During world war ii, he served as supreme allied commander, the brilliant military standard just who defeated the military strategist who defeated the naz is. He treated new strategies to fight against communism. As president , he took strong stands to ensure equality and opportunity for americans of all races, genders and reads creeds. Live and many of the agencies they came being under Dwight Eisenhower surrounded this site, which will now be known as eisenhower square. There are many people here today who we want to recognize who played a role in making the special day a reality. I want to recognize labor transportation secretary. We are delighted to have several members from both sides of the aisle. Kaptur, rob bishop, darrell issa, mike gallagher, mark on the day, greg f these, kevin yoder, and betty mccollum. And from the gate state great are happy toas, we honor sam brownback. It is a special honor to have of the several members diplomatic corps, representing some of the countrys allies with United States during and after world war ii. The ambassador from france. And joseph chang. Theant to recognize executive director of the commission. Emorial the general and his team have worked tirelessly to ensure the vision of the memorial to Dwight David Eisenhower has become a reality, playing a significant role and making the state happen. Thank you to him and his team for all the hard work and the leadership. [applause] congressman Mike Thompson represents the Fifth District of california, which includes all of and parts of sonoma, contra costa, and areas recently devastated tragically by those wildfires. Congressman thompson served as a platoon leader in vietnam, a strong advocate or our nations veterans, he cochaired a veterans caucus and is an advocate of the eisenhower memorial in congress. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome congressman Mike Thompson. [applause] thank you, greta. It is a pleasure to be here. Its great to finally be able to see the finish line. To introduce you to some of the people who melt who helped make this happen. My fellow commissioners, Sanford Bishop from georgia, [applause] representative mike simpson of idaho. [applause] representative Mac Thornberry of texas. [applause] senator thad cochran of mississippi. [applause] senator gary peters of michigan [applause] senator joe manchin of west virginia. [applause] and of course, our great friend and later, chairman pat roberts of kansas. [cheers and applause] with us today we also have two president ial appointed commissioners. Susan banes harris and our first hugh dog and alfred leg. [applause] when a commission has been in business as long as this one, we have some who are no longers irving for sadly no longer no longer serving or sadly no longer with us. Order and Kathy Stevens are here. [applause] thank you for joining us. This is a special moment today for many of us. We are honored to be joined by the eisenhower family. Wolfgang, david, adriana, and nicolas. [applause] we also have some impressive brass with us today. General px kelley, former commandant of the marine corps and cochair of the advisory committee. [applause] representing the uss eisenhower, captain craig stickeola. Stephenadier general giland, representing the United States military academy at west point. [applause] building a memorial takes a lot of resources. We have great help in that area. I would like to introduce former Senate Majority leader tom daschle, the cochairman of the finance committee. [applause] we are very honored to have with us four veterans. Lets give them a big hand. [applause] it takes a team to move a project like this along. You have met our elected officials, the eisenhower family and the fundraisers. But the people with the real hard jobs are the ones who have to take the legacy of this Great American and translated into a Memorial Park in a nations capital. Where fortunate to have the worldrenowned frank gehry leading an incredible design team. [applause] frank, you and your team have created a masterpiece that will be visited by millions of americans and from around the world for centuries to come. We are incredibly thankful. You have a fantastic team. Bringing e was the sculptor who is bringing eisenhower to life in bronze. [applause] the artist and engineer who will be creating a one of a kind mental tapestry, also a fellow californian, thomas osinski. [applause] ask the team from ge hry partners to stand and their joint partner. Please stand and give them a hand. [applause] now, if you will please turn your attention to the screen behind me for the video honoring ike. To all be ready for our country. Be willing individually and as a nation to accept whatever sacrifices may be read wired of us the required of us. We have heroes in america. Lane dan, washington, look at the great statues and monuments in washington. Dwight eisenhower was a nonpartisan here in america. As a military leader and the president and a simpson deeply dedicated to and a citizen deeply dedicated to democracy, the eisenhower memorial will honor his legacy as the Supreme Commander of allied forces in europe during world war ii and as the 34th president of the United States. , itn order to do something has to have some gravitas, a borderline work of art is something. The story will be pretty powerful. We will use these blocks and carve these things and to those and give it some dignity for a memorial to such a great man. A person who was never going to give up. He made the world a better place for all of us. Eisenhower, who after he left kansas, was in the military his whole life. Invasion, camey out a fivestar general, became president of columbia, later went back to supreme allied leader of nato. One thing i always liked about eisenhower is seen never try to be too flowery. Position. Xplained his here is what i believe. Here is what im going to do. And heres why. He made a license to me. Us in the 21st century as fundamentally in the 20th century, our security is dependent on bridges. His entire career was the building of coalitions within the u. S. Army, within the allied structure in the second world war. And i would argue the absolute ability toof his create bridges was the work he did in bringing nato to life. Think, in the, i military today, we draw its creation from general eisenhower. The became president