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Eisenhower -- pictured here with 11 other
U.S. Army generals in Verviers, Belgium on his birthday -- learned
during World War II the value of a strong military. From left,
front row: Lt. Gen. George Patton, Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley, Eisenhower,
Lt. Gen. Courtney Hodges; second row, Maj. Gen. William B. Keen,
Maj. Gen. Charles H. Corlett, maj. Gen. Joseph Lawton Collins,
Maj. Gen. Leonard P. Gerow, Maj. Gen. Elwood Quesada; back row,
Maj. Gen. Leven C. Allen, Brig. Gen. Charles C. Hart. (U.S. Army
photo)
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Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
As President, Former Army Commander Used Military Strength To Keep The Peace
By Bethanne Kelly Patrick
Military.com Contributing Writer
On July 15, 1958, 1,800 Marines from the Sixth Fleet landed on a beach in Lebanon amid bikini-clad sunbathers, villagers on horseback, and soft-drink vendors. In a G-3 position paper, U.S. Department of Defense historian Jack Shulimson describes Lebanese youths clamoring to help the Marines with their heavy equipment as the civilian observers waved and cheered. It was definitely one of the most colorful Marine landings ever effected, and completely unexpected. As one Marine said, "It's better than Korea, but what the hell is it?"
"It" was an attempt by one of American history's most impressive figures to come to terms with his deep belief in peace and his confidence in the U.S. military's ability to police the world. President Dwight David Eisenhower, the former general of the Army, while serving his second term as chief executive ordered the Marines into Lebanon because of that country's civil unrest and foreign policy difficulties.
As supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in World War II, Eisenhower commanded the most powerful force ever assembled under one man. He is the only man who has ever successfully commanded an integrated, multinational alliance of ground, sea, and air forces. Yet this military experience did not always translate well to the presidential stage. "Ike" was famous for being moderate and down-to-earth, qualities that sometimes led to policy confusion.
However, there was little confusion for Eisenhower when it came to his motives for sending in troops. On the same day the troops landed in Lebanon, the State Department announced they would be there only until the United Nations could "take the steps necessary to protect the independence and political integrity of Lebanon," as the country's President Chamoun ended his eight-year term. In his final speech as president, Eisenhower emphasized that America's leadership depended on "how we use our power in the interest of world peace and human betterment."
Eisenhower rarely boasted, notes historian Stephen Ambrose, yet he once summed up his presidency in these words: "The United States never lost a soldier or a foot of ground in my administration. We kept the peace. People asked how it happened -- by God, it didn't just happen, I'll tell you that."
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