Eisenhower Era
Chapter 37
President Truman
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The Twenty-second
Amendment set a 10year limit on the
number of years a
president could serve.
Truman was specifically
excluded from the
limit.
Still, he felt he had
served long enough
and did not seek
reelection in 1952.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Wins
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Democrats nominated
Adlai Stevenson.
Republicans chose
Dwight D. Eisenhower,
known as “Ike.”
His campaign hit a snag
when his vicepresidential running
mate, Richard M.
Nixon, was accused of
being dishonest.
Eisenhower won on his
campaign promise to
end the war in Korea.
Democrats in 1952
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Prospects for the
Democrats in 1952 were
relatively bleak. Why?
– Truman clash with
MacArthur
– military deadlock in Korea
– War-bred inflation
– whiffs of Scandal
– Also, 20 years of Democratic
presidents
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Democrats nominate Adlai
Stevenson
Ike
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Republicans run
Eisenhower who is
immensely popular.
Richard Nixon selected as
VP. Why?.
Ike leaves the heavyhitting to Nixon.
Nixon and the Checkers
Speech
Senator Richard M. Nixon
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Nixon had made his
name as a strong anticommunist.
During the 1952
campaign, Nixon was
accused of having an
$18,000 fund made up
of gifts from political
supporters.
This was not illegal, but
Nixon’s accusers said he
was dishonest.
Checkers Speech
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Nixon went on television to
defend his actions and
claimed that he did not use
the fund improperly and
that he had only accepted
one special gift in 1952….a
cocker spaniel dog named
Checkers.
His outstanding
performance saved his spot
on the Republican ticket.
Promise to end Korea
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Eisenhower kept his
campaign promise and
traveled to Korea to try and
get the stalled peace talks
moving.
Even after peace was
achieved in 1953, the Cold
War continued to rage and
to dominate Eisenhower’s
presidency.
Secretary of State John
Foster Dulles helped
shape Eisenhower’s Cold
War policies.
Ike Wins Easily
John Foster Dulles
and Foreign Policy
Dulles believed in brinkmanship,
the diplomatic art of going to
the brink of war without actually
getting into war. To this end he
advocated building more nuclear
weapons.
Dulles also believed in the concept
of massive retaliation. This
was the promise that the United
States would use overwhelming
force against the Soviet Union to
settle conflicts.
Foreign policy also had a secret
side—the Central Intelligence
Agency, or CIA.
US – Soviet Relations
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Americans and Soviets
met in Geneva,
Switzerland, for a
summit meeting in
1955.
Eisenhower proposed an
“open skies” treaty that
would allow each side to
fly over the other’s
territory to learn more
about its military abilities.
The Soviets rejected the
proposal.
Francis Gary Powers
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In 1960 the Soviets
shot down an
American U-2 spy
plane sent into the
Soviet Union to
inspect their military
facilities.
This incident greatly
damaged U.S.–
Soviet relations.
Troubles for Eisenhower
Israel
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In 1948 Israel declared its independence.
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A UN resolution had divided Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state.
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Arab Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq attacked Israel.
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Israel won the war and the land of Palestine came under the control of Israel, Jordan,
and Egypt.
Eisenhower Doctrine
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Goals:
– Keep Soviets out so that they cannot
control the oil.
– Protect Israel.
– Keep the Arab nations friendly to US so that
continue to supply oil.
– Give them lots of economic and military.
Egypt
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Gamal Abdel Nasser wanted to unite the
Arab nations and sought the support of
the Soviet Union.
U.S. leaders did not like this and took
away their support for the Aswan High
Dam.
In retaliation, Nasser seized the Suez canal
and almost started a war.
The Eisenhower Doctrine said the U.S.
would aid any Nation in the Middle East
trying to resist communism.
A New Look In Foreign
Policy
Ike pledged to roll back
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communism.
– Sec. of State, John Foster
Dulles.
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Also pledged to reduce military
spending.
How to do both?
Strategic long-range bombers.
– Strategic Air Command
(SAC)
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Ike also sought, with only
limited success, to thaw the
Cold War.
Hungary
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1956 Soviets crush a democratic
uprising in Hungary.
One of the most western-leaning
of the Eastern-European
countries.
America had no way to intervene.
Reaffirms fears that Soviets are
out to create a communist
empire.
Reveals the problem with security
based on massive retaliation.
Menaces In The Middle
East
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US fearful of Soviet
incursions into the Middle
East.
Iran became a trouble-spot.
CIA coup; Shah,
Mohammed Reza Pahlevi
Suez Canal
– President Nasser of Egypt—
Arab Nationalist
Vietnam
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French Indochina
1954 French in Viet Nam
facing a very determined
guerrilla movement.
US was financing about
80% of the French costs.
March 1954 French
garrison at Dienbienphu
defeated.
International conference
divides Viet Nam.
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Huge surge in
home-building
– 80% where in
the suburbs.
Revolution in
electronics. Made
businesses more
efficient and fueled
business
expansions.
Aerospace industry
also took off.
Revolution in the
work force—
– white-collar
workers exceeds
blue-collar for
the first time.
Economic Boom
1950s cult of domesticity.
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Most women retreated to
being mothers and homemakers.
Quiet revolution of women
entering the work force.
Of 40 Million jobs created
between 1950-80, 30 Million
were in the clerical and service
sector. Women filled the vast
majority of these jobs.
Leads to the women’s
movement.
– Complaints of women in
the work force.
