Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower The presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1953, and ended on January 20, 1961. Eisenhower, a Republican from Kansas, took office following his landslide victory over Democratic nominee Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 presidential election. Four years later, in the 1956 presidential election, he defeated Stevenson again, to win re-election in a larger landslide. Eisenhower was limited to two terms and was succeeded by Democrat John F. Kennedy, who won the 1960 presidential election. Post-presidency His first test came in 1957 when Arkansas governor Orval Faubus employed the National Guard to prevent nine black students from enrolling at Little Rock's Central High School. When a white mob surrounded the school a few days later, the city's mayor asked Eisenhower to send aid. The president dispatched parts of the 101st Airborne Division to restore order and uphold the Supreme Court's ruling. Eisenhower may not have been as deeply committed to government intrusion into civil rights, but Faubus underestimated the president. The Constitution required that he enforce the law of the land, and as executive he would do so. He might disagree with the law, but he would not defy it or his obligation as president.As the nation's leader, Eisenhower had a duty to speak out on issues. By not doing so, he gave opponents a free hand and allowed them to think the president sympathized with them. By sending troops into Little Rock, Eisenhower gained praise for upholding the law of the land and for asserting the powers of the federal government, but by his silence he may have unwittingly lent encouragement to civil rights opponents. When Eisenhower was firmly committed to an issue, as he was in defeating Hitler, he supported it with every fiber. In this case, his commitment rested more with the duties of the executive than with civil rights. John Wukovits, Eisenhower (2006), New York: Palgrave Macmillan, October 2006 first edition hardcover, p. 176 Matters were different when it came to the state of the nation's highways. As far as his 1919 expedition, Eisenhower understood the need for an adequate road network, a belief that was reinforced in World War II with his observation of the famed German autobahn. In 1956 he proposed what became the interstate highway system, the elaborate network of concrete that connected all sectors of the nation, sparked increased travel, and spurred the growth of restaurants and motels catering to vacationers. It is hard to think of a person who has not been affected by this underappreciated accomplishment: Esenhower's plan made possible a quantum leap in the movement of people and products around the United States. John Wukovits, Eisenhower (2006), New York: Palgrave Macmillan, October 2006 first edition hardcover, p. 176 Eisenhower's eight years in office- the popular general easily won reelection in 1956, again over Adlai Stevenson- ended in January 1961. One of his final acts was to warn the nation of what he saw as an emerging danger. In his farewell address on January 17, he talked of the frightening power created by the convergence of the U.S. military with industry. He worried that in a democratic nation, too much power vested in one sector could be detrimental.Parallels extend into the twenty-first century. Books and Hollywood films have examined the possible role played by major oil companies in influencing events in the Mideast, and powerful industrial companies vie for rich military contracts in hardware and services. Eisenhower's warning in 1961 is as relevant now as it was in his time. John Wukovits, Eisenhower (2006), New York: Palgrave Macmillan, October 2006 first edition hardcover, p. 176-177