T4/2/13; F3/23/12; F3/25/11; F3/27/09

Eisenhower Overview & Ike’s Foreign Policy

(Ch. 29.1 & 29.2 – pp. 813-822)

Q: To what extent did Eisenhower reflect the political, economic & social values of 1950’s America?

I. Ike – Political PhilosophyA. Overview– popular President– WWII hero– 1948 – Dems – No– 1952 & 1956 – Reps – Yes

• Adlai Stevenson - Dem

B. Centrist– pragmatist

• 1. Dynamic Conservative– business leaders– balanced budgets– surplus → debt

I. Ike – Political Philosophy (cont.)

B. Centrist (cont.)

2. Recessions – 1953 & 1957– deficit spending– gov’t spending • Keynes

– shows pragmatism

I. Ike – Political Philosophy (cont.)

B. Centrist (cont.)

3. New Deal– stops excess– expands some programs • minimum wage• social security• unemployment• *public housing• *highways• *education• *civil rights• [*all part of Truman’s Fair Deal, some reluctantly]

II. New Conservatives• less gov’t.• lower taxes• strong military• anti communist– John Birch Society

• William F. Buckley – National Review

• Barry Goldwater – “father of modern conservatism”

III. Ike’s Foreign PolicyA. Overview• John Foster Dulles (State)–brinksmanship–confrontational–“rollback”–“massive retalitation”

• [all talk, little direct action]

III. Ike’s Foreign Policy (cont.)

B. Europe• East Germany – 1953• Poland & Hungary – 1956– political turmoil– democratic elections

• USSR crushes– puppet gov’ts

• U.S. – no action – why?

III. Ike’s Foreign Policy (cont.)

C. Asia• Japan – LDC model

• Korea – Ike officially ends war

• Vietnam– Ho Chi Minh → comm. & nat’l.– Geneva Agreements• no election• fear of comm. win

– military advisors

III. Ike’s Foreign Policy (cont.)

D. Mid East• Iran – 1953 – CIA → Shah – oil

• Egypt – 1956 – Nasser – Suez Canal (Br.)– war – Isr, Fr, Br – Ike stops war

• Eisenhower Doctrine – 1957– mil force in Mid East (when nec.)

• Lebanon – 1958– U.S. intervention

III. Ike’s Foreign Policy (cont.)

E. Latin America– Banana Republics

• ABC policy– Cuba – 1959

• Fidel Castro

F. Sputnik - 1957– 1st satellite– Space race (NASA – 1958)– Education – federal $$ - 1958

G. U2 Spy Plane - 1960– increased tension w/ USSR– carryover for next president (JFK)

III. Ike’s Foreign Policy (cont.)

G. Military Industrial Complex– warns of closeness– arms race continues •nuclear missiles

• Q: Did Ike’s foreign policy live up to philosophy of “rollback”?