George Bush Sr.

George Bush Sr. is one of the largest politicians in the United States. He is known as the nation's 41st president, a distinguished congressman, orator, and diplomat, and as the father of the 43rd president. During his presidency, Bush Sr. managed to make a number of landmark decisions and strengthen the position of his native country in the international political arena. In 2017, the man was recognized as the longest-living person among the former US presidents.

Childhood and youth

George W. Bush was born on June 12, 1924 in Milton (in Massachusetts). The father of George Herbert Walker Bush (this is the full name of the former US president) was no stranger to politics and business: the man served on the boards of large firms, ran his own banking business, and even represented the state of Connecticut in the capital's Senate for ten years.

His father's financial condition allowed George Bush Sr. to receive an excellent education - the young man graduated from the well-known Phillips Academy in his home state. This boarding school was considered the most prestigious educational institution in Massachusetts at the time.

After graduating from high school, Bush enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942. In the army, after a short flight course, the future president managed to become the youngest military naval pilot of those years (George was 18 at the time). In 1945, the young man honorably retired from the army.

After his service, George Bush continued his studies again, choosing the famous Yale University. Instead of the traditional four years, Bush Sr. spent only 2.5 years to master the full course. During his studies, George managed to be the president of one of the student fraternities and lead the university basketball team.

In 1948, George Bush Sr. graduated from the university with a degree in economics. After Yale, George moved to Texas, where he began to delve into the laws and intricacies of the oil business. Thanks to his father's connections and position, George Bush was lucky enough to get a job as a sales specialist in a large company.

Some time later, having mastered the details of this business, George Bush Sr. opened his own oil company. The business turned out to be successful, and soon the man joined the list of American millionaires.

Policy

Success in business was not enough for the ambitious George Bush, who was always interested in foreign and domestic policy, and in 1964 the man put forward his own candidacy for the country's Senate. However, he failed in the elections, not gaining the required number of votes from Texas.

Then Bush Sr. decided to leave business and devote his life to politics. George's efforts were not in vain: already in 1966 he received the coveted seat in the House of Representatives of the country's Congress, and two years later he was re-elected to this post for the second time. But Bush’s repeated attempt to get into the US Senate in 1970 was again a failure.

That same year, George W. Bush was appointed the country's permanent representative to the UN, and three years later headed the Republican National Committee. At the same time, the politician honed his diplomatic skills, becoming the head of the American diplomatic mission and working on the visits of Henry Kissinger and Gerald Ford (former Secretary of State and President of the country) to China. Also for a year, George H. W. Bush headed the United States CIA (until 1977).

In 1980, George Bush Sr. first tried to nominate his own candidacy for the country's presidential elections, but lost in terms of the number of votes in the primaries.

The battle for the presidency was fierce, but Bush, after a series of interviews and debates, won the support of a fairly large part of the electorate. But the conservative Reagan still managed to beat his rivals. Nevertheless, George Bush managed to stay in politics: it was Bush that Reagan chose as vice president and, in fact, as his main assistant.

Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush

As vice president, George H. W. Bush, with his characteristic candor and purposefulness, took on government drug control programs, reduced government influence on private business, and even served as the official acting president of the United States for eight hours when Ronald Reagan was forced to agree to the operation. on the intestines.

There were also scandals: in 1986, a number of illegal arms trafficking operations were uncovered. Some White House officials were involved, who supplied weapons to Iran, and the money received was sent to support an opposition group in Nicaragua. However, both Bush and Reagan said they were unaware of these illegal schemes.

In 1988, another election campaign started and George Bush again decided to try to take the presidency. This time the politician was much better prepared: one of Bush Sr.’s speeches, addressed to representatives of the Republican Party, even went down in history under the name “A Thousand Colors of Light.”

In it, the politician emphasized the postulates on which he intended to rely if elected to the post of president of the country. In particular, he noted his own opposition to abortion, and also stated that he would support the death penalty, the right of United States citizens to bear firearms, and would not allow the introduction of new taxes.

This time, the sympathies of voters were on Bush's side, and on November 8, 1988, the politician was officially elected as the new President of the United States. George Bush Sr. spent four years in this post. The results of Bush Sr.'s reign are primarily considered to be the improvement of relations with the USSR. George Bush held several meetings with.

As a result, politicians signed a formal agreement to limit the so-called “arms race.” Then, in 1992, America and Russia moved even further when Bush Sr. signed a document that meant a complete end to the Cold War between the countries.

The efforts of George Bush in the domestic politics of the United States were no less effective. The politician's main efforts were aimed at reducing the budget deficit, which by the beginning of Bush Sr.'s reign had assumed a frightening magnitude.

In 1992, George Bush Sr. announced his intention to run for president again, but the politician failed to retain his seat. Democrat Bill Clinton won the election. However, leaving politics did not mean for George Bush a abandonment of public activities. The man continued to engage in public projects, helping societies to fight cancer, and also for some time headed funds to help those affected by tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes.

Personal life

The personal life of George HW Bush was happy. As soon as he returned from the army, the tall, handsome man (George Bush Sr.'s height is 188 cm) met love. The man's chosen one was Barbara Pierce (that was her maiden name).

Over the years of marriage, the wife gave her husband six children: George Walker Bush (who later became the 43rd president of the United States), Paulina Robinson (the girl died at 4 years old due to leukemia), John Ellis (who also became a politician and led Florida for several years ), Neil Mallon, Marvin Pierce and Dorothy Bush Koch.

Death

In 2017, George H. W. Bush became the longest-living person to hold the US presidency. Despite his advanced age and failing health, Bush celebrated his anniversary with a traditional parachute jump - this is how the former politician celebrates anniversaries from the age of 75.

And in 2018, photos of George Bush Sr. again appeared on the pages of news publications. This time the reason was a tragic page in the man’s biography: April 17, Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush. The last months of his life, George Bush was depressed by what happened.

On December 1, 2018, George H. W. Bush died at the age of 94. His press secretary announced the death of the former US President.

Awards and achievements

American

• Ellis Island Medal of Honor
• 2006 - Philadelphia Medal of Freedom shared with William J. Clinton
• 2010 - Presidential Medal of Freedom

Foreign

• Order of Merit pro Merito Melitensi, Knight Grand Cross (Malta)
• 1993 - Order of the Bath, Knight Commander (Great Britain)
• 1993 - Order of the British Empire, Knight Commander (Great Britain)
• 1994 - Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Knight Grand Cross Special Class (Germany)
• 1995 - Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, Knight Grand Cross (Poland)
• 1999 - Order of the White Lion, 1st class (Czech Republic)
• 2001 - Order of Dostyk (Kazakhstan)
• 2005 - Order of the Cross of the Land of Mary, 1st class (Estonia)
• 2005 - Jubilee medal “60 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” (Russia)