Dynamic Conservatism
• Part of Eisenhower’s presidential platform in
1952.
• Eisenhower said it stood for:
– Conservative when it comes to money
– Liberal when it comes to human beings
Eisenhower’s Conservative
Policy Attempts
• Cut income taxes by 10% (this should prompt ??)
– Also cut government spending by 10%
• Interest rates were raised. (why)
– This tightened credit (made it harder for money to get put
out into circulation)
– This hopes to reduce inflation.
• Republicans tried to reduce the role of the Federal
Government. (it didn’t work)
– What happens to that power then?
Eisenhower’s Conservative
Policy Attempts
• Dynamic Conservatism was not an attempt to
repeal the NEW DEAL.
• NEW DEAL:
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Series of economic reforms put forth by FDR (1st term)
Helped to get them out of the depression
Had the 3 R’s Relief, Recovery, Reform
Relief: For the Unemployed and Poor
Recovery: For the Economy to recover to normal levels
Reform: For the financial system so they never go
through a depression again.
• The New Deal was a “hands on approach” to
government.
Eisenhower’s Conservative
Policy Attempts
• Dynamic Conservatism was not an attempt to
repeal the NEW DEAL.
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Eisenhower did expand some New Deal Programs
Congress expanded Social Security Coverage
Raised the minimum wage (what does this potentially do)
Extended unemployment insurance
He created the Department of Health, Education, &
Welfare
• What did this do to the size of the government???
– Government actually expanded.
Eisenhower’s Conservative
Policy Attempts
• Created the Interstate Highway Act 1956
• Largest public works in U.S. history (at the time)
• Congress would pay for 90% of the construction
via tax dollars
• Taxes would be paid on vehicles, gas, tires,
lubricants, auto parts.
• As a result 42,000 miles of highway were
created.
Eisenhower’s Conservative
Policy Attempts
Highway Act 1956
• Shopping malls and suburban life continued to
grow because the highways created ease of
accessibility.
• Miles driven by families increased by 4x
• This helped contribute to the concept of
spending and prospering America in the 1950’s
Eisenhower’s Reign
• His presidency didn’t see a battle over
fundamental issues by political parties
• Generally it was seen as Conservatives wanted
Limited Government and Liberals wanted Big
Government.
• Now because of the consensus of the people
and parties “hot” issues were generally shared
by both parties. (What was the hot issue that
was the consensus?)
McCarthyism
• The accusation of governmental officials of
being disloyalty, subversion, or treason in
relation to the red menace (communism)
• Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.
• Continued for 18 months!
• Many senators despised him but wouldn’t
challenge him openly because they were afraid
he would come after them. (He was very
damaging to elections)
McCarthyism
• The public supported him!
• Patriotism was huge at this time and many
things were twisted around to be shown as
questionable in terms of loyalty and patriotism.
• Books were removed from shelves
• He worked his way through the State
Department
McCarthyism
• 1954 McCarthy attacked the U.S. Army.
• He focused his attack at Fort Monmouth, NJ
• He uncovered that the Army promoted a dentist
(Dr. Irving Peress) to Major and honorably
discharged him when he used the “Pleading the
5th Amendment” when asked about Communist
affiliations/relations.
• McCarthy bullied General R. Zwicker because
he wouldn’t give McCarthy Peress’s file.
McCarthyism
• Army countered saying McCarthy was trying to
use his “communism allegations” to advance a
person on his staff at the base of Fort Monmouth.
• The Army vs. McCarthy Trials went on for 6 weeks
in the Spring of 1954. (The trials were telecasted)
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McCarthy’s antics were bold.
He interrupted procedure “yelling point of order”
Made threats and faces
He was very misbehaved (on Live TV)
YouTube - McCarthyism Documentary part 1
YouTube - Army-McCarthy Hearings
McCarthyism
• McCarthy was now losing
steam in his arguments
because he seemed
reckless.
• The U.S. Senate voted to
censure him:
– Censure: An official
reprimand. (which is a
major political bad mark)
• He died less than 3 years
later and so did the major
anti-communism force in
Government
Election of 1956
• Repeat of the 1952 election.
