Dwight D Eisenhower - Indian Wells, CA - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

The sculpture is in front of the city hall in Indian Wells. Eisenhower is wearing a military uniform with his right hand lifted and saluting. A plaque nearby reads:

"Supreme Allied Commander, World War II
34th President of The United States


In December, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with the approval of Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, promoted General Eisenhower to Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe. The General's sole purpose was to plan and direct the invasion of Europe at Normandy, and push German military forces back into the City of Berlin for defeat by Allied Forces.

Eisenhower's ability to make independent and tough decisions as Commander of American Troops in European Theater, leading the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Italy to victory, and his proven talent for consensus-building among all American, British, Canadian and French Armed Forces were the decisive factors in his promotion. "My overriding concern is to bring conflicting nationalistic impulses into one irresistible drive to victory." Eisenhower said upon accepting his promotion.

On June 6, 1944, "Overlord," the largest air and sea invasion in world history, began. In less than a month, over one million invading Allied Forces had landed on the French Beaches of Normandy to begin the campaign to liberate France. Upon completing the Normandy landing,

Eisenhower broadcasted to Frenchmen. "This landing is but the opening phase of the campaign in Western Europe. Great battles lie ahead. I call upon all who love freedom to stand with us now." Six months later in December, 1944, Eisenhower received his fifth star - General of the Army.

These great historic battles were Battle of the Bulge in Ardennes, the battle in Rhineland and, finally the Berlin Battle. Over 4,000,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen were under the command of General Eisenhower by the end of the war.

After Germany officially signed an "unconditional" surrender at Reims, France, several members of Eisenhower's staff prepared their own illustrious announcements of the war's end. However, when it came time to make the broadcast, Eisenhower simply stated, "The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241 local time, May 7, 1945.”

Eisenhower continued to serve his country after the war as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army beginning in 1945, and as Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in 1950, before becoming the 34th President of the United States in 1953. Eisenhower served two terms, a total of eight years, before retiring to civilian life. During his presidency, he negotiated the Korean Armistice with China, established Southeast Asia Treaty Organization to keep U.S. troops out of Southeast Asia and to ward off Chinese aggression against Taiwan, and continued attempts to establish a test ban treaty with Russia.

Reflecting on his retirement, Eisenhower said, "I want to go to some peaceful place, some private place, where I can sit beside a lazy stream and have a lazy hook for fish." He found that lazy stream, and also found a home in a quiet small community where he could relax, play golf in warm winter sun and meet with world leaders, including John F. Kennedy. That quiet small community became the City of Indian Wells in 1967."

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