Papers Shed Light On Eisenhower's Farewell Address

[unhappycamper]

Papers Shed Light On Eisenhower's Farewell Address
by The Associated Press
ABILENE, Kan. December 10, 2010, 03:15 am ET

Newly discovered documents from a cabin owned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower's speechwriter are shedding more light on the evolution of the former general's historic farewell address nearly 50 years ago, and his fears that America's burgeoning military prowess was driving its foreign policy.

The documents, portions of which appeared on the Eisenhower Presidential Library's research website before their public unveiling Friday, are expected to shed more light on the origins of the term "military-industrial complex" — phrasing used by Eisenhower in the speech to warn against unbridled military development. The phrase began as "war-based" industrial complex before becoming "military" in later drafts.

~snip~

"The direct result of this continued high level of defense expenditures has been to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions, where none had existed before," he wrote in the passage, a variation of which reached the delivered speech on Jan. 17, 1961.

Eisenhower biographer David Nichols noted that while the speech is known for the phrase "military-industrial complex," the president had warned about military growth and the Cold War threats throughout his presidency.

"He was always talking about the Cold War and the threat to American values and the danger that America would become a garrison state," Nichols said. "The military wanted a lot more than he was willing to give them. It frustrated the Army. He thought about it all the time."

[leveymg]

1. To a large extent, we need to thank Ike that the world survived the '50s.

Nikita, too.

Had others with lesser personal and professional understandings of the terrible consequences of war been in control at the time, human civilization might have come to an abrupt end.

Thank you, both.

One has to worry about the current generation of leaders, who may not have so fully-developed an understanding.

[madrchsod]

2. we have never experienced the devastation of world war two

it is easy to wage war if it never touches your home.

[leveymg]

3. That's why there have been so many wars during our lives.

Unending, merciless conflict always far away, destroying the homes of someone else. No wonder the world doesn't hate us more - there is mercy, and a bit of pity for what we might have been, but have not; if only we had truly chosen a more constructive path of love and peace.

We would eliminate misery, not create it, and together become the great voyaging people we have always had within us, rather than being small, afraid and alone.

[Heidi]

4. Recommended.

:kick:

[Supersedeas]

6. Seconded

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. I watched a History channel youtube show on the Atomic Plane

during the 50s


As a Side note to Eisenhower and the military industrial complex



Which was a billion dollar boondoggle for defense contractors and the nuclear industry. The CIA and Military said the Soviets had one which they didn't which came out after it fell.

Eisenhower wanted to scrap it but it took JFK to scrap it

You can watch it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb7uZQ1_n4w

[Poboy]

7. Recommend