Eisenhower

Eisenhower Eisenhower National Historic Site Pennsylvania National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior o o f 9 I o i o I o 0 From Farm Boy to Five Star General to President Dwight David Eisenhower was born in Texas and grew up in Kansas. Ike (a nickname from grade school) had no designs on an army career, much less the Presidency of the United States. But he wanted to go to college and discovered that free education awaited young men appointed to the U.S. Military Academy. At West Point Eisenhower pursued football, his first love, until a knee injury barred him from the gridiron for good. Hitler and all his forces." On June 6,1944, at Eisenhower's direction, invasion forces hit the beaches at Normandy. The heroic efforts of the Allies brought an end to Nazi Germany—and peace to Western Europe. Eisenhower's wartime success earned him worldwide adoration. Politicians deemed the General—as he now was known—an attractive candidate. Instead, he chose the presidency of Columbia University in 1948. Anticipating retirement, Dwight and Mamie searched When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Eisenhower hoped for duty overseas. Instead, he spent for rural property. In 1950 they bought a farm near Gettysburg, but their retirement was delayed for the war at Camp Colt in Gettysburg, Penn., in charge of training soldiers for the army's tank corps. Ike loved another decade. At the request of President Harry S this town in the Appalachian foothills, about 50 miles T r u m a n , Eisenhower assumed c o m m a n d of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Europe. south of where his ancestors had settled in the 1700s. PORTRAIT. J A N T H O N Y WILLS W H I T E HOUSE HISTORICAL A S S O C . ... above all else, the good leader needs integrity— a deeply ingrained honor, honesty and decency. Dwight D. Eisenhower, October 17,1961 During the 1920s and 1930s Eisenhower held a series of staff jobs and steadily rose in rank. By the early 1940s, with another war at hand, he began to earn promotions—and stars—at record speed. In December 1943 he was named Supreme Allied Commander for "Operation Overlord," the cross-English Channel invasion. His orders were simple: "You will land in Europe and, proceeding to Germany, will destroy In 1952 Eisenhower won election as 34th President of the United States. During his campaign he promised that, if elected, he would bring an end to the Korean Conflict, a bitter war that pitted United States and United Nations t r o o p s against North Korean and Communist Chinese forces. After his election Eisenhower visited Korea; negotiations resulted in an armistice on July 27,1953. The Eisenhowers planned to relax on weekends at their farm. In November 1955 their country home became a temporary White House while Eisenhower recuperated from a heart attack. Back in Washington, D.C., the President received a steady stream of dignitaries. He invited visitors to Camp David, Md., for conferences, then for a tour of his farm. Leaving Washington in 1961 meant retirement at last. Mamie had once said, "How nice it will be to be free, to rest and to do as we like." Instead, for the next eight years Eisenhower worked at his Gettysburg College office, met with political and business associates, and wrote his memoirs. David and Ida Eisenhower pose with their six sons in 1902. Dwight is at far left (above far left). The Eisenhowers made a gift of their farm to the Federal Government in 1967 (with the agreement that Dwight and Mamie would live there for life), and Congress designated the property as Eisenhower National Historic Site. In 1978 Mamie explained why their Gettysburg property was so important to the couple who had once changed habitats about once a year, "We had only one home—our farm." Mamie Eisenhower sat for this portrait in her pink silk inaugural gown embroidered with 2,000 rhinestones. Mamie regularly appeared on the Most Admired Women and Best Dressed lists. Her tightly curled bangs, styled by Elizabeth Arden, completed the "Mamie Look" (above). Eisenhower poses before a tank at Camp Meade, Md., 1919 (above middle). Eisenhower talks with men of Company E, S02d Parachute Infantry Regiment, at the 101st Airborne Division's camp, Greenham Common, England, June 5, 1944 (above left). Highlights of Eisenhower's Life The Cold War U-2 Crisis 1890 Born October 14, in Denison, Tex. t o David and Ida Eisenhower, t h i r d of six sons. 1891-1909 Moves w i t h f a m i l y a n d g r o w s up in A b i lene, Kans.; graduates f r o m Abilene High School. 1911 Enters U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. 1915-1916 Graduates f r o m West Point, reports t o Fort Sam Houston, Tex.; meets Denver socialite Mamie Geneva Doud in Texas; they marry in 1916. 1917 United States enters W W I ; son Doud D w i g h t (affectionately nicknamed "Icky") born September 24. 