Eisenhower: From “Do-Nothing” to “Did-Everything”

Holly F. Caldwell, Cedarville UniversityFollow

Department/School of the Primary Author

History and Government

Keywords

Eisenhower, President, historical revisionism, military, World War II, John Foster Dulles, Sherman Adams, foreign affairs, Korea, Cold War, domestic tensions, Civil Rights movement, Little Rock, International Highway System

DOI

10.15385/jch.2020.5.1.3

Abstract

Dwight David Eisenhower was a modest man who led a modest life. The 34^th president of the United States was a country boy who hailed from the rural town of Abilene, Kansas. He was not born into instant greatness; instead, he grew into it. He held several notable positions, culminating in the achievement of being elected to the presidency. His presidential reign was relatively calm, with few drastic disruptions, and this period of tranquility led to a public perception of Eisenhower as a “do-nothing” president.

Contrary to the traditional portrayal, historical revisionism has exhibited Eisenhower as an experienced and subtly adept politician. A multitude of primary and secondary resources, including diaries and documents, the testimonies of friends and family, and his international and domestic political legacies, display that he was intimately involved in every aspect of his presidency. The evidence strips Eisenhower of the “do-nothing” label and proves him to be a president who “did-everything.” This paper strives to give a brief yet thorough overview of the man, leader, and politician that Eisenhower truly was, while addressing previous misconceptions.

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Recommended Citation

Caldwell, Holly F. (2020) "Eisenhower: From “Do-Nothing” to “Did-Everything”," Channels: Where Disciplines Meet: Vol. 5: No. 1, Article 3.
DOI: 10.15385/jch.2020.5.1.3
Available at: https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/channels/vol5/iss1/3