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EISENHOWER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

EISENHOWER IN THE WHITE HOUSE. ELECTION OF 1952 Fear of communism is very strong in the early 50’s and the nation is ready for a change. REPUBLICANS: Dwight D. Eisenhower, P DEMOCRATS: Richard M. Nixon, VP Adlai Stevenson the “Checkers speech” No real chance:

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EISENHOWER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

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  1. EISENHOWER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

  2. ELECTION OF1952 Fear of communism is very strong in the early 50’s and the nation is ready for a change. REPUBLICANS: Dwight D. Eisenhower, PDEMOCRATS: Richard M. Nixon, VPAdlai Stevenson the “Checkers speech”No realchance: “Time for a Change!” “I Like Ike” tried to defend Promised to end Korean War, Truman & be tough on communism & Ike announced end corruption in gov’t plan to go Nixon serves as attack dog to Korea Capitalized on war hero, NATO, TV ads Landslide! - 442 to 89 electoral votes

  3. EISENHOWER’S STYLE: Very popular! Liked to work behind the scenes. - relied heavily on his cabinet – became a true advisory board - administration became known as the “hidden hand presidency” What are the advantages & disadvantages to this type of leadership? • DYNAMIC CONSERVATISM = • Small Government • MODERN REPUBLICANISM: • To slow the growth of the federal gov’t: • Cutting spending, reducing taxes, • balancing budget

  4. Eisenhower’s administration steered a very middle of the road course -- Liberal with individuals; conservative with their money • Eisenhower & the Economy: • 50’s growth due to consumer credit / advertising • Lowers Truman’s defense spending • On business & labor: • minimal business regulation..... • big business / many mergers • union growth slow; AFL-CIO merge; Teamsters • corruption • Eisenhower & the New Deal Programs: • debate was over how much larger they should become • Social Security & unemployment increased • Dept. of HEW created; Sec. condemns Salk vaccine

  5. Operation “Wetback”: • A million illegal Mexican immigrants sent back • Didn’t want to undercut program of legally imported farmworkers begun in WWII • In 1959: • Alaska becomes the 49th State • Hawaii becomes the 50th State

  6. DOMESTIC PROGRAMS IN RESPONSE TO COLD WAR: • NASA established in response to Soviet success with Sputnik in 1957 • U.S. Mercury I, 1958 • EDUCATION – National Defense Education Act • Math, Science stressed • AP PROGRAMS; College Loans • Interstate Highway System – why? • Nuclear Arms race: • US – Hydrogen Bomb, ‘52; Soviets –’53 • US Policy – Deterrence; conventional air power • Soviets - long-range ICBMs

  7. IKE’S HEALTH & THE 25TH AMENDMENT • Ike’s health problems were an issue in election of ’56 & led to the 25th amend-ment on Presidential Disability: • If P dies, resigns, retires, VP moves up • If VP office vacant, P appoints a new VP • If P going to be unable to carry out duties, tells Congress & VP becomes acting P 4. If P unable to inform Congress & is unable to carry out duties, VP & Cabinet go to Congress & have VP appointed as acting P

  8. Brown v. Bd. of Education, Topeka, KS, 1954 – Reverses Plessy v. FergusonThurgood Marshall(center) CIVIL RIGHTS: Jim Crow still rules South • Only 20%/less were registered to vote • Emmett Till, 1955 Jackie Robinson breaks color barrier in sports, 1947 Ike: did not complete Truman’s integration of military & did not believe racial equality could be achieved by government action Ike’s biggest contribution: appointing C.J. Earl Warren

  9. THE LITTLE ROCK 9 Issue is forced integration of 9 black students into Little Rock’s Central High Gov. Faubus mobilized National Guard to prevent Little Rock 9 from entering the school / town mob Pres. Eisenhower federalizes National Guard/sends paratroopers to escort the 9 in – soldier bodyguards remain Ike sets up permanent Civil Rights Commission to investigate violations and authorizes injunctions to protect voting rights

  10. CRITICISMSOF IKE: • Criticized for lack of attention to civil rights • Civil Rights Bill of 1957 is mildest one possible • What did it provide? • Criticized for not doing enough to protect natural resources • What else?

  11. IKE & FOREIGN POLICY • KOREA: • Armistice in Korea in ’53 after threat of nuclear weapons • Also, Stalin died in ’53 & Khrushchev wants to end war also • US losses – 54,000 • Chinese & Korean losses – over a million

  12. NEW LOOK POLICY • Sec. of State John Foster Dulles • Containment is insufficient – promised “Massive Retaliation and Liberation” • Need to prevent small wars from happening by threat of nuclear weapons • “New Look” in defense policy – no large conventional army; buildup of nuclear deterrents instead • Gives U.S. more “bang for the buck” • “Brinkmanship” • willingness to go to the brink of war to force the other side to back down • Problems?

