Two Nations Live on Edge

Pres. Eisenhower… Soviet Union explodes atom bomb – 1949 U.S. develops the H-bomb… Soviets follow after! Pres. Eisenhower: Use all force to prevent the spread of communism How is this different than containment?

Brinkmanship!! The willingness of the U.S. to go to the edge of an all-out war Under this policy, the U.S.: Trimmed the army & navy Expanded the air force (drop bombs) Build-up of nuclear weapons Soviet Union did the same Fear of nuclear war was a constant fear for the next 30 years

CIA & the Middle East Central Intelligence Agency Used in Iran Recently formed Heavy dependence Carried out covert operations abroad Weaken or overthrow enemy governments Used in Iran nationalized oil fields Reinstated the pro-American Shah

Geneva Summit July 1955 – Eisenhower meets with Soviet leaders “Open-skies” proposal Allow flights over each other’s nation to guard against a surprise nuclear attack Soviets reject idea

The Suez War Suez War – 1955 US & GB help Egypt finance a dam on the Nile River Abdel-Nasser pits the US and Soviets against one another Get more $$$ U.S. gets mad & cancels loan Angers Egypt Nationalizes Suez Canal Stops ships bound for Israel War breaks out FR, GB, & Israel send troops UN steps in  Egypt keeps control

Hungarian Uprising 1956 – Revolt against Soviet control Imre Nagy Wanted a democratic gov’t Imre Nagy Liberal Comm. leader Promised free-elections Denounced Warsaw Pact Demanded Soviet troops to leave Soviet Response Swift & brutal Brought tanks & killed 30,000 Hungarians Overthrew gov’t No help… US – Containment??? UN – took no action

Cold War Takes to the Skies…. Nikita Kruschev Stalin dies… Believed Communism would take over the world peacefully (?) Space Race Oct 1957 – launched Sputnik Traveled around the earth at 18,000 miles Circled globe every 96 mins Before U.S. in Jan of 1958!!! U-2 Spy Plane!!! CIA makes secret trips over USSR Troop movement & missile sites Francis Gary Powers… CAUGHT!!!