This edition of Biography, the long running documentary series from A&E, explores the life of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
From 1935-39 Eisenhower was an assistant to Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines. As World War II progressed, he continued to rise in rank and responsibilities and was assigned to command the allied forces during their invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. His talent for both strategic planning and staff coordination led him to be named supreme commander of the allied invasion of Normandy and he directed the campaign from D-Day to the surrender of Germany. By that time he had earned the army's highest rank, a five-star general. After commanding the U.S. occupation forces in Germany, he returned to the U.S.A. to serve as army chief of staff before retiring from active duty.
The Republicans drafted him as their presidential candidate in 1952. He won by a landslide over Adlai Stevenson and did the same in 1956 becoming the nations 34th president. During his time in office he established a truce in the Korean War in 1953. In 1956 he sent troops to restore order in racially troubled Little Rock, Arkansas.
