Eisenhower

and the Cold War

1953-1961

Soviet Union/China and AlliesUS, Allied Nations

and Allied colonies

1950s

Truman and Eisenhower

similar in several aspects

distrusted USSR

believedCommunism monolithic force seeking world supremacy

Soviet system“a tyranny that has brought thousands, millions of people

into slave camps and is attempting to make all mankind its chattel”

traditional viewsself-determination

superiority of US political institutions/values.

Domino Theory

if 1 country falls to communism then neighboring countries will fall as well.

Eisenhower held air-strike capability

made situation more dangerous

damage could reach Japan

TaiwanPhilippinesAustralia

New Zealand.

John Foster DullesSec of State

containment not enoughUS foreign policy should center on

destroying communism.

push Communist nations to brink of war

liberate people whenever possible

NEVER back down

Brinksmanship

2 mjr principles

encourage liberation of E Eur via widespread use of pol pressure and

propaganda

Massive Retaliationcounter USSR/PRC aggression w/

use of nuclear weapons.

focus on nuclear weapons

air powerH-Bomb

criticized as “mutual extinction”.

Massive Retaliation

Military Spending

↓ overall costs↓ funding for Army/Navy

build fleet of super-bombers capable of dropping massive nuclear bombs

more bang for buck.

in realitynuclear force was “over-kill”

US unable to respond to minor/localized crisesmilitary costs not ↓.

preemptive strike

capabilities emphasized

Arms Race

More – and Bigger -- Bombs

hydrogen bomb

changed damage potential from kilotons to megatons.

vol 120:57-33:05

1954Bikini Atoll Test

rumors said resultant underwater crater

was 175 ft deep -- 1 mile wide

Chair of Atomic Energy Commission predicted bomb w/ ability to take out

NYC.

Fallout

radioactive fallout identifiedled to demand for appropriate shelters in US

MI sheriff“to build a new home in this day and age without including such an obvious necessity as a fallout shelter would be like leaving out the

bathroom 20 years ago.”

popular magazines stressed need

Good Housekeepingfull page editorial urging construction

Life“H-Bomb Hideaway” offered for $3,000.

vol 133:05-41:52

Korea

stalemate by 1953 Eisenhower negotiated end

divided at 38th parallelCommunism contained.

Stalin Dies, 1953

no clear successor2 yr power struggle

tensions between USSR/US ease slightly.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader1953-1965

denounced bloody excesses of Stalin regime

worked to ↑ living conditions in USSR

believed US/USSR could “peacefully co-exist”

peaceful competition would show superiority of Communist system

message sent to west“We will bury you.”

elections in Iran bring new leader to powernationalized oil.

The CIA and Iran

CIA Engineered Coup

Shah Mohammed Reza Pahleviruler/dictator

returned control of oil wells to Britain/US

ultimate result1979 Iranian Revolution

50 US hostages held for 444 days.

Eisenhower Doctrine

empowered pres to extend economic/military aid to middle east nations threatened by Communist controlled countries.

Latin America

resentedUS giving billions in aid to Eur -- only millions to Lat Am

opposedUS intervention

US support of dictators who claimed to be fighting communism.

CIA and Guatemala

another CIA engineered coup.vol 2

33:00-51:00

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh

began fight for liberation of Indochina from Fr rule.

Dien Bien Phu

last mjr colonial outpost

Fr lost battle to Ho’s forces

VN split at 17th parallel

elections to be held in 2 yrs

Ho Chi Minh

Ngo Dinh Diem.

Partitioning

SEATO

created by Dulles to prop up Diem regimesupposed to be NATO of SE Asia

not successful.

in response to NATO.

• USSR• Albania• Bulgaria• Czechoslovakia

• East Germany• Hungary• Poland• Romania

MAD Magazine made fun of Cold War w/ Spy v Spy columnCIA v KGB.

YT

Geneva Summit

partially successful

USSR resisted Ger reunification

agreed on necessity of nuclear disarmament

US/USSR agreed to voluntarily suspend atmospheric testing

(Oct, 1958).

Hungarian Uprising

inspired by US message supporting freedom from Communist control

Nationalists staged demonstrations demanding democracy and

independence

Soviet military brutally crushed uprising

US did nothingdid not want world war over Hungary.

world watched as Budapest became slaughterhouse.

The Suez Crisis - 1956-1957

Oct, 1956Br, Fr, Israel v Egypt

Egypt recognized People's Republic of ChinaBr/US retaliated by w/drawing funding Aswan Dam

Egypt nationalized Suez CanalBr/Fr failed in political/strategic aim of controlling canal

Israel fulfilled some objectives.

Race Into Space

USSR beat US into spacefear of technological edge

Sputnik

1st unmanned artificial satellite.

launched Oct 4, 1957 aluminum sphere23” in diameter

184 lbs 4 steel antennae emitting radio signals

in orbit 92 days.

vol 61:21:41 – 1:29:35

1 month later

Sputnik II launched

Eisenhower saidshould not cause “one

iota” of concern.

Effects on USfeared nuclear attack with missile

technology

demanded “missile gap” be closed

resolved to regain technological superiority over USSR

critics arguedUS had not spent enough on missile programs

used science for things like television

in response Eisenhowercreated National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

pushed for passage of National Defense Education Actoversaw massive arms build-up

B-52s, nuclear subs, short range missiles in Eur.

US rushed to equal Soviet success

disastrous results

several tests of Vanguard missile failed.

1st US satelliteExplorer I

launched 4 months after Sputnik.

NASA

launched by Eisenhower -- 1958.

National Defense Education Act

perception many US students took less advanced classes than

Soviet students

Eisenhower ordered rigorous education program to match

$887 M in loans to needy college students

grants for school improvement

emphasis on math, science and foreign language

1/3 of college professors did full-time weapons research.

Cold War Tensions ---> <--- Technology & Affluence

The 50s Come to a Close1959 “Kitchen Debate”VP Nixon v Khrushchev

which economic system better.

agreed to summit meeting following yr.

US companies owned 90% mines

40% sugar operations2nd highest standard of living in W Hemisphereone of highest literacy

rates.

Fulgencio Batistaleader since 1951

Fidel Castro took controlNew Year’s Day, 1959.

Castro visited US seeking diplomatic

recognition

Ike refused to see him

US cut off Cuban sugar imports

Castro retaliated confiscated US property.

UN speech

deteriorating situation w/ US led Castro to

seek alliance w/ USSR

US broke relationsJan, 1961.

vol 61:29:37-1:38:06

Castro encouraged revolution in other Lat Am

countries

US declared Cuba threat to national security.

U-2 Incident

Col. Francis Gary Powers’ U-2 shot down over Soviet airspace

forced to bail out at 15,000 ft

picked up by Soviet authorities

arrested.

Khrushchev announced capture of US spy plane

vowed Powers would be put on trial

Eisenhower deniedon nat’l tv.

USSR displayed

photo evidence

Eisenhower forced to correct earlier statements

(true) facts wereunarmed US reconnaissance aircraft

downed

pilot captured on spy mission.

Khrushchev demanded apology

Ike refused to apologize

Khrushchev cancelled Paris summit.

Powers put on trialsentenced to 10 yrs

1962USSR exchanged for Rudolph

AbelSoviet spy convicted in US 5 yrs

earlier.

Cold War heated up again.

In the councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence . . . by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties

and democratic processes.

Dwight EisenhowerFarewell Address

Ike Warns of Dangerous Growth of Military Industrial Complex

National Defense Budget (1940-1964)