DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER AT THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE, 1927-1928

Abstract

Abstract : The Army War College in late 1920s was a pleasant, contemplative assignment for senior professionals of that generation. Then located beside gently lapping waters of Potomac River on Greenleaf's Point (now Buzzard Point) in downtown Washington, neo-classical building provided requisite setting in an era of peace for Army's senior educational institution. To anyone subjected to pressures at Leavenworth [the Command and General Staff College], concluded one recent analyst, the War College seemed by contrast to be pleasurably contrived for a leisurely respite. It was into such a halcyon atmosphere that young Major Dwight David Eisenhower entered with academic class of 1927-1928. Major Eisenhower had just finished an instructive with Battle Monuments Commission, surveying and preparing a guidebook on battlefields of World War I. He was scarcely two years out of Command and General Staff course, a young officer who enjoyed respect of General of Army John J. Pershing. Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, lived across town at Wyoming Apartments, a fashionable older building located on upper Connecticut Avenue not far from Rock Creek Park. There evenings were filled with old friends, now also in attendance at War College--friends like Gee Gerow and Wade Haislip, both of whom had also served in 19th Infantry at Fort Sam Houston, and Everett Hughes, one of Eisenhower's instructors at Leavenworth. Before onset of wet Washington winter, another former mentor and new Commandant of War College, Major General William D. Fox Connor, joined group adding distinction and intellectual prestige to environment of Eisenhower's year at War College.