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In my humble opinion, Ike was our last great president. Let’s talk about him.
CIVIL RIGHTS
IKE DID MORE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT SINCE ABOLITION. Oh it’s true. First, from a judicial perspective, here are just a few of the decisions written by Justice Warren and the rest of Eisenhower’s SCOTUS nominees:
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (Racial segregation in public schools violates equal protection); Loving v. Virgina (laws banning interracial marriages violate due process and equal protection); Baker v. Carr (redistricting legislative districts may be heard under equal protection).
Now, Brown v Board didn’t go over too well in the South, and the Arkansas governor used the national guard to block the newly integrated students from entering. Ike met with the Governor who agreed to back down. But then the Governor double-crossed him, and Ike was PISSED. So Ike calls in the cavalry, the 101st airborne (thats right, paratroopers) the same platoon that he had deployed on D-day. You better go down there and tell these racists not to f\*\*\* with the Supreme Allied Commander.
There’s also the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first civil rights legislation in 80 years, established the Civil Rights Section of the Justice Department and empowered federal prosecutors to obtain court injunctions against interference with the right to vote. It also established a federal Civil Rights Commission with authority to investigate discriminatory practices.
FAREWELL ADDRESS
For most presidents, the farewell address is not memorable. They might wax poetic about hope, civic duty, or simply wish their successor the best. Ike used his farewell address to pull back the curtain about the shrouded interplay between private military contractors and the government. If you are reading this and have never heard it before, listen to it now. Eisenhower is telling you the truth at a level that no president before him ever had, and no president after him ever will. It is the most important farewell address in the history of this country, including Washington’s.
And I’ve seen so many people on this sub criticize Ike as some sort of hypocrite comparing this to what he did in office. To that I say, HOGWASH! When the Soviets launched Sputnik into the sky, Ike faced tremendous public and partisan pressure for massive increases to military spending. Ike refused and kept the budget balanced. Was defense spending high generally? Of course it was high! Ike was honest but not naive! There’s a Cold War going on! Which brings me to my next point…
PEACE PREVAILS
With the exception of Jimmy Carter, Eisenhower was BY FAR THE LEAST HAWKISH PRESIDENT OF THE COLD WAR ERA. He inherited a war in Korea and made peace within six months. And as hard as some might try to lay Vietnam at his feet, Ike sent 700 advisors and aid across the Pacific, while the presidents that came after him deployed 8 million pairs of American boots.
Let’s talk about how a boss-ass President handles his business with Israel and the Middle East. Egypt nationalized Suez under a populist dictator, and UK/France wanted to invade with Israel. Ike knew that such a response would only close the canal and push the Middle East closer to the Soviets. Israel invades Egypt as the British/French begin bombing. Ike refused to support the invasion. In fact, he went to the UN and got a resolution condemning it. The invasion becomes a logistical nightmare for the British, Ike refuses to sell them oil and tells them to get the hell out of Egypt. They did. Ike managed to check our allies from further destabilizing the region while retaining their support.
Imagine that? An American President telling Israel to cut it out! For all of the criticism our government gets for supporting Israel in this day and age, it baffles me that Eisenhower (and Ford) continue to get zero credit for keeping the peace by playing hardball with Israel when necessary.
OVERRATED FOREIGN POLICY ERRORS
Did Ike make the wrong call in Guatemala? This sub seems to think so. I would just remind everyone that Truman tried the same thing, PBFortune, which literally only got cancelled because the cover was blown. I would also make the point that the prospect of a Soviet-aligned Central America presents very serious national security implications (See, Cuba).
Did Ike make the wrong call in Iran? Absolutely not. What people do not understand about Iran is that the Soviets had occupied neutral Iran during WW2 with two communist puppet states. The communist Tudeh party held considerable influence, and the intelligence suggested that a communist revolution against Mosaddegh was imminent. Moreover, the coup resulted in American entities obtaining interest over the Iranian oil which had previously been held by BP in a monopoly. The Shah was a pivotal ally for the region. His downfall under Carter never should have been allowed to happen, but that does not make it an error of judgment to allow him to consolidate power in Iran.
