Two Nations Live on the Edge

Nuclear Arms Race Heats Up Soviets explode an atomic bomb U.S. wants something more powerful – the hydrogen bomb –Atomic bomb – splits atoms –Hydrogen bomb – fuses atoms

Brinkmanship U.S. will use threats of massive retaliation We are willing to go to the brink of war Secretary of State John Dulles Foster under Eisenhower –Staunch anti-Communist –Escalated the sense of fear within the United States

CIA Recently formed Carried out secret operations to overthrow “unfriendly” governments

Iran In 1951 the Iranian Prime Minister nationalized their oil industry U.S. uses the CIA to topple the government and establish a friendlier Western government

Geneva Summit Eisenhower met with new Soviet leaders Summit did not accomplish much (but it did not do any harm)

Alliance Systems NATO –North Atlantic Treaty Organization –United States, Canada and Western Europe –Military Alliance Warsaw Pact –Soviet Union, Eastern Europe (Satellite nations) –Military Alliance

Crisis in the Middle East Nasser vs. the U.S. U.S. and Great Britain promise to build the Aswan Dam on the Nile River Nasser becomes friendly with the Soviets

Crisis in the Middle East U.S. and Great Britain withdraw offer to fund the Aswan Dam Nasser seized the Suez Canal and sinks his own ships in the Canal to render it useless

Crisis in the Middle East France, Great Britain and Israel invade Egypt Soviets threaten Great Britain with missiles U.S. reminds Soviets of Brinkmanship UN declares cease fire Canal reopened under Egyptian control

Soviet Aggression in Hungary Hungary tried to “shake” Communist rule Soviet tanks invade Hungary and fire on 30,000 protestors U.S. protests the invasion Sends food and medicine

Eisenhower Doctrine Promise to send aid to help defend any Middle Eastern country against Communism Requires monitoring and getting involved in with Middle Eastern affairs

Sputnik 1957 First man made satellite launched by the Soviets Shocked and surprised the United States Result = more emphasis on math and science in schools (National Education Defense Act)

U-2 Spy Planes Spy planes that flew high above the Soviet Union that monitored Soviet actions Eisenhower was ready to discontinue the program, but sends out one last mission U-2 plane shot down in Soviet airspace Escalates the tensions of the Cold War