They believed if tanks were fast and reliable and had more firepower, they could be used collectively for surprise attacks, to break down defenses quickly, and spread confusion and fear within the enemy ranks. The two of them spent about a year working through their theories. They learned what made tanks work by taking one apart completely and then putting it back together and, to their surprise, there were no parts leftover. They conducted field experiments by simulating battles, using the terrain to conceal and then surprise the imaginary enemy.
Eisenhower's Leadership: Executive Lessons from West Point to the White House by Brian W. Clark
One day they were working through an attack problem with a tank in a deep, muddy ditch. As the tank strained to come up the side of the ravine, a cable broke, whipping past both their heads at the speed of a bullet, missing both of them by about six inches. We were certainly no more than five or six inches from sudden death.
Another time they were testing how long the tank gun could fire before it lost its accuracy, caused by the barrel of the gun getting too hot. As they got out of the tank to have a look at the target, the gun started shooting on its own. They scrambled to safety and jammed the gun so it would stop. Embarrassed, they decided they had better not press their luck— they had taken their field experiments about as far as they could. They analyzed military problems, modifying the tactics, and in every scenario where tanks were included, the battle was won.
Executive Lessons from West Point to the White House
They were evangelists, and they worked on converting others. These ideas were creative, innovative, and extremely compelling. Farnsworth, the chief of the infantry, was not happy. Patton got the same message. It seemed obvious to them that this was the future.
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They continued to drill at the camp, setting up teams and scenarios to sharpen their battle skills. They were right about using the tank as a fierce and adaptable weapon, as the Germans proved during the Blitzkriegs of World War II. On a crisp autumn day at West Point as Eisenhower was walking to one of his third year classes he collided with a plebe who was running to carry out an order. Dungard, what is your previous condition of servitude? You look like a barber. I managed to make a man ashamed of the work he did to earn a living.
To get respect, you must give respect. Respect and gratitude towards those who guide and follow you is also a trait among the greatest leaders.
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As rumors swirled regarding who would be appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force for the invasion of Europe, Eisenhower was simply grateful to be in his existing role. Eisenhower also had deep respect for the American citizen soldier. He enjoyed his assignments to train the troops, and as a commander he went to visit them as often as possible.
Because of his initiative and resourcefulness, his adaptability to change and his readiness to resort to expedient, he becomes, when he has attained a proficiency in all the normal techniques of battle, a most formidable soldier. Yet even he has his limits; the preservation of his individual and collective strength is one of the greatest responsibilities of leadership.
Eisenhower, processed booklet, , p. Perhaps the most important relationship Eisenhower had during his military career was with his troops. Eisenhower practiced leadsership by walking around long before it was a trendy management term. He would make many trips to visit the troops, which always lifted his spirits. His easy-going style would allow him to socialize with the men in an informal manner, and he was able to converse with many of the soldiers as they discussed their lives back home and winning the war. Eisenhower sincerely enjoyed being with his troops. It always seems to me that the closer to the front the better the morale and the less grumbling.
Eisenhower felt he had a special relationship with his troops. Despite numerous informal visits to the field, he always had something new to say to the men — he rarely repeated himself. He had an easy ability to communicate with any soldier, and an intuitive ability to ask just the right questions to create immediate trust and respect, regardless of what they did in the service or civilian life. Final rehearsals were held in late April and early May [of ] in the south of England.
Activities included the concentration, marshaling, and embarkation of troops, a short movement by water, disembarkation, variation with naval and air support, each assault using service ammunition, the securing of a beachhead, and a rapid advance inland. An army fearful of its officers is never as good as one that trusts and confides in its leaders.
One afternoon Eisenhower visited with several hundred Infantrymen on the front. He was standing with them on a muddy hillside and when he turned to leave his legs flipped right out from under him and he fell flat on his back. In this role Eisenhower reported to the President, and was responsible for the all strategic and tactical operations of the Army.
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He lives in Manhattan with his wife Lika. Trivia About Eisenhower's Lead Unlike many military men of the past, he understood the need to prepare to fight the next war, not the last one.
The game had changed the moment the Soviets tested their first atomic bomb in It was also necessary to conduct a horizontal analysis — a strategic look across all the services to optimize the allocation and deployment of forces at home and around the world. As he expected, Eisenhower received pushback from many quarters, from the Army, the Navy, from Congress on the closing of bases, and even within his own administration.
Eisenhower's Leadership: Executive Lessons from West Point to the White House
When his Secretary of State John Dulles protested that the priority for a balanced budget would put the country at risk Eisenhower disagreed, once again telling his cabinet that security required a sound economy, which required a balanced budget. For the rest of his Presidency, Eisenhower stood firm against pressure from the Pentagon, Congress and others to increase defense spending in his goal to achieve the balanced budgets required for a sound economy.
In three of his eight years in office, Eisenhower managed to deliver a small budget surplus , , The country did go through two recessions during his administration, one he inherited in , and the other in But overall, the economy thrived under his leadership. America had the strongest economy in the world in the s. Business and manufacturing thrived, with exports at all time highs, and U. On a Sunday afternoon in the fall of , the George Patton and his wife invited the Eisenhowers over for dinner. George Patton also invited another guest, Brigadier General Fox Conner, an expert in military strategy and administration.
Conner was an intellectual and an avid student of military history and operations and well respected throughout the military — Pershing believed him to be indispensable.
After dinner, Patton and Eisenhower took Conner for a tour of the base, and discussed how tanks would influence the future of warfare. They conversed into the night with Conner taking a keen interest, questioning them intensely about their ideas about using tanks in war. Conner was impressed with Eisenhower, and when he received command of an infantry in Panama he asked Eisenhower to join him as his executive officer. Conner believed that the lessons of the past could be applied to the future, and he was a shrewd judge of talent.