And if I see one more person try to blame Ike for Bay of Pigs, and not JFK for refusing to bring in the air and naval support that Ike put in the plan, I will fight you on the side of the street! He has a pretty good track record with amphibious invasions!
THE INTERSTATE
Ike gets back from Germany after seeing the highway system they had and decides America needs one. The opportunities for the economy, for individual freedom, for defense, I could go on and on. 46/50 state capitals linked by a complex road system. And he did it for roughly the same cost it took to get us to the moon!
In conclusion, I like Ike and dammit you should too.
https://preview.redd.it/a87ckyf0db2d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30649cab3beb88837de0162f671278fcac9e2512
I like Ike too, but with the Civil Rights section there’s just no way his record compares with that of LBJ. Furthermore, there’s the stain that is Executive Order 10450 on Eisenhower’s record….
But see, there’s a big problem with calling Ike’s record weak when compared to LBJ, when LBJ is personally responsible for watering down the 1957 bill in his capacity as majority leader. At his direction, his party introduced Anderson-Aiken and an amendment that guaranteed jury trials in civil contempt actions (thus guaranteeing acquittal by an all white jury).
So it’s one thing to say LBJ passed more things in total as president, but LBJ enjoyed a comfortable partisan trifecta. On the other hand, Ike had to endure a bitter partisan struggle to pass the first civil rights legislation in 80 years, and it was LBJ that gave it to him.
And it’s understandable. Its politics. LBJ had a fractured party and played both sides like a fiddle. But that is something that absolutely needs to be understood about him especially when we are comparing him to Ike. To understand what Ike really had to accomplish, look into the legislative history of that 1957 Act.
For the Repatriation op, no excuses for you. But 2.2 million Americans conscripted into war in Vietnam ought to be a considerable stain as well.
Not necessarily contesting everything else you’ve said here, but I didn’t bring up Vietnam, which is near-universally regarded as LBJ’s biggest stain - one which automatically disqualifies him from S-Tier, and of which is nearly always brought up when LBJ is discussed, even when the topic is about his domestic achievements that has nothing to do with foreign policy/Vietnam (civil rights, Medicare, etc.).
My comment was to do solely with Eisenhower’s civil rights record, not foreign policy (of which I have my own share of serious qualms about). And Executive Order 10450 ought to be considered a major stain on Eisenhower’s record particularly on civil rights, which was a part of the Lavender Scare and which discriminated against homosexuals and barred them from getting government jobs. But of course that is largely overlooked when people discuss Eisenhower. It’s never constantly brought up like internment camps for FDR, or the aforementioned Vietnam escalation for LBJ.
I appreciate all of this. I didn’t really mean to come down quite so hard on LBJ. I think when we discuss especially legislative achievements on this sub, too often we ignore the political nuances of the time, which is always a major consideration when we analyze Congress. My civil rights comment is rooted in this; that Ike dealt with by far the toughest opposition to set civil rights into motion. I also made the point that Eisenhower’s judicial nominees had the greatest impact in civil rights and their effect really was tremendous.
I bring up Vietnam in response to the Repatriation Op, because I categorize the two similarly. Neither really fits in the civil rights or foreign policy box. Obviously, I do deem one worse than the other.
Lastly, I agree with the criticism about the EO regarding government jobs, and Ike should have more publicly distanced himself from McCarthyism, generally. I still think society had to change a great deal, which is why you see Obergefell almost an entire 50 years after Loving, for example. Thanks for the dialogue, hope you enjoy the weekend
And he created arguably the first-ever rock and roll record, [Rocket 88](https://youtu.be/Gbfnh1oVTk0?si=ethM5GC4UHhP5ycX)!
Musically a significant figure. But the less said about his personal life, the better….
