Co-existence and Confrontation: Eisenhower’s Cold War,

Co-existence and Confrontation: Eisenhower’s Cold War, 1953-61
Unit 5 The General The President

Dwight David Eisenhower 1890-1969
A. Nicknamed “Ike” B. Born in Texas, grew up in Kansas C. Graduated from West Point class of 1915 D. Was a professional solider E. His talent for planning & organization gained him rapid promotion 1. In 1942 was appointed Commander of US Forces in Europe 2. He directed successful invasions of Africa (42’), Sicily (43’), & Italy (43’) 3. In 1943 he was named Supreme Allied Commander in Europe & oversaw the D-Day landings in 1944. F. After war he served as US Army Chief of Staff & then he was called by Truman to be the 1st Supreme Commander of NATO G. The following year he won the Republican nomination & defeated (D) Adlai Stevenson for the 34th President of US. H. He was re-elected in 1956, again comfortably defeating Stevenson I. The perception of Eisenhower: 1. A relaxed, hands off president content on leaving policy- making to his subordinates. More interested in bettering his golf swing.

J. Reality was different:
1. Eisenhower had a quick mind & liked to think for himself. 2. Relationship w/ his Secretary of State was a close partnership. a. Ike & Dulles were both fierce anti-communism. 3. Ike formulated the objectives of his foreign policy & was never as out of touch w/ the day-to-day of government as critics suggested. K. Ike’s time in office is seen as a time of relative stability in the Cold War Period. 1. US & USSR learned to co-exist but there were some times of high drama under Ike during the Cold War. a. US threatened to use A-Bomb on China 3 times b. a shooting down of a U-2 spy plane, etc… J. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. John Foster Dulles was his Sec. of State

I. Containment under Eisenhower: The New Look
Key Issues: What methods were employed by Ike to circumscribe communism? What were the similarities & differences between Truman’s & Ike’s strategies of containment? A. Ike’s foreign policy was titled “New Look” 1. The objects of containment remained fixed 2. “Straitjacket theory” would cause self- destruction of communism. B. Many of Ike’s methods of containment were the same as Truman’s. 1. US continued to build a global web of anti- communist alliances 2. US military power also remained a important tool of containment. 3. Huge sums in aid continued to be sent to states resisting communist insurgency 4. Under Ike, no attempt was made by force to recover territory already in the hands of the communists. I. Nothing A. Nothing 1. The fundamental purpose of containment was still to prevent the extension of Soviet communism outside those areas where it was already established 2. If Soviet communism was placed in a straitjacket, the Soviet system would self-destruct and the Soviet empire is eastern Europe would crumble according to American policy makers. This was the theory of George Kennan in 1946. B. Nothing 1. This was designed to encircle the Soviet union and check the spread of communism 2. American servicemen were stationed around the globe, either in place to defend vulnerable areas like West Berlin & South Korea against communist encroachment or to be dispatched quickly to a scene of communist aggression from one of America’s vast network of overseas bases. 3. such as Diem’s government in South Vietnam after 1954 4. For example, the sovereignty of North Korea was respected by the US and the status quo in Europe remained intact.

C. Differences between Ike & Truman’s strategy of containment:
1. Most important was an increased reliance on nuclear weapons under Ike. a. This was the heart of the New Look b. In the event of war w/ the USSR, nuclear weapons were now to be regarded as a weapon of first & not last resort. “The Doctrine of massive retaliation.” c. Nuclear weapons could not only deter communist aggression but also further the goals of US diplomacy. (Brinkmanship) 2. The central place of nuclear weapons in the New Look presupposed a smaller role for conventional forces. a. In a sense, the New Look rejected the conclusion of NSC 68 which envisioned a build up of conventional & nuclear forces b. Ike believed US could not afford both c. rational of the New Look was to curb the cost of containing Soviet communism. “more bang for the buck” C. Nothing 1. Nothing a. Nothing b. Ike said to a group of congressional leaders in 1954 that Nuclear weapons would allow the US “to blow the hell out of them in a hurry if they start anything.” c. America could threaten the use of nuclear weapons in order to extract concessions from communist adversaries. Yet the fact that that the USSR now possessed nuclear weapons of its own made nuclear blackmail a dangerous tactic. Brinkmanship: Dulles said, “The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art. If you try to run away from it, if you are scared to go to the brink, you are lost.” 2. Ike was determined to cut the number of personnel in the American armed services. b. Ike was committed to victory in the Cold War, but at a price America could afford. c. Ike chose the expansion of America’s forces as the cheaper & more effective method of combating communism. It was a high technology/low manpower strategy