  13. Hungarian Revolt, 1956“New Look” is too massive to use in small incidents

  14. THE SHAH OF IRAN, MOHAMMED REZA PAHLEVI, COURTESY OF THE CIA & 1953 COUP U.S. secured oil for the West, but bought resentment from Iran

  15. SUEZ CRISIS, 1956 EISENHOWER DOCTRINE?

  16. SOVIET-AMERICAN VISITATIONS 1959 • The Kitchen Debate • VP Nixon & Soviet Premier Khrushchev • Khrushchev attempts Disneyland, Sept. – turned away • Meets with Ike at Camp David • Wants West Berlin evacuated • Agrees to summit meeting on disarmament with U.S. British, French in 1960

  17. October 1960, United Nations

  18. U-2 INCIDENT • U-2 spy plane • 1960 • Shot down by Soviet guided missile • Francis Gary Powers

  19. FOREIGN POLICY – LATIN AMERICA • Why resentment toward U.S.? • Guatemala? • What happened to Nixon’s “goodwill tour” in Venezuela and Peru? • CUBA: • Castro takes over 1959; confiscates all U.S. property in Cuba • U.S. cuts off imports of Cuban sugar • Castro establishes ties with Soviets • Anti-Castro Cubans (1 million + between 1960 & 2000) head to U.S. • U.S. breaks off relations in Cuba in ’61 after Cuban Missile crisis & imposes trade embargo….still in effect • Khrushchev threatens attack if U.S..?

  20. 1950s Society Changes in the workplace: Mechanization Led to many more “white collar” jobs than “blue collar” jobs – what’s the difference? Changes in wealth: Average income of American family tripled Home ownership up Materialism Rampant!– “keeping up with the Jones” Conformity Rules People more concerned with outward approval

  21. 50’s SOCIETY THE AMERICAN DREAM: House in the ‘burbs TV in living room 2 cars in garage “White Flight” to the suburbs

  22. 50’s CONFORMITY • Suburbs, such as Levittown, NY flourish • Why?

  23. Religious Revival Today in the U. S., the Christian faith is back in the center of things. -- Time magazine, 1954 Church membership: 1940  64,000,000 1960  114,000,000 Television Preachers: 1. Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen “Life is Worth Living” 2. Methodist Minister Norman Vincent PealeThe Power of Positive Thinking 3. Reverend Billy Graham currently 93; ecumenical message; warned against the evils of Communism; greatest evangelist?

  24. Church & State THE COLD WAR’S IMPACT ON RELIGION • 1954-Congress adds “Under God” to the pledge • 1955- “In God We Trust” required to appear on all currency • By end of 1950’s 95% of Americans felt connected to some formal religious group • Part of the promotion for the movie “The 10 Commandments” gave court houses small monuments/copies for display

  25. Religious Revival Hollywood: apex of the biblical epics. The Robe The Ten Commandments Ben Hur 1953 1956 1959 It’s un-American to be un-religious! -- The Christian Century, 1954

  26. THE BABY BOOM 1945-1961 65 million babies born Child-rearing became a national science Women being encouraged (by gov’t & culture) to stay home Dr. Spock’s how-to guide for baby boom parents. Urged parents to trust their instincts & parenting abilities. Criticized as fostering over-permissiveness

  27. Advances in Medicine: • Polio Vaccine • JONAS SALK • His testing subjects? • Antibiotics • New drugs for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. • Advances in Electronics: • Transistor – radios, calculators • Computers

  28. A Fifties Computer

  29. TELEVISION &ITS EFFECTS 80% of families have them by end of 50s ADVERTISING industry grows exponentially! Nightly news becomes the norm Sports – college and professional - become even more popular TV dinners Couch potatoes Movie attendance down … but drive-ins Types of shows: comedy, action, adventure, variety… Popular shows?

  30. ROCK ‘N ROLL Grew out of R & B Anti-conformity “Generation Gap” – cultural separation between kids & parents Why was Elvis so controversial? Little Richard Elvis Presley

  31. The Beat Movement The “Beats” or “Beatniks” White artists highlighting the “values gap” Unconventional; promoted spontaneity, open sexuality Poets, writers, artists criticizing conformity of the 50s Even some non-beats were anti-conformist: J.D Salinger -The Catcher in the Rye suggestedthat the conformist culture was making teenagers go nuts.

  32. FAMILY BOMB SHELTERS

  33. McCarthyism Ends! • Finally brought • down by • TELEVISION • Army Hearings • Censured in ’54 • Dies in ‘57

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