1918 A p p o i n t e d commander at Camp Colt, Army Tank Corps training center, Gettysburg, Penn. 1919-1921 Sent t o Camp Meade, Md.; son Icky dies of scarlet fever January 2, 1921. 1922 Joins 20th Infantry Brigade at Camp Gaillard, Panama; receives Distinguished Service Medal f o r w o r k at Camp Colt; son John Sheldon Doud born August 3. 1925 Graduates first in class f r o m Command and General Staff School in Kansas. testing hydrogen b o m b ; Eisenhower delivers Atoms for Peace speech, proposing w o r l d w i d e development of atomic energy. 1926-1927 Works on t h e American Battle Monuments Commission under General Pershing; is contributing writer for American Armies and Battlefields in Europe, a guide t o U.S. involvement in W W I ; enters Army War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. 1928 Travels t o Paris, France, as member of Battle M o n u m e n t s Commission; gains greater familiarity w i t h W W I battlefields. 1929 Assigned t o Office of Assistant Secretary of War; prepares plans for mobilizat i o n of American industry and military, in case of war. Dwight and Mamie married on July 1, 1916, in a simple cereEISENHOWER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY mony at the Doud home in Denver. 1933-1939 Becomes General MacArthur's personal assistant; travels t o Philippines w i t h MacArthur. tions; African American John Moaney joins Eisenhower's personal staff (beginning a friendship t h a t lasts f o r 27 years of service); Eisenhower commands Allied invasion of North Africa. 1939-1940 Germany invades Poland; W o r l d War II (WWII) begins in Europe; Eisenhower becomes Chief of Staff, Third Army. 1943 Commands invasion of Italy; is appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces t o command invasion of Europe. 1941 Japanese attack Pearl Harbor; U.S. enters W W I I ; Eisenhower called t o Wash. D.C, works in War Dept. 1944-1945 Directs invasion of Normandy June 6, D-day; accepts Germany's unconditional surrender; is appointed commander of the U.S. Occupation Zone in Germany; is appointed A r m y Chief of Staff. 1942 Named Asst. Chief of Staff in charge of War Plans; is named Asst. Chief of Staff of new Operations Division; is appointed Commander of European Theatre of Opera- 1948 Retires f r o m active military service; writes Cru- sade in Europe; is president of Columbia University. 1949-1951 Informally chairs t h e Joint Chiefs of Staff under t h e newly created defense departmentKorean War begins (1950); is appointed Supreme Commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); D w i g h t and Mamie buy t h e Gettysburg f a r m . 1952 Resigns as NATO's Supreme Commander; U.S. tests hydrogen b o m b in South Pacific; Eisenhower is elected t h e first Republican President in 20 years. 1953 Establishes Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare; ends Korean War; Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) begins 1954-1955 Approves development of spy satellites and the U-2, a high-altitude aerial reconnaissance aircraft; Supreme Court rules t h a t segregated schools are illegal (Brown v. Board of Education); Eisenhower proposes Open Skies, a policy allowing mutual overflights of U.S. and U.S.S.R. (Khrushchev rejects); signs bill raising minim u m hourly w a g e t o $1.00; suffers heart attack and sets up temporary W h i t e House at t h e f a r m in Gettysburg. 1956 Signs federal highway bill authorizing construction of interstate highways; elected President f o r second t e r m . 1957-1958 Promises aid f o r Middle Eastern nations t o f i g h t Communist aggression (Eisenhower Doctrine); signs Civil Rights Act (first civil rights legislation in 82 years); sends troops t o Little Rock, Ark., t o enforce desegregat i o n of Central High School; U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik, world's first satellite; Eisenhower signs bill establishing National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA); U.S. tests intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). 1959 Signs legislation designating Alaska and Hawaii as 49th and 50th states; meets w i t h Soviet Premier Khrushchev at Camp David, Md.; Khrushchev visits Eisenhower farm and invites Eisenhower t o visit U.S.S.R. 1960-1961 U-2 spy plane crisis erupts; U.S. and U.S.S.R. relations deteriorate (Eisenhower's t r i p t o U.S.S.R. is cancelled); CIA's covert Corona program launches its first successful p h o t o r e c o n naissance satellite; Eisenhowers retire t o Gettysburg f a r m . 