Dwight D. Eisenhower

Essay by gangsterjooseA+, October 2004

download word file, 5 pages 5.0

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the third son of David and Ida Stover Eisenhower. He was born in 1890 in Denison, Texas, and named David Dwight Eisenhower, although he was known as Dwight David by many. In 1891, the family moved to Abilene, Kansas, where Eisenhower was brought up. He was the third of seven sons. He and his older brothers were all called "Ike" by their family, Eisenhower was known as "Little Ike". In his high school years, he was known to excel in sports due to his active nature. After he graduated, Eisenhower wanted to attend college, but his family could not afford the tuition. Dwight and his brother planned to switch off between work and college every year in order to pay for each other's tuition and allow them to both complete their education. In 1910, Eisenhower found that he could get a free college education at United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

The prerequisite for obtaining such involved passing a difficult exam. While Eisenhower had no original plans to be a soldier, he still prepared well for the competitive West Point entrance exam and won an appointment to the school in 1911.

Unknown to him at the time, Eisenhower would later lead many military forces though the course of both world wars, winning decisive victories and helping push America forward even before his own presidency. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Eisenhower was promoted in the army and assigned to training duty for new cadets. He desperately wanted to see action during the war, and applied for an overseas assignment. His own skill would prevent him from participating in battle during that war. Higher officers saw the ability that he had as an organizer and trainer, and put...