74.12.97.239 (talk) No edit summary |
→Eisenhower's rise to fame: Cut Eisenhower's biography down to one appropriate to the article. People who want the full treatment can read it in the article on the man himself. |
||
Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
==Eisenhower's rise to fame== |
==Eisenhower's rise to fame== |
||
[[Dwight Eisenhower|Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower]] ([[October 14]], [[1890]] – [[March 28]], [[1969]]) was born in [[Denison, Texas]], but was raised in [[Abilene, Kansas]] for the main portion of his youth. |
[[Dwight Eisenhower|Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower]] ([[October 14]], [[1890]] – [[March 28]], [[1969]]) was born in [[Denison, Texas]], but was raised in [[Abilene, Kansas]] for the main portion of his youth. Eisenhower enrolled at the [[United States Military Academy]], [[West Point, New York]], in June 1911, and graduated in 1915. He steadily rose through the ranks of the U.S. military from 1915 to 1952. |
||
Eisenhower enrolled at the [[United States Military Academy]], [[West Point, New York]], in June 1911, and graduated in 1915. He steadily rose through the ranks of the U.S. military from 1915 to 1952. |
|||
He served as chief military aide to General [[Douglas MacArthur]], [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|Army Chief of Staff]], until 1935, when he accompanied MacArthur to the [[Philippines]], where he served as assistant military advisor to the Philippine government. He was promoted to [[Lieutenant Colonel]] in 1936 after sixteen years as a Major. He was promoted to Brigadier-General in September 1941. Although his administrative abilities had been noticed, on the eve of the U.S. entry into [[World War II]] he had never held an active command and was far from being considered as a potential commander of major operations. During the 1940s, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff in charge of Operations Division under the Chief of Staff, General [[George C. Marshall]]. It was his close association with Marshall which finally brought Eisenhower to senior command positions. Marshall recognized his great organizational and administrative abilities. |
|||
[[Image:Eisenhower_d-day.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Gen. Eisenhower gives the order of the day, "Full victory – nothing else", to paratroopers in England, just before they board their airplanes to participate in the first assault of the D-Day invasion.]] |
[[Image:Eisenhower_d-day.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Gen. Eisenhower gives the order of the day, "Full victory – nothing else", to paratroopers in England, just before they board their airplanes to participate in the first assault of the D-Day invasion.]] |
||
⚫ | At the [[The end of World War II in Europe|end of the War in Europe]] on [[May 8]], [[1945]], Eisenhower had supreme command of all operational Allied forces. Eisenhower was named Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in November 1945, and in December 1950 was named Supreme Commander of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO), and given operational command of NATO forces in Europe. Eisenhower retired from active service on [[May 31]], [[1952]], returning to a simpler life. During this period Eisenhower served as president of [[Columbia University]] from 1948 until 1953. |
||
In November 1942, Eisenhower was appointed [[Supreme Commander Allied (Expeditionary) Force]] of the [[North African Theater of Operations]]. In February 1943, his authority was extended across the [[Mediterranean Sea]] basin to include the [[British 8th Army]]. The 8th Army had advanced across the [[Western Desert Campaign|Western Desert]] from the east and was ready for the start of the [[Tunisia Campaign]]. Around this time, Eisenhower gained his fourth star and became commander of NATOUSA. After the capitulation of [[Axis Powers|Axis]] forces in [[North Africa]], Eisenhower remained in command of the renamed [[Mediterranean Theater of Operations]]. In this position he oversaw the [[Operation Husky|invasion of Sicily]] and the [[Allied invasion of Italy|invasion of the Italian mainland]]. |
|||
Eisenhower's military career climaxed when, in December of 1943, it was announced that he would be Supreme Allied Commander in [[Europe]]. As such, he was charged with planning and carrying out the Allied [[Battle of Normandy|assault on the coast of Normandy]] in June 1944 under the code name [[Operation Overlord]], the liberation of western Europe and the invasion of [[Germany]]. A month after the Normandy [[D-Day]] on [[June 6]], [[1944]], the [[Operation Dragoon|invasion of southern France]] took place, and control of the forces which took part in the southern invasion passed from the AFHQ to the SHAEF. From then until the [[The end of World War II in Europe|end of the War in Europe]] on [[May 8]], [[1945]], Eisenhower had supreme command of all operational Allied forces. |
|||
⚫ | |||
=="I like Ike"== |
=="I like Ike"== |
Revision as of 19:28, 15 March 2008
The Draft Eisenhower movement was the first successful political draft of the 20th century to take a private citizen to the Oval Office. It was a widespread American grassroots political movement that eventually persuaded Dwight D. Eisenhower to run for President. The movement culminated in the 1952 presidential election in which Eisenhower won the Republican nomination and defeated Democrat Adlai Stevenson to become the 34th President of the United States.
