Eisenhower Years, 1953-1961 Flashcards
Who became the 34th president of the U.S., was a former 5 Star General, and was president throughout the 1950s?
Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
What popular image does the 1950s have in American history? Americans experienced the highest standard of living in the world, but the Cold War and the threat of nuclear destruction loomed in the background.
“Happy Days”
In 1953, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles criticized Truman’s containment policy and suggested to push the Soviets to the brink of war. What was this policy known as?
Brinkmanship
In 1953, this secretive government agency overthrew the leader of Iran and put in a new Shah (monarch) of Iran. The Shah would rule as a brutal autocrat.
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
In 1954, this secretive government agency overthrew the government of Guatemala, because their leftist government threatened American business interests.
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
In 1953, Stalin dies and this new soviet dictator took his place.
Nikita Khrushchev
In 1954, SEATO was created to prevent Southeast Asia from falling to Communism. What is SEATO?
Asian Alliance (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization)
In 1954, the French loose control of this territory after Ho Chi Minh led a Communist force to overthrow French rule.
Vietnam (Indochina)
In 1954, at this conference the French gave up Indochina, which became Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam. Vietnam was also divided at the 17th parallel.
Geneva Conference
This is a theory that was developed during the 1950s, in that if South Vietnam falls to Communism, one nation after another in Southeast Asia would also fall to Communism.
Domino Theory (1957)
In 1955, this was an military alliance between the USSR and Eastern European statellite nations to unite and counter NATO.
Warsaw Pact (1955)
In 1956, this crisis happened in Egypt where Britain, France, and Israel invaded. Eisenhower was furious and these countries withdrew from this region.
Suez Crisis (1956)
In 1956, this act allowed for the construction of 42,000 miles of federal roads linking all the nation’s major cities. This sparked the growth of suburbia.
Interstate Highway Act (1956)
In 1956, this was an attempted revolt against Communist rule in an Eastern European nation. Khrushchev sent in Soviet tanks to crush this rebellion. Eisenhower did nothing for fear of staring another war.
Hungarian Revolution (1956)
In 1956, the U.S. puts this unpopular anti-communist dictator in power in South Vietnam. He will later be assassinated by his own supporters.
Ngo Dinh Diem
In 1957, this doctrine extended the Truman Doctrine to the Middle East. Pledged economic and military aid to any Middle Eastern country threatened by Communism.
Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)
In 1957, this shocked the U.S. and surprised the world when the Soviets launched the first satellite.
Sputnik
In 1958, the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) did what?
Gave millions in federal money to schools for science, math, and foreign language.
In 1958, this government agency was created for the purpose to build missiles and explore outer space.
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
In 1958, there was a Second Berlin Crisis, where Khrushchev threatened the U.S. to pull its troops from West Berlin. After a meeting with Eisenhower, the crisis was over. What famous quote did Khrushchev give about capitalism during this crisis?
“We will bury capitalism” - Nikita Khrushchev
In 1959, this individual overthrew the U.S. supported Cuban dictator. He then nationalized American owned businesses and properties in Cuba. Communism was now only 90 miles away from the U.S.
Fidel Castro (Cuban Revolution 1959)
In 1960, this incident led to increased tensions between the U.S. and USSR when an American spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union.
U-2 Incident (Gary Powers - pilot)