Dwight D. Eisenhower from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
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Dwight D. Eisenhower From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (/ˈaɪzәnˌhaʊ.әr/ EYEzәnHOWәr; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American politician and Army general who served as the 34th General of the Army President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. He was a fivestar general in the Dwight D. Eisenhower United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45 from the Western Front. Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas, and raised in Kansas in a large family of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry by parents with a strong religious background. His mother was born a Lutheran, married as a River Brethren and later converted to Jehovah's Witnesses. Eisenhower did not belong to any denomination until he was President.[5] He graduated from West Point in 1915 and later married Mamie Doud, with whom he had two sons. During World War I, he was denied a request to serve in Europe, instead commanding a unit training tank crews. Following the war, he served under several notable generals, and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 34th President of the United States 1941. After the U.S. entered World War II, Eisenhower oversaw the successful In office invasions of North Africa and Sicily before supervising the invasions of France and January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 Germany. After the war, Eisenhower served as Army Chief of Staff and then in an uncomfortable role as president of Columbia University. In 1951–52, he served as the Vice President Richard Nixon first Supreme Commander of NATO. Preceded by Harry S. Truman Succeeded by John F. Kennedy Eisenhower entered the 1952 presidential race as a Republican, in order to block the foreign policies of Senator Robert A. Taft. He won two landslide elections, becoming 13th President of Columbia University the first Republican winner to do so since 1928. Eisenhower's main goals in office were In office to contain the expansion of the Soviet Union and reduce federal deficits. In 1953, he 1948–1953 threatened the use of nuclear weapons until China agreed to terms regarding POWs in Preceded by Frank D. Fackenthal (Acting) the Korean War. An armistice ended the stalemated conflict. His New Look policy of nuclear deterrence prioritized inexpensive nuclear weapons while reducing funding for Succeeded by Grayson L. Kirk expensive Army divisions. He continued Truman's policy of recognizing the Republic 1st Supreme Allied Commander Europe of China as the legitimate government of China, and he won congressional approval of In office the Formosa Resolution. His administration provided major aid to help the French fight April 2, 1951 – May 30, 1952 off Vietnamese Communists in the First Indochina War. After the French left he gave strong financial support to the new state of South Vietnam. He supported local military President Harry S. Truman coups against hostile governments in Iran and Guatemala. During the Suez Crisis of Deputy Arthur Tedder 1956, Eisenhower condemned the Israeli, British and French invasion of Egypt, and Preceded by Position established forced them to withdraw. He also condemned the Soviet invasion during the Hungarian Succeeded by Matthew Ridgway Revolution of 1956 but took no action. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Eisenhower authorized the establishment of NASA, which led to the space race. 16th Chief of Staff of the Army He deployed 15,000 soldiers during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Near the end of his term, In office his efforts to set up a summit meeting with the Soviets collapsed when an American November 19, 1945 – February 6, 1948 spy plane was shot down over Russia. President Harry S. Truman On the domestic front, Eisenhower was a moderate conservative who continued New Deputy J. Lawton Collins Deal agencies and expanded Social Security. He covertly opposed Joseph McCarthy Preceded by George Marshall and contributed to the end of McCarthyism by openly invoking executive privilege. Succeeded by Omar Bradley Eisenhower was reluctant to support civil rights but signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and sent Army troops to enforce federal court orders that integrated schools in Little Governor of the American Zone of Occupied Rock, Arkansas. His largest program was the Interstate Highway System. He promoted Germany the establishment of strong science education via the National Defense Education Act. In office Eisenhower's two terms saw widespread economic prosperity except for a minor May 8, 1945 – November 10, 1945 recession in 1958. In his farewell address to the nation, Eisenhower expressed his President Harry S. Truman concerns about the dangers of massive military spending, particularly deficit spending and government contracts to private military manufacturers. Voted Gallup's most Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Joseph T. McNarney admired man twelve times, he achieved widespread popular esteem both in and out of Personal details office.