Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1890-1969: Happy Birthday, Ike! October 14

October 14 marks the 121st anniversary birthday of former President and General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower.  “Ike” was arguably the indispensable figure on the American scene during the tumultuous mid-century years of 1940-1960.  He rose to world fame as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces during the Second World War, directing the “Great Crusade,” the Allied invasion of Western Europe and the military downfall of Hitlerite Germany.  Amongst his fellow Americans, his reputation as a public servant devoted to the good of his country was so admired that both major political parties sought him as their presidential nominee in 1948.  Playing the role of Cincinnatus, Eisenhower initially demurred, but when the war in Korea bogged down Eisenhower emerged to run for the presidency as a Republican in 1952.  In his presidential service he ended the war in Korea, then focused upon providing his nation and the world with years of peace and economic prosperity.  After forty previous years dominated by world wars and economic depression, it has been argued by historians that the true measure of Ike’s greatness in his presidency was his avoidance of political pitfalls that might have replayed these historical disasters.
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