Dwight D. Eisenhower

General Eisenhower meets with the 101st airborne (wwiiletters.blogspot.com ())

Eisenhower was the only president in the 20th century who never held a political office before becoming president, the 2nd in U.S. history (the other was Zachary Taylor).  His parents were David J. Eisenhower and Ida E. Stover.  Ironically his parents were Jehovah's Witnesses and pacifists but they supported him as a general.  Dwight D. Eisenhower is inspirational because of his humble beginnings, his military career, and presidency.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was born to a poor family on the wrong side of the tracks in Denison, Texas on October 14, 1890 and was raised in Abilene, Kansas (he moved to Kansas when he was two).  He was the third of seven sons.  His nickname when he was a boy was IKE, when he ran for president his campaign slogan was I like Ike. Dwight was kind of a barefoot Huck Finn; he loved to fight and got into a lot of trouble as a boy. He was also an excellent ball player but in high school he injured his leg and again in a West Point football game.

Dwight D. Eisenhower entered the United States Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1911 and graduated June 1, 1915. He served with around 20 different units around the US and in France.  On June 25, 1942 he was designated Commanding General European Theater (he was the commander of all allied forces in Europe).  General Eisenhower was named Supreme Commander of the AEF (Allied Expeditionary Force) in December 1943 and commanded the allied forces for Operation Overlord.

The letter for the D-Day invasion (jcs-group.com ())

Dwight D. Eisenhower was president from 1953 to 1961. During his presidency several major events occurred.  One of the more important events was the end of the Korean War and the formation of the DMZ (demilitarized zone) along the border of North and South Korea. Other events were Brown vs. Board of Education, the interstate system creation, and he ordered federal troops to Little Rock to enforce integration. Eisenhower had some health problems when he was in office; he had a mild heart attack, a very mild stroke, Crohn's Disease, and gallbladder problems. He died from congestive heart failure in 1969 at age 79.

Eisenhower was born to a poor family and went to West Point, the top school for military officers.  He served with many US army units around the world in-between the two world wars and was General of the Army for a few years.  Eisenhower was president for two terms and oversaw the end of the Korean War and the integration of schools.  Dwight D. Eisenhower is inspirational because of his humble beginnings, his military career, and presidency.