As the Korean War intensified, war-weary Americans turned to a new leader, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the hero of World War II, to bring them peace. “Ike,” as he was known to everyone, didn’t disappoint them.

The 1950s are widely regarded as a period of undisputed American greatness. The United States dominated the world in almost every respect, from science to culture, from John Wayne westerns to commercial aviation. What was Dwight Eisenhower’s role in this decade of prosperity? John Yoo, Professor...