Dwight D. Eisenhower, the United States's top-ranking general in World War II, which bringing him to the Presidency. He became the 34th President of United States in January 20,1953.He served his two terms working incessantly to relieve the tensions of the Cold War.

Early life and Family

• Born in Denison, Texas in 1890.
• Eisenhower was the third of seven sons.
• His ancestry was Swiss-German.
• His family emigrated from Germany to Abilene, Kansas.
• He graduated from Abilene High School, and received an appointment to the West Point.
• He stayed in Texas as a lieutenant.
• His first lady was Mary "Mamie" Geneva Doud Eisenhower.
• He had two sons: Doud Dwight and John Sheldon.
• His first son, Doud Dwight, who died of scarlet fever at the age of three.
• His second son, John Sheldon, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Belgium from 1969 to 1971.
• His religion was Presbyterian.
• His hobby was fishing, bridge, golfing, painting, hunting.

Interesting Facts

• Ike was his nickname.
• First President of all 50 States.
• First President to appear on color television.
• Ike was a wonderful chef.
• He carried three coins in his pocket for luck.
  
  
  
  
  

Election and re-election

The United States presidental election of 1952 took place in an ara when the cold war tension between United States and the Soviet Union was increasing rapidly.

After President Harry S. Truman, democratic political, decided not to run, so the Democratic Party nominated Governor Adlai Stevenson II of Illinois.The Republican Party countered with popular war hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower and won in a landslide.His presidency began on January 20, 1953 with Richard Nixon as the vice president and also won his second term in 1956 with 457 of 531 votes in the Electoral College, and 57.6% of the popular vote.

Foreign Policy and Affairs

In 1953 Eisenhower opened relations with Spain under Fascist leader Francisco Franco. After The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 took place, Eisenhower received some criticism for lack of supporting the revolution. But the Soviet Union counterattacked without outside support. Finally,the revolution quickly fell. Eisenhower promised to end the Korean War. He went to korea concluding the Korean war by the peace talks. Eisenhower began building up on nuclear weapon to protect America from the Soviet Union.

The Domino theory became well-known during Eisenhower term. The hypothesis behind the Domino theory was that once one nation fell to Communusm, then the others would fell like Dominoes and then all of Asia would be under te control of the communists.Thus when the French fortress Dienbienphu fell to the Vietnamese commusists, the U.S. had to interfere. Eisenhower and Secretary of State Dulles proposed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) ,which was planned to be a Southeast Asian Version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO),to block the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

The major international comflict in Eisenhower's precidency was the Suez crisis. After the United States, Great Britain, and the International Bank withdrew their financial support from the construction of a canal in Egypt, the leader of Egypt, Nasser, cut the British out and refused to let the Europeans supervise the canal. It seemed to be an obvious war declaration to Israel and the Israelites got angry. They declare their own war finally. The situation looked very tense as the Russians, the French and the British all wanted to interfere. Thankfully, the UN took over and cleared the canal.

Although, his presidency was dominated by the Cold war ;However, the Cold War was intensified again, after the U2 spy plane was shot down in Soviet Union while taking spy photos of the Soviet landscape.

He also extend U.S. relation in Southeast Asia by sending a delegate to the Geneva Conference, which ended the First Indochina War. Eisenhower organized the new state and offered military, economic, and technical assistance. During his second term he helped Lebanon, a middle eastern country, in 1958 . He also helped in establishing the Baghdad Pact between Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran, including England.

Domestic Policy and Affairs

Although it was in a serious period of Cold War, Americans spent their time enjoying the benefits of a booming economy instead. Eisenhower continued developing the New Deal program especially Social Security, also increased the minimum wage, and created the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. He improved the nation's infrastructure by authorized the Interstate Highway Program, a 41000-mile road system.

Even though the President used his veto to block expensive programs, domestic spending still increased continually, increasing from 31 percent of the budget in 1953 to 49 percent in 1961. Eisenhower believed that taxes could not be cut until the budget was balanced. But during the Eisenhower presidency, personal income increased by 45 percent. Many famalies got their first television and their second cars or even their new houses.

In 1954, Senator Joseph McCarthy who had been trying to reveal Communists in government. But Eisenhower a modest role in finally concluding McCarthy's power. McCarthy fell from power when the Army-McCarthy hearings were televised.

Eisenhower was not doing good at handling the civil rights. In 1954, the Supreme Court was presented with the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case that schools should not be segregated. Eisenhower had to send federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansus to protect black students in 1957. In 1960, a Civil Rights Act was passed to included sanctions against any local officials who blocked blacks from voting.

Legacy

Dwight D. Eisenhower was better known as "Ike" who became the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. He was disdained as a 'do-nothing' President. Eisenhower launched America's space program, and supported the construction of the Interstate Highway System. He succeeded making an armistice in the Korean War. His modest way eventually helped propel McCarthy out of the national spotlight. However, Eisenhower's greatest failure was in Civil Rights. Although he did not lead the country into war, he did not achieved the peace as he desired.