Michel Paradis On Eisenhower And Decency

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Nov 28, 2025

Michel Paradis, a seasoned human rights lawyer and historian, explores the complexities of Dwight Eisenhower's life and career. He sheds light on Eisenhower's underestimated leadership during D-Day and his unique relationship with FDR. Paradis shares personal anecdotes about Eisenhower's challenging upbringing and pivotal mentorship under Fox Conner. Discover how Eisenhower's moderation and strategic alliances shaped postwar efforts, and why he stands in stark contrast to modern political figures.

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INSIGHT

Moderation Born From Distrust Of Ideology

Eisenhower embodied a moderation shaped by distrust of ideology from his upbringing and father.
Michel Paradis argues this skepticism made Eisenhower cautious of grand ideological claims and pragmatic in leadership.

ANECDOTE

Scandal, Tragedy, And Fox Conner's Rescue

Eisenhower narrowly avoided a court-martial over housing allowances and lost his young son to scarlet fever in the same year.
Fox Conner rescued him, mentored him with a vast library, and transformed his intellectual development in Panama.

INSIGHT

Cultivating Mentors As A Power Strategy

Eisenhower deliberately sought the smartest people and copied their habits to rise in the army.
Paradis shows this cultivated-mentor strategy made Eisenhower both effective and trusted by superiors.

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Michel is a human rights lawyer and author. He’s currently a lecturer at Columbia Law School, where he teaches national security law and jurisprudence. He’s also a contributing editor at Lawfare. His latest book is The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower — an accessible, racy account of the run-up to D-Day, along with fascinating snapshots of his entire career.

For two clips of our convo — why FDR picked Eisenhower to orchestrate D-Day, and why he’s the antithesis of Trump — head to our YouTube page.

Other topics: Michel raised by a single mom in Allentown who became an Allentown DA; his scholarship to Oxford for computational linguistics; his work on human rights and defending Gitmo detainees; John Adams and due process; the Dish’s coverage of torture; the ways Eisenhower was misunderstood; his self-effacement; his religious pacifist parents; his abusive dad; his Horatio Alger story; Kansas conservatism; the knee injury that ended his football stardom at West Point; the scandal that nearly ended his career early on; the scarlet fever that killed his son; his early friendship with Patton; his intellectual mentor Fox Conner; Ike a protege of MacArthur until they soured on each other; his moderation and suspicion of ideology; his workaholism and stoicism; Pearl Harbor; his uneasy relationship with FDR; unexpectedly picked over George Marshall to lead D-Day; his knack for building consensus; winning over Monty and the other Brits; Churchill’s antics and his opposition to a Normandy landing; haunted by Gallipoli; the Atlantic Wall; Rommel; shouting matches at the Cairo Conference; Ike’s quiet charisma; the alleged affair with his Irish driver Kay Summersby; and how the weather nearly ruined D-Day.

Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: George Packer on his Orwell-inspired novel, Shadi Hamid on US power abroad, Simon Rogoff on the narcissism of pols, Jason Willick on trade and conservatism, Vivek Ramaswamy on the right, and Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.