Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired,

signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger

and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Born: October 14, 1890; Denison, Texas
Died: March 28, 1968; Washington, D.C

Eisenhower served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces during World War II. He was responsible for planning and supervising the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944-45. In 1951, he became the first supreme commander of NATO.

In 1952 Eisenhower entered the presidential race against Senator Robert A. Taft. In his campaign he pledged to fight against ‘communism, Korea and corruption’. In 1953, Eisenhower succeeded the former president Harry. S Truman and became the 34^th President of the United States.

Eisenhower, throughout his presidency, preached an ideology of dynamic conservatism. He achieved a lot for the United States both nationally and internationally. During his presidency he negotiated with China to end the Korean War and started a new policy of nuclear deterrence. This policy prioritized an increase in nuclear weapons whilst reducing funding in other military areas to keep pressure on the Soviet Union. NASA was also created during his two terms to compete against the Soviet Union in the Space Race. The Eisenhower administration was also responsible for the planning of the Bay of Pigs invasion, which was left to Eisenhower’s succeeder John F Kennedy. 

Eisenhower’s two terms in power were both prosperous and mostly peacefully. He was the first president in the U.S to be prevented constitutionally from running for re-election, having served the maximum two terms. He gave his final presidential speech on January 17^th 1961. 

For Eisenhower’s full autobiography click here. 

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