DOCSLIB.ORG

Analysis of Eisenhower Foreign Policy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Analysis of Eisenhower Foreign Policy Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower was a five star general and the military commander of the allied forces in Europe during World War Two. Eisenhower would ride his wartime success to become the leader of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In ardent opposition of isolationism, he would enter the race for the presidency in 1952. Eisenhower once said, “The only way to win World War Three is to prevent it.”1 This sentiment would guide his foreign policy in office as he extended American ties around the globe and worked to avoid another major conflict in the world, while also aggressively promoting democracy. Eisenhower would likely not have assumed the presidency had it not been for his pledge to rebuke isolationism. In the 1952 Republican Primary, Eisenhower’s main opponent was Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, who came from the wing of the Republican party that had preached isolationism in the decade following World War II. In his speech accepting the Republican nomination in Chicago in 1952 Eisenhower said, “... you have summoned me on behalf of millions of your fellow Americans to lead a great crusade -- for freedom in America and freedom in the world.”2 After unpopular incumbent Democratic President Harry Truman decided not to seek office again, Eisenhower defeated the Democratic nominee Adlai Stevenson in the 1953 General Election. He further denounced isolationism in his inaugural address, stating, “To produce this unity, to meet the challenge of our time, destiny has laid upon our country the responsibility of the free world’s leadership.”3 Eisenhower had won the presidency due in part to his opposition to isolationism and had set the stage for his administration’s foreign policy to engage around the world in fights for freedom. 1 Evan Thomas, “The Only Way to Win World War III is to Prevent It” (HistoryNet) ​ ​ 2 Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Address Accepting the Presidential ​ Nomination at the Republican National Convention in Chicago (The American Presidency Project) ​ 3 Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Inaugural Address (The American ​ ​ Presidency Project) On July 27, 1953 the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea was agreed to by the two nations, China, and the United Nations. The United States supported the democratic regime of the South, going so far as to proclaim an ‘Aid to Korea’ Week in 1953 “as a practical demonstration of our friendship and sympathy for the people of the Republic of Korea.”4 Eisenhower had promised an end to the conflict in the peninsula during his campaign and succeeded when the Korean Armistice was signed. His Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, claimed that the threat of using nuclear weapons ended fighting and prevented a larger conflict. This was the first time Eisenhower threatened the use of nuclear weapons, and thus the birth of Brinkmanship.5 Pointing out that “only courage and sacrifice can keep freedom alive upon the earth” he emphasized that “we have won an armistice on a single battleground--not peace in the world.”6 While happy that conflict had ended in one corner of the world, Eisenhower would not hesitate to secure freedom elsewhere. Eisenhower, wanting to avoid other direct conflict, would turn to covert operations early in his administration in order to further America’s interests abroad. For example, in Iran in 1953, Eisenhower’s CIA overthrew the Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh whom the United States feared could be a potential ally of communists as well as undermining the power of the American’s puppet leader, Shah Mohammed Reza.7 The next year, Eisenhower would again call on the CIA to overthrow the democratically elected president of Guatemala, Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, a Marxist whom the Eisenhower administration viewed as a potential communist 4 Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Proclamation 3018 - Aid to Korea Week ​ (The American Presidency Project) 5 Department of State, Foreign Policy under President Eisenhower (Office of the Historian) ​ ​ 6 Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Radio and Television Address to the ​ American People Announcing the Signing of the Korean Armistice (The American Presidency Project) ​ 7 Chester J. Pach, Jr., Dwight D. Eisenhower: Foreign Affairs (University of Virginia, Miller Center) ​ ​ threat. After Eisenhower had cut off military supplies to the country, they received weapons from communist Czechoslovakia.8 This was the final straw leading to the CIA’s aid to revolutionaries which succeeded in a regime change. The United States showed its willingness to prop up a monarchy, in Iran, and overthrow a fairly elected ruler, in Guatemala, in the name of countering communism. Eisenhower had been a strong supporter of reuniting East and West Germany in an effort to rid Western Europe of communist influence. Thus, Eisenhower was supportive of West Germany joining NATO in May of 1955. His belief was “that only through cooperative strength developed in the free world could we really face up to this threat that the communist dictatorship posed to all free men.”9 Mere weeks after West Germany joined NATO, the Soviets, fearing a newly rearmed West Germany and united Europe, formed the Warsaw Pact with communist Eastern European nations.10 The pact centralized nations under Moscow and guaranteed mutual defense in the event of an attack on any member. The pact was also used to suppress anti-communist dissent, such as in Hungary in 1956. When the citizens of Hungary took to the streets to protest their communist regime, Eisenhower expressed support for them, saying, “The United States considers