In 1941, Dwight Eisenhower was an obscure, over-age colonel commanding a battalion at Ft. Lewis. Eleven years later, he was the most famous person in the world, having been elected to his first of two successful terms as President after leading the Allies to victory in Europe in World War II. We will take a deep dive into how a Kansas farm boy became a great American general and President, his influences, lucky breaks, and leadership style.

Moderator: Greg Gajus has been a lifelong history enthusiast and consulted 20 different books on Eisenhower to prepare for this class. He has visited the Eisenhower Boyhood Home and Museum in Abilene, the Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg, and Normandy, and met Susan Eisenhower. He has previously taught OLLI classes on the history of NASA, Chester Nimitz, and WKRP in Cincinnati.