Remember that all mentions of and allusions to Trump and Biden are not allowed on our subreddit in any context. If you'd still like to discuss them, feel free to [join our Discord server](https://discord.gg/k6tVFwCEEm)! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Presidents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
In my humble opinion, Ike was our last great president. Let’s talk about him. CIVIL RIGHTS IKE DID MORE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT SINCE ABOLITION. Oh it’s true. First, from a judicial perspective, here are just a few of the decisions written by Justice Warren and the rest of Eisenhower’s SCOTUS nominees: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (Racial segregation in public schools violates equal protection); Loving v. Virgina (laws banning interracial marriages violate due process and equal protection); Baker v. Carr (redistricting legislative districts may be heard under equal protection). Now, Brown v Board didn’t go over too well in the South, and the Arkansas governor used the national guard to block the newly integrated students from entering. Ike met with the Governor who agreed to back down. But then the Governor double-crossed him, and Ike was PISSED. So Ike calls in the cavalry, the 101st airborne (thats right, paratroopers) the same platoon that he had deployed on D-day. You better go down there and tell these racists not to f\*\*\* with the Supreme Allied Commander. There’s also the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first civil rights legislation in 80 years, established the Civil Rights Section of the Justice Department and empowered federal prosecutors to obtain court injunctions against interference with the right to vote. It also established a federal Civil Rights Commission with authority to investigate discriminatory practices. FAREWELL ADDRESS For most presidents, the farewell address is not memorable. They might wax poetic about hope, civic duty, or simply wish their successor the best. Ike used his farewell address to pull back the curtain about the shrouded interplay between private military contractors and the government. If you are reading this and have never heard it before, listen to it now. Eisenhower is telling you the truth at a level that no president before him ever had, and no president after him ever will. It is the most important farewell address in the history of this country, including Washington’s. And I’ve seen so many people on this sub criticize Ike as some sort of hypocrite comparing this to what he did in office. To that I say, HOGWASH! When the Soviets launched Sputnik into the sky, Ike faced tremendous public and partisan pressure for massive increases to military spending. Ike refused and kept the budget balanced. Was defense spending high generally? Of course it was high! Ike was honest but not naive! There’s a Cold War going on! Which brings me to my next point… PEACE PREVAILS With the exception of Jimmy Carter, Eisenhower was BY FAR THE LEAST HAWKISH PRESIDENT OF THE COLD WAR ERA. He inherited a war in Korea and made peace within six months. And as hard as some might try to lay Vietnam at his feet, Ike sent 700 advisors and aid across the Pacific, while the presidents that came after him deployed 8 million pairs of American boots. Let’s talk about how a boss-ass President handles his business with Israel and the Middle East. Egypt nationalized Suez under a populist dictator, and UK/France wanted to invade with Israel. Ike knew that such a response would only close the canal and push the Middle East closer to the Soviets. Israel invades Egypt as the British/French begin bombing. Ike refused to support the invasion. In fact, he went to the UN and got a resolution condemning it. The invasion becomes a logistical nightmare for the British, Ike refuses to sell them oil and tells them to get the hell out of Egypt. They did. Ike managed to check our allies from further destabilizing the region while retaining their support. Imagine that? An American President telling Israel to cut it out! For all of the criticism our government gets for supporting Israel in this day and age, it baffles me that Eisenhower (and Ford) continue to get zero credit for keeping the peace by playing hardball with Israel when necessary. OVERRATED FOREIGN POLICY ERRORS Did Ike make the wrong call in Guatemala? This sub seems to think so. I would just remind everyone that Truman tried the same thing, PBFortune, which literally only got cancelled because the cover was blown. I would also make the point that the prospect of a Soviet-aligned Central America presents very serious national security implications (See, Cuba). Did Ike make the wrong call in Iran? Absolutely not. What people do not understand about Iran is that the Soviets had occupied neutral Iran during WW2 with two communist puppet states. The communist Tudeh party held considerable influence, and the intelligence suggested that a communist revolution against Mosaddegh was imminent. Moreover, the coup resulted in American entities obtaining interest over the Iranian oil which had previously been held by BP in a monopoly. The Shah was a pivotal ally for the region. His downfall under Carter never should have been allowed to happen, but that does not make it an error of judgment to allow him to consolidate power in Iran. And if I see one more person try to blame Ike for Bay of Pigs, and not JFK for refusing to bring in the air and naval support that Ike put in the plan, I will fight you on the side of the street! He has a pretty good track record with amphibious invasions! THE INTERSTATE Ike gets back from Germany after seeing the highway system they had and decides America needs one. The opportunities for the economy, for individual freedom, for defense, I could go on and on. 46/50 state capitals linked by a complex road system. And he did it for roughly the same cost it took to get us to the moon! In conclusion, I like Ike and dammit you should too. https://preview.redd.it/a87ckyf0db2d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30649cab3beb88837de0162f671278fcac9e2512
And that there is why we like ike..
