Three Days in January

Dwight Eisenhower’s Final Mission By; Bret Baier This book covers Eisenhower’s life story with emphasis on the end of his eight years as President. His successor to the office was John Kennedy. During his campaign against Richard Nixon one of his major themes was a supposed missile gap with the USSR. Ike resented this but kept his peace. As his term was expiring he felt the need to tell the American people of his concern about the never ending arms race to assure supremacy to Russia or any other country. He reminded them that throughout our history we had never maintained a large military force. We were woefully unprepared for WWI or WWII. Now half of our national budget was spent on arms. Without minimizing the need to be strong, he was asking for balance between the military and all of the domestic needs of our people. At that time and continuing today the armament industries are located in every state providing high paying wages and thereby assuring support to continue to grow. He called it the Military Industrial Complex, a phrase that was made famous. The date of the speech was January 17, 1961, three days before the end of his term. He is given credit for his meetings with Kennedy to prepare him for taking the reins. When he succeeded Truman there was bitterness between them. Originally Truman had encouraged him to run until he found out that he would run as a Republican. Ike made himself available to help Kennedy and the Johnson with advice in the following years until his death on March 28, 1969. I have read a number of books about Ike. Some called him the do nothing president. He ended the Korean War, did not engage in another war somewhere else. He was encouraged by some in his Cabinet to do. He began the Interstate Highway System enacted the Civil Rights Bill of 1957, which while watered down, at least opened the debate on civil rights for the blacks in the South who were prevented from voting. Our country enjoyed eight years of ever increasing prosperity. He was a fine man and a respected leader who accomplished much good in his lifetime.