[6] Since the late 20th century, consensus among Western scholars has Born David Dwight Eisenhower[1] consistently held Eisenhower as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents. October 14, 1890 Denison, Texas, U.S. Contents Died March 28, 1969 (aged 78) Washington, D.C., U.S.[2] 1 Early life and education Resting place Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential 2 Personal life Library, Museum and Boyhood 3 World War I Home 3.1 In service of generals 4 World War II Political party Republican 4.1 Operations Torch and Avalanche Spouse(s) Mamie Doud (m. 1916) 4.2 Supreme Allied commander and Operation Overlord Children Doud · John 4.3 Liberation of France and victory in Europe 5 After World War II Alma mater United States Military Academy 5.1 Military Governor in Germany and Army Chief of Staff Religion Christianity (Presbyterian from 5.2 1948 presidential election 1953 onward)[3] 5.3 President at Columbia University and NATO Supreme Commander 5.4 Presidential campaign of 1952 Signature 5.5 Election of 1956 Military service 6 Presidency (1953–1961) 6.1 Interstate Highway System Allegiance United States 6.2 Foreign policy Service/branch United States Army 6.2.1 Space Race Years of [4] 6.2.2 Korean War, China, and Taiwan 1915–1953 6.2.3 The Middle East and Eisenhower doctrine service 1961–1969 6.2.4 Southeast Asia Rank General of the Army 6.2.5 1960 U2 incident 6.3 Civil rights Unit Infantry Branch 6.4 Relations with Congress Battles/wars World War I 6.5 Judicial appointments World War II 6.5.1 Supreme Court Awards Army Distinguished 6.6 States admitted to the Union 6.7 Health issues Service Medal (5) 6.8 End of presidency Navy Distinguished 7 Retirement, death and funeral Service Medal 8 Legacy and memory Legion of Merit 9 Tributes and memorials World War I Victory 10 Awards and decorations Medal 11 Other honors World War II Victory 12 Promotions Medal 13 Family tree 14 See also See more 15 References 16 Further reading 16.1 General biographies 16.2 Military career 16.3 Civilian career 16.4 Historiography and interpretations by scholars 16.5 Primary sources 17 External links Early life and education The Eisenhauer (German for "iron hewer/miner") family migrated from Karlsbrunn in the Saarland, to North America, first settling in York, Pennsylvania, in 1741, and in the 1880s moving to Kansas.[7] Accounts vary as to how and when the German name Eisenhauer was anglicized to Eisenhower.[8] Eisenhower's Pennsylvania Dutch ancestors, who were primarily farmers, included Hans Nikolaus Eisenhauer of Karlsbrunn, who migrated to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1741.[9] Hans's greatgreatgrandson, David Jacob Eisenhower (1863–1942), was Eisenhower's father and was a collegeeducated engineer, despite his own father Jacob's urging to stay on the family farm. Eisenhower's mother, Ida Elizabeth (Stover) Eisenhower, born in Virginia, of German Protestant ancestry, moved to Kansas from Virginia. She married David on September 23, 1885, in Lecompton, Kansas, on the campus of their alma mater, Lane University.[10] David owned a general store in Hope, Kansas, but the business failed due to economic conditions and the family became impoverished. The Eisenhowers then lived in Texas from 1889 until 1892, and later returned to Kansas, with $24 to their name at the time. David worked as a mechanic with a railroad and then with a creamery.[10] By 1898, the parents made a decent living and provided a suitable home for their large family.[11] The Eisenhower family home, The future president was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas, the third of seven boys.[12] Abilene, Kansas His mother originally named him David Dwight but reversed the two names after his birth to avoid the confusion of having two Davids in the family.[1] All of the boys were called "Ike", such as "Big Ike" (Edgar) and "Little Ike" (Dwight); the nickname was intended as an abbreviation of their last name.[13] By World War II, only Dwight was still called "Ike".[7] In 1892, the family moved to Abilene, Kansas, which Eisenhower considered his home town.[7] As a child, he was involved in an accident that cost his younger brother an eye; he later referred to this as an experience teaching him the need to be protective of those under him. Dwight developed a keen and enduring interest in exploring outdoors, hunting/fishing, cooking and card playing from an illiterate named Bob Davis who camped on the Smoky Hill River.[14][15][16] While Eisenhower's mother was against war, it was her collection of history books that first sparked Eisenhower's early and lasting interest in military history.