General Eisenhower was hugely popular as a military hero before his election

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General Dwight D Eisenhower has swept to victory in the American presidential elections with the largest number of popular votes ever recorded for a presidential candidate.

The new president-elect gained 31,552,768 popular votes and has won, or is leading, in 38 states. This gives him 431 electoral college votes, significantly more than the 266 he needed for a majority.

The results suggest that many of the Southern states, traditionally Democrat, have swung to the Republicans for the first time in 35 years.

General Eisenhower's rival, Democrat Adlai E Stevenson, won 25,409,335 votes, securing 10 states and 100 electoral college votes.

The results come after months of one of the hardest-fought campaigns ever.

General Eisenhower's popularity among the American people as a military hero, having commanded his country's troops through Europe during World War II, has now been translated into votes.

During the run-up to polling day commentators had predicted a much closer-run battle than it turned out to be.

In a victory speech, delivered in the Ballroom of the Commodore Hotel in New York, the president-elect said to the American people: "I recognise clearly the weight of the responsibilities that you have placed upon me and I assure you that I shall never in my service in Washington give short weight to those responsibilities."

President Truman, who will not officially hand over to General Eisenhower until January next year, sent a telegram congratulating the incoming president on his "overwhelming victory."

He has invited General Eisenhower to the White House for talks on the transition process.

Defeated Governor Stevenson also issued a statement: "The people have rendered their verdict, and I gladly accept it. General Eisenhower has been a great leader in war. He has been a vigorous and valiant opponent in the campaign.

"These qualities will now be dedicated to leading us all through the next four years."

One of General Eisenhower's biggest challenges as president will be to deal with foreign policy, most notably the civil war in Korea.

During the election campaign he promised to visit the war-torn country and now plans to do that within the next ten days.

Dwight D Eisenhower grew up on a farm in Abilene, Kansas with his six brothers. His education was rudimentary.

He worked his way up the ranks of the US army during a 40-year military career which culminated in his appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).     

The Shah is facing growing unrest

The appointment of Mr Sharif-Emani, a Shia Muslim, by the Shah just over two months ago was designed to put an end to the religious violence currently sweeping across the country.

However, his presence in the Shah's government failed to have the desired effect of curbing the unrest which has been particularly marked among university students.

The unrest is partly a response to the programme of secularisation being implemented under the Shah who took over from his father as Iran's ruler in 1941.

Iran has prospered thanks to its oil reserves but there is popular resentment against the Shah and the ruling elite who are believed to have profited disproportionately.

Two other government ministers have also resigned as anti-Western feeling comes to a head.

Yesterday mobs which have been running virtually unchecked through Tehran set fire to the British embassy and dozens of other buildings in the capital.

In response to the worsening violence, martial law has been extended.

The start of the nightly curfew has been moved forward three hours to 2100 and remains in force until 0500 each morning.

The authorities have announced that from now on martial law regulations, which ban gatherings of more than two people, will be strictly enforced.

The implication is that anti-Shah protestors should no longer expect the armed forces to hold back when breaking up demonstrations.

The disorder within Iran has also been exacerbated by widespread politically-motivated strikes.

Key personnel such as oil refinery workers, airline staff and central bank employees are among those who have withdrawn their labour.

rudimentary: being in the earliest stages of development；being or involving basic facts or principles（根本的；未發展的）