After serving two terms as vice president, George Bush became the 41st president of the United States in January 1989. For the first time since Martin Van Buren was elected in 1836, a sitting vice president had taken the office by popular vote. The defining event of Bush's presidency was the Persian Gulf War.

Family

George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. His family later moved to Greenwich, Connecticut. George was the second of five children born to Prescott Sheldon Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush. His father was a banker and later a United States senator. His mother came from a prominent St. Louis, Missouri, family.

Education and military service

George was educated in private schools, including Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. In 1942 he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve. At 20, Bush became the youngest pilot in the Navy. He flew many dangerous missions in the Pacific during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. In January 1945 he married Barbara Pierce.

Following the family tradition, Bush attended Yale University. After graduating in 1948 with a degree in economics, he moved with his young family to Texas. There, in the early 1950s, Bush cofounded three companies dealing in oil and offshore drilling equipment.

Debut in politics

In 1959 Bush entered politics as a member of the Republican Party in Houston. He ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate in 1964. Two years later he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, becoming the first Republican to represent Houston in Congress. In 1970 he gave up his House seat to run again for the Senate. Again he lost.

Political appointments

Shortly after his defeat, Bush was appointed by President Richard Nixon to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He held this post until 1973, when he was named chairman of the Republican National Committee. From 1974 to 1976 he was chief of the first U.S. liaison office in China. Bush then spent a year as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Vice presidency

In 1979 Bush announced his candidacy for president. He withdrew from the race in May 1980, however, and became Ronald Reagan's vice presidential running mate. The Reagan-Bush team defeated President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter F. Mondale by a large margin. The two repeated their success with an even more lopsided win in 1984.

In July 1985, when Reagan underwent surgery, the power of his office was formally transferred to the vice president. Bush thereby became the first designated acting president of the United States.

Nomination and election

In 1988 Bush again decided to run for president. He chose Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his running mate. The Bush-Quayle team defeated the Democratic ticket of Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen with 54 percent of the popular vote. Bush was sworn in as president in January 1989.

Presidency

From the outset of his presidency, Bush demonstrated a special interest in foreign policy. In December 1989 he ordered a military invasion of Panama to topple that country's dictator, Manuel Noriega.

In August 1990 the Middle East became the focus of international attention when the country of Iraq invaded Kuwait. Bush responded forcefully. He put together a multinational alliance that included other Arab countries. He also sent U.S. military forces to Saudi Arabia. These actions failed to persuade Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait, however. As a result, Bush authorized a United States–led air attack that began on January 16, 1991. The Persian Gulf War ended in late February with the liberation of Kuwait.

At the end of the war, Bush enjoyed a popularity rating of more than 90 percent. His popularity soon fell, however, as a result of the poor economy. An economic recession that began in late 1990 lasted into 1992.

During his campaign, Bush had pledged not to increase taxes during his administration. In 1990, however, he raised taxes in an attempt to cope with a soaring budget deficit. This move turned many conservative party members and voters against him.

In 1992 Bush was nominated again as the Republican presidential candidate. He lost to Bill Clinton, the governor of Arkansas.

Political heirs

Bush had four sons and two daughters. His first son, George W. Bush, served as governor of Texas before being elected president in 2000. Another son, Jeb, was elected governor of Florida in 1998.