Every American should be familiar with Dwight David Eisenhower . As the Supreme Allied Commander during the Second World War General Eisenhower is a man whose debt can never be repaid. His leadership was vital to the United States victory over Nazi Germany.
He was also a good president. During his presidency he started the Interstate Highway System, fought to against racial discrimination, and help found NASA.
However, upon a closer study of Dwight Eisenhower, I was surprised to hear certain views of his. There are certain stereotypes about military men's views toward war, death, and politics. When one looks at some of the statements made by Eisenhower, they are surprising. Take a look at these quotes:
"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity."
" Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."
"In the final choice a soldier's pack is not so heavy as a prisoner's chains."
Reading these statements tells anyone to avoid making assumptions based on stereotypes. It also is important to remember that if a World War 2 general can realize that war is hell, maybe it's a safe bet that it really is.
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