eisenhower, but we cherish him for his role as an active officer in the military. Generation,at that you look at those men and women who fought in world war ii, those who had given her life in normandy and elsewhere for our generation, they are the generation who lived those values that we aspire to today. Some very tough times and some very difficult circumstances. When leadership is needed the most, they answer the call our they answered our call for duty. Models fore role kids today. They are the shoulders on the market gets now stand. Cadets now stand. [applause] i,president eisenhower, embodied the crystals that westerners midwesterners pride. He didnt stop and never gave in. Whoe is another kansan embody those qualities. Without income im not sure we would all be here today. Senator Pat Roberts Roberts has worked with unyielding focus, determination and tenacity to make sure this would become a reality. And today, of course, that reality begins. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome a truly Great American. The senator from kansas, senator pat roberts. Thank you. Think i will ask greta to introduce me every time i get up to talk. [laughter] thank you, greta, for that introduction. Thank you so much for your longstanding support for this project. You have been a true soldier in the eisenhower memorial army. Gatheredspeak for all for this memorable event when i say it is great to be here today. [applause] first, let us reflect for a moment about a few members of the greatest generation who brought us to this place today. Stevens, to ted giants in the senate to authored the proposal to build the eisenhower memorial. Danny started us down this path, it was an honor and privilege for me to be asked to help memorialize our most famous kansan, Dwight David Eisenhower. Then there is error chairman emeritus, another world war ii veteran. [applause] for over a decade, he led our efforts. He did so with the qualities that made him successful in government and the private sector. Integrity and inclusion. Itn rocco called me and said was time to pass the leadership torch and would i agree to succeed him as chairman, i said it would be an honor, but there was a qualification. I called another world war ii vet, a Great American who fought for our country on the , in the house of representatives, in the senate, and on the campaign trail as our nominee for president , another great kansan, bob dole, who also played a key role in making the World War Two memorial a reality. [applause] as he has always done, he said, pat, i is my hero. Im in. Im not sure we would be standing here today without support of bob dole. He called all the former president s and Vice President s and asked them to come on board, and not one of them said no. We were hoping bob could join us today. But please join me in thanking him for his lifelong commitment to this nation and to this project. Bob, thank you. [applause] and i know we would not be standing here today without the support and the vision, the vision of the eisenhower family. Sure commitment to making this memorial appropriately captured their grandfather, as both general and president , has ensured generations of americans will know his legacy. I think you are supposed to clap here, folks. [applause] every time i stop, you clap. Got it . Ok, here we go. [laughter] was just 15n i years old, i was with my dad at the republican conventional the republican convention. Experience. Later, during his inauguration, i met president eisenhower. When he entered the room, whether you immediately saw him it. Ot, everyone knew with that ready face and great smile, he had that special charisma. When i shook his hand that day, i never dreamed i would be here , leading the effort for his memorial on the national mall. After all these years, why do we still like ike . Nothing else in life, his service as supreme allied commander should earn the respect and admiration of every was madeng whose life possible. It is the manner in which he served, the quiet, the quiet humility, the strength and the resolve. The man was so horrible that, upon the surrender of the german army, his message back to washington simply said mission accomplished. May not have coined the walk quiet and carry a big stick, but he didnt embody it. When he did speak, the force of his words were clear. The story of life and David Eisenhower is the story of america. His ascendancy parallels americas. At the end of the 19th century, eisenhower was a young man in kansas when america was a young democracy. Over the course of his career, america matured politically and culturally, like that young man who left abilene, kansas, to go to west point. By the time eisenhower retired from public life, the United States was the leader of the ofe world and at the summit historic prosperity and peace. It has taken a long time for the historians to discover and figure out eisenhowers greatness. President eisenhower anticipated problems and uploaded them before they ever became surprises. His steady hand, his quiet , now six decades later, for that kind of unique leadership, he is considered one of our greatest president s, which is why we are here today. Like lincoln, he came from very humble origins. He never forgot the hometown proudest tom the say i am from abilene. He saw the promise that america holds for everyone and the. Eciprocal responsibility ikes values were americas humility,rength, discipline, integrity. Now we live in an era where it can seem those things no longer matter. But they do. We wouldnt be where we are today without them. We are here today to ensure ikes place in american and world history, for his achievements. Legacy,ed about his eisenhower responded the United States never lost a soldier or a foot of ground in my administration. We kept the peace. People asked how it happened. By god, it didnt just happen, i will tell you that. This memorial today, not only to honor a single person, but as a symbol for all generations of the greatness of america and what our values have made possible at home and abroad. Lest anyone forget what can be achieved in the land of the free and the home of the brave, left them come here and understand what eisenhower and america have done. And what they in turn can do for themselves and our nations future. Thank you so much. [applause] was calledorti