He is the 34th President of the USA. He served as president between January 20, 1953, and January 20, 1961. He served as the commander-in-chief of the Allied forces in Western Europe in 1944-45 during World War II. He became the first commander-in-chief of NATO in 1951.
Dwight David Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas, USA, as the third of seven sons of a poor family. His nickname is "Ike". After graduating from high school in 1909, he entered West Point Military Academy in 1911 and graduated from there in 1915.
When he graduated from school as a lieutenant, he served in Texas, Georgia, and San Antonio until 1918. He commanded a tank training center during World War I. He became a captain. Here he received the Distinguished Service Medal.
Dwight David Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), nicknamed Ike, was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe and achieved the five-star rank as General of the Army. Eisenhower planned and supervised two of the most consequential military campaigns of World War II: Operation Torch in the North Africa campaign in 1942–1943 and the invasion of Normandy in 1944.
He served in the Panama Canal Zone between 1922 and 1924. After graduating top of his class from the Land Forces Command and Staff School in 1926, he graduated from the Land Forces War Academy. After his service in France and Washington, he was appointed aide to the Chief of Staff, General Douglas MacArthur, in 1933. Two years later, he went to the Philippines with MacArthur and helped organize the local army.
When he returned to the USA shortly after the start of World War II, he was appointed colonel and chief of staff of the 3rd Army in June 1941. When the USA entered the war, he was appointed to the war plans department. He became brigadier general in March 1942. In June 1942, he was appointed commander of the US forces in Europe, when there were many generals with higher ranks. He then became a lieutenant general in July 1942 and was assigned to lead Allied forces' Operation Torch against North Africa. The Allied attack, which started on November 8, 1942, concluded successfully in May 1943. Meanwhile, Eisenhower was promoted to general in February 1943.
He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Allied Expeditionary Forces on 24 December 1943. He planned and managed the landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944, with approximately 4 thousand ships and nearly a million soldiers. He crossed the Rhine River in March 1945. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered and the war ended in Europe.
After the war, he was appointed chief of staff of the Army by US President Harry Truman. He retired from military service in May 1948. He became chairman of the board of trustees of Columbia University. In early 1951, President Truman appointed him commander-in-chief of NATO and went to Paris.
He resigned from his post in June 1952 and ran for the Republican presidential nomination, winning the primary and choosing California senator Richard Nixon as his running mate. He was elected the 34th President of the United States on January 20, 1953.
He visited Korea shortly after taking office and, taking advantage of the favorable environment provided by the death of Josef Stalin, managed to initiate armistice negotiations that ended the Korean War in July 1953.
Dwight David Eisenhower was re-elected President in 1958. He served as president until January 20, 1961, when he handed over the presidency to John F Kennedy, who was elected as the new president.
When he left his post as president, he was given the rank of general again by the decision of Congress. He retired to his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and spent most of his time writing his memoirs.
He published his book "Crusade in Europe" in 1949.
Dwight David Eisenhower married Mamie Geneva Doud on April 1, 1916. He has a son named John Sheldon Doud (b.1922). His first son died of scarlet fever when he was only 3 years old.
Dwight David Eisenhower died in Washington DC, USA, on March 28, 1969, at the age of 79.