Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States, who reduced Cold War tensions and is known for his 'Atoms for Peace initiative'. Before becoming the president, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and played a pivotal role in the World War II. Eisenhower served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, and successfully planned the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45. Belonging to Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, Eisenhower was born in a religious family in Kansas. After finishing his high school, he joined the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. After graduating from the Army, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Gradually rising through the ranks he rose to the highest position in the army. Eisenhower defeated Senator Robert A. Taft for for Presidential candidacy from the republican party and contested the 1952 presidential elections to crusade against "Communism, Korea and corruption". He served as president for two terms and through his initiatives and policies, he made the world a much safer place to live. He played a vital role in ending the Korean War and de-escalated the tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.