Dwight Eisenhower

Dwight Eisenhower
Born	October 14, 1890
Died	March 28, 1969 (Age 78)
Founder of	Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, Operation 40, PIAB
Member of	Council on Foreign Relations/Historical Members, Links Club, National Committee for a Free Europe
Former five-star general, supreme commander of NATO, Eisenhower was the US President who notably warned that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence... by the military–industrial complex."  US President In office January 20, 1953 - January 20, 1961 Employer US Government Deputy Richard Nixon, Heinrich Troeger Preceded by Harry S. Truman Succeeded by JFK Was unable to restrain the rise of the military-intelligence complex, but warned people about it in his farewell address.  President of Columbia University In office May 1948 - January 1953 Employer Columbia University At Columbia, Eisenhower took a moderate position in the face of the Red Scare: He accepted a gift from the Communist government of Poland to establish a chair in Polish studies but also defended the dismissal of a left-wing member from Teachers College and served on a national commission that published a handbook declaring that communists should be excluded from employment as teachers.  Supreme Allied Commander Europe In office April 2, 1951 - May 30, 1952 Employer NATO Succeeded by Matthew B. Ridgway The first holder of this office  Chief of Staff of the Army In office November 19, 1945 - February 6, 1948 Employer United States Department of the Army  Governor of the American Zone of Occupied Germany In office May 8, 1945 - November 10, 1945 Employer United States Department of the Army

Dwight D. Eisenhower was a five-star general in the US Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. He was the first supreme commander of NATO from 1951 – May 30, 1952, and US President from January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961.

The "Military–Industrial Complex" warning

On January 17, 1961, Eisenhower gave his final televised Address to the Nation from the Oval Office. In his farewell speech, Eisenhower raised the issue of the Cold War and role of the U.S. armed forces. Referring to government spending proposals he warned that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex."

He elaborated, "we recognize the imperative need for this development ... the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist ... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

 

Quotes by Dwight Eisenhower

Page	Quote	Date	Source
Military-industrial-congressional complex	“This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”	17 January 1961	In his farewell address
NATO/Defense College	“There is a high priority requirement to develop individuals, both on the military and on the civilian side, who will have a thorough grasp of the many complicated factors which are involved in the problem of creating an adequate defense posture for the North Atlantic Treaty area. These considerations have brought me to the conclusion that it is highly desirable to establish in the near future a NATO Defense College for the training of individuals who will be needed to serve in key capacities in NATO Organizations.”	1951
Scientism	“Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.”	1961	Eisenhower's farewell address

 

Appointments by Dwight Eisenhower

Appointee	Job	Appointed	End	Description
Sherman Adams	White House Chief of Staff	20 January 1953	7 October 1958	Probably the most powerful chief of staff in history.
Joseph Campbell	Comptroller General of the United States	14 December 1954	31 July 1965
Robert Gray	White House Cabinet Secretary	19 May 1958	20 January 1961
Robert Gray	White House Appointments Secretary	6 November 1957	March 1958

 

Related Quotations

Page	Quote	Author	Date
NATO/Defense College	“There is a high priority requirement to develop individuals, both on the military and on the civilian side, who will have a thorough grasp of the many complicated factors which are involved in the problem of creating an adequate defense posture for the North Atlantic Treaty area. These considerations have brought me to the conclusion that it is highly desirable to establish in the near future a NATO Defense College for the training of individuals who will be needed to serve in key capacities in NATO Organizations.”	Dwight Eisenhower	1951
Robert A. Taft	“First, it was the power of the New York financial interests and a large number of businessmen subject to New York influence, who selected General Eisenhower as their candidate at least a year ago. There was a strong and substantial minority of Taft supporters among business leaders, but they were a minority, particularly in the East. Second, four-fifths of the influential newspapers in the country were opposed to me continuously and vociferously and many turned themselves into propaganda sheets for my opponent.”	Robert A. Taft	1952

 

Related Documents

Title	Type	Publication date	Author(s)	Description
Document:Eisenhower's Holocaust	article	22 June 2008	Anonymous	A brief introduction to the treatment of German military prisoners by the allied authorities in the 18-24 month period AFTER the German unconditional surrender in May 1945.
Document:In Eisenhower's Death Camps	article	1990	Martin Brech	Reminiscences of a US soldier assigned as a guard to one of the Allies' Rhine Meadow concentration camps for "disarmed enemy combatants" after the German WWII surrender in 1945

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