Feminine Mystique
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Betty Friedan publishes the
Feminine Mystique in 1963;
opening bell of the Feminist
Movement.
Attacked the boredom of
housewifery and a system
that told women they
shouldn’t want more.
Validated women who
wanted more than being a
wife and mother.
Rosie the Riveter's Daughters
Consumer Culture In The
Fifties
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First credit card emerged
in 1950 and quickly
caught on.
First McDonalds opened
in 1950
1955 Disneyland opens
New consumerism based
on easy credit, quick and
easy food and other
services and new
entertainment.
TV exploded.
Elvis Fuses Blues and
Country
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Sports Franchises
like the Dodgers and
Giants moved to
California and sports
were increasingly
seen on TV.
Birth of Rock and
Roll.
– Elvis fuses Blues and
Country. Kids love it.
Parents hate it.
Ending Korea
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Ike goes to Korea before the
inauguration to jump-start the
peace talks to no effect.
He gets things going when he
threatens to use nuclear
weapons.
Armistice (not a peace treaty)
end fighting and returns the
border to the 38th parallel.
54,000 American dead in the
war. 1 Mill. dead Chinese and
Koreans from both sides.
IKE
a care-taker president.
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Ike was both a soothing
figure who would not
challenge the people and
would support business
As a former General was a
comforting man to have
at the helm in the Cold
War.
Ike strove to stay above
the partisan fray.
But, failed to use his
popularity as a tool for
moving and shaping the
country.
Fall of Joe McCarthy
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McCarthy most ruthless
anti-communist fearmonger,
McCarthy’s tactics.
Accusations against
George Marshall
Ike and the party were
afraid to get in his way
Army McCarthy Hearings
are his undoing.
Desegregating The South
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In 1950 2/3 of Americas 15
million blacks still lived in the
South.
Jim Crow laws
Only 20% of eligible blacks
were registered to vote.
Treatment of black war vets.
Emmett Till
1944—An American
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Jackie Robinson
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Dilemma
Blacks Push Back
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NAACP use courts to attempt
to dismantle segregation.
1944—Supreme Court
invalidates the All-White
primary
1950 Supreme court
overturned “separate but
equal” in professional
schools
1955— Rosa Parks and
Birmingham Bus Boycott
Martin Luther King.
Seeds Of Civil Rights Revolution
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Truman integrates the military
Congress stubbornly resists passing Civil Rights legislation.
Earl Warren and Supreme Court
Brown v. Board of Education—1954
Little Rock School Integration
– Orval Faubus and National Guard
Civil Right Progresses
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1957 Congress passes
the first Civil Rights Bill
since Reconstruction.
Relatively mild.
– Provisions.
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1957 King formed the
Southern Christian
Leadership conference
(SCLC)
– Goals and Purpose
Sit-In Movement
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1960 Sit-in
movement begins in
Greensboro North Car.
Becomes an effective
mass movement.
April 1960 Southern
Black students formed
the Student NonViolent coordinating
Committee (SNCC).
– Often at odds with
SCLC.
Eisenhower
Republicanism At Home
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“Dynamic
conservatism”
Eisenhower tried to
balance the federal
budget, but was only
successful 3 out of 8
years.
Eisenhower and the
New Deal.
Interstate Highway
Act of 1956
The Voters Still Like “Ike”
In 1956
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Hungary and the Suez
made voters concerned
about foreign affairs
Gave Ike a huge advantage
in 1956 election.
Democrats re-nominate
Stevenson.
Ike trounces Stevenson
even worse than the last
time, 457-73.
Ike has no coat-tails and
Congress remains in the
hands of the Democrats.
1956 Election
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Ike in poor health and turned
the work over to his underlings.
Goes after labor unions; had
increasingly been found to be
corrupt and infiltrated by the
mob.
Worst example was the
Teamsters Union.
Landrum-Griffin Act aka.
Labor-Management
Reporting and Disclosure Act
regulation of internal union
affairs, including union funds.
Former members of the
Communist party and former
convicts are prevented from
holding a union office for a period
of five years after resigning their
Communist party membership or
being released from prison.
Round Two
For “Ike”
The Race Into Space
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1957, Sputnik.
Huge PR win for USSR.
Impact on US psyche
Concern about “Missile Gap”
Led to put renewed
emphasis on science and
math training in schools.
Led to space race.
The Continuing Cold War
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Summit at Camp David
is a success,
U-2 spy plane
incident sours
relations again.
– Gary Powers is paraded
around Moscow.
Castro in Cuba
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Cuban rebels under Castro throw
out the repressive Cuban
dictator, Batista.
How does he anger US? What
does US do?.
USSR backs Castro.
Cuba seen as Soviet proxy.
Khrushchev threat.
Latin American Marshall Plan
Impact on US foreign policy in
Latin America
Kennedy v. Nixon
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In 1960, Nixon is the frontrunner.
– Very visible VP; famous
debate with Kruschev in
Moscow.
– Reputation as a nasty
politician and a somewhat
unprincipled.
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Democratic race is close in
the primaries, but John F.
Kennedy wins out over
Lyndon Johnson, Senator
from Texas.
– LBJ is nominated for VP.
Presidential Issues Of 1960
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Kennedy’s Catholicism.
– Kennedy neutralized the
issue
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Kennedy charges that
Republicans have caused a
missile gap.
Television played an
important role.
– Nixon-Kennedy Debate.
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Kennedy won relatively
easily in the electoral
college, but by only
100,000 votes in the
popular vote.