Dwight D. Eisenhower

=== 1948 presidential election ===
In June 1943, a visiting politician had suggested to Eisenhower that he might become president after the war. Believing that a general should not participate in politics, [[Merlo J. Pusey]] wrote that "figuratively speaking, [Eisenhower] kicked his political-minded visitor out of his office". As others asked him about his political future, Eisenhower told one that he could not imagine wanting to be considered for any political job "from dogcatcher to Grand High Supreme King of the Universe", and another that he could not serve as Army Chief of Staff if others believed he had political ambitions. In 1945, Truman told Eisenhower during the [[Potsdam Conference]] that if desired, the president would help the general win the [[1948 United States presidential election|1948 election]],<ref name="pusey1956">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/stream/eisenhowerthepre002645mbp#page/n11/mode/2up | title=Eisenhower, the President | publisher=Macmillan | author=Pusey, Merlo J. | year=1956 | pages=1–6 | access-date=November 7, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021230806/https://archive.org/stream/eisenhowerthepre002645mbp#page/n11/mode/2up | archive-date=October 21, 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref> and in 1947 he offered to run as Eisenhower's running mate on the Democratic ticket if MacArthur won the Republican nomination.<ref name="nyt20030711">"[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/11/us/truman-wrote-of-48-offer-to-eisenhower.html Truman Wrote of '48 Offer to Eisenhower] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603084430/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/11/us/truman-wrote-of-48-offer-to-eisenhower.html |date=June 3, 2017 }}" ''The New York Times'', July 11, 2003.</ref>

As the election approached, other prominent citizens and politicians from both parties urged Eisenhower to run. In January 1948, after learning of plans in [[New Hampshire]] to elect delegates supporting him for the forthcoming [[1948 Republican National Convention|Republican National Convention]], Eisenhower stated through the Army that he was "not available for and could not accept nomination to high political office"; "life-long professional soldiers", he wrote, "in the absence of some obvious and overriding reason, [should] abstain from seeking high political office".{{r|pusey1956}} Eisenhower maintained no political party affiliation during this time. Many believed he was forgoing his only opportunity to be president as Republican [[Thomas E. Dewey]] was considered the probable winner and would presumably serve two terms, meaning that Eisenhower, at age 66 in 1956, would be too old to run.<ref>{{harvnb|Ambrose|1983|pp=455–460}}</ref>