The Life of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Finding a Sequence
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
Dwight D. Eisenhower was an important American leader and became a five star general in one of the major wars of the 20th century. Which war war did he serve in?To learn about some of the main events in Eisenhower's life, place the photographs below in chronological order. If you need help, click on "Show Hints."
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Worksheet
The Life of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Finding a Sequence
Examine the documents in this activity. Put the corresponding document numbers in order using the list below. Write your conclusion response in the space provided.1
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Hints for this Activity
- Eisenhower grew up in Abilene, Kansas and enjoyed the outdoors and playing sports with his brothers and friends.
- After graduating from the Military Academy at West Point, Eisenhower served and volunteered to be part of an Army convoy that traveled across the country along U.S. Highway 30 to study how long it would take to transport military equipment from coast to coast.
- During World War II, Eisenhower was appointed Supreme Allied Commander in charge of Operation Overlord, which was the invasion of Normandy, also known as the D-Day invasion.
- Eisenhower became a five-star general during World War II. His leadership helped secure an Allied victory.
- Eisenhower served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953-1961.
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General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, accompanied by General Omar N. Bradley, and Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., inspects art treasures stolen by Germans and hidden in sal
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Photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower Delivering a Speech on Fear
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Photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Giving the Order of the Day
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Photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Conclusion
The Life of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Finding a Sequence
What war did Eisenhower serve in prior to becoming President?To learn more about the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower visit the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home and the Eisenhower National Historic Site.
Your Response
Document
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, accompanied by General Omar N. Bradley, and Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., inspects art treasures stolen by Germans and hidden in sal
4/12/1945
This photograph shows General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, accompanied by General Omar N. Bradley, and Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., inspecting art treasures stolen by Germans and hidden in a salt mine in Germany.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
National Archives Identifier: 531272
Full Citation: Photograph 111-SC-204516; General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, accompanied by General Omar N. Bradley, and Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., inspects art treasures stolen by Germans and hidden in sal; 4/12/1945; Photographs of American Military Activities, ca. 1918 - ca. 1981; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, ; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/inspect-art-treasures, April 25, 2024]General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, accompanied by General Omar N. Bradley, and Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., inspects art treasures stolen by Germans and hidden in sal
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Document
Photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Giving the Order of the Day
6/5/1944
This photograph shows General Dwight D. Eisenhower giving the order of the day – "Full victory-nothing else" – to paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division in England. Eisenhower visited them on the eve of the Normandy invasion, moments before they boarded airplanes to participate in the first assault of occupied France on D-Day.
The paratrooper with the number 23 around his neck, 1st Lt. Wallace Strobel, recalled that the two discussed fishing. Strobel felt that besides encouraging the troops, Eisenhower wanted reassurance about his decision to commit the men to battle, and he got it.
The paratrooper with the number 23 around his neck, 1st Lt. Wallace Strobel, recalled that the two discussed fishing. Strobel felt that besides encouraging the troops, Eisenhower wanted reassurance about his decision to commit the men to battle, and he got it.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
National Archives Identifier: 531217
Full Citation: Photograph "War and Conflict" 1040; Photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Giving the Order of the Day; 6/5/1944; Photographs of American Military Activities, ca. 1918 - ca. 1981; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, ; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/photograph-general-eisenhower-order-day, April 25, 2024]Photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Giving the Order of the Day
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Document
Photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower
1907
This is a photograph of Dwight Eisenhower (front center) on a camping trip on the Smoky Hill River in the vicinity of Abilene, Kansas.
Additional details from our exhibits and publications
Future president Dwight D. Eisenhower and his pals were photographed while camping along the Smoky Hill River near Abilene, Kansas, about 1908. Eisenhower, who was 17 years old when this photograph was taken, lived in Abilene, and attended Abilene High School. In 1911, Eisenhower began his military career by entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.
This primary source comes from the Still Photograph Collection.
National Archives Identifier: 594339
Full Citation: Photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower; 1907; Numerical Photographs, 1962 - ca. 1979; Still Photograph Collection, ; Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Abilene, KS. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/1-photograph-of-dwight-d-eisenhower, April 25, 2024]Photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Document
Photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower
1919
This is a photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower standing in front of a tank at Fort Meade, Maryland. Eisenhower, a 28-year-old officer grown bored with his peacetime posting at Fort Meade, was one of the army observers on a 1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy that toured the country along the Lincoln Highway, from Washington, DC, to San Francisco, California.
The U.S. War Department had wanted to know if the country’s roads could handle long-distance emergency movements of motorized army units across the nation, since vehicles had played a vital role in World War I. As a test, the convoy of 80 military vehicles and 280 officers and enlisted personnel set out for California from Washington, DC, on July 7, 1919.
In the manner of the wilderness scouts of the 19th century, army personnel — mounting Harley-Davidsons instead of horses — ran ahead of the convoy to check out the conditions that lay just ahead. The vehicles broke down; got stuck in dust, quicksand, and mud; and sank when roads and bridges collapsed.
After 62 days, the convoy reached San Francisco. It had covered 3,251 miles, averaging 58 miles a day at an average speed of 6 miles an hour. The official report of the War Department, chronicling the 230 motor accidents of the convoy, concluded that the existing roads in the United States were "absolutely incapable of meeting the present day traffic requirements."
The experience, which Eisenhower later described as "a genuine adventure" left a lifelong impression on him. When President 37 years later, he signed into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, funding the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways which established more than 41,000 miles of superhighway.
The U.S. War Department had wanted to know if the country’s roads could handle long-distance emergency movements of motorized army units across the nation, since vehicles had played a vital role in World War I. As a test, the convoy of 80 military vehicles and 280 officers and enlisted personnel set out for California from Washington, DC, on July 7, 1919.
In the manner of the wilderness scouts of the 19th century, army personnel — mounting Harley-Davidsons instead of horses — ran ahead of the convoy to check out the conditions that lay just ahead. The vehicles broke down; got stuck in dust, quicksand, and mud; and sank when roads and bridges collapsed.
After 62 days, the convoy reached San Francisco. It had covered 3,251 miles, averaging 58 miles a day at an average speed of 6 miles an hour. The official report of the War Department, chronicling the 230 motor accidents of the convoy, concluded that the existing roads in the United States were "absolutely incapable of meeting the present day traffic requirements."
The experience, which Eisenhower later described as "a genuine adventure" left a lifelong impression on him. When President 37 years later, he signed into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, funding the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways which established more than 41,000 miles of superhighway.
This primary source comes from the Collection DDE-1038: Still Photograph Collection.
National Archives Identifier: 876971
Full Citation: Photograph 62-286-2; Photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower; 1919; Numerical Photographs, 1962 - ca. 1979; Collection DDE-1038: Still Photograph Collection, ; Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Abilene, KS. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/lieutenant-colonel-eisenhower, April 25, 2024]Photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Document
Photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower Delivering a Speech on Fear
4/5/1954
This is a black and white photograph of President Dwight D. Eisenhower giving a speech on "Fear". Eisenhower is shown from the waist up with his arms crossed; his expression is serious.
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Park Service.
National Archives Identifier: 12090412
Full Citation: Photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower Delivering a Speech on Fear; 4/5/1954; Records of the National Park Service, . [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/photo-of-president-dwight-d-eisenhower-delivering-a-speech-on-fear, April 25, 2024]Photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower Delivering a Speech on Fear
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