1. The Eisenhower Era
Chapter 25 Part 4

2. Election 1952: Eisenhower liked by both republicans and democrats.
Chose to be a republican.
Public decided they “liked Ike”.
Won election easily.

3. Domestic Agenda
1954: Canada and US worked together to create the St. Lawrence Seaway.

5. Domestic Agenda: Side Note
Many cars on road; new problem: traffic.
1956: Congress passes the Federal Aid Highway Act aka the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act.

6. Domestic Agenda
1959: Two new states joined the Union: Alaska and Hawaii

8. Foreign Policies Vietnam:
Ho Chi Minh, a communist revolutionary, tried to win independence for Vietnam.
Defeated French at Dein Bien Phu.
UN decides to create two Vietnams: N. Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh and S. Vietnam would be free.
Problem: N. Vietnam not happy with only half of Vietnam.

9. The Soviet Union Soviets struggling to project a new image.
Stalin died in 1953.
Successor, Nikita Khrushchev, claimed to be critical of Stalin’s terror tactics.
July 1955: Britain, France, US, and Soviet Union met in Geneva to talk.
Only point of agreement: No war to resolve differences.
US and Soviet Union settled into a “peaceful coexistence”.

11. Europe: Side Note

12. Cuba
Latin America becoming another source of tension during Cold War.
Communism winning local support.
1959: Fidel Castro defeats Batista, the long-time dictator of Cuba.
Castro cruel dictator.
Soviets help Castro.
Now, Soviets/communism within 90 miles of American border.
For Americans, Cuba had become the most disturbing gain made by communists.