3. Ike used covert operations much more then Truman.
a. Sec. of State Dulles’ bro was head of the CIA which made the CIA & the executive much closer than had been under Truman. b. Ike’s presidency is seen as a milestone for the CIA. Both the scale & the frequency of CIA operations grew. Ike regarded undercover action as routine part of foreign policy. 4. Ike regarded negotiation both w/ the USSR & w/ the PRC as a legitimate part of the policy of containment. a. under Truman, negations would have been unthinkable. 3. he was familiar w/ intelligence operations from his time as a soldier and often referred to the importance of intelligence as a basis for decision-making. a. Nothing b. Covet actions also had the advantage of being quick, cheap and beyond the scrutiny of Congress.

II. Containment in Practice: The Global Cold War under Eisenhower
Key Issue: How was communism contained in Europe? A. Europe 1. Europe formed a relatively stable theatre in the Cold War during Ike’s administration. a. Rebellions against commi rule in eastern Europe provided opportunities for US intervention & the loosening of the Soviet bloc. i after Stalin’s death, workers mounted anti-Soviet demonstrations in the streets of East Berlin ii. Hungary 1956, Imre Nagy was installed as premier & called for the immediate removal of Soviet troops from Hungary & the withdraw of Hungary from the Warsaw Pact along w/ free elections. II. Nothing A. Nothing 1. Nothing a. Nothing i. They demanded better living standards and free elections. The insurrection was put down by Soviet troops and Russian tanks drove protestors of the streets ii. On 4 of November 200,000 Soviet troops and 4,000 tanks entered Budapest, according to the Russians, “to help the Hungarian people crush the black forces of reaction and counter-revolution.” On that day an estimated 50,000 Hungarians lost their lives. Nagy was replaced by the pro-Soviet Janoa Kadar as leader.

B. Russians made 2 attempts to change situation in their favor
1. Rapacki Plan (1958), proposed a phased reduction in conventional forces & nuclear free zone in central Europe encompassing East & West Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia. a. US rejected the plan b. removal of Nukes from W. Germany was @ odds with the nuclear based theory of deterrence encompassed in the New Look c. Also, a nuke free W. Germany would be exposed to an invasion from the east by Warsaw Pact ground forces 2. At the end of 1958 Khrushchev demanded that the Western powers quit Berlin within 6 months a. The US refused b. Ike warned that a Soviet takeover of West Berlin ran the risk of massive retaliation B. Nothing 1. Nothing a. Nothing b. Nothing c. Nothing 2. Nothing b. Ike told Russia that he would be happy to discuss the whole issue of Berlin in return for the Soviets lifting their ultimatum, The Soviet union did this and Berlin was one of the matters discussed at the 1959 meeting between Eisenhower and Khrushchev.

This is a very popular shirt in France
C. US had other difficulties in Europe not only w/ USSR but with its own partners in the Western alliance France changed their mind & rejected W. German rearmament as part of the EDC a. France wanted further safeguards to be imposed on W. German rearmament. i. US told France they would withdraw troops from w. Europe & leave the region vulnerable to Soviet armies. ii. US also said western part of continent might no longer enjoy the protection offered by US nukes. iii. Britain brokers a deal: W. Germany would be admitted to NATO subject to severe restrictions. Britain would maintain 4 divisions & a tactical air force on the continent as a security guard for the French. Germans not allowed to manufacture nukes, biological or chemical weapons (ABC). German armed forces could not exceed 500, & placed under the command of NATO. C. Nothing 1. France had agreed to accept West German rearmament inside a European Defense Community (EDC), a. Nothing i. Nothing ii. This was a big deal because no west European state had a nuclear deterrent of its own. (Britain had possessed an atomic bomb since 1952.) iii. France and Russia accepted West Germany into NATO. Russia recognized that they would not be able to get West Germany neutral nor part of a single German state within the Soviet bloc or to remain neutral. The US also recognized Eastern Germany This is a very popular shirt in France

