Dwight David Eisenhower
By Michele

Guess who was the 34th president of the United States ? Dwight David Eisenhower. He was born on October 14, 1890 in Desion, Texas. When he was a year old his family moved to Abilene, Kansas. He was the third oldest of five brothers. His family was poor, and they got most of their food from the family garden. The children had to help out by doing chores like feeding the chickens and getting the fire started. As a child Eisenhower was called "Little Ike" by his family. He had a bad temper and got into many fights. In high school he was an excellent athlete playing football and baseball. His favorite subject was history.

Eisenhower wanted to go to college, but his family did not have the money. But, in 1910 Eisenhower found out that if he went to the Military Academy at West Point he could get a free education! He really didn't have an interest in becoming a soldier but he wanted an education. He studied very hard for the exam and passed it. He played football at West Point, but had to quit the team because he hurt his knee. He graduated in the top half of his class in 1915. At Fort Sam Houson Eisenhower began his first job as a new officer. While he was there he met Marie (Mamie) Doud who was 18 years old. Her father did not like the idea of her dating a soldier, but she dated Eisenhower anyway. On July 1, 1916 they were married. They had two sons, one was named Doud Dwight and the other was named John. Unfortunately Doud Dwight died as a child. Eisenhower served as a general in the army from 1915 until 1948 when he retired. President Roosevelt gave him orders to invade Europe in December 1943, and on D-Day in Normandy, France. Eisenhower was well liked because of all he had done during the war, and because he was such a friendly person. The political parties wanted him to run for President in 1948. But Eisenhower said, "He did not want to get involved in polities." He then became President of Columbia University in New York City from 1948 to 1950.

In 1952 the Republicans asked Eisenhower to run for President. They were concerned that Robert Taft would win the race and take the U.S. out of NATO. Eisenhower now felt it was his duty to run for President. When he became a candidate he promised to clean up the "mess in Washington." and to end the Korean War. He ran against Adlai Stevenson. He won the election with 55% of the vote. After Eisenhower's inauguration he warned the Communist Chinese to sign the agreement to end the war immediately otherwise the U.S. might begin using nuclear weapons. By July 1953 the Chinese signed the agreement and the Korean War was over. After the war ended Eisenhower tried to keep peace among the other countries, and called his defense policy the "New Look. " Eisenhower had a heart attack in 1955 and quickly recovered. The Republicans once again convinced him to run for president and he won by 57% of the vote. During Eisenhower's second term he had many problems, his chief of staff Sherman Adams was accused of corruption, civil rights issues communism in Cuba, and communist China over Taiwan. His biggest disappointment was the summit meeting of the big four powers that never got started and the chance for peace failed.

When he retired in 1961 he moved to a small farmhouse outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he raised cattle and other animals. He also wrote books of his presidential life and continued to be involved in Politics. In 1965 he had three more heart attacks and died in Walter Reed Hospital on March 28, 1969.

Eisenhower had many challenges during his Presidency but he always handled them without overreacting or going to war. As president he wanted to make and keep the peace!  


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