Dwight D. Eisenhower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12/3/10 6:19 PM Dwight D. Eisenhower From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Eisenhower) Dwight David "Ike" General of the Army Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower (pronounced / ˈaɪz!nhaʊ!r/ EYE-z!n- how-!r; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was a five-star general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961, and the last to be born in the 19th century. During World War II, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, with responsibility for planning and supervising the 34th President of the United States successful invasion of In office France and Germany January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 in 1944–45, from the Vice President Richard Nixon Western Front. In Preceded by Harry S. Truman 1951, he became the Succeeded by John F. Kennedy first supreme commander of 1st Supreme Allied Commander Europe [2] NATO. In office April 2, 1951 – May 30, 1952 A Republican, Preceded by Post Created Eisenhower entered Succeeded by Gen. Matthew Ridgway the 1952 presidential race to counter the 1st Military Governor of the American isolationism of Sen. Occupation Zone in Germany Robert A. Taft, and to In office crusade against May 8 – November 10, 1945 "Communism, Korea Preceded by Post Created and corruption". He Succeeded by Gen. George Patton (acting) won by a landslide, defeating Democrat 13th President of Columbia University http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower Page 1 of 34 Dwight D. Eisenhower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12/3/10 6:19 PM 13th President of Columbia University Adlai Stevenson and In office ending two decades of 1948–1953 the New Deal Preceded by Frank D. Fackenthal Coalition holding the White House. As Succeeded by Grayson L. Kirk President, Eisenhower concluded Born October 14, 1890 Denison, Texas, United States of negotiations with America China to end the Died March 28, 1969 (aged 78) Korean War. He Washington, D.C., United States maintained pressure Birth name David Dwight Eisenhower on the Soviet Union Nationality American during the Cold War, Political party Republican gave priority to inexpensive nuclear Spouse(s) Mamie Doud Eisenhower weapons and reduced Children Doud Dwight Eisenhower, the other forces to John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower save money. He had Alma mater U.S. Military Academy West Point, New York, United to play catch-up in the States Space Race after the Occupation Soldier Soviets launched the Sputnik satellite in Religion Presbyterian (originally Jehovah's Witness) 1957. On the domestic Signature front, he helped remove Joseph McCarthy from power Military service but otherwise left Service/branch United States Army most political actions Years of 1915–1953, 1961–1969[1] to his Vice President, service Richard Nixon. Rank General of the Army Eisenhower did not Commands Europe end New Deal Battles/wars World War II policies, and in fact Awards Army Distinguished Service enlarged the Social Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Security, and signed Legion of Merit, the Federal-Aid Order of the Southern Cross, Highway Act of 1956. Order of the Bath, He was the first term- Order of Merit, limited president in Legion of Honor accordance with the (partial list) 22nd Amendment. His two terms were peaceful, and generally prosperous except for a sharp economic recession in 1958–59. Historians typically rank Eisenhower among the ten greatest U.S. presidents. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower Page 2 of 34 Dwight D. Eisenhower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12/3/10 6:19 PM Contents 1 Early life and family 1.1 Religion 1.2 Education 1.3 Athletic career 2 Early military career 3 World War II 4 Aftermath of World War II 4.1 Occupation of Germany 4.2 Chief of Staff 4.3 Columbia University and NATO 4.4 Entry into politics 5 Presidency 1953–1961 5.1 Interstate Highway System 5.2 Foreign policy 5.2.1 Mideast 5.2.2 Eisenhower Doctrine 5.2.3 Vietnam 5.3 Racial issues 5.4 Judicial appointments 5.4.1 Supreme Court 5.4.2 Other courts 5.5 States admitted to the Union 5.6 Health issues 5.7 End of presidency 1960-1961 6 Post-presidency 6.1 Death and funeral 6.2 Legacy 7 Criticism 8 Tributes and memorials 9 Awards and decorations 9.1 Other honors 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 12.1 Military career 12.2 Civilian career 12.3 Primary sources 13 External links Early life and family http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower Page 3 of 34 Dwight D. Eisenhower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12/3/10 6:19 PM Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas, the third of seven boys born to David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth Stover, of German, English and Swiss ancestry. In 1892 the family moved to Abilene, Kansas,[3] where he graduated from Abilene High School in 1909.