A portrait of an often ignored alliance between two iconic military figures and the ways in which their unusual collaboration would ultimately shape fifty years of successful American foreign policy. Historian-journalist Perry follows Marshall and Eisenhower's collaboration from the major battles in North Africa and Italy to the planning and execution of the D-Day invasion, the crisis of the Battle of the Bulge, the postwar implementation of the Marshall Plan, and the establishment of Eisenhower's leadership of NATO. Perry shows that Marshall and Eisenhower were remarkably close colleagues who brilliantly combined strengths and offset each other's weaknesses in their strategic planning, on the battlefields, and in their mutual struggle to overcome the bungling, political sniping, and careerism of British and American commanders that infected nearly every battle and campaign. Finally, Marshall and Eisenhower collaborated in crafting the foreign policy and military infrastructure that became the foundation for winning the Cold War.--From publisher description.

Chronology -- List of maps -- Prologue : "Ike" and "The General" -- 1. The WPD -- 2. Arcadia -- 3. Bolero -- 4. Sledgehammer -- 5. Etousa -- 6. Torch -- 7. Kasserine -- 8. Husky -- 9. Avalanche -- 10. Shingle -- 11. Overlord -- 2. Cobra -- 13. Bastogne -- 14. "Ike" -- 15. "The General" -- Epilogue : "A monstrous thing" -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- Acknowledgments.