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General Eisenhower was
hugely popular as a military hero before his
election |
1952: Landslide victory for
Eisenhower |
England have
General Dwight D Eisenhower has swept to victory in the American
presidential elections with the largest number of popular votes ever
recorded for a presidential candidate.
The new president-elect gained 31,552,768 popular votes and has won, or
is leading, in 38 states. This gives him 431 electoral college votes,
significantly more than the 266 he needed for a majority.
The results suggest that many of the Southern states, traditionally
Democrat, have swung to the Republicans for the first time in 35 years.
General Eisenhower's rival, Democrat Adlai E Stevenson, won 25,409,335
votes, securing 10 states and 100 electoral college votes.
The results come after months of one of the hardest-fought campaigns
ever.
General Eisenhower's popularity among the American people as a military
hero, having commanded his country's troops through Europe during World
War II, has now been translated into votes.
During the run-up to polling day commentators had predicted a much
closer-run battle than it turned out to be.
In a victory speech, delivered in the Ballroom of the Commodore Hotel
in New York, the president-elect said to the American people: "I recognise
clearly the weight of the responsibilities that you have placed upon me
and I assure you that I shall never in my service in Washington give short
weight to those responsibilities."
President Truman, who will not officially hand over to General
Eisenhower until January next year, sent a telegram congratulating the
incoming president on his "overwhelming victory."
He has invited General Eisenhower to the White House for talks on the
transition process.
Defeated Governor Stevenson also issued a statement: "The people have
rendered their verdict, and I gladly accept it. General Eisenhower has
been a great leader in war. He has been a vigorous and valiant opponent in
the campaign.
"These qualities will now be dedicated to leading us all through the
next four years."
One of General Eisenhower's biggest challenges as president will be to
deal with foreign policy, most notably the civil war in Korea.
During the election campaign he promised to visit the war-torn country
and now plans to do that within the next ten days.
Dwight D Eisenhower grew up on a farm in Abilene, Kansas with his six
brothers. His education was rudimentary .
He worked his way up the ranks of the US army during a 40-year military
career which culminated in his appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(Nato).