How Did Dwight David Eisenhower Impact The World

Most veterans make great contributions to society on the battlefield. Others do their part behind the lines or at home. Dwight David ‘Ike’ Eisenhower (1890-1969) was never on the front lines, yet he had a greater impact on the world than many other veterans of his time. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, rose through the ranks, and then served in the Second World War. Here, he demonstrated his prowess as a leader by becoming the Supreme Allied Commander and orchestrating the recapture of Europe. He returned to the United States a war hero, and became the President of Columbia University. In 1952, he was elected as the 34th President of the United States, and served until 1961. As president, he led the country through

In his lifetime, he also had severe health complications that affected his Presidency and were ultimately responsible for his death. As a soldier, he made few mistakes and was paramount to the success of the Allies in the European Theater. After the war ended, he became the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the highest NATO military position. Later, as President of the United States, he proposed novel plans to reduce tensions with the Russians and seek world peace. Regardless of his plans, Eisenhower implemented defensive measures that would make negotiations with the Soviet Union more difficult because these actions were interpreted as aggressive. Domestically, he contributed greatly to civil rights and a few internal improvements. In all, he was one of the most effective generals the United States has ever seen and an excellent President, regardless of his

General Patton, in command of American forces, and General Montgomery, in command of British forces, often disagreed about strategy. Eisenhower, returning to his unnecessarily cautious roots, determined to compromise to avoid giving one of the two an unfair amount of prestige (Ambrose, 1990). Eisenhower did, however, prove to be able to make his own decisions in disagreement with his subordinates. When the German forces launched what is now known as the “Battle of the Bulge,” Eisenhower recognized it as an offensive attack, rather than defensive as another general did. Since Eisenhower recognized the nature of the attack so early on, he was able to effectively counter it and further his own