• Eisenhower vs. Stevenson (Eisenhower won)
• Both political parties still felt the same on issues
and Eisenhower was at the top of his popularity
– Stevenson had no answer to Ike’s popularity and had
no new issue to bring to the table.
• Problem was Eisenhower won the presidency
but the Democrats won both houses of congress
– 1st time this ever happened.
Civil
Rights
Civil Rights
• In 1953, Eisenhower
appointed Earl Warren to
the Supreme Court (chief
justice)
• The Supreme Court had
been going over the
constitutionality of racial
segregation.
– Specifically: Voting Rights
and School Segregation
Earl Warren
Civil Rights
• May 17th 1954 the court took on and rule the
case of Brown vs. The Board of Education of
Topeka Kansas stating that “separate but equal”
was unconstitutional.
– This was based on the 14th amendment. (Equal
citizenship and protection under the Law)
• The Supreme Court issued it’s enforcement
stating that “all federal district courts are ordered
to begin to desegregate schools
– This was expected to be done “in good faith
compliance and with appropriate speed”
Civil Rights
• Because of this vagueness this opened the door
for loose interpretation and enforcement.
Southern Manifesto.
• A document signed by 101 congressman from
11 southern states (99 of them democrats.)
• Drafted primarily Strom Thurmond and Rick
Russell
• It stated it would use “legal means to bring about
a reversal of the Brown vs. Board of Education
decision”
Southern Manifesto
• The Southern Manifesto accused the Supreme
Court of abuse of power.
Several key concepts were highlighted:
– “The Supreme Court’s unwarranted decision is now
bearing the fruit when men substitute naked power for
established law”
– “The constitution does NOT, nor does the 14th
amendment mention education.” The debates in
passing the 14th amendment had nothing mentioned
of education thus it should have no implementation on
education in this case.
Southern Manifesto
Several key concepts were highlighted:
• This decision, is creating chaos and confusion in
the States principally affected.
• It is destroying the good-natured relations
between the whites and Negros that have been
created through 90 years of patient effort by the
good people of both races.
• It has planted hatred and suspicion where there
has been heretofore friendship and
understanding.
Southern Manifesto
• It urged southern officials to resist
implementation of desegregation.
• The biggest confrontation of the Brown Decision
and the true implementation of the Southern
Manifesto came at Central High School in Little
Rock Arkansas.
Little Rock 9
Little Rock 9
• August 1957 NAACP
attempted to register 9 black
kids into Central High School.
• The 9 were hand picked based
on excellent grades and
attendance.
• The Little Rock School Board
accepted it unanimously.
• Governor Orval Faubus did
not.
Little Rock 9
• Segregationist groups threatened to physically
block the entrance to Central High School if these
students were enrolled.
• Sept. 4th 1957: Gov. Faubus ordered the National
Guard to also block the school. (Southern
Manifesto in action)
• Sept 12th: Eisenhower invites Faubus to meet with
him telling him don’t interfere.
• Arkansas Federal Court ordered the National
Guard to be removed and allow the 9 students to
enter.
Little Rock 9
• White protesters came to block the 9 students
from entering.
• Faubus & the School Board fearing problems
removed the 9 students.
• Sept 24th 1957: Eisenhower ordered the 101st
Airborne division of the US Army into Little Rock
and Federalizes the Arkansas National Guard
– In essence Eisenhower took control away from Faubus
• For the whole year they were subjected to
physical and verbal abuse.
Little Rock 9
• Students were often spit on, called names,
pushed etc.
• One girl had acid thrown into her eyes!
• White students were only punished for their
harassment when their actions were:
– “egregious and witnessed by an adult”
• YouTube - Little Rock 9
• YouTube - Elizabeth Entrance
• Faubus in response shut down all public schools
in Arkansas for the 1958-1959 school year so
they wouldn’t be integrated. “The Lost Year”
Civil Disobedience
• Civil Disobedience became a popular tactic for
civil rights activist to bring about change.