i. 1st issue was ending the Korean conflict
D. Asia Key Issue: What methods were employed by the US to contain comm. in Asia? 1. Korea a. Under Ike, Asia was more volatile arena in the Cold War than Europe. i. 1st issue was ending the Korean conflict ii. Negotiations to end war was stuck on where to send N. Korean & CCP soldiers that didn’t want to return to their countries. They decided to send them to neutral countries. The sticking point; what neutral countries? iii. To speed up negotiations, Ike threatens to use nukes. 2. China, Taiwan, & the Offshore Islands a. The Quemoy & Matsu islands were the cause of 2 major crisis in Sino-American relations under Ike. b. The 2 Islands were garrisoned by Nationalist forces & seen by Jiang Jieshi as a platform for a military invasion of the mainland (China) i. Jiang announced a “holy war” against CCP D. Nothing 1. Nothing a. Nothing i. Ike was personally committed to a speedy end to the war. ii. They were to send them to neutral countries that would then decide the soldiers fate. iii. Nothing 2. Nothing a. They were two small island groups lying in the Taiwan Straits between Taiwan and mainland China.

ii. He promised an imminent attack.
iii. CCP in return threatened to invade Taiwan iv. The CCP bombarded the islands v. They then hit the Tachen islands c. The shelling of Quemoy & Matsu led to a mutual defense pact i. US promised to defend Taiwan against commi. invasion. At same time, invasion of the mainland must be approved by US. d. CCP seizure of Tachen Islands had 2 immediate consequences. i. 1st Congress passed the Formosa Resolution ii. Ike announced that any move by the CCP against Taiwan would be met by the use of nukes iii. This caused an informal cease-fire in the Taiwan Straits ii. Nothing iii. Nothing iv. Nothing v. another group of Nationalist-held islands near Taiwan c. Nothing i. Nothing d. Nothing i. This allowed Ike to take whatever military action he thought he needed to defend Taiwan.

i. The US & China were on the brink of war
e. In 58’ the cease fire broke down & the Islands were bombarded again. i. The US & China were on the brink of war ii. 7th Fleet ordered to the Straits & threat of nukes were made again iii. This again led to negotiations & cease-fire f. “Two Chinas” policy i. American opinion & Congress demanded a tough posture towards China ii. American opinion simply didn’t allow an accommodation w/ the regime in Beijing iii. US still tied to a “Two China” policy: denying diplomatic recognition to the CCP & ensuring that China’s place both in the UN General Assembly & on the UN Security Council was occupied not by the CCP but by Taiwan. e. Nothing i. US said this was the first step in an attack on Taiwan ii. Nothing iii. Dulles also enter in to negotiations with Jiang. He told Jiang that in no way could Taiwan invade the Chinese mainland and he begged Jiang to cut down on the amount of troops stationed at Quemoy and Matsu Islands Why chance going to war to defend these tow islands? Because if they did nothing it would send the message that the US was not ready to defend the Free World at any cost. They also believed that if they did nothing Taiwan would lose moral and eventually become part of China. US would also lose a important island in the defensive perimeter. f. Nothing i. Nothing iii. This policy would last until 1971

ii. Other matters contributed to the strain already
h. US pressure on the Chinese would confront the USSR w/ an awkward choice whether or not to support their ally i. USSR not supporting China would put a serious strain on their relationship ii. Other matters contributed to the strain already 1. ideological differences 2. mistrust created by Stalin’s breach of his promised to provide air cover for Chinese troops in N. Korea 3. Indochina a. US continued to invest heavy in Indochina b. Indochina held the key to south-east Asia. (domino theory) c. Indochina guarded the entrance to south-east Asia, which as a whole was vital to US interest. h. Dulles recognized that a firm US stance on the issue of the offshore islands might create cracks in the Sino-Soviet alliance. i. Nothing ii. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. Nothing 3. Nothing a. Nothing b. Nothing c. important location for US military bases, a supplier of raw materials and a marketplace for Japanese goods. b. Ike employed the well-worn domino theory to justify US intervention in the region. If Indochina fell then Thailand, Burma and Indonesia might fall

i. US considered intervention at this time.
d. In Vietnam, the US had sunk $4 billion in aid to France’s was against the Vietminh. e. critical phase: French chose Dien Bien Phu in N. Vietnam as a site for major battle. The French stationed themselves in a VALLEY!!!!! i. US considered intervention at this time. ii. Nukes were discussed but ruled out iii. US troops going in was considered under 2 conditions: 1. Congressional approval 2. Brit participation, “no more Koreas” iv. The French were starved for supplies & pounded w/ bombs so they surrendered. 1. this marked the end of the French empire in Indochina d. Nothing e. Nothing i. Nothing ii. Nothing iii. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. Britain showed no interest in action so the US rejected intervention

