New York, NY – January 25, 2019 – HISTORY® honors Presidents Day with a landmark two-night event, “Presidents at War,” premiering consecutively on Sunday, February 17th at 8 pm ET/PT and Monday, February 18th at 8 pm ET/PT.
The specials tell the story of World War II through the remarkable experiences of eight men who served in active duty – Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush – eight men who would go on to be Presidents. Each was changed by the crucible of war, which shaped the decisions they made when they reached the White House.
Like sixteen million other Americans, these eight future presidents bravely served their country during its darkest hour, and then went on to further service as the nation’s Commanders-in-Chief. Their experiences give a vivid picture of both the European and Pacific theaters of battle in World War II. Nineteen-year-old bomber pilot George H.W. Bush and twenty-five-year-old PT Boat commander John F. Kennedy fight on the front lines in the Pacific, as do Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Fifty-two-year-old General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a man who had never seen combat before the outbreak of the war, goes on to become the Supreme Allied Commander of the war in Europe, seizing it back from Nazi control.
These are men who played a first-hand role in the war effort. They become leaders who steer the nation through conflict and turmoil in the last half of what becomes known as the American century, fueled by lessons they learned during the 20th century’s defining war.
“Presidents at War” is produced for HISTORY by RAW, an All3 Media company. Sam Maynard serves as the executive producer for RAW, an All3 Media company. Mary E. Donahue serves as the executive producer for HISTORY.
