General Eisenhower was elected as a coda to the war, and a hope for new beginnings.
And, perhaps he lived up to both.
But he carried baggage, and a view that surprised quite a few.
1. Let's begin at the middle....and, later, head back to the war years.
Eisenhower was a product of his times, malleable as most are, and the crucible of his times was Franklin Roosevelt. For whatever the reasons, Roosevelt was a devotee of Stalin and the Soviets, and his administration was thoroughly infused with Soviet spies and sympathizers.
Based on the above, and one's natural inclinations where his career was involved....what should one expect?
a. But, unfortunately, the same pressures were exerted on large segments of the American population.
"Back in the 1930s, American liberals excused the communists of the Soviet Union as being simply Liberals in a Hurry.
Doug Ross spots a Timesperson visiting North Korea, retching at the horror before her and quips, New York Times visits North Korea, unintentionally reveals the endgame of the Democrats unchecked authoritarian agenda. Ed Driscoll » When ?Liberals in a Hurry? Reach the Endzone
Then, just as now.
b. Here is a view from the top:
"As Hitler marched into Poland, [Soviet agent] Whittaker Chambers arranged a private meeting with Adolf Berle, President Roosevelts assistant Secy of State. Chambers detailed the Communist espionage network, naming at least two dozen Soviet spies in Roosevelts administration, including Alger Hiss. Berle reported this to Roosevelt, who laughed, and told Berle to go f--- himself."
(Arthur Herman, "Joseph McCarthy: Reexaming the Life and Legacy of Americas Most Hated Senator," p. 60)
No action was taken, and in fact, Roosevelt promoted Hiss.
Remember, FDR was Eisenhower's boss.
c. How about Truman?
President Truman denounced the Hiss investigation as a red herring by do-nothing Republicans (Whitaker Chambers, Witness, p. 564-74)
Felix Frankfurter and Adlai Stevenson offered to be character witnesses for Hiss.
Such were the times.....not very different from these times.
2. Eisenhower become President on January 20, 1953. Understanding the free rein communists had in the times doesn't mean that many weren't aware of the danger posed by the communists, as many are today.
On August 24, 1953, Senator Jenner's eight-member judiciary subcommittee on internal security issued a unanimous report declaring that the penetration of the United States government by the Soviet international organization "has not been fully disclosed....
Policies and programs laid down by members of this Soviet conspiracy are still in effect within our government and constitute a continuing hazard to our national security."
And...have been largely successful in subverting America....it has been "fundamentally transformed" from what the 'greatest generation' fought for.
3. The communist penetration of the government occurred in the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, but policies and programs laid down by the Soviet conspiracy were still in effect after the Eisenhower administration had been in office seven months, according to the unanimous report of eight senators...
... there were indications that the Eisenhower administration would be little more diligent than its predecessors in exposing and eliminating the Soviet conspirators still remaining in the government.
Is that what was expected from his election?
Much of the above is based on Chesly Manly's "The Twenty Year Revolution."
It should be read by those who want to understand what went wrong, and how we got to today.
And, perhaps he lived up to both.
But he carried baggage, and a view that surprised quite a few.
1. Let's begin at the middle....and, later, head back to the war years.
Eisenhower was a product of his times, malleable as most are, and the crucible of his times was Franklin Roosevelt. For whatever the reasons, Roosevelt was a devotee of Stalin and the Soviets, and his administration was thoroughly infused with Soviet spies and sympathizers.
Based on the above, and one's natural inclinations where his career was involved....what should one expect?
a. But, unfortunately, the same pressures were exerted on large segments of the American population.
"Back in the 1930s, American liberals excused the communists of the Soviet Union as being simply Liberals in a Hurry.
Doug Ross spots a Timesperson visiting North Korea, retching at the horror before her and quips, New York Times visits North Korea, unintentionally reveals the endgame of the Democrats unchecked authoritarian agenda. Ed Driscoll » When ?Liberals in a Hurry? Reach the Endzone
Then, just as now.
b. Here is a view from the top:
"As Hitler marched into Poland, [Soviet agent] Whittaker Chambers arranged a private meeting with Adolf Berle, President Roosevelts assistant Secy of State. Chambers detailed the Communist espionage network, naming at least two dozen Soviet spies in Roosevelts administration, including Alger Hiss. Berle reported this to Roosevelt, who laughed, and told Berle to go f--- himself."
(Arthur Herman, "Joseph McCarthy: Reexaming the Life and Legacy of Americas Most Hated Senator," p. 60)
No action was taken, and in fact, Roosevelt promoted Hiss.
Remember, FDR was Eisenhower's boss.
c. How about Truman?
President Truman denounced the Hiss investigation as a red herring by do-nothing Republicans (Whitaker Chambers, Witness, p. 564-74)
Felix Frankfurter and Adlai Stevenson offered to be character witnesses for Hiss.
Such were the times.....not very different from these times.
2. Eisenhower become President on January 20, 1953. Understanding the free rein communists had in the times doesn't mean that many weren't aware of the danger posed by the communists, as many are today.
On August 24, 1953, Senator Jenner's eight-member judiciary subcommittee on internal security issued a unanimous report declaring that the penetration of the United States government by the Soviet international organization "has not been fully disclosed....
Policies and programs laid down by members of this Soviet conspiracy are still in effect within our government and constitute a continuing hazard to our national security."
And...have been largely successful in subverting America....it has been "fundamentally transformed" from what the 'greatest generation' fought for.
3. The communist penetration of the government occurred in the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, but policies and programs laid down by the Soviet conspiracy were still in effect after the Eisenhower administration had been in office seven months, according to the unanimous report of eight senators...
... there were indications that the Eisenhower administration would be little more diligent than its predecessors in exposing and eliminating the Soviet conspirators still remaining in the government.
Is that what was expected from his election?
Much of the above is based on Chesly Manly's "The Twenty Year Revolution."
It should be read by those who want to understand what went wrong, and how we got to today.
