderful patient”: Memo of Nov. 2, 1955, trip to Denver, Aide-Mémoire folder, box 1, Cutler Papers.
75 “I was tired and annoyed”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 544.
76 “Every one of us took a deep breath”: Sherman Adams, unpublished MS, p. 711, Adams Papers.
77 “more than any other possible development”: Robinson to Snyder, Oct. 18, 1955, Eisenhower Oct. 1955 folder, box 3, Robinson Papers.
78 “it may henceforth be a place”: Susan Eisenhower, Mrs. Ike, p. 290.
79 lost weight and color: Adams, unpublished MS, p. 712.
80 “I am to avoid all situations”: DDE to Hazlett, Jan. 23, 1956, Swede Hazlett Jan. 1956–Nov. 1958 (2) folder, box 18, Name Series, Whitman File.
81 Blake arrested Parks: Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, pp. 128–29.
82 built up his workday: Presidential schedules for Dec. 1955, DDEPL.
83 city’s notorious newspaper: Phone Calls Jan.–July 1955, Feb. 8, 1955, conversation between Eisenhower and Len Hall, box 9, DDE Diary Series, Whitman File. 203 badly split the party: Hagerty, Dec. 13, 1955, entry in Diary, p. 241.
84 better suited to the Court: Dec. 14, 1955, entry in ibid., p. 245.
85 “On the whole, he felt”: Adams, unpublished MS, p. 751.
86 convinced that Nixon was unelectable: John Eisenhower, exchange with author, Sept. 2010.
87 New Year’s Eve: Jan. 29–31, 1955, Presidential Appointment Books.
CHAPTER 11: CRISIS AND REVIVAL
1 “idleness would be fatal”: Susan Eisenhower, Mrs. Ike, p. 294.
2 “After a close brush with death”: Adams, Firsthand Report, p. 222.
3 progress was evident: Remarks on the State of the Union Message, Jan. 5, 1956, APP.
4 “the full duties of the presidency”: Jan. 8, 1956, news conference in Key West, APP.
5 preparing the place cards himself: Susan Eisenhower, Mrs. Ike, p. 295.
6 second-floor sitting room: Memorandum of Conversation, Jan. 13, 1956, Very Private Memos of Conversations with the President and Vice President 1956–58, box 1, White House Memoranda Series, Dulles Papers.
7 “As I saw the situation”: Ibid.
8 “you ought to make up your mind”: Hagerty, oral history interview, p. 310.
9 urged his brother to retire: Sherman Adams, unpublished MS, p. 748, Adams Papers.
10 “fearful of the strain”: Milton Eisenhower, oral history interview, p. 35.
11 The others followed: Hagerty, oral history interview, p. 310.
12 “in order that I may reach”: Jan. 19, 1956, news conference, APP.
13 implications for the rest of his administration: John Eisenhower points out that even the selection of guests for the Jan. 13 meeting suggested which way his father was leaning. “What else would he expect from the ‘fine group of subordinates’ themselves,” he asked of their advice (Strictly Personal, p. 185).
14 they had yet to discuss it: Jan. 25, 1956, news conference, APP.
15 bipartisan ticket for 1956: Ewald, Eisenhower the President, p. 184.
16 “If we can count on me”: Ann Whitman, Feb. 9, 1956, entry, Feb. 1956 folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
17 whatever Eisenhower asked him to: Ibid.
18 “very, very gentle”: Ibid.
19 “radiant spirits”: Whitman, Feb. 13, 1956, entry, Feb. 1956 folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
20 he would vote for him: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 572.
21 “a normal risk to accept”: Dulles to file, memo, Feb. 29, 1956 (although filed on Feb. 29, the memo records a meeting of Feb. 27), Very Private Memos of Conversations with the President and Vice President 1956–58, box 1, White House Memoranda Series, Dulles Papers.
22 “was leaving the room”: Ibid.
23 “My next announcement”: Feb. 29, 1956, news conference, APP.
