Includes bibliographical references and index.

"World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. The lessons of World War II--more than party affiliation or ideology--defined the presidencies of these seven men. They returned home determined to confront any force that threatened to undermine the war's hard-won ideals, each with their own unique understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America's role in global politics. In [this book], Gillon examines what these men took away from the war and how they then applied it to Cold War policies that proceeded to change America and the world forever"--