Eisenhower and the 1950s Page 61 NCSCOS Goal 11

I Like Ike -Korean War ends Truman’s popularity Democrats lose support -1952 election won by Dwight Eisenhower Almost did not win Nixon is V.P. Accused of taking money “Checkers Speech” -Middle or Straight Road policies Modern Republicanism Ike pursues policies between Laissez-faire and New Deal activism Conservative when it comes to money but liberal when it comes to human beings

Korean War -Korean War had destroyed Truman’s popularity Stalemate and rising death toll -Eisenhower pledged an end to the war Helped get him elected -War ends in a cease fire at the original 38th parallel President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Vice President Richard M. Nixon were elected in 1952 with a pledge to end the Korean War. One year after their election, the war ended in an armistice.

Communist Fears -McCarthyism Ike never directly challenged his claims -Spy cases kept issue before the public -development of a hydrogen bomb that is much more powerful Strength = 1 million tons of TNT -scientists opposed the new weapon but it proceeded -1952 1st H-bomb is tested More dangerous -1953 USSR tests their own H-bomb

Brink of War Brinkmanship – always on the brink of war -John Foster Dulles was Sec. Of State – Anti-Communist -containment of communism based on threat of war – will use force if necessary -massive retaliation using nuclear weapons -reduced size of regular forces and buildup of nuclear arsenal Build air force to deliver bombs -Began the arms race Development of nuclear arsenal The U.S. felt that it could prevent the spread of communism by promising to use all of its force, including nuclear weapons, against any aggressor nation. The willingness of the U.S. to go to the edge of all-out war became known as brinkmanship. Under this policy, the U.S. trimmed its army and navy and expanded its air force and its buildup of nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union followed suit.

The Effects of the Arms Race

Brink of War -citizens build backyard bomb shelters and practice air raid drills -”Duck and Cover” The threat of nuclear attack was unlike any other. Even if only a few bombs reached their targets, millions of civilians would die. Schoolchildren practiced air-raid drills and some families built underground fallout shelters in their backyards.

Fallout Shelter Handbook from 1962

Cold War Spreads -newly developed CIA -covert actions in Iran and Guatemala Contains communism -1953, Joseph Stalin died and tensions seemed to relax Nikita Krushchev Peaceful competition -Soviet suppression of Hungarian Revolt, 1954 receive no help because containment does not go to satellite nations -Warsaw Pact formed in 1955 Soviet alliance -Eisenhower Doctrine--stated again that the U.S. should try to defend any nation against communism Even satellite nations After Stalin’s death in 1953, the Soviet Union had no well-defined way for one leader to succeed another. For the first few years, a group of leaders shared power. As time went by, one man, Nikita Khrushchev, gained power. He believed that communism would take over the world, but he thought it could triumph peacefully. He favored a policy of peaceful coexistence in which two powers would compete economically and scientifically.

Intercontinental ballistic missile Space Race -1957, USSR develops ICBM Intercontinental ballistic missile new threat of long range nuclear attack Could attack from the USSR -Oct. 1957, USSR launches Sputnik confirms development of ICBMs Proves that USSR has better technology -great embarrassment to the U.S. creation of NASA to catch up -U.S. launches satellite in early 1958 -Race to Space and the Moon had begun In the competition for international prestige, the Soviets leaped to an early lead in what came to be known as the space race. On October 4, 1957, they launched Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. Sputnik traveled around the earth at 18,000 mph, circling the globe every 96 minutes. Its launch was a triumph in Soviet technology.

U-2 Incident -U.S. intelligence begins spy missions over USSR -U-2 Spy plane was supposedly undetectable Took pictures of troop movement and missile sites -Soviet Summit scheduled Meeting between U.S. and USSR about the arms race -May, 1960 Gary Francis Powers was shot down in his U-2 plane over Russia USSR knows we were spying -Cold War escalates New tensions

American Dream for Business Modern Republicanism = laissez-faire -dream of a successful life People working in higher-paying jobs -growth of big business conglomerates - own different types of businesses to prevent bankruptcy franchising - company that offers similar products in different places -conformity individuality disappears in corporate life Businesses don’t want creativity Fast-food restaurants developed some of the first and most successful franchises. McDonald’s, for example, had its start when the McDonald brothers developed unusually efficient service, based on assembly-line methods, at their small drive-in restaurant in California. They simplified the menu, featured 15-cent hamburgers, and mechanized their kitchen. The McDonald brothers sold their franchise rights to Ray Kroc, who improved the assembly-line process and introduced the “Golden Arches.”

Consumerism Middle class in America has and spends money -buying of material goods More goods you have = success -new products polyester, Teflon, electronics -planned obsolescence Make products wear out in short time so people buy more Expect new/better products -credit cards Buy now, pay later -advertising influence Encouraged more spending (esp. on TV) Consumers purchased electric household appliances--such as washing machines, dryers, blenders, freezers, and dishwashers--in record numbers. With more leisure time to fill, people invested in recreational items. They bought televisions, record, players, and tape recorders.

Dwight Eisenhower, Farewell Address, 1961 Eisenhower Legacy -Ended Korean War -Red Scare Continues Communist paranoia continues -Space Program Begins NASA -Economic Boom of the 50’s -Return to more Conservative government “Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action…We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications…In government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” Dwight Eisenhower, Farewell Address, 1961