1969 Dies March 28, age 78; is buried w i t h full military honors in Abilene, Kans. 1979 Mamie Eisenhower dies November 1, age 82; is buried beside her husband at t h e Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. The family at the White House, Easter Sunday, 1956. (Seated left t o right): Grandchildren Anne, David, Susan, and baby Mary, Mamie Eisenhower, and daughterin-law Barbara. (Standing): President Eisenhower and son John. CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers was flying a Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance airplane 70,000 feet over Soviet airspace when he was shot down on May 1, i960. The Soviets tracking Powers launched a surface-to-air missile, damaging the U-2's wings. Powers ejected from the tumbling plane at 40,000 feet and opened his parachute at 15,000 feet. When he landed the Soviets were waiting. The U.S.S.R. had captured a Cold War prize—proof that the U.S. was secretly photographing Soviet military sites. The White House knew a plane was missing but, at first, did not know that the pilot had been captured. NASA issued a statement on May 3 that a "U-2 weather research plane" may have "accidentally violated Soviet airspace." On May 7 Eisenhower received word at his Gettysburg farm that Khrushchev had smugly told the world that the Soviets had Powers (alive), his damaged plane, and its spy cameras. The U.S. finally admitted " . . . such a flight over the Soviet Union to gather information was probably undertaken." It couldn't have happened at a worse time, just days before the U.S., U.S.S.R., England, and France were to meet in Paris. The Summit Conference failed on May 16 when Khrushchev demanded an apology, and Eisenhower refused. Khrushchev condemned U.S. spy activities and stormed out. The U-2 crisis brought an end to Eisenhower's efforts to implement an arms control agreement with the Soviets, and it closed the few months of detente (relaxing of international tensions) prompted by Khrushchev's 1959 visit to the United States. Khrushchev examines the captured U-2 wreckage on May 11, 1960. The plane is still on display today in a Moscow museum (left). Eisenhower defends his U-2 policy on national television on May 25, 1960, explaining that aerial surveillance can help assure all humanity "... that they are safe from any surprise attack This photo of the San Diego North Island Naval Station (taken at an altitude 70,000 feet) shows aircraft and details as small as six-inchwide parking lines (left). Life on the General's Farm Home—At Last As John F. Kennedy's inauguration drew t o a close on January 20, 1961, the departing President and First Lady quietly left Capitol Hill. After a farewell luncheon they headed north f r o m Washington on snow covered roads. " A n d so w e came t o Gettysburg," w r o t e General Eisenhower in the mid-1960s, "and t o t h e f a r m w e had bought eleven years earlier, where w e expected t o spend t h e remainder of our lives." To D w i g h t and Mamie Eisenhower t h e red brick farmhouse t h a t they purchased in 1950 f r o m Allen Redding seemed custom-made for retirement. A l t h o u g h the house was in disrepair, its " b i g homey kitchen" appealed t o Mamie, w h o explained t h a t Ike loved t o cook in his spare time, and they "could never t h i n k of buying a home t h a t didn't have a kitchen big enough for him t o use w i t h c o m f o r t . " W h e n t h e remodeling began, t h e architects were surprised t o f i n d a decaying 200-year-old log cabin beneath t h e brick veneer. The house could not be saved. n e w house around these features. By March 1955 t h e house was finished, and D w i g h t and Mamie were owners of w h a t architect Milton Osborne t e r m e d a " m o d i f i e d Georgian f a r m house," c o m p l e t e w i t h e i g h t bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a stately living r o o m , f o r m a l d i n ing r o o m , kitchen and butler's pantry, and glassed-in porch. Disappointed, but d e t e r m i n e d t o preserve a small piece of history, Mamie t o l d construction workers t o salvage w h a t materials they could while dismantling the original structure. Builders retained part of t h e brickwork and the summer kitchen fireplace w i t h a bake oven and built a The porch was Dwight and Mamie's favorite room. Here they enjoyed the morning sun over breakfast and spent hours visiting w i t h family and friends, reading, playing cards, watching television, and just relaxing while looking out over Pennsylvania's rolling hills. Eisenhower's Black Angus Enterprise Eisenhower maintained a successful cattle enterprise, Eisenhower Farms, for 15 years. The business was composed of 189 acres of Eisenhower's land and 306 adjoining acres owned by his partners. The Eisenhower Farms show cattle rapidly | gained recognition in the Angus-raising community, winning grand championships at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show and blue ribbons in major competitions across the United States. i Eisenhower began painting in 1948. He spoke modestly of his talent, "I don't know anything about painting. . . . They are daubs, born of my love of color. . . ." Mamie was an ardent admirer and displayed his works prominently. Touring the Farm Reception Center and Shuttle Bus Stop Begin your visit at the Reception Center. It has information, a video, restrooms, and a bookstore. Exhibits highlight Eisenhower's life, from his boyhood