Ike as general= 9
Ike as POTUS=4
a reminder that great military leaders don’t always make good presidents
Eisenhower was not a great military leader. Eisenhower was a political general. He had literally no combat experience when he was promoted rapidly in the beginning of WWII. His brother Milton was a high level official in the FDR Administration and Eisenhower was able to play the political game.
His decisions during WWII were not great. The invasion of North Africa was a disaster until a peace with the French defenders were negotiated by others. American troops under Eisenhower’s command were decisively defeated at the Kasserine Pass.
Patton saved the Sicilian campaign from poor planning. Eisenhower and others refused to get the surrender of the Italian government after Mussilini was overthrown. The new Italian government wanted to surrender but Eisenhower refused to move quickly allowing the Germans to take over and necessitating a costly Italian campaign. After Patton was relieved the disaster at Salerno was the last battle of Eisenhower’s command in Italy.
The Normandy invasion was largely planned by the British staff. Eisenhower did oversee it and he was a good administrator.
After the invasion, allied troops were being beaten in Normandy and had heavy casualties. Patton rescued the Allies and commanded the move across France.
The German army was surrounded and trapped at Falais but poor planning allowed them to escape and fight again.
The inability to prioritize the capture and opening of the Port of Antwerp caused shortages of supplies, particularly gasoline. The Germans were defeated and ready to surrender in late 1944 but Eisenhower wasted resources on the Operation Market Garden disaster dramatized in “A Bridge Too Far”.
American Air and material superiority was decisive. By late 1944 the German Army was close to starvation and desperately short of men and material.
The German winter offensive caught Allied Command totally unaware. Patton again saved the Allies with his quick response at Bastogne.
In early 1945 the Allies could have easily captured Berlin and ended the war sooner. Eisenhower could have easily gotten the entire German Army in the west to surrrender.
Patton, who unlike Eisenhower, had combat experience in WWI stated that General Pershing was a far more capable commander than Eisenhower.
That being said, Eisenhower, for all his shortcomings was infinitely better than Obama. There is no comparison. Obama is a total disaster.
Ike as general= 9
Ike as POTUS=4
*******************************
I liked that Ike implemented “Operation Wetback” to deport about 5 million illegals, to provide jobs for returning vets after WWII. Ike also was the impetus for the USA Interstate Highway system. Where would we be today without the Interstates connecting everyone and the transport of goods across this country?
I only give him a failing grade for pushing for the formation of the United Nations. It may have seemed like a good thing after the war, but it has long out-lived its usefullness and needs to be dismantled!
If we EVER get a sentient President and a Conservative Legislature, they should move to stop all payments to the UN, tell the UN they have to move out of America and ignore all the ridiculous edicts the UN espouses!
Sorry for the little rant. I HATE the UN!