the development in Hungary as being a renewed expression of the intense desire for freedom long held by the Hungarian people.”11 However, the Soviet military arrived in the country to quell discontent and return order. Though claiming they were mobilizing in order to prevent an invasion from foreign 8 Chester J. Pach, Jr., Dwight D. Eisenhower: Foreign Affairs (University of Virginia, Miller Center) ​ ​ 9 Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Remarks of the President During ​ Secretary Dulles’ Television Report on His European Visit (The American Presidency Project) ​ 10 Department of State, The Warsaw Treaty Organization, 1955 (Office of the Historian) ​ ​ 11 Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Statement by the President on the ​ Developments in Hungary (The American Presidency Project) ​ nations it was clear that the Soviets had been sent in to assure that the citizens would not overthrow the communist government. The Eisenhower administration condemned this as “an occupation of Hungary by the forces of an alien government for its own purposes.” However, the United States would not intervene in the affair, not wanting to risk a full scale conflict that could cause potential nuclear war. While Eisenhower declined against engaging in a full scale conflict in Hungary, having resolved a conflict in Korea already, he would set the table for a full scale conflict in Vietnam after his administration had ended. The Indochina War, fought by the French in an effort to keep their regional colonies began in 1946; Eisenhower decided against sending troops but bankrolled as much as 75% of the cost of war by 1954.12 After the Geneva Conference that year Vietnam was split into a pro-communist North and a Western-friendly South. The next year aid began to Ngo Dinh Diem’s South Vietnamese government. Though the salvaging of the anti-communist South was seen as a victory at the time, the partioning of the country and the United States’ political involvement in the region stemming from this administration would lead to America’s further involvement in the region, namely the Vietnam War. Elsewhere in Asia, Eisenhower was even more determined to deter communist influence. The communist government of the People’s Republic of China had by 1954 taken control of all of mainland China and focused their sights on Taiwan; the chain of islands east of the Taiwan Strait were the last foothold of territory controlled by the anti-communist Chinese Nationalists. The communists began shelling the islands with artillery and preparing for a full-scale invasion of the islands. Asked what would his response would be in the event of a communist Chinese 12 Chester J. Pach, Jr., Dwight D. Eisenhower: Foreign Affairs (University of Virginia, Miller Center) ​ ​ invasion of Taiwan, Eisenhower pledged support to the nationalists, saying that “any invasion would have to go through the 7th fleet.”13 Emboldened by a nearly unanimous vote of approval on a Joint Resolution to defend the area in the event of a conflict, Eisenhower went as far as to threaten the use of nuclear weapons before the communists backed off and both sides were able to avoid a major conflict.14 This was a prime example of Brinkmanship, despite not directly involving the Soviet Union, as the threat of nuclear weapons halted the territorial advancement of a communist regime. Tensions in the Middle East flared up in 1956 when the Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in retaliation for the United States cutting off economic aid, an action taken after Egypt had recognized the People’s Republic of China as sovereign. The British saw this as a vital loss to the economy of their Asian colonies and, along with the French, opposed Nasser’s brash rhetoric of anticolonialism. They were joined by Israel, insecure about their position surrounded by Muslim nations, in a military conflict on the Sinai Peninsula.15 Eisenhower, unaware of their plans, was upset as he feared that Nasser’s influence in the region would increase. Eisenhower resolved the conflict before it got out of hand by forcing the three invading nations to withdraw and recognize Egypt’s sovereignty.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chapter 26: the Origins of the Cold War Chapter Review
    Chapter 26: The Origins of the Cold War Chapter Review Terms United Nations: 1. An international peacekeeping organization 2. Founded in 1945 a. Represented 50 nations 3. Purpose a. Promote world peace b. Promote security c. Promote economic development Satellite Nations: 1. A country dominated politically and economically by another. a. Much of Eastern Europe became part of the Soviet Union as satellite nations Containment: 1. A measure used to block another nation’s attempts to spread its influence to other nations Iron Curtain: 1. Term used to describe the imaginary line separating Communist Eastern block countries with Western Europe. 2. Terminology first used by Winston Churchill in 1946 Cold War: 1. A conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union a. Neither country directly confronted the other in a battle situation 2. Dominated world affairs from 1945‐1991 3. Dominated United States foreign policy between 1945‐1991 Truman Doctrine: 1. United States policy during the Truman Administration a. Presented by Truman in 1949 2. Doctrine provided economic and military aid to free countries under the threat of takeover a. Threat by internal or external forces 3. Stopped communism in Greece Marshall Plan: 1. Plan was proposed by Secretary of State George Marshall in 1947 a. United States would provide economic aid to help European nations rebuild following World War II. Berlin Airlift: 1. An operation where the United States and Britain flew supplies into West Berlin in 1948. a. Began when the Soviet Union blockaded the city 2. Operation lasted 327 days a. They made 277,000 flights b.
