But as Supreme Commander the strengths won out. He could listen, analyze and comprehend the essence of argument as well or better than any man around him. He was politically sensitive. He could tolerate difficult people whose values were worth tolerating. The portrait of Eisenhower as Supreme Commander is drawn skillfully and places him excitingly in conflict with the other lively personalities with whom he had to deal.
Battles are all off stage.
Although it is clear enough what happened, this is not a history of the war in Europe. Nor is it quite a military biography, although Eisenhower steadily dominates its pages.