Assesses the mode and quality of Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential leadership by analysing his contribution to American policy towards the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1961.

Three overarching questions are explored. First: how did Eisenhower, as president, lead his administration's policy towards the Soviet Union? Second: what general observations can be made about Eisenhower's presidential leadership based on this account of how he managed Soviet policy? Third: what does this mean for how Eisenhower's leadership has been framed to date?

The book offers a nuanced comparison of Eisenhower's performance across separate elements of presidential leadership, how they knitted together as a whole and his evolution as a leader over eight years. It provides a basis for scrutinising cornerstones of Eisenhower scholarship, including the pervasive conception of 'hidden-hand' leadership, which has long had a transformative impact on interpretations of Eisenhower's presidency.