    [Show full text]
  • The Historical Cuba-Us Discordancy from the Theoretical Outlook of The
    European Scientific Journal December 2014 edition vol.10, No.34 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 THE HISTORICAL CUBA-U.S. DISCORDANCY FROM THE THEORETICAL OUTLOOK OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Dr. Onesimo Julian Moreira Seijos University of Quintana Roo Abstract This paper focuses on the main features of the relationship between Cuba and the United States (U.S.) since the nineteenth century to the present. The essay analyses the confrontation between these two countries from the theoretical view of International Relations (IR). The aim of the paper is to demonstrate that the nature of the Cuba-U.S. discrepancies during the Cold War is not confined to the ideological controversy of the East/West relations. Despite the changes that have taken place in world politics during the 1990s and the hopes which opened with the Obama administration, the design of U.S. policy towards Cuba has scarcely changed after the end of the Cold War. On the other hand, the revival of the Wilsonian ideas alleged in the mainstream IR literature does not take into account the special case of the Cuba-U.S relations. Regardless of the current trend to stress international institutions and to sort out conflict within the framework of international agreements, the Cuban problem remains as a national interest matter for the U.S. The historic sequence of the Cuban issue in American politics lend support to the argument that while within the academic discipline of International Relations there is a trend to consider the current period as a proof of the end of realism, the wires which lead the American political behaviour towards Cuba are still under the influence of old-fashioned national interest, the rational choice program and the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Presidential Foreign Policy Doctrines
    20 July 2015 Presidential Doctrines, the Use of Force and International Order Did the US’ military and legal reactions to the 9/11 attacks fundamentally transform its foreign and security policies? Joseph Siracusa doesn’t think so. He argues that the so-called Bush and Obama Doctrines have had more in common with previous presidential approaches than most people realize. By Joseph Siracusa for ISN In the ever-changing landscape of international relations, the extent to which the actions of the United States contribute to justice and order remains a source of contentious debate. Indeed, it is difficult to find a point in recent history when the United States and its foreign policy have been subject to such polarised and acrimonious reflection, both domestically and internationally. Notwithstanding recent ‘decline’ debates and the rise of emerging powers, the United States continues to hold a formidable advantage over its chief rivals in terms of formal power assets more than twenty-five years after the end of the Cold War. Few anticipated this situation; on the contrary, many assumed that, after a brief moment of unipolarity following the collapse of the Soviet Union, international affairs would soon regain a certain symmetry. Instead, US hegemony is still par for the course. In this context, because the foreign policy ‘doctrines’ of American presidents remain an important driver of the outlook of the United States, these doctrines continue to play a significant role in shaping international order. Though they have veered from isolationist to interventionist to expansionist over the years, these doctrines in fact exhibit a remarkable continuity – even in the post 9/11 era.
