U.S. Presidents

The end of the Cold War, fall of the Berlin Wall, and other major changes.

George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of the United States, was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. He had a close relationship with his family and later said, “Family is not a neutral word for me. It’s a powerful word, full of emotional resonance. I was part of a strong family growing up, and I have been fortunate to have a strong family grow up around me.”

The Early Years

At a young age, George H.W. Bush joined his older brother, Prescott, at Phillips Academy, a boarding school in his home state. Here he joined numerous clubs, was elected as senior class president, and became captain of both the baseball and soccer teams. His sister, Nancy, said her brother’s popularity transferred to her as well. “I was terribly popular for a while – everyone wanted to come to our house because they might run into George.”

The Military

In December 1941, Bush was a senior in school when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He had been accepted to the prestigious Yale University but instead decided to join the Navy. He enlisted on his 18th birthday and then, two months later, went to North Carolina for flight training. In just one year, George H.W. Bush earned his wings, becoming the youngest pilot in the Navy.

George H.W. Bush (Photo by Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images)

On September 2, 1944, the young pilot’s plane was shot down during the bombing of Chichi Jima, an island controlled by the Japanese, during World War II. He and another crew member parachuted out, but the other man’s parachute never opened. A third crewman went down with the plane. Alone in an inflatable raft on the ocean, George H.W. Bush was stranded for four hours until he was rescued by the USS Finback, a lifeguard submarine.

The future president was honorably discharged from the military in September 1945. By then, he had logged 1,228 hours of flight time, 126 carrier landings, and 58 combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Navy Air Medal with two gold stars. In 1948, Bush earned a degree in economics from Yale University and moved to Texas, where he would start his political career.

Politics

In 1962, Bush became part of the Republican Party in Houston, Texas, and won a seat in Congress in 1966. As a congressman, he struggled to find a balance between the conservative Texans and his more moderate views. He voted in favor of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which was not popular among the voters. However, he became the first freshman in 63 years to be offered a seat on the Ways and Means Committee. He then went on to hold several other positions, including Ambassador to the United Nations (1971-1973), Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in China (1974-1976), and Director of Central Intelligence (1976-1977).

In 1980, George H.W. Bush ran for the Republican presidential nomination but lost to former California Governor Ronald Reagan. He accepted a spot on the GOP ticket and, when Reagan won the presidency, Bush became the 43rd vice president and served from 1981 to 1989. As vice president, he managed federal deregulation and anti-drug efforts as well as heading the effort to combat terrorism. Regan sent him to negotiate with NATO allies, which resulted in deploying missiles in West Germany which became a critical turning point in the Cold War.

George H.W. Bush Becomes President

George H.W. Bush was elected president in 1988, after serving as vice president for two terms under Reagan. He was sworn in as the 41st president on January 29, 1989. During his inaugural address, he said, “America is never wholly herself unless she is engaged in high moral principle. We as a people have such a purpose today. It is to make kinder the face of the Nation and gentler the face of the world.” The president believed strongly in helping others and said, “there could be no definition of a successful life that does not include service to others.” He launched his Points of Light initiative, which promoted volunteerism and community service.

The world was drastically changing during Bush’s presidency. The Cold War had ended, and the communist empire broke up. The Soviet Union crumbled, and the Berlin Wall fell. For much of the 20th century, there had been struggles between the US and the Soviet Union, and Americans weren’t sure what the ending of such an empire would mean for them. It was an uncertain time for the country.

In 1990, Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and Bush officially condemned his actions. Bush worked with the United Nations and sent 425,000 American troops to the area. The Gulf War, known as “Operation Desert Storm,” managed to stop Hussein’s invasion, giving Bush the highest presidential polling numbers that had been recorded at the time.

However, in 1992, he lost the election to Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. The biggest reason for his defeat was the state of the economy. During his presidency, America suffered through a recession. He refused to extend unemployment benefits because he feared increasing the budget deficit, which gave him the reputation of being an unsympathetic president.

Still, George H.W. Bush accomplished a lot during his four years in office. He signed two treaties that reduced the threat of nuclear war, and through international efforts, he advanced America’s interests in peace as well as economic opportunities.

1. George H.W. Bush was the 41st president of the United States. He served as Ronald Reagan’s vice president for two terms, then won the 1988 election.
2. Bush joined the Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and flew combat missions in World War II in the Pacific Theater.
3. Bush began his career in politics after the war in Congress, then served in several other important federal positions before running for President, such as Ambassador to the United Nations and Director of the CIA.