Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army.

Retirement, death, and legacy

On January 17, 1961, Eisenhower gave his final televised speech from the Oval Office. In his farewell speech to the nation, Eisenhower raised the issue of the Cold War and role of the U.S. armed forces. He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method...A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction."

Related Topics:
January 17 - 1961 - Oval Office - Cold War - Atheistic

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Earlier in his remarks he had warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military-industrial complex...Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

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Three days later, when he handed over the presidency to John F. Kennedy, the youngest elected president at 43, he was the oldest president to serve at 70 years and 98 days – a record since broken by Ronald Reagan. Eisenhower was the first president affected by the 22nd Amendment, limiting presidential terms, and the first Republican president to be elected to two full terms since William McKinley, who did not live to serve them both.

Related Topics:
John F. Kennedy - Ronald Reagan - 22nd Amendment

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Once Eisenhower left office his reputation declined, and he was seen as having been a "do-nothing" President. This was partly because of the contrast between Eisenhower and his young, activist successor, John F. Kennedy, but also due to his reluctance to support the civil rights movement or to stop McCarthyism. Such omissions were held against him during the liberal climate of the 1960s and 1970s. Eisenhower's reputation has risen since that time, largely due to an increased appreciation of how difficult it is today to maintain a prolonged peace. In recent surveys of historians, Eisenhower is often ranked in the top ten among all U.S. Presidents.

Related Topics:
McCarthyism - 1960s - 1970s - Recent surveys

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Of his appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court, Eisenhower is purported to have said that his September 1953 appointment of California Governor Earl Warren to Chief Justice of the United States was "the biggest damn fool mistake I ever made". Some sources place this act on Eisenhower's own list of "My Top Five Lifetime Mistakes". Eisenhower disagreed vigorously with several of the Chief Justice's decisions. Warren's appointment was perhaps in appreciation of his swinging his California delegates to support "Ike" at a crucial point of the 1952 Republican National Convention.

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Eisenhower retired to the place where he and Mamie had spent much of their post-war time, a working farm adjacent to the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Gettysburg farm is a National Historic Site http://www.nps.gov/eise/. In retirement, he did not completely retreat from political life; he spoke at the 1964 Republican convention, and also appeared with Barry Goldwater in a Republican campaign commercial from Gettysburg.http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/election/index.php?nav_action=election&nav_subaction=overview&campaign_id=168

Related Topics:
Gettysburg - Pennsylvania - National Historic Site - 1964 - Republican convention - Barry Goldwater

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Due to the legality of holding a military rank while in a civilian office, Eisenhower resigned his permanent commission as General of the Army before entering the office of President of the United States. Upon completion of his Presidential term, his commission was reactivated and Eisenhower was again commissioned a five star general in the United States Army. With the exception of George Washington, who was appointed a Lieutenant General after serving as President, Eisenhower is the only United States President with military service to reenter the United States armed forces after leaving the office of President.

Related Topics:
General of the Army - George Washington - Lieutenant General - United States armed forces

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"Ike" Eisenhower died at 12:25 PM on March 28, 1969, at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington D.C., after a long illness at the age of 78. He was honored with a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral and a full military funeral in Abilene, Kansas http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/Last_Salute/ch29.htm. He lies alongside his wife and their first child, who died in childhood, in a small chapel called the Place of Meditation, at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, located in Abilene.

Related Topics:
March 28 - 1969 - Walter Reed Army Hospital - Washington D.C. - State funeral - Washington National Cathedral - Abilene - Kansas - Eisenhower Presidential Library

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Eisenhower's portrait was on the dollar coin from 1971 to 1978. Nearly 700 million of the copper-nickel clad coins were minted for general circulation, and far smaller numbers of uncirculated and proof issues (in both copper-nickel and 40% silver varities) were produced for collectors. Ike reappeared on a commemorative silver dollar issued in 1990, celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Related Topics:
1971 - 1978 - Uncirculated - Proof - Commemorative - 1990

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President Eisenhower is the only American awarded the British Order of Merit, as well as one of but a few Americans made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, both memberships being honorary, due to his American citizenship.

Related Topics:
Order of Merit - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

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Eisenhower has been portrayed by several actors, including Tom Selleck in the 2004 television program "Ike: Countdown to D-Day" which depicts the 90 days leading up to the D-Day Invasion. On June 6, of that year, Eisenhower's grandson, David, along with Roosevelt's grandson, David, and Arabella Churchill, granddaughter of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, appeared on MSNBC during the network's coverage of the 60th anniversary of D-Day and talked about the roles their respective grandfathers played during the allied invasion.{{fn|3}}

Related Topics:
Tom Selleck - 2004 - D-Day Invasion - June 6 - Arabella Churchill - Sir Winston Churchill - MSNBC

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