4. French & Vietminh opened negotiations under the eyes of the
4. French & Vietminh opened negotiations under the eyes of the US & China & concluded the Geneva Accords in 1954. a. Formally ended hostilities between France & Ho Chi b. temporarily ÷ Vietnam along 17th parallel c. made provisions for national elections to unify country within 2 years. d. US did not sign Geneva Accords. 5. US’s response to the Accords was to build up S. Vietnam as a stable non-communist state capable of resisting communist incursion from the north. a. US wanted S. Vietnam to develop along lines of 2nd S. Korea i. South-East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was established in September 1954. 1. Modeled after NATO. Its purpose was to prevent commi interference in Laos, Cambodia, & S. Vietnam. 4. Nothing a. Nothing b. Nothing c. Nothing d. US did not sign the accords but promised not to break the agreements by the use of force. 5. Nothing i. Its members were: US, France, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan.

2.It was a pale imitation of NATO
3. 2 of regions major powers refused to join; India & Indonesia. 4. circumstances members would use military force against an aggressor in the region was also unclear. 6. In S. Vietnam the US removed the French Bao Dai & replaced him w/ Ngo Dinh Diem a. Some Americans doubted Diem’s credentials as a rallying point for non-communist nationalism. i. he had collaborated w/ the Japanese during the war & was a Roman Catholic. b. US also opened up a military mission in S. Vietnam designed to advise the Vietnamese on methods of resisting communist infiltration from the north. 2. Nothing 3. Nothing 4. Nothing 6. Nothing a. Nothing i. Why was this important? It was important because Vietnam was 90% Buddhists. b. This began America’s long military commitment to the defense of the South Vietnam.

i. In 1960 they established the National Liberation Front (NLF).
7. 2 years later, Ike decided that S. Vietnam wouldn’t participate in the nationwide elections Geneva on grounds that Ho would have won the elections & overseen the creation of a united communist Vietnam. a. To the north, Ho consolidated his regime, while in the south small bands of communists (Vietcong) formed themselves into military units & began to conduct guerrilla warfare against Diem’s government. i. In 1960 they established the National Liberation Front (NLF). ii. Guerrilla warfare in the south was part of Ho’s longer-term project to unify the country. 8. Laos was also a source of concern in Washington. a. Pro-Western government of Loas was created w/ the assistance of the CIA i. There was evidence that Laos was being used as a conduit for supplies from North Vietnam to communist guerrillas in the South. b. By 1961 policy makers in Washington were more worried about the fate of Laos than about that of Vietnam. 7. It has been estimated that Ho would have gained about 80% of the vote in 1956. a. Nothing i. They were supported by segments of the local population and by North Vietnam, which in 1959 had publicly affirmed its commitment to unite Vietnam by whatever means possible. ii. Nothing 8. Nothing a. they were encountering opposition from the Path Lao, an indigenous communist group. i. Nothing b. Eisenhower’s successors would discover that communism in Indochina was a problem that would not go away.

III. The Developing World
KEY ISSUE: How did America attempt to contain communism in new theatres of the Cold War in the developing world? A. The less developed countries became an important new theatre in the conflict between the US & the USSR. B. Dissolution of the old European empires created a host of new nation states & potential allies for the two superpowers. 1. Post Stalin Russian diplomacy was more flexible & innovative. a. Russian leaders enticed emerging nations w/ offers of substantial economic & military aid. 2. America proved generally successful in drawing newly independent nation states into its orbit. a. communism proved better placed to ride the tide of nationalism across those parts of the developing world which were still under colonial rule. C. The Middle East policy was to: 1. remain friendly with Arab states 2. minimize Soviet influence 3. maintain oil supplies to the West. III. Nothing A. Nothing B. each superpower competed with each other to recruit these new states into their alliance systems. 1. Nothing a. Nothing 2. Nothing C. Nothing 3. Nothing