days in Abilene, Kans., through his military and Presidential years, to retirement at his Gettysburg farm. Self-Guiding Tours: Eisenhower Home, Grounds, Skeet Range, and Farm 2 • The Eisenhower Home retains nearly all its original furnishings and offers a glimpse into the life and times of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower. • The grounds tour includes gardens, greenhouses, a tea house, and the brick barbecue, where Eisenhower grilled enormous black Angus steaks. The garage (south end of barn) houses Eisenhower's jeep, golf carts, and station wagon. He used the "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" to show guests around the farm. • The skeet range is an easy walk from the Reception Center. An exhibit details Eisenhower's shooting prowess and explains the rules of trap and skeet. • The Farm 2 tour explores Eisenhower's cattle operation. The show barn contains the herdsman's office, cattle stalls, and farm machinery. Barn This 1887 bank barn held hay and straw on the top floor. The lower level first contained dairy As President, Eisenhower used the farm for personal diplomacy, inviting world leaders t o visit the house and cattle barns. It was a welcome respite f r o m formal talks at nearby Camp David. Planning Your Visit cattle stanchions and stalls. In the mid-1950s it held stables for the horses and ponies Eisenhower kept for his grandchildren. Secret Service Office Secret Service protection began at the farm in 1955, ceased in 1961, and resumed after President Kennedy's assassination. Guest House Young David Eisenhower stayed here one summer while working for his grandfather as a farmhand. The bell is from the Pitzer schoolhouse that stood on the nearby property where son John and Barbara Eisenhower lived from 1959 to 1964. Eisenhower Home North of the fieldstone wing of the main house is a section salvaged from the original Redding farmhouse. Putting Green Ike loved golf. The Professional Golfers Association installed this putting green in the 1950s, complete with a sand trap. Flag Pole When President Eisenhower stayed here the flagpole displayed the Presidential standard and the Stars and Stripes. After leaving the White House in 1961 he was reinstated as General of the Army and flew the five-star flag, today a symbol of Eisenhower at Gettysburg. Path to Farm 2 Cross the bridge to the site of the cattle operation (trail not recommended for wheelchairs). The culvert in the stream marks the boundary between Eisenhower's farm and Farm 2 (acquired in 1954 by Eisenhower's partner, W. Alton Jones, to raise purebred Angus). Tours and Fees Buy tour tickets (first-come, firstserved) at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, located one mile south of Gettysburg on U.S. Business 15. Prices include shuttle bus ticket and entrance to the home, grounds, and farm. Herdsman's Home This 1797 house was home for Bob Hartley, Eisenhower's herdsman. Hartley charted breeding schedules, selected new Angus to improve the breed, and oversaw farm operations. Shuttle Bus Entrance to the Eisenhower farm is by shuttle bus only. Catch the bus at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center. Schedules vary seasonally. Maternity Barn This barn, a luxury for a livestock operation, sheltered cows and newborn calves. Breeding and Tool Shed The north bay provided a breeding area for bulls and cows. Each mating was carefully recorded. The south bay held a workbench and tools. Loafing Shed This three-sided shed provided dry shelter in winter and a shaded retreat in summer. Bull Pens Breeding bulls lived here. Ankonian 3551 sired prize-winning offspring for more than 10 years. Show Barn To prepare for competitions, animals were brushed daily and bathed weekly. £i nhower and herdsman Bob Hartley display a bull ready for the show ring. Eisenhower shared his enthusiasm for the cattle business with foreign leaders such as Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, French President Charles de Gaulle, and Great Britain's former Prime Minister Winston Churchill. An invitation to the farm was a highlight for dignitaries. When to Visit The site is open daily, except Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. Activities After you arrive at the park you are welcome to explore on your own. Ranger-led programs are offered season- ally. Families with children can participate in the Junior Secret Service Agent program. Accessibility The shuttle bus. Reception Center, farm grounds, and first floor of the home are accessible for visitors with disabilities. For More Information Eisenhower National Historic Site 97 Taneytown Road Gettysburg, PA 17325 717-338-9114 www.nps.gov/eise Eisenhower National Historic Site is one of more than 380 parks in the National Park System. The National Park Service cares for these special places so that all may experience our heritage. Visit www.nps.gov. GPO:C005—310-394/00232 Printed on recycled paper