1. Two Nations on Edge Essential Question: In what ways did American paranoia effect its foreign relations with other countries? How do the actions that occurred in the 50s affect us today?

2. Fear Americans were living in fear at the possibility of a soviet nuclear attack

3. Brinkmanship Rules US Policy Although air-raid drills were not common until the Eisenhower years (1953-1961), the nuclear arms had already begun Remember, the Soviets exploded a test bomb years before they were supposed to President Truman was faced with a grave decision... – Should the US try and develop a more horrifying weapon of mass destruction?

4. Race for the H-bomb The same scientists who developed the A- bomb had been considering the possibility of creating a thermonuclear Hydrogen bomb, called an H-bomb – Force of 1 million tons of TNT – 67 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima – But they were morally at odds with this creation

5. First Place Goes To... Despite the moral implications, the race was on because we knew the Soviets were going to get to that point and we had to beat them November 1 st 1952 – America explodes H- bomb – This advantage lasted less than a year August 1953 – Soviets explode their h-bomb

6. President Eisenhower Was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961.  Was General in charge of Operation Torch (allied invasion in North Africa during WWII)  His Vice President was Richard Nixon Secretary of State was John Foster Dulles – Was passionately anti-communist

7. The Policy of Brinkmanship  For Dulles, the Cold War was a moral crusade against communism  Proposed that the only way to prevent spread of communism was by using all weapons including nuclear weapons  Brinkmanship – the willingness of the US, under Eisenhower, to go to the edge (brink) of all-out- war  Nuclear threat would be a concern for the next 30 years

8. Others in Washington Feel the Same Barry Goldwater was a U.S. Senator from Arizona, and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. He agreed with the notion of Brinkmanship in his famous speech where he claims: – Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice – What does this mean?

9. The Cold War Spreads Around the World  Eisenhower administration starts to rely heavily on the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  They used spies to gather info in other countries  Carried out covert (secret) operations to overthrow or weaken governments that posed a threat to the US

10. Covert Actions in the Middle East  Iran’s oil supply was controlled by Britain  1951 – Iran’s Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, nationalized the oil supplies (placed them in Iranian control)  The British boycotted Iranian oil in protest  US feared Mohammad might turn to Soviets for guidance  1953 – CIA gave millions of $ to anti-Mohammad activists  CIA wanted the pro-America Shah of Iran to return (he had recently fled)

11. Truman with Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh

12. Covert Actions in Latin America  1954 – CIA in Guatemala  Guatemalan gov’t gives 200,000 acres of land to peasants  America thinks this is a sign of early communist development  CIA trains an army to invade  Guatemalan army refuses to defend their president, so he resigns  What happens next?...  The military leader became a dictator of the country – Way to Go US!!

13. The Warsaw Pact Stalin died in 1953 and some of the tension between the US and Soviet Union thawed – Soviets finally recognized West Germany – Concluded peace treaties with Austria However, in 1955 West Germany rearms and wants to join with NATO – Soviets grow fearful – In response, the Soviets form their own military alliance called the Warsaw Pact – 7 countries joined

15. A Summit in Geneva July 1955 – Eisenhower travels to Geneva, Switzerland, to meet with Soviet leaders He puts forth an “open skies” proposal – Allow fly-overs of each others’ territory to guard against any surprise launch pads primed with bombs – Soviets rejected the proposal – But the world hailed it as “spirit of Geneva” as a step toward peace

16. The Suez War 1955 – US and Soviet Union both decide to help finance the building of a dam in Egypt’s Suez Canal Who knows what the purpose of the Suez Canal is and why a hand in this project was important to both superpowers?

18. Suez War Continued  The head of the Egyptian government (Nasser) plays them against each other  Improves relations with each to gain more financing  In 1956, Dulles finds out that relations had been made with the Soviets, so he rescinds his offer to help finance  Nasser responds by nationalizing the Suez Canal  Had been controlled by Britain and France  They were outraged

19. Eisenhower Doctrine Soviet Union prestige increases in the Middle East because of the Canal situation US releases a statement to combat the poorly developed relations Eisenhower Doctrine: – US would defend any country in the Middle East if they were attacked by a communist nation

20. New Leader in Soviet Union After Stalin’s death, no leader is named Several men share leadership, but one man comes to the front as head Nikita Khrushchev – He too believed communism would take over the world – He thought though that it could be done peacefully – Peaceful coexistence with battle between science and economic achievement

21. Cold War Takes to the Skies The Space Race is On! On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launches Sputnik – the first satellite in space – Traveled around earth at 18,000 mph circling the globe every 96 minutes – Was a triumph of Soviet technology Americans upset about this and so they poured money into US space program January 31, 1958 – US launches its first satellite

23. A U-2 is Shot Down Following the proposal of “open skies” policy (reminder: Soviets did not agree to this), the CIA begins making secret flights over Soviet land They used a plane called a U-2 – It could fly at high altitudes undetected – The infrared imaging showed photos of missile sites and troop movement Fear of this operation leaking led Eisenhower to call off the flights Dulles convinced him to allow one more flight

24.  Pilot Gary Powers made a final flight on May 1  Within 4 hours his plane was shot down by a Soviet pilot  Sentenced by Soviet to ten years in prison

26. U-2 Incident Eisenhower denied that the plane was spying Soviets had proof He finally admitted to the secret flight Khrushchev demanded an apology and promise to stop the flights He agreed to stop flights, but would never apologize Renewed the thawed tension filled relationship between the two superpowers

27. Two Nations on Edge Essential Question: In what ways did American paranoia effect its foreign relations with other countries? How do the actions that occurred in the 50s affect us today?