Unity is what America needs now

President Dwight Eisenhower’s birthday on Oct. 14 gave us a quick break from this year’s heated presidential campaign to remember what powers America: Unity.

When Eisenhower started campaigning for president in June, 1952 he visited his hometown in Abilene, Kansas. Ike stated "So long as they are faithfully observed, the energies, courage, endurance and wisdom of the American people constitute a titanic force. Measures against it, domestic problems, disasters of nature, the pretensions of tyranny shrink to difficulties of the moment. Crises may test the uttermost, but they can never conquer the spirit of a united America."

Just because Americans may differ on who should be president or on various issues, we should not let that prevent cooperation and compromise.

Hate and divisiveness have no place in America and that includes in our politics. Eisenhower would warn us today to stop the hatred in America. We should not be turning against neighbors just because they have different opinions on candidates and issues. We should try to find areas of common ground and then try to compromise on areas where they may be differences.

Eisenhower accomplished a lot during his presidency, like the massive Interstate Highway System, with the cooperation of both parties. CBS News published a survey of historians which ranked Eisenhower the 6th best president in U.S. history and top Republican president in the last 100 years.

Ike believed in unity abroad as well. Before entering the presidential race Eisenhower worked on building the NATO Alliance which was key for preventing war with the Soviet Union. Likewise today we need to stand with Ukraine and our NATO allies to resist Russia's aggression under Vladimir Putin. Unity shows strength and is needed to win the peace.

It was also Eisenhower's initiative in creating unity in the fight against global hunger. Ike proposed in 1960 extending our Food for Peace program into an international effort that would become the U.N. World Food Program. Uniting nations in the fight against hunger and food shortages.

When Eisenhower left the presidency after his second term in 1961, he encouraged cooperation and a smooth transfer of power with the incoming Kennedy administration. Unity and cooperation were more important for America. When the Cuban missile crisis with the Soviet Union broke out in 1962 Eisenhower spoke multiple times with President Kennedy offering support and advice.

Ike and JFK’s bipartisan unity helped launch early nuclear arms control efforts. But did you know that the next step beyond a Limited Test Ban Treaty, a comprehensive nuclear test ban, has never been ratified by the Senate because of partisan politics?

Eisenhower saw what a united America could do in winning World War II and through his years as president during the Cold War. The challenges America faces today will be overcome, if we are united in strength.

William Lambers is the author of the Road to Peace and partnered with the U.N. World Food Program on the book Ending World Hunger.