Eisenhower's rise to fame
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was born in Denison, Texas, but was raised in Abilene, Kansas for the main portion of his youth. Eisenhower enrolled at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, in June 1911, and graduated in 1915. He steadily rose through the ranks of the U.S. military from 1915 to 1952.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Eisenhower_d-day.jpg/300px-Eisenhower_d-day.jpg)
At the end of the War in Europe on May 8, 1945, Eisenhower had supreme command of all operational Allied forces. Eisenhower was named Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in November 1945, and in December 1950 was named Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and given operational command of NATO forces in Europe. Eisenhower retired from active service on May 31, 1952, returning to a simpler life. During this period Eisenhower served as president of Columbia University from 1948 until 1953.
"I like Ike"
The time from 1951 to 1952 has been called the American "Winter of Discontent"[1]. Americans were frustrated by the stalemated Korean War, with no clear end in sight. The conflict had worn down even Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Harry S. Truman. Truman would not commit to seeking another term and there were no other clear candidates in sight. The nation looked for someone to lead it during this confusing time, and, as they did, more and more people turned to the strong but grandfatherly face of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the head of NATO and the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces who had won World War II.
Draft Eisenhower movements had sprung up in 1948 (mostly in the Democratic Party) and again in 1951 in both the Republican and Democratic parties, as Eisenhower had not yet announced any political party affiliation. As a serving officer in a post vital to American security, he said, he could not be seen as seeking to advance any group as compared to another and would not therefore permit any semblance of partisan allegiance to be associated with his name[1]. In some cases he even quoted Army Regulations (AR 600-10.18.)i forbidding partisan political activity by serving officers[1].
With both major political parties vying for Eisenhower's name on their presidential ticket, Democrats were especially hoping for someone who could help them retain the White House after Harry S. Truman, who many felt could not win re-election. Hoping that Eisenhower would commit to running on behalf of the Democratic Party, Truman wrote to Eisenhower in December 1951, saying: "I wish you would let me know what you intend to do." Eisenhower responded: "I do not feel that I have any duty to seek a political nomination"[1]. But the Draft Ike movement was not so easily dissuaded. Next, the Republicans made a shot at convincing him to run. Their efforts first became serious when New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. of Massachusetts began an effort to persuade the General to run, which formalized in the creation of an organization called the "National Citizens for Eisenhower".
The internationalist wing of the Republican party soon began to take to Eisenhower as an alternative to the more isolationist candidate, Sen. Robert A. Taft, who, even up until the primaries, was widely considered by insiders to be the frontrunner for the nomination[2]. This contrast was also apparent in one of the larger national issues of the day: Communism. While Taft wanted to stop the spread of Communism by weeding out subversives in the homefront, Eisenhower focused on diplomatically containing the spread of Communism overseas. Eisenhower eventually warmed to the Republican party, because he felt that, at the time, the Democratic party was promoting centralized government at the expense of individual liberty.
In December 1951, there was so much buzz about the Draft Eisenhower movement that Eisenhower had his friend Clifford Roberts secretly organize a political advisory group of close, trusted persons so that he could keep an eye on the movement[1]. Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge was perhaps the most vocal, effective, and persistent supporter of the movement, and after months of argument, Lodge got Eisenhower to at least not repudiate a draft movement, though Eisenhower stated that he would never actively seek the nomination[1]. Early in 1952, long after other candidates had already begun campaigning and just weeks before the start of the primary process, the movement finally got Eisenhower to admit that while he would not actively seek the nomination, he might respond if he truly felt called to a higher duty[1].
On January 6, 1952, Sen. Lodge entered Eisenhower's name into the New Hampshire primary ballot without Eisenhower's permission. Afterward, Eisenhower finally stated that if offered the Republican nomination for the presidency, he would accept it. However, for several weeks, Eisenhower was a non-participant and would not speak out on his views or declare himself a candidate. Throughout January and February 1952, Eisenhower wrote to friends and family members saying that he was flattered by the movement, but did not really believe it was as widespread as the media implied.
On February 8, 1952, the movement began to show just how large it was. A Draft Eisenhower rally was scheduled to be held in Madison Square Garden on that day. The event planners expected no more than 16,000 supporters (and such was the capacity), yet over 25,000 showed up, and the New York police and fire marshals could get very few people to leave. Then, on February 11, 1952, a turning point came, when famous businesswoman and aviator Jacqueline Cochran flew to Paris to show Eisenhower a tribute film she had made, entitled "Serenade to Ike". The film visibly touched Eisenhower, who began to shed tears when, at the end of the film, Cochran toasted to Eisenhower, saying, "To the President of the United States." Eisenhower later wrote of the event, describing his inner turmoil by stating, "I've never been so upset in years"[1].
On March 11, 1952, the results of the New Hampshire primary came in. Eisenhower had won the contest against Sen. Taft by 50% to 38% and had captured all of the Republican delegates. Eisenhower announced that he was "astounded" and "moved" by the results and told a reporter, "Any American who would have that many other Americans pay him that compliment would be proud or he would not be an American"[1]. After being convinced by this evidence, he announced his candidacy the next day.
The phrase was resurrected by supporters of conservative Mike Huckabee in his 2008 presidential campaign, as "I Like Mike".
The campaign
Despite his initial resistance, Eisenhower changed his mind under the pressure of his overwhelming popularity and accepted the call of the American people to run for President. He won the Republican nomination and defeated Adlai Stevenson in the general election in November of 1952.