[4] He was called Dwight so he reversed the order of his given names when he enrolled at West Point Military Academy in 1911,[5] graduating as second lieutenant in 1915. Eisenhower's paternal ancestry can be traced to his third great grandfather, Hans Nicolas Eisenhauer, whose surname is German for "iron worker";[6][7] in his autobiographic book, At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends, Dwight thought the name to mean "iron craftsman". Hans Eisenhauer and his family emigrated from Karlsbrunn (now Saarland), Germany, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1741. Eisenhower's father, David Jacob Eisenhower (1863–1942), was a college-educated engineer but had trouble making a living and the family was poor.[8] The family lived in Texas from 1889 until 1892, then returned to Kansas. Eisenhower's mother, Ida Elizabeth Stover, was born on May 1, 1862 in Augusta County, Virginia near Staunton, where she was christened Elizabeth Ida in the Salem Lutheran Church, Mount Sidney, Virginia (currently the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church). She was orphaned on the deaths of her mother, Elizabeth Link Stover (1822–1867), originally Elizabeth Juda according to Salem Church baptismal records but later changed to Elizabeth Ida, and father, Simon Stover (1822–1873). She lived with her maternal grandparents, William Link and Esther Schindler Link, on their farm until William's death in 1879, and then with her maternal uncle and aunt, William J. Link and Susan Cook Link, on their farm until age twenty-one whereupon she joined two of her brothers Stover who had moved to Kansas. She married David Jacob Eisenhower on September 23, 1885 in Lecompton, Kansas on the campus of their alma mater, Lane University. The Links were descended from John Jacob Link (1682–1738) and Anna Neuwirth Link (1692-?), who emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1733.[9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower Page 4 of 34 Dwight D. Eisenhower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12/3/10 6:19 PM Eisenhower family home, Abilene, Kansas Eisenhower met Mamie Geneva Doud of Boone, Iowa while he was stationed in Texas. They married on July 1, 1916, in Denver, and had two sons. Doud Dwight Eisenhower was born September 24, 1917, and died of Eisenhower with his wife scarlet fever on January 2, 1921, at the Mamie on the steps of St. age of three.[10] Their second son, Mary's University of San John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower, was Antonio, Texas, in 1916, where born on August 3, 1922; John served Eisenhower was at the time a football coach. in the United States Army, retiring as a brigadier general, became an author, and served as U.S. Ambassador to Belgium from 1969 to 1971. John, coincidentally, graduated from West Point on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He married Barbara Jean Thompson on June 10, 1947. John and Barbara had four children: Dwight David II "David", Barbara Ann, Susan Elaine and Mary Jean. David, after whom Camp David is named, married Richard Nixon's daughter Julie in 1968. Religion When Eisenhower was a child, his mother Ida Elizabeth Stover Eisenhower, previously a member of the River Brethren sect of the Mennonites, joined the International Bible Students, which would evolve into what is now known as Jehovah's Witnesses.[11] The Eisenhower home served as the local meeting hall from 1896 to 1915. The decision for West Point saddened his mother, who felt that warfare was "rather wicked," but she did not veto Eisenhower's entry to West Point.[12] None of the brothers were a Witness in adulthood. Eisenhower was baptized in the Presbyterian Church in 1953. In 1948, he had called himself "one of the most deeply religious men I know" though unattached to any "sect or organization".[13] Eisenhower was instrumental http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower Page 5 of 34 Dwight D. Eisenhower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12/3/10 6:19 PM in the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, and the 1956 adoption of "In God We Trust" as the motto of the United States, and its 1957 introduction on paper currency. In his retirement years, he was a member of the Gettysburg Presbyterian Church in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Education Dwight D. Eisenhower attended Abilene High School in Abilene, Kansas and graduated with the class of 1909.[4] He was then employed as a night foreman at the Belle Springs Creamery.[14] After Dwight worked for two years to support his brother Edgar's college education, a friend urged him to apply to the Naval Academy. Though Eisenhower passed the entrance exam, he was beyond the age of eligibility for admission to the Naval Academy.[15] Kansas Senator Joseph L.