1. A New President
In 1953, Dwight Eisenhower replaced Truman as president
Eisenhower truly did not want to intervene in the affairs of the Soviet Union’s Eastern satellites….
So when East Germans revolted in 1953 and Poles and Hungarians in 1956…the US kept its distance and let the Soviets crush the uprisings
He knows any response risked war with the Soviet Union
Remained a believer of containment policy

2. He came into the middle of this Cold War…and faced some new and old challenges…

3. 1. First, Stalin died in March 1953
Nikita Khrushchev becomes new leader
Replaced by more moderate Soviet leaders
Josef Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, died of a stroke at the age of 73. Stalin was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev.

4. 2. Conflicts between Communist and Capitalist forces were erupting around the world:
Southeast Asia
Middle East
Latin America
Vietnam had falled to Japan during WWII
After the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Ho Chi Minh (head of Vietnamese communist party) declared the colony’s independence
France rejected the declaration and sent in troops to reassert its power/control
worldbetween France and rebel leaders in its former colony of Vietnam

5. The events of the world led Eisenhower to develop something known as the domino theory:
The fall of one country will likely lead to the result of others neighboring it
Believe that if one country fell to communists, its neighbors soon would follow, like a toppling row of dominos
After a major defeat in May 1954, France withdrew its forces….
And international conference divided Vietnam (like Korea)
As a further result, by 1954, the United States was providing substantial military aid to support France in its Southeast Asian war
Eisenhower doctrine involved the Middle East---we will safeguard the independence of any country or gorup of countries in the ME requesting aid against communist aggression