Domestic Policies of
President Dwight D.
Eisenhower after WWII
Claire, Kylie and Miwa
Key Terms
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Dynamic Conservatism
Modern Republicanism
Creeping Socialism
Operation Wetback
Atoms for Peace
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956
Civil Rights Act of 1957
Eisenhower VS. McCarthy
Communist Activity Investigations
Eisenhower becomes President
● Former General in the United States Army.
● Beat Adlai Stevenson for the title of the
34th President of the United States on
November 4th, 1952.
● US enjoyed period of prosperity during term
in office
"Dynamic Conservatism"
● Pledged administration to a concept titled
"dynamic conservatism"
● Maintain a conservative attitude toward the
economy and government, liberal attitude
toward "all things which deal with people"
● Critics thought it coincided with the mood
of the nation.
Modern Republicanism
● The concept of "modern republicanism" is
the act of introducing semi-liberal
approaches domestically and economically,
while remaining conservative in foreign
affairs.
● Created various programs to help the poor
and aged, while trying to reduce the power
of the central government.
Modern Republicanism
● Created various programs.
○ Department of Health.
○ Department of Education.
○ Welfare.
○ Low-income housing.
● Expanded Social Security.
● Increased Minimum Wage.
Eisenhower's two main goals
● Strove to balance federal budget and stray
from "creeping socialism"
● Defined as the liberal, government involved
policy FDR left over.
● Tried to curb the TVA (Tennessee Valley
Authority) as a way to prevent "creeping
socialism"
Eisenhower's Two Main Goals Ctd.
● Could not completely shift the power from
federal to private organizations, but he
limited geographical and financial
expansion.
● Supported the transfer of oil ownership to
state owned.
"Operation Wetback"
● Massive illegal immigrant roundup operation
● Mexico worried that their Bracero Program
would be undercut by illegal immigration.
● 1 million illegal immigrants returned to
Mexico by 1954.
Native Americans and Eisenhower
● Wanted to cancel Native American tribal
preservation policies from the Native
American New Deal of 1934
● Policy was dropped in 1961 after Native
Americans continuously refused to be
terminated.
"Atoms for Peace"
● Eisenhower took public stand calling for
peaceful applications of nuclear technology
● Campaign educated public on positive uses
of atomic energy
● Delivered his "Atoms for Peace" Speech on
December 8,1953 for the General Assembly
of the U.N.
● States that the U.S. would like to be
"constructive, not destructive" with the
technology
Atoms for Peace Ctd.
● He wants the normally destructive atomic
energy to be put to use to help needs of the
country involving agriculture, medicine,
and other peaceful activities.
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956
● Bill signed into law by Eisenhower
● Huge public works bill that created
America's first interstate highway program
● Built 42,000 miles of new motorways
● Created construction jobs and stimulated
economy with oil, automobile and travel
industries rising as a result.
Labor Reform
● Labor Reform bill created in 1959
● Aimed to protect workers from demoralized
Union Officials
● Many had recently been misappropriating
funds.
Civil Rights Act of 1957
● Racial segregation eliminated in military
but still practiced in schools
● Eisenhower proposed and signed civil rights
bill into law because he was constitutionally
obligated.
● Was the act that kick-started the civil rights
legislative program
Eisenhower and McCarthy
● Senator McCarthy continuously attacked the
Republican administration for "going soft on
communism".
● Eisenhower was wary of communist spies,
but didn't approve of McCarthy's proposals
to combat communist spies.
● WIth the power of television, Eisenhower
publicly denounced McCarthy.
Education and Scientific
Advancement
● Launched the National Defense Education
Act
● First President's Science Advisory
Committee
● Helped supervise the organization of NASA
● Atomic Technology
Works Cited
"American President A Reference Resource- Dwight D. Eisenhower."
Millercenter.org. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 2012. Web. 21
Mar. 2012. <http://millercenter.
org/president/eisenhower/essays/biography/4>.
Kennedy, David M., and Lizabeth Cohen. "Chapter 40, The Eisenhower Era,
1952-1960." The American Pageant. By Thomas A. Bailey. 11th ed.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print.
Matuz, Roger. The Presidents Fact Book. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal,
2009. Print.
Parry-Giles, Shawn J. "Dwight D. Eisenhower, "Atoms for Peace" (8 December
1953)." Voices of Democracy: The U.S. Oratory Project. University of
Maryland, July 2006. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. <http://archive.vod.umd.
edu/internat/deafpcon.htm>.