Dwight David Eisenhower (1890–1969,) nicknamed Ike, was an American military general and political leader. He served as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II 1943–45 and as the 34th president of the US 1953–61. His standing rests just as much on his achievements as a military leader as on his successes as president.
Born in Denison, Texas, Eisenhower attended the United States Military Academy (West Point) and had a thriving career in the US Army. His strategic decisions and political acumen played a pivotal role in the conclusion in World War II. He directed the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on “D-Day,” June 6, 1944. The successful landings in Normandy were the start of the final campaign of World War II.
After the war, Eisenhower become the first Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and led the military arm of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO.) His immense popularity as the most successful military general won him a landslide victory as president in 1952, and got him reelected in 1956; he defeated Democratic-party candidate Adlai Stevenson in both those presidential elections.
As president, Eisenhower presided over eight years of peace and prosperity. He adopted a hard line toward communism in both his domestic and foreign policy, brokered the peace agreement to end the Korean War, and established the Interstate Highway System.
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In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Planning
There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Enthusiasm, Greatness & Great Things, Accomplishment
I believe that for the past twenty years there has been a creeping socialism spreading in the United States.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
I say when you get into a war, you should win as quick as you can, because your losses become a function of the duration of the war. I believe when you get in a war, get everything you need and win it.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
I make it a practice to avoid hating anyone. If someones been guilty of despicable actions, especially toward me, I try to forget him. I used to follow a practicesomewhat contrived, I admitto write the mans name on a piece of scrap paper, drop it into the lowest drawer of my desk, and say to myself: That finishes the incident, and so far as Im concerned, that fellow. The drawer became over the years a sort of private wastebasket for crumbled-up spite and discarded personalities.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
The world moves, and ideas that were once good are not always good.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: World, Change, Ideas
Morale is the greatest single factor in successful wars.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Success, Commitment, Enthusiasm, Dedication, Warfare
The free world must not prove itself worthy of its own past.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: World, The Past, Past
Some day there is going to be a man sitting in my present chair who has not been raised in the military services and who will have little understanding of where slashes in their estimates can be made with little or no damage. If that should happen while we still have the state of tension that now exists in the world, I shudder to think of what could happen in this country.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
We believe that our truly urgent need is to make our nation secure, our economy strong and our dollar sound. For every American this matter of the sound dollar is crucial. Without a sound dollar, every American family would face a renewal of inflation, an ever-increasing cost of living, the withering away of savings and life insurance policies.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Security
With 450,000 U. S. troops now in Vietnam, it is time that Congress decided whether or not to declare a state of war exists with North Vietnam. Previous congressional resolutions of support provide only limited authority. Although Congress may decide that the previously approved resolution on Vietnam given President Johnson is sufficient, the issue of a declaration of war should at least be put before the Congress for decision.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
I am convinced that the French could not win the war because the internal political situation in Vietnam, weak and confused, badly weakened their military position. I have never talked or corresponded with a person knowledgeable in Indochinese affairs who did not agree that had elections been held as of the time of the fighting, possibly 80 per cent of the population would have voted for the Communist Ho Chi Minh as their leader rather than Chief of State Bao Dai. Indeed, the lack of leadership and drive on the part of Bao Dai was a factor in the feeling prevalent among Vietnamese that they had nothing to fight for. As one Frenchman said to me, What Vietnam needs is another Syngman Rhee, regardless of all the difficulties the presence of such a personality would entail.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Unless each day can be looked back upon by an individual as one in which he has had some fun, some joy, some real satisfaction, that day is a loss.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Satisfaction, Relaxation
Biggest damfool mistake I ever made.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Should a nation which attacks and occupies foreign territory in the face of United Nations disapproval be allowed to impose conditions on its own withdrawal?
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
The emergence of this new world poses a vital issue: will outer space be preserved for peaceful use and developed for the benefit of all mankind? Or will it become another focus for the arms raceand thus an area of dangerous and sterile competition? The choice is urgent. And it is ours to make. The nations of the world have recently united in declaring the continent of Antarctica off limits to military preparations. We could extend this principle to an even more important sphere. National vested interests have not yet been developed in space or in celestial bodies. Barriers to agreement are now lower than they will ever be again.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
The graveyards are filled with irreplaceable men.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
As long as I am back in my military life for a second, I should like to observe one thing about leadership that one of the great has said—Napoleon. He said, the great leader, the genius in leadership, is the man who can do the average thing when everybody else is going crazy.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
But we know that freedom cannot be served by the devices of the tyrant. As it is an ancient truth that freedom cannot be legislated into existence, so it is no less obvious that freedom cannot be censored into existence. And any who act as if freedoms defenses are to be found in suppression and suspicion and fear confess a doctrine that is alien to America.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Legislation to apply the principle of equal pay for equal work without discrimination because of sex is a matter of simple justice.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
There are two kinds of mines; one is the personnel mine and the other is the vehicular mine. When we come to a mine field our infantry attacks exactly as if it were not there. The losses we get from personnel mines we consider only equal to those we would have gotten from machine guns and artillery if the Germans had chosen to defend that particular area with strong bodies of troops instead of with mine fields. The attacking infantry does not set off the vehicular mines, so after they have penetrated to the far side of the field they form a bridgehead, after which the engineers come up and dig out channels through which our vehicles can go.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
So that here we have, really, the compound, the overall philosophy of Lincoln: in all those things which deal with people, be liberal, be human. In all those things which deal with the peoples money or their economy, or their form of government, be conservativeand don’t be afraid to use the word. And so today, Republicans come forward with programs in which there are such words as balanced budgets, and cutting expenditures, and all the kind of thing that means this economy must be conservative, it must be solvent. But they also come forward and say we are concerned with every Americans health, with a decent house for him, we are concerned that he will have a chance for health, and his children for education. We are going to see that he has power available to him. We are going to see that everything takes place that will enrich his life and let him as an individual, hard-working American citizen, have full opportunity to do for his children and his family what any decent American should want to do.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
If all that Americans want is security, they can go to prison. Theyll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Equality
I have serious doubts about the value of debates in a presidential election. They tend to be a test of reaction time rather than a genuine exposition of the participants philosophies and programs. Further, in debate, candidates tend to overstate their views. In the 1960 situation I had a very practical objection: Nixon was widely known; Kennedy was not; dramatic debates would therefore help Kennedy.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
It is not a struggle merely of economic theories, or forms of government or of military power. At issue is the true nature of man. Either man is the creature whom the psalmist described as a little lower than the angels … or man is a soulless, animated machine to be enslaved, used and consumed by the state for its own glorification. It is, therefore, a struggle which goes to the roots of the human spirit, and its shadow falls across the long sweep of man’s destiny.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Man
But I believe this: by and large, the United States ought to be able to choose for its President anybody that it wants, regardless of the number of terms he has served. That is what I believe. Now, some people have said You let him get enough power and this will lead toward a one-party government. That, I don’t believe. I have got the utmost faith in the long-term common sense of the American people. Therefore, I don’t think there should be any inhibitions other than those that were in the 35-year age limit and so on. I think that was enough, myself.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
In order to be a leader a man must have followers. And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence, the supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man’s associates find him guilty of being phony, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore is integrity and high purpose.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Topics: Leadership
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