chapter 5- the presidency under Eisenhower Flashcards
Biographical overview of Eisenhower?
Born in texas.
would be a commanding general in 1944 and would serve with General Douglas Mcauthur.
Would help to instigate operation overlord and in 1949 would have role with NATO.
would serve as the army’s chief of staff.
president of Colombia state university
Would have already held high office and would have already led a clear fight for freedom.
he is A-political and will take inspiration from the success of the New Deal with FDR.
pragmatic and is not worried about ideology
Truman would offer him the role to become president in 1948 and for Truman to serve as vice president.
he would be persuaded to run by friends and would have the policy of K1C2.
the significance of the advertisement of the 1952 election for Eisenhower?
there would be a TV ad that would allow people to feel connected to “ike”, there would be the repetition of I and there would be no strong political message.
There would be different people in the ad and the theme of washignton displays how that is the end goal for the presidency.
the significance of the advertisement of the 1952 election for Stevenson?
wanting to carry on the legacy of FDR/ The New Deal.
much more of a political message, you vote to stop the hard times of the past re-surfacing
does not want to follow Truman and this would be an ideology informed campaign.
who was the democrat nominee who was going against Eisenhower?
Adlai Stevenson
politician and diplomat
1948 Governor of Illinois.
he would be a Princeton educated lawyer and he would be a clear match with the moderate liberals.
who was Richard Nixon? and his political ideology?
was seen to be a successful politician who would help to defeat Alger Hiss, in 1947 he would take a place in the House of Representatives and he would represent the state of California.
By 1947 he sat on the HUAC
Believed in small state, less tax payer money
socially conservative values, anti-communistm
part of the Republican Party.
1945-52 was known as “tricky dicky”
was said to be a negative campaigner by simply attacking the opposition.
allegations and the checkers speech?
during the California state elections of 1950 he was accused of using $18,000 for his private funds/ political gain.
this would result in the checker’s speech of 1952
this would highlight the different between truth and his truth.
would give of confidence
would use a deflective tactic by using an analogy to turn the donation into a gift, where it is therefore wrong for him to give it back- bending the truth.
this would pose problems for Eisenhower as he would say that his election would be “as clean a hound;s tooth”.
significance of Nixon and his early days as Vice President?
1953
he is seen to be the first modern vice president and would have a clear role to display honesty and dignity.
there would be a strong and complementary relationship between Eisenhower and Nixon.
when he would have to step in as president following Eisenhower’s heart attack “ at no time did I assume the presidents full role”
the significance of the vice presidents and Venezuela 1958?
he would be attacked and would come home to 10,000 people cheering is name, the scene only a president would get
He is taking on the role of leadership and the role of de facto leadership would fall to him.
key quote that depicts Eisenhower’s ideology? why was this significant?
“I am conservative when it comes to money, liberal when it come to human beings” this was dynamic conservatism.
Eisenhower was keeping the momentum of the New Deal and FDR, he would complete this by intervening in the economy when it was necessary.
was Eisenhower conservative when it comes to money?
1953-60: there was a 30% cut in military spending and the US was cut by 40% the number of personnel would go from 3.5 million to 2.5 million.
a federal tax rate on income over $400,000 would be taxed at 91%
domestic spending would rise from 31% in the budget of 1953 and 49% in the budget in 1961, this would largely be because the democrats would be in charge of the house for most of the Eisenhower years.
The GDP would decline from 20.4% to 18.4%- the changes to the economy would not see an overall benefit.
only 3/8 of his budgets would be balanced in 1956,57,60
There would be 3 mini recessions in 48-49 53-54 57-58
the unemployment rate would reach a high of 8% in 1948 and a low of 2.5% in 1953
Private enterprise was doing well in 1961 GDP would be around 20% higher.
what did Eisenhower do with regards to Health, Education, Welfare and Civil Rights?
1953: there would be the new HEW department which would be left by Oveta Hobby and would expand social security to 10 million Americans.
1955: Minimum wage wild be increased from 0.75-1
1958: this would come with the support of democrats, the National Defence Education Act would be passed. this would provide federal loans for science, maths and languages.
there would the civil rights act in 1957 and 60, though they would differ to the acts to come as they would focus more on voting rights.
$500 million was made available for social housing, this would display that Eisenhower would be willing to help people.
he would establish the “soil bank” which would pay farmers to withdraw lands form production in order to save resources.
would admit Hawaii and Alaska as US states.
how would this differ to the policy of Truman?
this would be more realistic and would also gather the support of the democrats.
minimum wage would an example of compromise where it would be increase but to the extent of Truman.
Eisenhower would continue the momentum of Truman
less effects on CRA compared to Truman.
who was Oveta Hobby and why was she significant?
the second woman to serve in the US cabinet and would the first secretary of the HEW.
She would have an early interaction with politics, she would read congressional records and would serve in state legislature in 1919, would be 20 years old.
She would have a link with the military as she would serve on the WAAC, though this was not on the frontlines.
she would have some major successes, for example the Polio vaccine which would help the poor.
the 1956 Highway Act and its significance?
41,000 miles of interstate highway would be built over 20 years.
there would be $51,000,000,000 that would be spent on the highway, this would be a significant investment.
Would help businesses to thrive there would be easy access to the home, work and schools. This would help to benefit the automobile and all of the raw materials, for example the jobs for building the roads.
there would be 50% lower death rater
the economy would be helped and would help to continue the legacy of FDR and the new deal.
who were considered the majority in society? and what was the significance of religion on American politics.
WASP people
in 1956 “In God We Trust” was passed as a Moto of America which would push the ideological vision of America.
in 1957: 66% of people are protestant Christian.
Eisenhower would change the fact that America was considered to be a secular state and that religion was beginning to have a rule over government, this can also be seen in the inaugural address of Eisenhower where he would say a prayer. Eisenhower would also invite the Evangelist Billy Graham to the White House.