becausews of the stars it produces so many generals. Now next speaker is responsible for the overall performance of the cadets at was point at west point. She finds time to complete her own studies to serve on the crew team. Fairfax high school, in 2014, i have met her. You have every right to brag about that, that she is from fairfax. Please join me in welcoming a young woman who is undoubtedly one of the stars of tomorrow, first captain captain simon asked you captain simone astew. [applause] not sure about superstar, man , but we will stash man ma am, but we will see what the future holds for me. It is very humbling to be here today. As an aforementioned, the west point class of 1915 is most referred to as the class the stars fell on. Attained the class the rank of general officer. When general eisenhower and his classmates received their commission as Army Officers on that june day more than a century ago, they had no idea what history would have in store for them or what history would demand of them. Yet they rose to the challenge, answer answered the nations call, and served when we needed them most. , generations of west leadingve assumed, around the globe in places such as vietnam, panama, bosnia, and most recently iraq and afghanistan. My classmates and i grew up in a nation at war. When we chose to come to west point, we knew we would enter the army as officers in a nation still at war. Like the generation two came before us, we did not know for sure what would be demanded of us, but we can say for certainty that we are ready. We are ready because of the example and inspiration of those like general eisenhower who came before us, upon his shoulders today future generations of west point is now stand. We are grateful to general eisenhower and members of the greatest generation for their legacy of duty and Selfless Service to country. We are grateful for the inspiration they have given this generation. We proudly and happily commit ourselves to continuing that legacy so that future generations may be inspired by their example. General, president , and above all a leader of character, white d eisenhowers life and career Dwight D Eisenhowers life and career were dedicated to his alma mater. The men and women who serve their and the tens of thousands of graduates who make up the long gray line, this memorial will serve as a reminder of general eisenhowers life and legacy, and inspired junior generations for years to come. Go army, the eat navy. O army, b [laughter] [applause] when ike and mamie married in 1916, they could not have imagined the life that awaited their many decades emerge. One of decades of marriage. Today, three generations of eisenhower represent a crosssection of america that would astonish ike and mamie and make them immensely proud. Professors and policymakers, philanthropists, actors, leaders of ngos, government officials, and so much more. One of them is our next speaker, susan eisenhower. Please give a warm welcome to susan eisenhower, representing the eisenhower family on this very special day for the family and for the rest of us. [applause] thank you very much for that charming introduction. This is a very emotional day for the eisenhower family. Growing up as a child, i never would have imagined the owner would have been bestowed on my grandfather. Im sure my siblings feel the same way. Thank you, our previous speakers, for the most eloquent description of the reason we are honoring this man today. Let me say that it is a personal pleasure and i appreciate to standy the honor here and express the thanks of the eisenhower family or the conception and realization of the memorial to dwight d. Eisenhower washington, d. C. Todays ceremony represents many, many years of hard work. There are so many people to thank, from our many friends on both ends of pennsylvania avenue, to the countless numbers of them across america. It is with gratitude but also sadness that our two visionaries are not here with us today. We are grateful to them for initiating and guiding the development of this memorial. We also would like to decorate my the dedicated efforts of senator pat roberts and senator bob dole. Honestly, senator roberts, this would not have happened without you. [applause] i would also like to offer special appreciation to secretary james baker for his contribution to bringing us to this point. Finally, i would like to thank frankie gary and his team for their professionalism, their hard work and their flexibility in creating this striking memorial that will be placed at this spot. To many, it seems we have traveled a long road to get to this point. By historic standards, we have arrived here in good time. The fdr memorial took 43 years. So i would say we are way ahead of the timeline. This has been possible because motivation of the this must be done as we seek to make a statement of who we are today and what we still believe in as a country. The tapestry, the backdrop of the memorial itself will demonstrate the beaches of normandy in peacetime, a fitting image that captures the transformational era during which eisenhower led us in world war ii and later during the cold war. Normandy is an iconic spot that forever symbolizes sacrifice, but also liberation and freedom. It is hallowed ground. The valor of those who served, but also Dwight Eisenhowers leadership. Normandy was a risky operation when stakes in europe were drawn perilously by the day. Our ultimate victory depended on millions of men and women who followed, servicemen not just from the United States, but for more than a dozen countries, including the many courageous people who fought from the underground. Under his command, the outcome, the end of the world are in europe was monumental, even as the cost in lives and treasures cannot be replaced or forgotten. At a victory celebration and the presentation of honorary citizenship of london at the guild hall on june 12, 1945, eisenhower stood before a cf faces a sea of faces. Without a note, he delivered his acceptance speech. Humility must always be that by. Ion of any man earned his followers and his friends ike won the presidency in a victory. During his eight years in the white house, he led the country along the path of what he called the middle way, one marked by extraordinary cooperation he fostered our white house and congress, especially