Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy’s home state, became a consequential campaign setting in 1952 when Dwight D. Eisenhower’s visit tested whether the Republican nominee would publicly defend George Marshall against McCarthy’s attacks. Eisenhower’s speeches there, and the decision to omit his planned tribute to Marshall, drew sharp criticism from Harry S. Truman and appalled some of Eisenhower’s own supporters.

The Campaign Visit

As Eisenhower traveled toward Wisconsin, his aides prepared a personal tribute to Marshall for a speech in Milwaukee. McCarthy, campaigning for reelection, had continued to vilify Marshall. He joined Eisenhower’s train after it reached Illinois and crossed into Wisconsin with the general. Eisenhower reportedly reacted angrily when McCarthy argued against mentioning Marshall, but his political advisers also objected to the tribute.

Green Bay and Milwaukee

In Green Bay, Eisenhower thanked McCarthy for meeting him in Illinois and characterized their differences as disagreements over methods rather than objectives. At a later speech in Milwaukee, with McCarthy seated behind him onstage, Eisenhower attacked what he described as national tolerance of communism and blamed communists in Washington for the loss of China and the surrender of countries in Eastern Europe. He did not mention Marshall. Because aides had spent the day telling reporters to expect a tribute, its removal attracted more attention than the speech’s other arguments; even staunch Eisenhower supporters were appalled.

Political Aftermath

Truman, who was devoted to Marshall, regarded Eisenhower’s retreat as an unforgivable betrayal and called the spectacle sad and pathetic during a later appearance in Oakland, California. He wished Eisenhower had not damaged the reputation he had earned as a military commander. The Wisconsin episode thus became more than a campaign stop: it exposed the conflict between Eisenhower’s private intention to honor Marshall and the political pressure that led him to avoid doing so publicly.