Dwight D. Eisenhower was raised in Abilene, Kansas in a strict Pennsylvania Dutch family that instilled a strong work ethic. He had a prominent military career serving under generals like Douglas MacArthur and George Marshall, becoming a Brigadier General in 1941. During World War II, Eisenhower rose to prominence as the Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe, overseeing the Normandy invasion. After the war, he served as President of Columbia University and as the first Supreme Commander of NATO before becoming the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.