Election of 1952Republicans

Dwight EisenhowerDemocrats

Adlai StevensRichard Nixon – VP

The “Checkers Speech”“Time for a Change”“I Like Ike”Promised to end Korean War,

be tough on communism, & end corruption in gov’t

Nixon serves as attack dogCapitalized on war hero,

NATO, tv ads

No real chanceTried to defend

TrumanIke had announced

plans to go to Korea

Eisenhower’s StyleVery popular!

Liked to work behind the scenesRelied heavily on his cabinet – became a

true advisory boardAdministration became known as the

“hidden hand presidency”Dynamic Conservatism:

Small gov’tModern Republicanism

To slow the growth of the federal gov’tCutting spending, reducing taxes, balancing

budget

Eisenhower’s administration….Very middle of the road courseLiberal with individuals; conservative with their money

Eisenhower & the economy…50s growth due to consumer credit/advertisingLowers Truman’s defense spending

On business and labor….Minimal business regulationsBig business / many mergersUnion growth slow; AFL-CIO merge; Teamsters

corruptionEisenhower & the New Deal Programs…

Debate was over how much larger they should become

Social Security and unemployment increased

During Eisenhower’s Presidency

Operation “Wetback”A million illegal Mexican immigrants sent back

Didn’t want to undercut program of legally imported farm workers begun in WWII

In 1959:Alaska becomes 49th stateHawaii becomes 50th state

Domestic Programs in Response to Cold War

Interstate Highway System – why?Nuclear Arms Race:

Hydrogen Bomb: US ‘52; Soviets ‘53US Policy – Deterrence; conventional air powerSoveits – long-range ICBMs

NASAEstablished in response to Soviet success with Sputnik in

‘57US Mercury I – ’58

Education – National Defense Education ActMath & science stress (STEM programs)AP Programs ; College Loans

Ike’s Health & The 25th Amendment

Ike’s health problems were an issue in the election of ‘56

Led to the 25th amendment on Presidential Disability1. If P dies, resigns, retires = VP moves up2. If VP office vacant = P appoints new VP3. If P going to be unable to carry out

duties, must tell Congress & VP becomes acting P

4. If P unable to inform Conress & is unable to carry out duties, VP & Cabinet go to Congress and have VP appointed as acting P

Brown v. Bd. of Education, Topeka, KS, 1954 –Reverses Plessy v. Ferguson

Thurgood 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

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

CRITICISMSOF IKE:

Criticized for lack of attention to civil rightsCivil Rights Bill of

1957 is mildest one possible

Criticized for not doing enough to protect natural resources

IKE & FOREIGN POLICYKOREA:Armistice in Korea

in ’53 after threat of nuclear weaponsAlso, Stalin died in

’53 &Khrushchev wants to end war also

US losses – 54,000Chinese & Korean

losses – over a million

NEW LOOK POLICYSec. of State John Foster DullesContainment 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 downProblems?

Progress Through ScienceAtomic AnxietiesAtomic Anxieties::

à ““Duck-and-Cover Duck-and-Cover Generation”Generation”

Atomic TestingAtomic Testing::à 1946-1962 1946-1962 U. S. exploded 217 U. S. exploded 217

nuclear weapons over the nuclear weapons over the Pacific and in Nevada. Pacific and in Nevada.

SOVIET-AMERICAN VISITATIONS 1959

The Kitchen DebateVP Nixon & Soviet

Premier KhrushchevKhrushchev attempts

Disneyland, Sept. – turned away

Meets with Ike at Camp DavidWants West Berlin

evacuatedAgrees to summit

meeting on disarmament with U.S. British, French in 1960

•U-2 spy plane

•1960•Shot down by Soviet guided missile

•Francis Gary Powers

U-2 INCIDENT

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 CubaU.S. cuts off imports of Cuban sugarCastro establishes ties with SovietsAnti-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..?

1950s SocietyChanges in the workplace:

MechanizationLed to many more “white collar” jobs than

“blue collar” jobs – what’s the difference?Changes in wealth:

Average income of American family tripledHome ownership upMaterialism Rampant!– “keeping up with

the Jones”Conformity Rules

People more concerned with outward approval

Well-Defined Gender RolesThe The ideal modern womanideal modern woman married, married, cooked and cooked and cared for her family, and kept herself cared for her family, and kept herself busy by joining the local PTA and busy by joining the local PTA and leading a troop of Campfire Girls. She leading a troop of Campfire Girls. She entertained guests in her family’s entertained guests in her family’s suburban house and worked out on the suburban house and worked out on the trampoline to keep her size 12 figure.trampoline to keep her size 12 figure. -- -- LifeLife magazine, 1956 magazine, 1956

MarilynMarilynMonroeMonroe

The The ideal 1950s manideal 1950s man was the provider, was the provider, protector, protector,

and the boss of the house. -and the boss of the house. -- - LifeLife magazine, magazine, 19551955

1956 1956 William H. Whyte, Jr. William H. Whyte, Jr. The The Organization Man Organization Man

A a middle-class, white a middle-class, white suburban suburban male is the ideal.male is the ideal.

A Changing Workplace Automation: 1947-1957 factory workers decreased by 4.3%, eliminating 1.5 million blue-collar jobs. By 1956 more white-collar than blue-collar jobs in the U. S. Computers Mark I (1944). First IBM mainframe computer (1951).Corporate Consolidation: By 1960 600 corporations (1/2% of all U. S. companies) accounted for 53% of total corporate income.

WHY?? Cold War military buildup.

THE AMERICANDREAM:

House in the ‘burbsTV in living room2 cars in garage

50’sSOCIETY

50’s CONFORMITY

•Suburbs, such as Levittown, NY flourish•1949 1949 William LevittWilliam Levitt produced 150 houses per week. produced 150 houses per week.•$7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.$7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.

Suburban Living:The New “American Dream”

k 1 story high1 story highk 12’x19’ living 12’x19’ living roomroomk 2 bedrooms2 bedroomsk tiled bathroomtiled bathroomk garagegaragek small backyardsmall backyardk front lawnfront lawn

By 1960 By 1960 1/3 of the U. S. population 1/3 of the U. S. population in in the suburbs. the suburbs.