Eisenhower and 1950’s “I like Ike!” 442 to 89 Republicans looking forward to victory in White House Nixon as VP, Adlai Stevenson, Dem. Candidate “Modern Republicanism”- Attempted to balance budget, cont’d New Deal programs 1956 Highway Act-42,000 miles of interstate highways- more homogenous culture?
Ike’s Domestic Policies Some historians state he had the best economic policy of any modern president Inflation=1.5%, 3years of surplus in budget per capita income tripled Highest standards of living in the world Won re-election in 1956, but Democrats held Congress
Ike’s Cold War Policies Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’ foreign policy=brinkmanship Push SU, China and other communist states to brink of war, they’d back down! Massive retaliation=greater reliance on nuclear weapons and air power H bomb! Mutual extinction? Why did foreign policy change so much under Ike? How do you think people responded? What message were we sending?
Effects of Cold War Elsewhere Third world countries fighting for independence- end to colonial era. How would this affect Cold War? Soviet Union and US use these countries as pawns in strategic game of power Covert operations, CIA -overthrew Iran’s government, shah of Iran guaranteed US good oil prices in return -overthrew Guatamalan gov’t (threatened US business interests) -produced anti-American feelings worldwide- SHOCKING!
Back to Asia! Armistice in Korea, 1953 Indochina-People fought against French imperial rule, Ho Chih Minh supported by SU, France supported by US French defeated at Dien Bien Phu, US refused to send troops Divided into Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos
Vietnam Temporarily divided at 17 th parallel Two hostile governments took control -N. Vietnam, Ho Chih Minh, communism -S. Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, sort-of democracy US gave $1 billion to S. Vietnam, justified through domino theory=1 falls all others in Asia would too SEATO=SE Asia Treaty Organization. Military defense pact along with US, GB, Fr, Aus, NZ, Ph, Thailand, Pakistan
The Middle East Suez Canal Crisis,1956-Egypt took Suez, threatened West’s oil supply, GB, France and Israel surprise-attacked Egypt Eisenhower furious-why?, ordered UN action against invading forces Significance? GB and France would never again play THE major powers in world affairs!
Eisenhower Doctrine 1957 US pledged economic and military aid to any Middle Eastern country threatened by communism -1 st applied when E. sent troops to Lebanon in 1958 to prevent outbreak of civil war b/w Xians and Muslims
OPEC 1960 Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iron, Venezuela formed Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Growing Western dependence on oil, spreading of Arab nationalism and conflict b/w Palestinians and Arabs will continue to be a problem.
US-Soviet Relations After Stalin dies 1953, E. presented atoms for peace plan Geneva Meeting,1955-US and SU (N. Bulganin) -”open skies” to eliminate surprise nuclear attack, Soviets rejected by did thaw Cold War Khrushchev denounced Stalin, coexist with West, 1956 Sputnik I and II-launched by SU, Embarassed America, questioned its power ( united streaming) -Reaction? Nat’l Defense Education Act (NDEA) & NASA -Nuclear warheads could be anywhere in minutes!
Khrushchev and His Shoe In Moscow, 1956 at the Polish Embassy to Western Ambassadors-”WE WILL BURY YOU!” 1960 UN Conference K. took off his shoe, banged it on his desk when Phillipine ambassador suggested USSR was imperialist in Eastern Europe!
U-2 Incident Peace talks set in Paris of 1960 never occurred b/c US U-2 plane shot down over SU Showed US continued to conduct spy flights over SU E. admitted flights and took responsibility (united streaming)
Communism in Cuba US lost Cuba to communism-impact? Fidel Castro set up communist, totalitarianism state Anticommunist Cuban exiles trained by CIA to retake island-Kennedy’s decision now
Eisenhower’s Foreign Policy Legacy Stopped communism without loss of American lives Relaxed tensions of Cold War Warned society about negative impact of arms race gaining momentum