D. Projection of US influence in the Middle-East was not an easy
D. Projection of US influence in the Middle-East was not an easy matter. E. Anti-US feelings ran deep in the region for two principal reasons: 1. Nationalism had taken over the area & US was seen as a supporter of old colonial powers (Britain & France) 2. People were also angry that the US had sponsored the creation of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948. F. First attempt to contain communism in the Middle East occurred in Iran in 1953. 1. The instrument of containment was the CIA in what was the 1st major undercover operation of Eisenhower’s presidency. 2. In 51’ Shah of Iran appointed Mohammad Mossadeq as prime minister a. one of his first actions was to regain control of a national resource by nationalizing the Anglo- Iranian Oil Co. D. Nothing E. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. No Arab state had yet to recognize Israel. F. Nothing 2. Nothing a. The company was half owned by Britain

b. Britain & the US then led a boycott of Iranian
b. Britain & the US then led a boycott of Iranian oil on the world market. c. Economic problems triggered by falling revenues from oil sales had dented his popularity & forced him into a closer partnership w/ the Tudeh in the Iranian parliament (Majlis). G. Operation Ajax: US had planned to overthrow Mossadeq. The Shah gave his approval. 1. Mossadeq dissolves the Mailis & turns to Moscow 2. US CIA gets involved & orchestrates fake communist demonstrations in the streets of Tehran (capital). It was aimed at arousing fears of a communist takeover. 3. CIA then mounted massive counterdemonstrations in favor of the Shah محمدرضا پهلوی 4. 9 hours of fighting later, Mossadeq quit office & the Shah returned to Iran. b. The Americans were worried about Mossadeq’s links w/ the Iranian communist party, the Tudeh. Ike was obsessed by the fear of a communist Iran. c. Nothing G. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. Nothing 3. American money was paid to street mobs who marched into the center of Tehran and seized key government buildings. This picture was Tank-riding anti-Mosaddeq demonstrators in Tehran on August 19, 1953 4. Mossadeq had been unpopular with his people but there is no doubt that intervention by the CIA was partly responsible for his downfall. The CIA had participated in what amounted to a coup.

H. In short term results were favorable for the US:
1. US oil companies acquired a stake in the distribution of Iranian oil. 2. Iran was now clearly aligned w/ the US 3. Iran was of great geopolitical importance 4. Shah & new Prime Minister now firmly Pro-American a. alliance was primed by large amounts of US economic & military aid. I. Baghdad Pact: designed to exclude Soviet influence in the Middle East. 1. It became CENTO (Central Treaty Organization) 2. British supported it because was a way of maintaining influence in the Middle East & their military bases in Iraq 3. US supported by did not join the pact 4. collection of friendly states on the southern flank of the USSR grouped together in a security pact under British/US auspices was part of the global strategy of containment H. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. Nothing 3. it shared an extensive border w/ the Soviet Union and provided a northern entrance to the oilfields of the Middle East. 4. Nothing a. Nothing I. Nothing 1. Members were Britain, Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. 3. US feared joining the pact may antagonize other Arab states such as Egypt, and push those states closer to Moscow.

A. Egypt was lead by President Nasser
IV. Egypt was the scene of the greatest Cold War crisis in the Middle East under Ike. A. Egypt was lead by President Nasser 1. He was a reformer, a modernizer & above all a nationalist 2. His ambition was a pan-Arab coalition of states under the leadership of Egypt B. Construction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile was part of modernization 1. it would generate hydro-electric power & reclaim fertile cotton-growing land. 2. Nasser played the 2 superpowers of each other a. in 1955 Nasser received a shipment of arms form USSR b. In order to avert a pact between Egypt & the USSR the US offered to part-finance the Aswan Dam c. In 1956 Nasser recognizes the PRC so the US cancelled economic aid to Egypt. d. Nasser aimed to make up for the shortfall in revenue by nationalizing the British owned Suez Canal Company. IV. Nothing A. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. Nothing B. Nothing 2. He did this to secure aid for Egyptian economic development

C. Nasser’s actions brought Anglo-Egyptian relations to the verge
1. France sided w/ Britain 2. US proposed a international agreement governing the canal a. both France & Britain were secretly preparing a military action w/ Israel to regain the Suez Canal Zone b. 1st military action occurred when Israel invaded the Sinai desert c. Next the British bombed Egyptian airfields & dropped British & French paratroopers in the Suez Canal Zone 3. The USSR branded Britain, France, & Israel aggressors & threatened to intervene w/ military action a. The US sponsored a resolution in the UN calling for a cease fire b. Under intense pressure the British & friends pulled out c. the canal remained under Egypt’s control 4. Ike was made at the attempt to recover the Suez for several reasons: a. He was pissed they acted without US knowledge b. He calculated that US military intervention on the side of Israel would have destroyed efforts to win alliances in the Arab world C. Nothing 1. France wanted to help Britain bring Nasser down since he was supplying aid to Algerian nationalists fighting against the French in the war of Independence 2. The commitment to Britain and France was half-hearted a. Nothing b. Nothing c. Nothing 3. USSR approached the US to join w/ the Soviets against Britain & France. Ike rejected the proposal. a. It was backed by the USSR b. The US used their economic power to force the British out. Many Arab states cut oil to Britain in response to their actions. A run on sterling was next and the US refused to extend credits to Britain to purchase oil on the international markets.

