Download Eisenhower - enoksenushistory


Having a strong economy and military
might was the key to victory in the Cold
War
› Show the world that a capitalism could produce
a better and more prosperous society than
Communism

Eisenhower was a military man
› Knew that war costs too much money
› “We cannot defend the nation in a way which
will exhaust our economy”
› Nuclear weapons gave “more bang for the
buck”
The policy of threatening to use nuclear
weapons if a Communist state tried to
seize territory by force
 Eisenhower was able to cut military
spending from $50 billion to $34 billion
 Increased the amount of nuclear bombs
owned by the US

› 1,000 in 1953 to 18,000 in 1961

B-52 bomber unveiled in 1955
› designed to fly across continents and drop nuclear bombs
anywhere in the world

US started to develop long-range nuclear missiles
› Sputnik launched in 1957 by the Soviets
› The first artificial satellite to orbit the earth

NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration) was created in 1958
› Why?
› Americans worried that the US was falling behind the
Soviet Union in missile technology
› Purpose was to do research in rocket science and space
exploration
The willingness to go to the brink of war
to force the other side to back down
 Eisenhower was willing to threaten
nuclear war to maintain peace, which
worried many Americans

› Some thought it was too dangerous


The new leader of the Soviet Union in 1956
Gave a secret speech to Soviet leaders in his first year
› Attacked Stalin’s policies
› Listed many ways to build a Communist society

The CIA obtained a copy and arranged it to be
broadcast to Eastern Europe
› Hearing Khrushchev’s speech discredited Communism for
many Eastern Europeans
› Riots broke out in June 1956 and by October, an uprising
had begun in Hungary

Was willing to tolerate greater freedom in Eastern
Europe but never meant that the Soviets would allow
Communism to end there
Khrushchev reasserted Soviet power and
the authority of Communism
 Demanded that the US, Great Britain,
and France withdraw their troops from
West Berlin

› The US Secretary of State announced that if
the Soviets threatened Berlin, NATO would
respond with military force, if needed
› Brinkmanship worked and Khrushchev
backed down