Eisenhower “Ike” Era1952-1960

“In all those things which deal with people, be liberal, be human…people’s

money, or their economy, or their government, be conservative.”

-Ike

Key Terms

Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower Doctrine Labor Reform Bill of 1959 Crisis at Little Rock Integration SCLC McCarthy

“Ike” Born in October, 1890 in Denison,

TX At the end of 1943, He was

appointed the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. He led the D-day invasion in France.

Later, he retired from the army and and took over presidency of Columbia University.

In 1952, Eisenhower became President of the United States

He was a part of the Republican party.

Only president to serve both wars.

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Election of 1952

“Ruddy face, captivating grin, and glowing personality made him a perfect candidate in the dawning new age of television politics” (AP 908).

He was an “authentic hero” to the people Eisenhower had the election in the bag, however he secured his

position after making a last minute pledge to go personally to Korea and end the war.

Eisenhower: 33, 963 234 votes Stevenson: 27, 314, 992 votes

First TermKorea

Soon after Eisenhower became president he followed through with his pledge and took a three day trip to Korea as promised. Ending the war was not as easy as it sounded and after seven months an armistice was signed. However, it was repeatedly violated for centuries after.

Casualties: 54,000 Americans, more than a million Chinese, North and South Koreans.

“Tens of billions of American dollars poured down the Asian sinkhole” (American Pageant 910).

First TermMcCarthy

Senator Joseph McCarthy was an “anti-communist crusader” (American Pageant 911).

In 1950 he became very popular “in the seething Cold War atmosphere of suspicion and fear.” (AP 911)

Even though Eisenhower secretly did not prefer McCarthy he allowed him to control personal policy at the state department.

This caused severe damage to the moral and effectiveness of the professional foreign service.

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First TermIntegration

Eisenhower was very little inclined toward promoting integration He advised against it in the armed forces in 1948. In September of 1957 he was forced to act as the Governor of

Arkansas mobilized the national guard to prevent nine high school students of Little Rock high school from enrolling. The President sent troops to escort the kids to their classes.

Blacks took their civil rights in their own hands as they felt the President was very minimal. Leaders such as Martin Luther King Junior created the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in the same year.

Many say his major failure as a President was that he had no morale crusade for civil rights.

Eisenhower Doctrine

On January 5, 1957 Eisenhower asked congress for a program to guard against communist aggression in the middle east. Eisenhower spoke later that this was defense for the entire free world.

All of this occurred because Khrushchev was sending satellites stronger than the United States and this was alarming to all.

Atomic bomb threats were made as well. Macro History and World Report,

http://www.smitha.com/time/worldnews.htm#skip.

Second Term

By Eisenhower’s second term he was fatigued and served as a “part time president” (AP 922).

However, once his trusted assistants were kicked out of the white house for scandal, Eisenhower worked full time again.

Labor Reform Bill of 1959 Senate Committee reported that in fifteen years union officials had

stolen or misappropriated ten million dollars. The Landrum- Griffen Act followed and was designed to bring labor

leaders to look for financial problems and to stop bullying tactics.

Concluding

Universally, President Eisenhower was admired. Known for his “dignity, decency, sincerity, goodwill and moderation.” (AP

926). He established control over the legislative branch America remained prosperous during his presidency. He has wise restraint when it came to the use of military power. “He had ended one war and avoided all others” (AP 927).

Bibliography

"Macro History and World Report." Www. Smitha.com. Web. Mar.-Apr. 2012. <http://www.smitha.com/time/worldnews.htm#skip>.

Webster, Orville V. The Book of Presidents. Los Angelas, CA: JBG Pub., 1991. Print. (p 100)

The American Presidents. Danbury, CT: Grolier, 1992. Print. (p 159- 163)

Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Andrew Bailey. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.