General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Don't join the book burners. Don't think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go into your library and read every book." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
https://www.loc.gov/item/rbpe.0980090c/
dchill
(38,429 posts)Hekate
(90,515 posts)
but I have vivid memories of his decision to federalize the State National Guard in order to desegregate public schools in the South.
wnylib
(21,300 posts)businesses in Latin America to support dictatorships that would help those businesses. He supported the Cuban dictator, which resulted in the Cuban people turning to Castro. He joined the British in overthrowing an elected democratic government in Iran and supported the dictatorship of the Shah in order to benefit British and American oil businesses.
Eisenhower was a good general. He led the fight against fascism in Europe. But as president, he did not support democracies abroad. He did some good things domestically, like sending in the National Guard to enforce desegregation. He built the highway system in the US. But after Germany was defeated, he turned his attention so strongly to opposing communism that his administration used fear of communism to villify American people on the left. The McCarthy hearings occurred during Eisenhower's administration. So did the planning for the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.
Enter stage left
(3,393 posts)Every single one of them since Ike is a horrible piece of shit!!!
brush
(53,726 posts)elleng
(130,692 posts)I recall my family being unhappy he defeated Adlai!
bahboo
(16,302 posts)hell, almost the entire town....
elleng
(130,692 posts)bahboo
(16,302 posts)more interesting and fun too!
(Then the 'Bums' moved west.
captain queeg
(10,080 posts)He was the right man to be supreme allied commander. There were only a could things that Ive read against him, like the way he treated Truman.
pidge
(274 posts)monkeyman1
(5,109 posts)niyad
(113,004 posts)LoisB
(7,167 posts)murielm99
(30,712 posts)He was unhappy for a short time, but decided Ike was okay.
My dad had hoped for Adlai to win second one.
My late brother was six when Ike won his second term. My dad was talking about the election with the family. We had just gotten a TV in our household. We kids paid more attention to the news after that.
My brother expressed his concern over Ike being President. He said, "But Dad...now what are they going to do with George Washington?"
My dad explained to him that Washington was long dead.
I did not laugh or tease my brother over that. To this day, I am glad I stayed out of the gentle conversation my dad had with my little brother.
LoisB
(7,167 posts)We only had radio but my grandmother used to make us listen and I'm glad she did. I thought Adlai would win in '56 but I guess people were still enamored with the hero of WWII. I remember hearing Eleanor Roosevelt speaking on behalf of Stevenson.
I am sorry for the loss of your brother.
murielm99
(30,712 posts)More and more good memories of my brother are coming back to me these days. He was a good and gentle person. He could be abrasive at times, but then he would turn around and show amazing insights into people and situations.
tenderfoot
(8,425 posts)Eisenhower had some worts but nothing in comparison to now.
Boomerproud
(7,937 posts)Yes, he did some mildly progressive things domestically but was a disaster for the developing world. I was born in 1956 and I think the US was so internalized tight after the war and only the power players were playing the game. Not much different than now...
marie999
(3,334 posts)He backed the French and when they lost, he refused to back the 1954 Geneva Accord.