Seventy-five years ago today, General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s order set in motion a massive ground, sea, and air invasion of Europe called Operation Overlord. As the Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces in WWII, he spearheaded the planning and eventual success of the invasion that would turn the tide of the war.
Eisenhower returned to civilian life after the war until conflict on the Korean Peninsula brought him back into uniform for a time. In 1952, Ike, as he would become known, turned to national politics and was eventually elected the 34th president of the United States.
President Eisenhower bought a Gettysburg farm in 1950, but his association with the town and battlefield actually began while he was a West Point cadet.
Today, Smart Talk takes a road trip to the Eisenhower National Historic Site and the home and farm of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Appearing on the Smart Talk to discuss the site and the D-Day anniversary are John Heiser, historian at Gettysburg National Military Park, Tim Lambert, WITF News director and D-Day story producer, Alyce Evans, National Park Service guide, and Michael Birkner, professor of history Gettysburg College.
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