    [Show full text]
  • Dwight Eisenhower, the Warrior, & John Kennedy, the Cold Warrior
    Student Publications Student Scholarship Fall 2014 Dwight Eisenhower, The aW rrior, & John Kennedy, The oldC Warrior: Foreign Policy Under Two Presidents Andrew C. Nosti Gettysburg College Follow this and additional works at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship Part of the American Politics Commons, Defense and Security Studies Commons, European History Commons, Political History Commons, Public Policy Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, and the United States History Commons Share feedback about the accessibility of this item. Nosti, Andrew C., "Dwight Eisenhower, The aW rrior, & John Kennedy, The oC ld Warrior: Foreign Policy Under Two Presidents" (2014). Student Publications. 265. https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/265 This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution. Cupola permanent link: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/ 265 This open access student research paper is brought to you by The uC pola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of The uC pola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Dwight Eisenhower, The aW rrior, & John Kennedy, The oldC Warrior: Foreign Policy Under Two Presidents Abstract This paper presents a comparison between President Eisenhower and President Kennedy's foreign affairs policies, specifically regarding the Cold War, by examining the presidents' interactions with four distinct Cold War regions. Keywords Eisenhower, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Foreign Affairs, Policy, Foreign Policy, Cold War, President Disciplines American Politics | Anthropology | Defense and Security Studies | European History | History | Political History | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Public Policy | Social and Cultural Anthropology | United States History Comments This paper was written for Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • The Organization of American States and the Monroe Doctrine - Legal Implications Ann Van Wynen Thomas
    Louisiana Law Review Volume 30 | Number 4 June 1970 The Organization of American States and the Monroe Doctrine - Legal Implications Ann Van Wynen Thomas A. J. Thomas Jr. Repository Citation Ann Van Wynen Thomas and A. J. Thomas Jr., The Organization of American States and the Monroe Doctrine - Legal Implications, 30 La. L. Rev. (1970) Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/lalrev/vol30/iss4/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Reviews and Journals at LSU Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Louisiana Law Review by an authorized editor of LSU Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AND THE MONROE DOCTRINE-LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Ann Van Wynen Thomas* A. J. Thomas, Jr.** BACKGROUND A discussion of the Monroe Doctrine today is approached with some trepidation by the wary, for the revered dogma ("I believe in the Monroe Doctrine, in our Constitution and in the laws of God") 1 often described as "the first and most fundamental" of the foreign policies of the United States and a protector of the Western Hemisphere from extracontinental aggression has,2 in recent years, been subjected to bitter attack. It has been called moribund, obsolete, verbiage,3 a name so hateful to Latin Ameri- the United States fears to mention it much less in- can ears that 4 voke it because of its abrasive effect on continental relations. Possibly the most devastating assault emanated from Mr. Khru- shchev of the Soviet Union when he proclaimed: "We consider that the Monroe Doctrine has outlived its time .
    [Show full text]
  • Containment, Cold War, and Consumerism: the Truman
    STUDY GUIDE —CONTAINMENT , COLD WAR , AND CONSUMERISM: THE TRUMAN -EISENHOWER ERA THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS : To what extent did the policies of the U.S. government successfully address the communist threat, both foreign and domestic? Was McCarthyism primarily a product of demagoguery or a real domestic communist threat? To what extent was the 1950s an age of conformity in regard to politics, society, and culture? IN A NUTSHELL : The Cold War began after World War II with a disagreement between the US and the USSR over self- determination in Eastern Europe. The American struggle against communism spread to Asia after Communist forces took over China and after N. Korea invaded S. Korea. The struggle against communism overseas led some Americans to believe there were communist in the US government threatening the security of the US. Although President Eisenhower continued President Truman’s policy of containment of communism, his presidency also saw an expansion of the arms race, the beginning of covert operations by the CIA, and the beginning of the space race. Heavy consumer spending and increased productivity gave Americans the highest standard of living the world had ever known. However, some groups did not share in the prosperity, and social critics attacked American materialism and conformity. TERMS ON THE BACK KEY TERMS EVENTS PEOPLE Serviceman’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill), 1944 Harry Truman FDR died, April, 1945 Dwight D. Eisenhower United Nations established, 1945 George Kennan (Mr. X) Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech, 1946
    [Show full text]
  • The Monroe Doctrine: Debating America’S Defense of Independence Abroad
