Ike at Columbia
In between the second world war and his presidency, Dwight D. Eisenhower served as President of Columbia University. He accepted the position in 1948, after having a difference of opinion with President Harry Truman about how best to deal with the Soviets. Ike believed that the Soviet Union did not want war and that friendly relations could be maintained. But in formulating policies regarding the atomic bomb as well as toward the Soviets Truman listened to the U.S. State Department and ignored Eisenhower.
While at Columbia. Eisenhower published his memoir, Crusade in Europe. It was critically regarded as one of the finest U.S. military memoirs, and it was a major financial success as well.
During Eisenhower's time as president of Columbia University, he formed the Council on Foreign Relations, a study group which addressed the political and military implications of the Marshall Plan. Eisenhower had a vision of a "great cultural center where business, professional and governmental leaders could meet from time to time to discuss and reach conclusions concerning problems of a social and political nature".
While at Columbia, Eisenhower learned lessons in small p politics. He had to prioritize wide-ranging educational, administrative, and financial demands for the university. Through his involvement in the Council on Foreign Relations, he also gained exposure to economic analysis, which would become the bedrock of his understanding in economic policy. One of his assistants said "whatever General Eisenhower knows about economics he has learned at the study group meetings."
Eisenhower told members of the search committee that he accepted the presidency of the university to expand his ability to promote "the American form of democracy" through education. He told them that his main purpose was "to promote the basic concepts of education in a democracy."
Eisenhower was called upon by the Department of Defense and other agencies for advice from time to time. This led to resentment and a reputation among the Columbia faculty and staff as an absentee president who was using the university for his own interests. The Columbia trustees refused to accept his resignation in December 1950, when he took leave from the university to become the Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and was given operational command of NATO forces in Europe. Eisenhower retired from active service on May 31, 1952, and resumed the university presidency, a position that he held until January 1953.
The contacts gained through university and American Assembly fund-raising activities would later become important supporters in Eisenhower's bid for the Republican party nomination and the presidency. Meanwhile, Columbia University's liberal faculty members became disenchanted with the university president's ties to oilmen and businessmen, including Leonard McCollum, president of Continental Oil; Frank Abrams, chairman of Standard Oil of New Jersey; Bob Kleberg, president of King Ranch; H. J. Porter, a Texas oil producer; Bob Woodruff, president of Coca-Cola; and Clarence Francis, General Foods chairman.
As president of Columbia University, Eisenhower gave voice and form to his opinions about the supremacy and difficulties of American democracy. His tenure was one of transformation from military to civilian leadership. His differences with the Columbia faculty contributed to sharp intellectual criticism of Eisenhower for many years.
While at Columbia. Eisenhower published his memoir, Crusade in Europe. It was critically regarded as one of the finest U.S. military memoirs, and it was a major financial success as well.
During Eisenhower's time as president of Columbia University, he formed the Council on Foreign Relations, a study group which addressed the political and military implications of the Marshall Plan. Eisenhower had a vision of a "great cultural center where business, professional and governmental leaders could meet from time to time to discuss and reach conclusions concerning problems of a social and political nature".
While at Columbia, Eisenhower learned lessons in small p politics. He had to prioritize wide-ranging educational, administrative, and financial demands for the university. Through his involvement in the Council on Foreign Relations, he also gained exposure to economic analysis, which would become the bedrock of his understanding in economic policy. One of his assistants said "whatever General Eisenhower knows about economics he has learned at the study group meetings."
Eisenhower told members of the search committee that he accepted the presidency of the university to expand his ability to promote "the American form of democracy" through education. He told them that his main purpose was "to promote the basic concepts of education in a democracy."
Eisenhower was called upon by the Department of Defense and other agencies for advice from time to time. This led to resentment and a reputation among the Columbia faculty and staff as an absentee president who was using the university for his own interests. The Columbia trustees refused to accept his resignation in December 1950, when he took leave from the university to become the Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and was given operational command of NATO forces in Europe. Eisenhower retired from active service on May 31, 1952, and resumed the university presidency, a position that he held until January 1953.
The contacts gained through university and American Assembly fund-raising activities would later become important supporters in Eisenhower's bid for the Republican party nomination and the presidency. Meanwhile, Columbia University's liberal faculty members became disenchanted with the university president's ties to oilmen and businessmen, including Leonard McCollum, president of Continental Oil; Frank Abrams, chairman of Standard Oil of New Jersey; Bob Kleberg, president of King Ranch; H. J. Porter, a Texas oil producer; Bob Woodruff, president of Coca-Cola; and Clarence Francis, General Foods chairman.
As president of Columbia University, Eisenhower gave voice and form to his opinions about the supremacy and difficulties of American democracy. His tenure was one of transformation from military to civilian leadership. His differences with the Columbia faculty contributed to sharp intellectual criticism of Eisenhower for many years.