That Pesky Eisenhower Speech

May 07, 2007

Reading nearly any right winged blog or listening to right winged talk radio, sooner or later a leftist will drop by and lay off what has become known today as Eisenhower’s Military Industrial Complex Speech. In actuality, it was his farewell address given on TV and radio on January 17, 1961.

The left seems to have suddenly grown fond of Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower as they lift a single sentence out of a much larger speech, insinuating Eisenhower supported their ani-war views.

What they quote:

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex."

It is typical that they rely on snippets posted somewhere instead of actually seeing just what else is in the same speech. From that same Farewell Address, we find:

"We now stand ten years past the midpoint of a century that has witnessed four major wars among great nations. Three of these involved our own country. Despite these holocausts America is today the strongest, the most influential and most productive nation in the world. Understandably proud of this pre-eminence, we yet realize that America's leadership and prestige depend, not merely upon our unmatched material progress, riches and military strength, but on how we use our power in the interests of world peace and human betterment."

*snip*

"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction."

"Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peacetime, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea."

"Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations."

Instead of speaking against wars, as insinuated by the leftists, he encourages balance in arms while recognizing the great responsibility America has as a Super Power and Guardian of Freedom, since at that time, Communism under the strong arm of the ever expanding Soviet Union was being held at bay.

Add to this the speech given just 3 days later by incoming Democratic President, John F. Kennedy, when he said in his Inaugural Address;

"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world."

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

"This much we pledge—and more."

A little further in the address, he stated, "We dare not tempt them [adversarial nations] with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed."

Further still, as we all have heard several times over the years, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

"My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Don’t let the left buffalo you with an out of context quote from Eisenhower. Recall what real leaders stand for. Compare that to today’s Democrat party leadership who declare the current war “already lost” while we still have brave men and women in uniform facing the most monstrous enemy we have ever had to face.

It is high time we invoke the words of another great President, also hated by the leftists, when he simply said, “We win, They Lose.”


Support our Troops and their mission and they will deliver for us all.

Lew