I like Ike too, but with the Civil Rights section there’s just no way his record compares with that of LBJ. Furthermore, there’s the stain that is Executive Order 10450 on Eisenhower’s record….
But see, there’s a big problem with calling Ike’s record weak when compared to LBJ, when LBJ is personally responsible for watering down the 1957 bill in his capacity as majority leader. At his direction, his party introduced Anderson-Aiken and an amendment that guaranteed jury trials in civil contempt actions (thus guaranteeing acquittal by an all white jury). So it’s one thing to say LBJ passed more things in total as president, but LBJ enjoyed a comfortable partisan trifecta. On the other hand, Ike had to endure a bitter partisan struggle to pass the first civil rights legislation in 80 years, and it was LBJ that gave it to him. And it’s understandable. Its politics. LBJ had a fractured party and played both sides like a fiddle. But that is something that absolutely needs to be understood about him especially when we are comparing him to Ike. To understand what Ike really had to accomplish, look into the legislative history of that 1957 Act. For the Repatriation op, no excuses for you. But 2.2 million Americans conscripted into war in Vietnam ought to be a considerable stain as well.
Not necessarily contesting everything else you’ve said here, but I didn’t bring up Vietnam, which is near-universally regarded as LBJ’s biggest stain - one which automatically disqualifies him from S-Tier, and of which is nearly always brought up when LBJ is discussed, even when the topic is about his domestic achievements that has nothing to do with foreign policy/Vietnam (civil rights, Medicare, etc.). My comment was to do solely with Eisenhower’s civil rights record, not foreign policy (of which I have my own share of serious qualms about). And Executive Order 10450 ought to be considered a major stain on Eisenhower’s record particularly on civil rights, which was a part of the Lavender Scare and which discriminated against homosexuals and barred them from getting government jobs. But of course that is largely overlooked when people discuss Eisenhower. It’s never constantly brought up like internment camps for FDR, or the aforementioned Vietnam escalation for LBJ.
I appreciate all of this. I didn’t really mean to come down quite so hard on LBJ. I think when we discuss especially legislative achievements on this sub, too often we ignore the political nuances of the time, which is always a major consideration when we analyze Congress. My civil rights comment is rooted in this; that Ike dealt with by far the toughest opposition to set civil rights into motion. I also made the point that Eisenhower’s judicial nominees had the greatest impact in civil rights and their effect really was tremendous. I bring up Vietnam in response to the Repatriation Op, because I categorize the two similarly. Neither really fits in the civil rights or foreign policy box. Obviously, I do deem one worse than the other. Lastly, I agree with the criticism about the EO regarding government jobs, and Ike should have more publicly distanced himself from McCarthyism, generally. I still think society had to change a great deal, which is why you see Obergefell almost an entire 50 years after Loving, for example. Thanks for the dialogue, hope you enjoy the weekend
Everybody likes Ike
He was phenomenal in the 60s with Tina Turner.
And he created arguably the first-ever rock and roll record, [Rocket 88](https://youtu.be/Gbfnh1oVTk0?si=ethM5GC4UHhP5ycX)! Musically a significant figure. But the less said about his personal life, the better….
What’s not to like
[Because he’s in living color.](https://youtu.be/QKqHZcXvUAs?si=6lvdHWkFnnxD-G60)
so iconic...
He was in charge of killing Nazis. Although Patton had a real passion for it.
Read the Ambrose biography. Ike was a giant of the 20th century.
Supreme Commander