during the six years both branches of government were held by rival parties. His administrations accomplishments were many. Senator roberts articulated so many of them today, from the building of the interstate highway system and balancing the budget numerous times to advancing major milestones and civil rights to establish key president ial precedence, including the appointments of fit several judgeships to lay the groundwork. Eisenhower was committed to building a middle class in this country, a bulwark of political stability from which americas new role in the world could be advanced and sustained. Policy, eisenhower strengthened nato. They brought the end of the korean war. During the next seven years of his presidency, he employed time Crisis Management to the desk to avert the loss of any further american combat troops. At the same time, he stood for freedom, without losing an inch of territory, file containing the soviet union and managing the nuclear threat. My family and i can think of no better legacy that do have this reminder ofvice a the virtue he espoused, humility, fairness, service to our fellow citizens, as well as sacrifice, peace and prosperity at home and abroad. My family and i hope that the national dwight d. Eisenhower president ial memorial will help to celebrate not just ikes life, but those American Values that, under his leadership, made our country, in war and peace, a beacon of hope for the worse for the rest of the world. [applause] thank you very much. Thank you for your support of the memorial to your grandfather and, of course, to our president. Now we have a special treat from abilene, kansas. Ages 17 and 15, to farm kids from abilene, kansas. They are involved in sports, marching band and 4h and attended ikes alma mater, abilene high school. In grade school, they volunteered at the eisenhower president ial library in having a history project in which they portrayed ikes younger brothers. Emma and annieat like to sing . Fromhave come all the way abilene, kansas, just to sing for us. My great pleasure to introduce to you emma and annie. [applause] [singing america the beautiful ] [applause] now it is time for the moment theave all come for today, moment that so many have worked so hard for and waited for. Without further ado, we would like to invite the following people to come up on stage. Memorial designer frank gehry. [applause] the eisenhower memorial commissioners we have here with us today, senator pat roberts [applause] thompson ike [applause] senator gary peters [applause] senator joe manchin. [applause] congressman Sanford Bishop [applause] congressman mike simpson [applause] congressman Mac Thornberry [applause] harris and how the daunting. [applause] and now, of course, members of the eisenhower family. David eisenhower. [applause] susan eisenhower. [applause] eisenhower. [applause] you already . Ready . You all everyone, please put your shovels in to the dirt. Ready, set, dig. [applause] [applause] ladies and gentlemen, right here in my hand, i have a Building Permit for the National Park service, [laughter] [applause] at last, at last, we are building at last. We are ready to go. Frank, the guild betting company, gsa, and court construction, lets get and clarke construction, lets get this thing done. On may 8, see you all 2020. Thank you so much for coming. [applause] you are watching American History tv, 48 hours of American History every week and on cspan 3. To keep upn twitter with the latest history news. Cspans video documentary competition is underway. Students across the country are busy at work and sharing their experience is twitter. Its not too late to enter. January 18, is 2018. We are asking students to choose a provision of the u. S. Constitution and create a video of why it is important to you. The competition is available for students grades six through 12. Awarded. Will be a grand prize of 5,000 will go to the best student or team. For more information, go to our website studentcam. Org. American history tv is on weekend,every featuring museum tours, archival films, and programs on the presidency, the civil war and more. Here is a clip from a recent program. Graduate students at North Carolina state showed up at a monument to the women of the confederacy. They had banners with quotes from different opeds about monuments. They invited people to ask a historian in question. They were there to let us answer your questions, which i thought was a nice response. That was their way of being active, but also to educate. Everything. E heard again, i was in garys panels in various parts of the country. Everything i was in various panels in various parts of the country. Add to Something Else or it, even to the structure itself. I dont know how they do that . Theres lots of talk about conceptualization contextualization. Jim was just in moscow where there is a stall in monument park. Fallen monuments park and the mental part. It is suggested that Stone Mountain could be a place to reposition confederate monuments as a park to be interpreted. You can injure them as art, as history, so on and so on. To take them all down is about hate. What does bother me is about the rush. I didnt say this up front, but this issue needs a good deal this sounds like a fuddy historian but it needs time, humility, and deliberation. Humility is not in style now. Maybe it never is. Deliberation is. We can get two out of the three maybe. Stop, learn some history. Just stop and learn some history. Have a little humility. Said the cost of evil is the said cost of doing good. You cannot just get rid of it. It will crop up again. You can watch this and all our American History programming at cspan. Org history. Since july 2017, the National Archives released thousands of documents related to the john f. Kennedy assassination. Many of these documents have been withheld for alleged National Security reasons. The document releases are mandated by the john f. Kennedy assassination Record Collection act of 1992 and will continue into 2018, though some documents contain reductions. Up next on american artifacts, our visit to the National Archives to learn about the assassination records and see some of the iconic artifacts, such as Lee Harvey Oswalds rifle, the socalled magic bullet, and the original eight
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