    THE MONROE DOCTRINE: DEBATING AMERICA’S DEFENSE OF INDEPENDENCE ABROAD AUTHOR: Katherine Corrado / Woodgrove High School, Purcellville, Virginia GUIDING QUESTION: How has U.S. involvement in foreign affairs shaped a “more perfect union?” OVERVIEW CONNECTIONS TO C3 FRAMEWORK After analyzing secondary and primary sources, students › D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and will determine how the Monroe Doctrine reflects projected developments in broader historical contexts. American identity abroad. By participating in a debate, › D2.His.8.9-12. Analyze how current interpretations of the students will examine a variety of perspectives and support past are limited by the extent to which available historical an argument. sources represent perspectives of people at the time. OBJECTIVES DOCUMENTS USED At the conclusion of this activity, students will be able to PRIMARY SOURCES › Describe the arguments for and against U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts; Caesar Augustus Rodney, Letter from Caesar Augustus Rodney to President James Monroe, 1824 (excerpt) › Analyze the debates surrounding the Monroe Doctrine; Stanislaus Murray Hamilton, Editor, The writings of James Monroe.... and HathiTrust Digital Library › Evaluate the short- and long-term effects of the Monroe https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ Doctrine on American identity and its contribution toward pt?id=uiug.30112005125403&view=1up&seq=456 building a more perfect union. Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña, Mensaje del Vicepresidente de Columbia Encargado del Gobierno,
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights and Non-Intervention in the Inter-American System
    Michigan Law Review Volume 65 Issue 6 1967 Human Rights and Non-Intervention in the Inter-American System José A. Cabranes Columbia University Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mlr Part of the Human Rights Law Commons, and the International Law Commons Recommended Citation José A. Cabranes, Human Rights and Non-Intervention in the Inter-American System, 65 MICH. L. REV. 1147 (1967). Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mlr/vol65/iss6/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Michigan Law Review at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Law Review by an authorized editor of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HUMAN RIGHTS AND NON-INTERVENTION IN THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM* Jose A. Cabranes** HE promotion and protection of human rights is a recent and T significant innovation in the inter-American system. For more than a decade after its founding, the Organization of American States (OAS) exhibited no particular inclination to undertake a pro­ gram to provide international protection for fundamental freedoms within member states. The proclamation in 1948 of the highly­ vaunted American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man1 and the frequent invocation of "human rights," "universal moral­ ity," and "the rights of man" in resolutions and international instru­ ments produced by the regional organization of the American re­ publics amounted to little more than well-intentioned, but quite fanciful, rhetoric. The long silence of the inter-American system is remarkable when contrasted with the continuing efforts of the United Nations to elaborate an International Bill of Rights and the significant ac­ complishments of the Council of Europe in implementing on a re­ gional basis the principal values enunciated in the Universal Decla­ ration of Human Rights.
    [Show full text]
  • 16.3 the Cold War Expands Nuclear Threat
    16.3 The Cold War Expands Nuclear Threat • In 1949, the United States learned that the Soviet Union now had an atomic bomb. • Communists took over China swiftly after, and suddenly the world was more threatening. The Arms Race • After this revelation, President Truman ordered the production of a Hydrogen bomb. • For the next four decades, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. stockpiled nuclear weapons, which became known as the Arms Race. Brinkmanship • President Eisenhower continued to stockpile nuclear weapons to back his foreign policy. • His Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, believed that the only way to discourage communist aggression was to go to the brink of war, an approach known as brinkmanship. Nikita Khrushchev • Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union, continued to spread communism. • Polish workers rioted against the Soviet Union and gained greater say in their government, but when others tried this approach they were crushed by Khrushchev. Suez Crisis • Egypt's president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, wanted to build a dam on the Nile river called the Suez Canal, but because of his communist relations, the U.S. refused to help. • Britain and France invaded Egypt and took control of the dam, but withdrew when the U.S. wouldn't support them. Eisenhower Doctrine • Eisenhower announced that the U.S. would aid any country threatened by communism. • This Eisenhower Doctrine was used to silence a revolt against pro-American government in Lebanon. CIA • Eisenhower also used the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to help build pro- American governments in Iran and Guatemala. NASA • In October of 1957, the Soviets launched the satellite Sputnik 1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Invocation of the Monroe Doctrine in the Anglo-Venezuelan Boundary Dispute
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1932 The invocation of the Monroe Doctrine in the Anglo-Venezuelan boundary dispute. John F. Soren University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Diplomatic History Commons, and the Latin American History Commons Recommended Citation Soren, John F., "The invocation of the Monroe Doctrine in the Anglo-Venezuelan boundary dispute." (1932). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1958. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1958 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MONROE DOCTrINE ANGLO-VENEZUEU.. N BOUnDAFY D rEPUTE A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty or the Graduate School of the University of Louisville .. In Partial F'ulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree or Master of Arts Department of History By John F. Soran Year , 1932 • • , \ \ , c;') d..... > '. 2: I Seile: ¥ irl ", or Ii'llth t, U milts. Reference Note ])efacto Lihf of 1'1(.8 .... .......==== ~ ScJc.o,"bll1"9h LIne 181.11. ............ ___ - z 1 E.xpahdtd Scho",.b. Line........... k. _... _... _.. E,.,treme Vtnez. Cl~im ............ .. ~~~~ Extre111t BY'i fish Cl,im IS90..... ~_ u • •••• •••• --!----~----t--------..., Line Est~bli shed h¥ tJ.