– Another form of non-violent protests. (Sit-ins,
boycotts, freedom rides, etc.
Rosa Parks
• Dec. 1st 1955 Rosa Parks
refuses to give up her seat on
the bus. She wasn’t the 1st to do
so.
YouTube - Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
Bus Segregation:
• Black people were required to sit in the back and fill to
the front.
• White in the front and filled to the back.
• As whites got on they filled up until they met the blacks.
• As more whites board blacks must give up their seat.
• As whites boarded, blacks were required to stand. If
blacks boarded they had to stand from the get go.
• Blacks boarded in the front to pay, de-board then had to
reenter in a separate door in the back of the bus.
• Often times bus drivers would just drive away when the
blacks would step off to go through the back entrance
Rosa Parks
• Rosa Park’s bus incident lead to the
Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• It started Dec. 1st 1955 and lasted until Dec 20th
1956!
• Drivers were mostly black so they refused to
drive. Riders were mostly black so it was
financially crippling.
• Supreme Court decided that segregation on
busses was unconstitutional.
Civil Rights Act 1957
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Pushed by Lyndon B. Johnson
It primarily was a Voting Rights Act
It created the Civil Rights Commission. (1957)
It gave the Attorney General the power to take local
officials to trial if they denied African Americans the
right to vote.
• It was largely opposed by:…..
• Strom Thurmond.
– He tried to block it by conducting the longest single
senator Filibuster ever at the time. (24 hours 8
minutes.)
Civil Rights Act 1957
• The act was not well received and was amended
largely from the beginning.
• It was hard to enforce and it was watered down
but it was a step in the right direction.
– If someone obstructed an African American from
trying to register to vote they rarely went to trial and if
they did they faced an all white jury.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1960 helped clear up
problems from the 1957 Act.
Eisenhower's New Look
vs.
Truman’s Containment Theory
Eisenhower on Containment
• Early in Ike’s Presidency he and Secretary of State
John Foster Dulles continued with Containment.
– They originally had stated they would change the
containment policy though.
• They stated that they EXPECT those under
communism to be set free. (Hoping not to fight)
• This meant it would require Americans to fight.
– No communist nation would ever set it’s citizens free
voluntary.
Eisenhower on Containment
• Eisenhower wanted liberation (meaning getting
rid of communism)
– That would have been TOO COSTLY
• The New Look became the name of the
Eisenhower's Foreign Policy (specifically dealing
with the Cold War and Communism.)
Eisenhower’s New Look
• It dealt primarily with Atomic Diplomacy.
• It basically said massive air attacks on the
Soviet Union with Nuclear Bombs if communism
was aggressively perused anywhere in the
world.
– Eisenhower and Dulles though this would keep the
Soviets from action.
– This also allowed Eisenhower to reduce the spending
on conventional military equipment. Thus reducing
military spending while keeping the arms race going.
Eisenhower’s New Look
• Ike and Dulles said this gave the USA more bang
for their buck.
• The cuts in military spending they felt were
necessary to keep the American Way of Life
continuing (American Dream)
Criticisms of the New Look:
• It locked the USA into an all or nothing approach
• Small attacks in 3rd world nations wouldn’t warrant
a full blown nuclear attack against the Soviet
Union. Thus Communism would still expand.
Eisenhower’s New Look
• Ike said this New Look was better and more efficient
than trying to police the whole world.
• Ike and Dulles stated the USA would provide the
hardware to allied nations in certain parts of the
world and they (allied nations) would provide the
troops.
• This lead to “pactomania”:
– A period of treaty making during the Cold War.
– USA signed alliances with 42 different nations and treaties
with over 100 countries.
– This helped with geographical coverage of the “New Look”
Brinkmanship
• The notion of going to the brink of war to achieve
peace.
– Basically threaten total annihilation if the opponent
doesn’t do what you wish.
• Brinkmanship was used to help bring an end to
the war in Korea.
– It was used on China not the Soviets)
• Brinkmanship was then used again in Southeast
Asia. (Indochina)
– The countries between India and China….specifically
Vietnam)
V
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The Background
Vietnam
The French Story
Vietnam
Background
• Since 1859 most of Vietnam and Cambodia had
been under French Rule. (Laos came later)
• Various uprisings came from the 1860’s till the
1940’s with limited success.
