Dwight D. Eisenhower and the 1950s

I. Election of 1952 A. Democratic candidate: Adlai Stevenson B. Republican candidate: Dwight D. Eisenhower (VP) Richard M. Nixon C. Major issues: Korea, Communism, Corruption

D. Campaign: “I like Ike” – One of the most successful campaign slogans in U.S. history!

E.Eisenhower won by more than 6 million votes!!!

Eisenhower’s Foreign Policy a.Made no basic changes in the containment policy b.Republicans pressured him to reduce government spending c.Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles developed a strategy called massive retaliation.

d. Massive Retaliation meant threatening to respond to Soviet aggression anywhere in the world with a nuclear attack. e. Brinkmanship meant willing to “go to the brink” of all-out war to contain communism

f.Dulles’ policy was pure bluff – neither Dulles or Eisenhower ever seriously considered dropping a nuclear bomb g.To do so would have been suicidal! (Mutually Assured Destruction)

Strengthening of Communism a.East Germany (1953) and Hungary (1956) both revolted against their communist governments – but Eisenhower did not intervene!

b.France was forced out of Vietnam (Vietnam was a French colony known as French Indochina since the 1860s) in 1954 by Communist forces led by Ho Chi Minh. a.The Geneva Accords of 1954 divided Vietnam along the 17th Parallel – Communist North Vietnam and Democratic South Vietnam.

North Vietnam=Communist South Vietnam = Democratic

Thaw in the Cold War? a.Stalin died in 1953 – Nikita Khrushchev became the Soviet Premier b.Many thought there might be a “thaw in the cold war” due to a new Soviet leader.

c. July 1955 – Geneva Summit Meeting of world leaders discussed a possible end to the Cold War.

Suez Canal Crisis

a.Egypt stepped up raids against Israel in 1956 and seized control of the Suez Canal b.Israel fought back – joined by Great Britain and France (both wanted to reopen the canal).

c.Eisenhower was in a dilemma – the U.S. backed Israel and were allies with Great Britain and France. d.Eisenhower rejected using force to regain the canal – he demanded the 3 nations withdraw from Egypt.

a.Soviets demanded the same, and Egypt kept control of the Suez Canal (not much of a thaw….) b.USSR will enjoy a much closer relationship with the Arab nations after this  We countered this with the Eisenhower Doctrine (’57), which pledged military aid to any Middle Eastern country fighting communism.

Arms Race a.Hydrogen bomb first tested by U.S. in 1952 b.USSR followed in 1953 c.Our second H-bomb was dropped in 1954 – said to be up to 1,000 times more powerful than the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima!

d. Duck and Cover Drills at home: –Gov’t suggested method of protection against the effects of a nuclear attack –taught to generations of U.S. school children from the late 1940s into the 1980s.

Sputnik and the Space Race a. October 4, 1957 – the Soviets launched the first satellite into space b.Sputnik (Russian word for “traveling companion”) c. November, the Russians launched Sputnik II – dog onboard!

d. U.S. had MANY embarrassing feats – but finally launched a small satellite in February e. National Aerospace and Aeronautics (NASA) was created in 1958 to promote space research.

f. Americans were determined to catch up to the Soviets – Congress passed the National Defense Education Act to ensure American students were studying math and science. g. NDEA: $887 million in loans to needy college students for the improvement of teaching the sciences and languages.

Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 Russian Satellites

U-2 Affair a – the Soviets shot down an American U-2 spy plane. b.Eisenhower denied that we had a plane on a spying mission. c.Khrushchev revealed that the pilot had survived – and they knew EXACTLY what he’d been doing!

a.GREAT embarrassment to the Eisenhower administration. b.Ike promised flights would stop but would not apologize. There was no more thawing of the Cold War between Ike and Khrushchev after this!