Dwight Eisenhower
- Background
- Born October 14, 1890 in Denison Texas to David and Ida Eisenhower
- Joined his father and uncle at Bell Springs Creamery after High School
- 1911-Went to US Military Academy in West Point (free of charge)
- Graduated at the top of his class
- After graduation, he was stationed in Texas
- Met Mamie Geneva Doud
- Fought in WW1
- Famous General in WW2
- 1929 – appointed chief military leader
- Elections Involved In
- Something very rare - he had never voted.
- He had stayed far away from politics and never entered a polling place.
- Thomas said that he and Eisenhower should run together on the Democratic side, with Eisenhower in Pres and Truman in VP. Eisenhower rejected this offer - he thought he would never have to think about entering the white house.
- January 1952 - Eisenhower announced that he was running for President as a republican
- He was popular because of WW2
- Top Ten Accomplishments that Impacted the US
- Kept America at peace
- Ended Korean war
- Paid off debt
- Sponsored and signed the Highway Act of 1956, Civil Rights Bill of 1957, Housing Amendments of 1955
- Brown vs School Board of Topeka Kansas – Started to end segregation in schools
- Popularity
- Eisenhower had a 65% average approval rating in office
- He promoted Atoms for Peace in order to ease Cold War tensions
- Summary of Legacy
- His main point was to maintain peace.
- He urged the necessity of having a military strenght.
- He continued most of the New Deal and Fair Deal programs, emphasizing a balanced budget. Believed in Laissez-Fair.
- Proposed a peaceful solution for a war-ravaged world to give everyday citizens of different countries the opportunity to meet and to gain friendship and knowledge.
LBJ
- Background
- Born August 27, 1902
- Parents - Sam and Rebekah
- Attended Southwest State Teacher's College in 1930
- Firsthand look at poverty
- Had 2 kids
- 1931 Congressional Secretary
- Wife was Claudia (Went by Ladybird)
- Elected to House of Reps.
- Re-Elected 5 times
- Failed to secure a Senate Seat
- 1948: Elected to Senate
- Youngest ever to serve as minority leader at age 44
- Became Senate majority leader
- Elections
- 1964
- Presidential vs Barry Goldwater
- Landslide win
- South became Republican and North became Democrat
- 1964
- Top Ten Accomplishments
- Established National Endowment for Humanities and Arts
- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
- Voting Rights Act
- Civil Rights Act
- Medicare/Medicaid
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Higher Education Act
- Immigration Act
- Presided over the first manned flight to the moon - Apollo 8
- Thurgood Marshall - First African-American on Supreme Court
- Vietnam War Stalemate
- Popularity
- High - Won presidential election easily
- Low - All through Vietnam War
- 49% Popularity Rating
- Summary
- Swore to maintain Kennedy's vision
- Battled poverty
- Fought for civil rights/equality
- Loss of popularity
- Overshadowed by Vietnam War
Richard Nixon
- Background
- Born on January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California
- 4 brothers
- Poor family
- Attended Whittier HS and Fullerton Union HS
- Offered tuition to Harvard, went to Whittier College in 1934 because his brother was sick
- Full ride to Duke University School of Law in 1937
- Returned to California and practiced law
- Married Thelma "Pat" Ryan
- Served in Navy during WW2
- California House of Representatives/Senate
- 8 years of Vice President under Eisenhower
- Ran for President in 1960, lost to Kennedy
- Elections
- 1968 - Between Nixon (R) and Humphrey (D). South had 3rd party racist candidate.
- Nixon's Domestic Accomplishments
- Launched initiatives to fight cancer and illegal drugs
- Imposed wage and price controls
- Enforced desegregation of Southern schools
- Introduced legislation to reform healthcare and welfare
- Presided over lunar landings beginning with Apollo 11
- Foreign Accomplishments
- Initially escalated America's involvement in the Vietnam War, but ended US involvement in 1973 with the Paris Peace Accords
- Opened Diplomatic relations with China in 1972.
- Watergate Scandal
- June 17, 1972 - Break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex
- Nixon administration tried to cover up involvement
- Bugged the offices of political opponents
- It was a committee that wanted to re-elect the president
- Harassment of activist groups/political figures
- Used the FBI, CIA, and IRS
- He wanted to find dirt against the democrats
- Nixon downplayed the scandal and denounced the story as biased and misleading
- Nixon was involved with obstruction of justice and eventually resigned from the presidency
- Legacy
- Will be known for Watergate
- Also, as the only president to resign.
Harry Truman
- Background
- Born May 8th, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri
- Had to wear thick eyeglasses
- Never got a college degree
- Wished to attend West Point, but eyesight stopped him
- Very poor as a young child
- Was sent to France in WW1 for National Guard
- Married Elizabeth Wallace
- Before Presidency to President
- 1922 - district judge in Jackson County, Missouri
- Elected as US senate to support Franklin Roosevelt
- 1934 - US Senate
- Vice President
- President after Roosevelt's Death
- President 1945-1949
- Re-sworn in from 1949-1953
- Accomplishments
- Atomic Bombs
- United Nations
- Marshall Plan
- Helped Israel
- Racial Discrimination
- 4-Point Program
- Helped South Korea
- Fair Deal
- Scandals
- IRS
- Assassination Attempt
- Margaret Truman Review
Gerald Ford
- Top 10 Accomplishments
- Cut inflation in half
- Decreased unemployment
- Created more jobs
- Reduced crime
- Maintained peace
- Survived 2 assassination attempts
- Helped farmers
- Made peace abroad
- Increased defence budget
- Alliance with Japan stronger
Jimmy Carter
- Top Accomplishments
- Created the Department of Energy
- Created Department of Education
- Established a national energy policy
- Pursued the Camp David Accords
- Won Nobel Peace Prize
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