    [Show full text]
  • The United States-Cuba Relationship a Time for Change?
    The United States-Cuba Relationship A Time for Change? Colonel Ralph J. Capio, USAF and Christopher J. Capio In the field of world policy I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the good neighbor.1 Introduction In recent decades, FDR’s call for "neigborliness" has been all but forgotten by United States foreign policy makers. Although the world has undergone dramatic change in many aspects, there has been at least one United States foreign policy constant -- the U. S. trade embargo of Cuba. Only ninety miles off the U. S. shore, and with a shared history dating to colonial times, it would appear that the United States and its neighbor to the south should have a natural affinity for one another. Instead, it is clear that we are fundamentally at odds. Much of the rest of the world2, on the other hand, seems very willing to carry on a dialogue with Cuba.3 The U. S. seems to be the "odd man out", locked into a Cold War mentality regarding Cuba. What should US military officers know of the US-Cuba relationship? Should the U. S. change its Cuba policy? If we do not do so, are we likely to be left out of a post-Castro Cuba? Should we choose a policy of "engagement", as opposed to continuation of our present policy of "estrangement"4? What sorts of risks, if any, would this pose for U. S. strategic interests in the region? This paper will examine something of the past and present relationship between the United States and Cuba, with a view towards our future relationship.
    [Show full text]
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) and the 1950S I. Dwight
    American History Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) and the 1950s I. Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) –Republican A. Pre-Presidential Biography 1. Childhood –born in Denison, Texas and raised in Abilene, Kansas 2. Army –West Point, WWII, President of Columbia University, and NATO Commander B. Presidential Biography 1. Campaign “Korea, Communism, and Corruption” - defeated Adlai Stevenson –1952 & 1956 2. The “Hidden Hand” President 3. Health and Age Issues C. IKE Fun Facts II. The “New Look” Foreign Policy –John Foster Dulles (Secretary of State) A. The “New Look” policy guidelines –but still stopping communism 1. Domino Theory 2. Brinkmanship –“Victory goes to him who can keep his nerve to the last 15 minutes.” 3. Massive Retaliation –no initial attack will occurred out of fear of US response 4. Nuclear Buildup –“more bang for your buck” 5. Covert Operations –using the Central Intelligence Agency B. Asia 1. Korean War –“I shall go to Korea” –Armistice signed (July 27, 1953) 2. Iran -Operation AJAX (August 19, 1953) –Shah Reza Pahlavi (US-backed leader) A. Eisenhower Doctrine (1957) =containment + Middle East 3. Indochina –domino theory –fighting communism in Southeast Asia A. Lost North Vietnam to communism B. Keep South Vietnam capitalist and supported SV President Ngo Dinh Diem 4. Taiwan Crisis -People’s Republic of China vs. Taiwan –PRC attacked Taiwan A. US protected Taiwan -Mutual Defense Treaty C. Latin America 1. Guatemala (1954) -Operation Success –CIA overthrew rightful government over bananas 2. Cuba -President Fidel Castro took control of Cuba January 1, 1959 –now communist D. Soviet-American Relations –Premier Nikita Khrushchev (1953-1964) 1.
    [Show full text]