Dwight David Eisenhower34th President of the United States, 1953-1961
Throughout his presidency, Eisenhower faced many difficult decisions. Communist aggression in Asia, Africa, and Latin America caused one crisis after another. Russian achievements in exploring space cast grave doubts on American scientific leadership. At home, fear of communist influence in government led to widespread loyalty investigations. New civil rights laws aroused bitter disputes.
Eisenhower met the challenges of his time with courage and a firm desire to achieve peace. Even his critics never questioned his honesty and sincerity.
| Election of 1952 | Election of 1958 | |
| Place of Nominating Convention
Chicago Ballot on Which Nominated 1st Democratic Opponent Adlai E. Stevenson Electoral Vote 442 to 89 Popular Vote 33,778,963 to 27,314,992 Age at Inauguration 62 |
Place of Nominating
Convention San
Francisco Ballot on Which Nominated 1st Democratic Opponent Adlai E. Stevenson Electoral Vote 457 to 73 Popular Vote 35,581,003 to 25,738,765 Age at Inauguration 66 |
| His Vice-President and Cabinet | |
| Vice-President | Richard M. Nixon |
| Secretary of State | John Foster Dulles Christian A. Herter (1959) |
| Secretary of the Treasury | George M. Humphrey Robert B. Anderson (1957) |
| Secretary of Defense | Charles E. Wilson Neil H. McElroy (1957) Thomas S. Gates, Jr. (1959) |
| Attorney General | Herbert Brownell, Jr. William P. Rogers (1957) |
| Postmaster General | Arthur E. Summerfield |
| Secretary of the Interior | Douglas McKay Frederick A. Seaton (1956) |
| Secretary of Agriculture | Ezra Taft Benson |
| Secretary of Commerce | Sinclair Weeks Frederick H. Mueller (1959) |
| Secretary of Labor | Martin P. Durkin James P. Mitchell (1953) |
| Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare | Oveta Culp Hobby Marion B. Folsom (1955) Arthur S. Flemming (1958) |
| United States Events During His Administration | |
| States
Admitted Alaska (1959), Hawaii
(1959) Population in 1961 181,700,000 |
|
| 1953 | The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was created. |
| 1953 | Eisenhower proposed his "Atoms for Peace" plan. |
| 1953 | Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed as Russian spies. |
| 1953 | Senator Joseph R. McCarthy headed a Congressional search for communists in the government. |
| 1954 | The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. |
| 1955 | The American Federation of Labor (AFL) merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (ILO). |
| 1955 | A plant at Arco, Idaho, produced the first atomic-powered electricity for public use in America. |
| 1957 | Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce school integration. |
| 1958 | The first American space satellite, Explorer I, was launched. |
| 1958-1959 | U.S. airlines began jet passenger service. |
| 1961 | The United States ended diplomatic relations with Cuba. |
| World Events During His Administration | |
| Mar 5, 1953 | Premier Joseph Stalin of Russia died. |
| July 27, 1953 | The Korean War ended. |
| 1954 | Eight nations organized the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). |
| 1955 | Eisenhower held a "summit" conference at Geneva with leaders of France, Great Britain, and Russia. |
| 1955 | The polio vaccine developed by Jonas E. Salk was declared safe. |
| 1957 | Russia launched the first space satellite. |
| 1959 | Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba. |
| 1959 | The St. Lawrence Seaway was completed by the United States and Canada. |
Chicago
San Francisco
Richard M. Nixon
Hawaii
Explorer I