24 “I will say nothing more”: Ibid.
25 “If we are ever to solve”: DDE, State of the Union Address, Jan. 5, 1956, APP.
26 the Clay Committee’s recommendations: Whitman, Jan. 11, 1955, entry, Jan. 1955 folder (4), box 4, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
27 state and territory of the United States: Weeks testimony of July 11, 1956, Highway Program 1956 folder, box 37, Weeks Papers.
28 “six sidewalks to the moon”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 548.
29 “I wanted the job done”: Ibid., pp. 548–49.
30 at Walter Reed for a checkup: Highway Program 1956 folder, box 37, Weeks Papers.
31 started just weeks later: Ibid.
32 launched projects in anticipation of it: Statement by Weeks, released with president’s signature of bill, Highway Program 1956 folder, box 37, Weeks Papers.
33 “More than any single action”: DDE, Mandate for Change, pp. 548–49.
34 “He has his own way to make”: Whitman, March 13, 1956, entry, March 1956 folder (2), box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
35 they were uniformly opposed: Whitman, March 19, 1956, entry, March 1956 folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
36 “Well, he hasn’t reported back”: April 25, 1956, news conference, APP. 212 “delighted to hear”: Adams, Firsthand Report, p. 234.
37 “For increasing millions of Americans”: DDE, Mandate for Change, p. 550.
38 was not pictured: Taubman, Khrushchev, p. 270.
39 “a grave abuse of power”: Cop
ies of the speech are widely available, though often abridged. A copy of the full text may be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian
/2007/apr/26/greatspeeches1.
40 an internal analysis prepared in 1956 and not released until 1999: “The 20th CPSU Congress in Retrospect,” June 1956, CIA/SRS-1, in Haines and Leggett, CIA’s Analysis of the Soviet Union, p. 54.
41 “many communists throughout the world”: Ibid., pp. 57 and 59.
42 disapproved of his performance as president: Poll data courtesy of APP.
43 “I never have thought”: Edgar to DDE, April 30, 1956, Edgar Eisenhower 1956 (2) folder, box 11, Whitman File.
44 “You cannot return”: DDE to Edgar, May 2, 1956, Edgar Eisenhower 1956 (2) folder, box 11, Whitman File.
45 “everyone and his uncle” attended: June 7, 1956, entry, Diary for 1956, box 59, Weeks Papers.
46 received the news as routine: June 8, 1956, entry, Diary for 1956, box 59, Weeks Papers.
47 ambulance to Walter Reed: Whitman, June 9–11, 1956, entries, June 1956 folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File. See also Draft of DDE’s Ileitis Operation, June 1956, Howard Snyder Papers, 1881–1976, DDEPL.
48 wheeled into the operating room at 2:07 a.m.: Snyder notes, DDE Medical Records 1956 (2), box 3, Snyder papers.
49 “Well,” he said, “let’s go”: Whitman, June 9–11, 1956, entries, June 1956 folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
50 “I doubted seriously”: DDE to Paul Hoy Helms, June 15, 1956, doc. 1894, HP.
51 “slowly but steadily”: DDE to Milton, July 9, 1956, doc. 1905, HP.
52 the president was well: Whitman, Aug. 15, 1956, entry, Aug. 1956 folder (1), box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
53 Ike listened in silence: Whitman, July 20, 1956, entry, July 1956 folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
54 Stassen went on leave: Hagerty, oral history interview, pp. 513–14.
55 “The Republican campaign”: New York Times, Nov. 4, 1956.
56 not as Eisenhower’s singular choice: Whitman, Aug. 19, 1956, entry, Aug. 1956 (1) folder, box 8, ACW Diary Series, Whitman File.
57 “took a stand in the matter”: Ibid.
58 “as a lawyer”: Ibid.
59 refuse to attend the convention: Ibid.
60 “his face ruddy”: Time, Sept. 3, 1956. See also New York Times, Aug. 22, 1956.