• From 1859-1940 Vietnam was under French
Colonial Rule.
• 1940, the French were defeated by the Germans in
WWII.
– This created a German occupational zone in France
known as “Vichy French”
Vietnam
Background
• Vichy French: German run zones in France. (This
went until 1944 when France was liberated)
• Germany still had the final say but France maintained
some control.
• So in 1940 when France went under German
occupation, this meant that the French Colonies in
Vietnam became “Vichy French”
– This meant that France helped Japan (who was part of the
German Axis powers) in their invasion into French IndoChina (Vietnam)
– The French still basically ran Vietnam (Indochina) but the
authority still ultimately rested with Japan and Germany.
Vietnam
Background
• Vietnam (Indochina) feared they couldn’t fully
trust the French because the authorities were
held captive (interned) by the Germans and
Japanese.
• The French Colonies in Vietnam then decided to
control themselves independently in 1945.
– Viet Minh: Group who originally wanted
independence from French and then later from
Japan rule. (Starting in 1941)
Vietnam
Background
• Viet Minh: (Early Days)
– Lead by Ho Chi Minh
– The USA supported the Viet Minh in their attempt to
escape Japanese Rule.
– We supplied them with arms, and supplies etc. (all prior
to 1945)
– The problem was Japan surrendered unconditionally to
the Allied forces in 1945.
– Viet Minh (and Ho Chi Minh) felt this was the perfect
opportunity to claim their independence.
Vietnam
Background
• Viet Minh: (Early Days)
– In September 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam. (this was in name
only)
• He even quoted the US Declaration of independence saying
“All Men Are Created Equal” and “We have the right to
pursue happiness”
– Problem: The victorious Allies (USA, Great Britain,
and the Soviet Union all agreed that with the defeat of
Germany/Japan, Indochina (Vietnam) would return to
French rule.
• We didn’t consult with Ho Chi Minh and didn’t recognize the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Vietnam
Background
• The French didn’t really have much of an army
or supplies anymore because they were under
German Control (Vichy French)
• The Decision:
– British troops would occupy southern Vietnam
– Chinese Nationalists: Would come down from the
north to eventually retake all of Vietnam.
– This was us turning bad for Ho Chi Minh and his idea.
– British troops landed and provided weapons to former French
troops who were “interned” there. This helped gain a force to
retake Vietnam.
Vietnam
Background
• Ho Chi Minh decided to
try to negotiate with the
French for control.
• In Jan. 1946 Ho Chi Minh
won elections in North
and Central Vietnam. He
was gaining popularity
and support.
• March 1946 the French
landed in Hanoi and
threw out the Viet Minh.
Vietnam
Background
• The Viet Minh went into guerilla warfare against
the French & British soldiers in Vietnam.
– The Viet Minh largely weren’t well equipped until 1949
when the Chinese Revolution occurred thus providing
them with ample military supplies.
• 1950, communist nations recognized “The
Democratic Republic of Vietnam”
– Lead by Ho Chi Minh
• Shortly after non-communist nations recognized
“Vietnam” lead by emperor Bao Dai
Vietnam
Background
• By 1954 USA was funding almost 80% of the war
effort in Vietnam.
• This French Struggle in Vietnam lead to the 1st
Indochina War.
– USA didn’t get directly involved. We simply supplied
the French with military aid.
– The USA did consider using 3 Tactical Nuclear
weapons in support of a French invasion.
– USA agreed to join with troops if the British joined the
fight.
– The British didn’t and the USA decided against the use
of Nuclear Weapons.
Vietnam Background
French vs. Indochina
• Soviet Union greatly supported the Viet Minh
and did so in large amounts.
• The USA started to realize the French
chance for victory was slim.
• 1954 (MAY) the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
marked the defeat of the French in Vietnam.
• The Geneva Accords which followed helped
divide the country.
• Dien Bien Phu Documentary