Dwight D. Eisenhower: Farewell Address (1961) Commentary by Scott A. G. M. Crawford, Eastern Illinois University

Impact

President Eisenhower's standing as a global figure in the days leading up to his Farewell Address was indicative of how his words would be received. The London Times, in an editorial of January 12, 1961, called him “the most friendly and agreeable of all American presidents” and highlighted his supreme achievement as maintaining peace with a management style based on tactical restraint while forming leadership decisions on information from relevant officials. “These are all aspects internal to his January 17 speech.”

The New York Times editorial responding to Eisenhower's address, entitled “Vigilance Urged,” focused on the necessity of American leaders—with Eisenhower passing the baton to Kennedy—to stand firm against Communism yet press for disarmament. Felix Belair, Jr., in this editorial, commented that Eisenhower's warning about the military-industrial complex “came as a surprise to many in the capital,” especially since “a more sentimental leave taking had been...