"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its stupidity." (1), this quote given while serving as the Chief of staff of the Army, helps provide insight into some influences of how policy during Presidents Eisenhower’s tenure in office was developed. The Presidents early upbringing late in the 19th Century raised mostly in isolated rural areas (when this country cared very little about life outside its boundaries). Raised by educated parents both graduated from college uncommon during that time, religion, and a sense of family everyone doing their fair share prevalent during his formative years. Involved in an accident early in life his younger brother lost his eye; he later referred to the
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With Stalin’s death and no real information coming from the Soviet Union Eisenhower focused on limiting the Soviets economic influence by identifying areas of strategic importance and focusing on those areas. He went to congress asked and received support for those areas (the Middle East); however his inaction during Vietnam and the Suez crisis led to criticism; I believe that as a General he had to have a clear outcomes prior to committing troops, learned during his time as a military leader. His keen leadership skills homed during his time in the military allowed his the luxury of understanding when to intervene. Some examples: are when the Supreme Court decision Brown V Board of Education struck down separate but equal, he activated the 101st airborne to escort students to class, he threatened to withhold funding from the each of the branches he believed that racial discrimination was a national security issue; however during the 1950’s and McCarthyism becomes prevalent, communist spies are everywhere, and they have infiltrated every part of the government. Eisenhower allowed the rhetoric to continue understanding that this was an issue best dealt with by congress also understanding that openly condemning Senator …show more content…
Television begins to influence public opinion, this influence becomes a huge factor in demonizing Communism ideology. After WWII the US economy grows, Soldiers returning from war and female workers having money to spend help transition the US economy from an industrial to a consumer based. Cars become cheaper technologies developed during the war become used in everyday products, and the American dream is achievable by anyone willing to go out and work for it, and this is in sharp contrast a communist society which deems common ownership of the means to mass produce goods the absence of social classes. Clearly the hardest to get around was the elimination of religion as an ideological objective and the teaching of atheism in schools put then at odds with the US and other Christian countries (it is worth noting that organized prayer was eliminated in public schools by 1963, Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)). In 1949 the Soviet Union detonates a nuclear weapon of US design, aided by scientists from the Manhattan project; however most experts believed that the soviets could develop the on their own. The fact that an ally during the war would use spies to get information on weapons gave Senator McCarthy all the ammunition he needed to vilify the Soviets.
With Stalin’s death and no real information coming from the Soviet Union Eisenhower focused on limiting the Soviets economic influence by identifying areas of strategic importance and focusing on those areas. He went to congress asked and received support for those areas (the Middle East); however his inaction during Vietnam and the Suez crisis led to criticism; I believe that as a General he had to have a clear outcomes prior to committing troops, learned during his time as a military leader. His keen leadership skills homed during his time in the military allowed his the luxury of understanding when to intervene. Some examples: are when the Supreme Court decision Brown V Board of Education struck down separate but equal, he activated the 101st airborne to escort students to class, he threatened to withhold funding from the each of the branches he believed that racial discrimination was a national security issue; however during the 1950’s and McCarthyism becomes prevalent, communist spies are everywhere, and they have infiltrated every part of the government. Eisenhower allowed the rhetoric to continue understanding that this was an issue best dealt with by congress also understanding that openly condemning Senator …show more content…
Television begins to influence public opinion, this influence becomes a huge factor in demonizing Communism ideology. After WWII the US economy grows, Soldiers returning from war and female workers having money to spend help transition the US economy from an industrial to a consumer based. Cars become cheaper technologies developed during the war become used in everyday products, and the American dream is achievable by anyone willing to go out and work for it, and this is in sharp contrast a communist society which deems common ownership of the means to mass produce goods the absence of social classes. Clearly the hardest to get around was the elimination of religion as an ideological objective and the teaching of atheism in schools put then at odds with the US and other Christian countries (it is worth noting that organized prayer was eliminated in public schools by 1963, Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)). In 1949 the Soviet Union detonates a nuclear weapon of US design, aided by scientists from the Manhattan project; however most experts believed that the soviets could develop the on their own. The fact that an ally during the war would use spies to get information on weapons gave Senator McCarthy all the ammunition he needed to vilify the Soviets.