D. crisis had several important & long-lasting effects on US policy:
c. It would also invite the risk of Soviet military action & risk major conflict D. crisis had several important & long-lasting effects on US policy: 1. Soviet-Egyptian alliance emerged in the aftermath 2. Nasser being tight w/ USSR aroused fears about the penetration of Soviet powers into the Middle East 3. The Eisenhower Doctrine was US response in Jan. 1957 a.. Congress passed a resolution granting Ike powers to send $ or military aid to any Middle Eastern state seeking assistance against “overt armed aggression from any nation controlled by international communism.” 4. Nasser’s stock in the Arab world was high after Suez E. The Ike Doctrine was 1st used in 1957. 1. Jordan feared a coup by pro-Nasser forces within his country a. he appealed to the US for help b. the US moved the 6th Fleet into the Mediterranean & sent $10 million in aid to Jordan c. Nothing D. Nothing 1. British actions pushed Nasser away from the western powers to Moscow. 2. Nothing 3. Nothing a. Nothing 4. Nothing E. Nothing 1. Nothing b. Nothing

1. It was prompted by Nasser’s influence in the region.
F. The next year saw military intervention in the Middle East when 10,000 marines landed on the beaches of Lebanon. 1. It was prompted by Nasser’s influence in the region. 2. A United Arab Republic (Egypt & Syria) had been formed & the Lebanese capital, Beirut, supporters of Nasser had been protesting against the countries President, Chamoun. 3. The pro-Western Hashemite monarchy in Iraq was tossed out in a left wing coup a. The landing is Lebanon could have caused a Cold War crisis 4. Russia limited its actions to diplomatic protests & the US marines left in October after the election of a new president 5. The US also recognized the new regime in Iraq G. US policy in the Middle East was not an unqualified success: 1. the interest of the US oil co. had been safeguarded & western access to oil reserves maintained. 2. Communism had made few advances in the region 3. The Baghdad Pact was a weak security organization F. Nothing 1. Washington saw the hand of Moscow behind such developments 2. Nothing 3. Nothing a. Nothing 4. Nothing 5. The US was satisfied that it was not pro-Soviet and that the Russians had played no part in the overthrow of the Iraqi monarchy G. Nothing 1. Nothing 2. It was not so much because of the US but the limited appeal to the people of the Middle East

V. Central America and the Caribbean
A. US viewed Latin America & Caribbean as “their” backyard B. It was a axiom of US policy for communist states to stay away from US borders 1. the 1st post-war security treaty negotiated by the US was the Rio Pact of (“attack on 1 country in the Americas would bean attack on all”) C. In 1948 the Organization of American States (OAS) was formed as the political arm of the Rio Pact. 1. Its charter said that international communism was inconsistent w/ the “concept of American freedom.” D. In 1953 a potential commi threat was identified in Guatemala 1. The countries president, Arbenz Guzman was elected in 1951. 2. Land reform was 1 of Arbenz’s priorities. a. In 1953 he seized unused land owned by the US United Fruit Company. b. Ike saw the seizure of US assets as the prelude to a commi reform program V. Nothing A. Nothing B. Nothing 1. Nothing C. Nothing 1. Both the OAS & the Rio Pact were American-inspired devices to exclude communism from the Western hemisphere.

Guatemala was a poor country in which 50% of the population lived off only 3% of the land. This is why a “land grab” was so important to Arbenz.

a. only a smattering of communists in the trade unions
3. There was almost a hysterical anti-communism feeling w/ some American policy makers in this period: a. only a smattering of communists in the trade unions b. only four in the Guatemalan parliament c. Arbenz was not a communist, nor was he getting aid from Moscow. 4. Eisenhower still believed that there was sufficient evidence to authorize a CIA plan to overthrow him. a. CIA plan was called Operation PB Success. b. CIA supplied Armas w/ funds, mercenaries & a base in neighboring Honduras. 5. Arbenz now attempted to strengthen his position by purchasing a small amount of arms from the Soviet bloc, further proof to the US of his communist inclinations. 6. Armas invaded Guatemala w/ 150 men in June Ike agreed to supply him w/ two planes flown by US pilots 3. Nothing a. Nothing b. Nothing c. Nothing 4. Nothing a. The coup was led by Castillo Armas. He was a staunch anti-communist. 5. Nothing 6. The subsequent bombing of civilian targets led to a collapse of popular support for Abenz & the defection of his armed forces.

a. Armas becomes president after Arbenz bails to Mexico
7. Armas had suffered only one casualty but had ordered the massacre of hundreds of political opponents during the coup a. Armas becomes president after Arbenz bails to Mexico 8. Again a covert CIA operation had deposed a foreign gov. suspected of links w/ the USSR & installed a pro US regime. a. An anti-communist military dictator served American interests better than a liberal reformer VI. Communism loomed even closer to home when in 1959 Fidel Castro assumed leadership of Cuba A. The US had controlled Cuba since the Spanish-American war of 1898. B. Cuba was tied closely to the US economically & politically C. Island was a playground for rich American tourists & most of Cuba’s assets were owned by American companies 1. In 1956 Castro landed on the beaches in an attempt to overthrow Batista. 2. By 1959 Castro was triumphant 7. Nothing a. Nothing 8. Nothing VI. Remember Cuba is 90 miles of our shores!!! A. Since 1934 the island had been ruled by General Fulgencio Batista, an American-sponsored military dictator.

D. Castro quickly initiated a program of land redistribution
1. The US concluded that Castro’s revolution was not an outright communist. 2. When Castro confiscated US assets on Cuba & recognized communist China, it aroused US fears he might become Moscow’s newest ally in the developing world. a. Castro also signed trade agreements w/ the USSR b. Traditionally the US had bought Cuba’s sugar crop but the USSR now opened its market to Cuban sugar in return for exporting oil & manufactured goods to Cuba. i. Ike responded w/ embargo of Cuban sugar imports ii. Ike also instructed the CIA to train Cuban exiles in Guatemala for an invasion of the island c. Castro continued to seize US assets in Cuba i. The US now blocked all trade w/ Cuba except for a few essential items. ii. In January 1961 the 2 countries broke off diplomatic relations D. Just like Arbenz in Guatemala 1. Most historians believe that Castro did not become a Marxist until 1960 or 1961 2. Nothing a. Nothing b. Nothing i. Nothing ii. Nothing c. Nothing ii. The situation in Cuba was one of the difficult problems left bu Ike for JKF. Within 2 years we would have the Cuban missile crisis

VII. US-Soviet Relations under Eisenhower
KEY ISSUE: How & why were US-Soviet relations volatile during Ike’s presidency? A. Stalin’s death & Ike’s arrival produced new Cold War leaders B. Changing leaders did not bring about complete policy change 1. Ike & Dulles were “hardcore” anti-communism just like their generation. C. Both men found it hard to envision the USSR as a partner in constructive negotiations 1. Events on the ground also made diplomatic breakthrough unlikely. a. US & Chinese killing each other in Korea until 1953 2. Ike had to keep his eye on Congress too. a. McCarthy & his supporters were still riding high D. the collective leadership that succeeded Stalin also made diplomacy difficult. 1. Khrushchev & Malenkov were engaged in a power struggle Vii. Nothing A. Nothing B. Nothing 1. Nothing C. Nothing a. Nothing 2. Nothing D. Nothing 1. This made it often difficult to know who held the reins of power. Khrushchev did not emerge as the dominant figure within the Soviet leadership until 1955

3. In 1955 the USSR recognized W. Germany & abolished the Cominform
E. There were signs of a more conciliatory approach to Cold War problems on the part of the USSR. 1. USSR put pressure on Kim Il Sung to agree to an armistice in Korea in 1953 2. They persuaded Ho Chi Geneva Conference to end war w/ France & accept the partition of Vietnam as the price of peace 3. In 1955 the USSR recognized W. Germany & abolished the Cominform 4. Khrushchev suggested that relations between US/USSR should be a “peaceful co-existence.” Rick, I did not finish this last year. I had them read pages of Edwards. I also assigned I had them create multiple choice questions in groups. I will test them on their questions in a couple of days.

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