This is for those people who are studying the 2Q The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945–1980, from the AQA A-Level History course.
The notes are for the 2nd and 3rd Presidents within the course. I am currently creating notes for the 4th President and will hopefully do so for the last tw...
Eisenhower Presidency
Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Born in Texas, Abilene, Kansas
- 1911-15= Attended West Point Military Academy- rich school, was given a scholarship, shows
that he worked hard for it and he was part of the real American Dream, his family
encouraged him
- 1942-5= commanded American forces in Europe- was able to pull Hitler out of Europe and
prevent him from doing any further damage.
- 1945- army chief of staff- commanded the victorious allied forces in Europe, in the Second
World War.
- 1950= became the 1st NATO Commander
- 1953-61= Became President although he was more a military man, he did not represent any
political party and had no political experience.
-
Leadership Qualities
- Was good woth talking to people
- Excellent organiser
- Mastered detail
- Reacted well to pressure
- Was a good team player- he was good at pulling people towards him and make them agree
with him.
- Emphathised with his men
- Was praised by General MacArthur as ‘the best ofiicer in the army’
- Had good confidence
- Britains Field Marshall Montgomery said that Eisenhower drew ‘the hearts of men towards
him’
- The Cold War struggles caused criticism of Eisenhowers ejecition of Churchill’’s insistence
that Allies to everything to beat the Svoiets ot Berlin
- However, Eisenhower never supported civil rights
- He didn’t lower taxes
- At times was seen as being arrogant and not confident, after te war.
- De thought politics was distasteful and even Democratic pres HT asked him to be his VP but
he refused as knew he wouldn’t win with the low experience he had.
- He had a concern of how Robert taft was keen on brignng US troops back form the Europe.
Which is not good because it will make USA look weak. Called Taft an isolationist
- Eisenhower felt as if he had to go into politics to prevent this.
- Nixon was his partner and through this partnership, they could unite south and west. Liberal
section will like Nixon.
Elections
- Doesn’t like high taxes doesn’t like government beuracracy and is oppose to socilaised
medicaine
- Criticised containment
- Promised to go to Korea after being elected and end the war, which he did do
, - Believed how Truman lsot china to communism
- The public liked his support fot states rights
- Criticised ddemocratic failures at Yalta
- Supporters McCarthyism because if he didn’t, he would be seen as a communist.
The victory
- 55% achieved and manged to take 5 southern states.
- Helped to make congress republican again
Cabinet
- John Dulles was his secretary of state
- Everyone is millionaires like DE, and he hears the same ideas as his own
- Had one Democratic, who was overshadowed as he was a plumber and everyone else was
republic like DE.
Policies of Dynamic Conservatism
- Traditional when it came to money but liberal when it came to people. DE though it would
be political suicide if he got rid of the Dem policies, so he kept them.
- Concept was republican and democratic combined.
- Similar to republicanism because conservative when it came to money, taxes would be low
and government spending too.
- Differed in how there was to be more social welfare and minimum wage stayed, social
security satyed, which was not the Republican mantra.
- Eisenhower knew it was important to cut FG spending because it was getting out of control.
The Korena war, so much money going into it when the USA possessed the atomic bomb-
although nuclear war is not cheap.
- DE spent focus in defence department spending because he knew that excessive spending on
defence could go towards the social welfare.
The publicans, Democrats, press say cutting force is not wise when you're in the middle of a
Cold War
USA was scared the the Russians could go ahead in the Cold War and this did feel like
happening’
military industrial complex is people who make weapons slash jeeps and force Eisenhower to
carry on making defence materials and to keep Congress happy
Eisenhower did this
Education
built many schools comma eisenhower pres proposed legislation to help finance school
construction in poorest states
keeps the free lunch scheme that Truman did which is very democratic
the fear of Sputnik resulted in him creating the National Defence Education Act which
improves funds for maths English science and foreign languages and gave low cost loans to
college students Congress didn't approve as some said that these schools would benefit
African Americans and would benefit the segregated South
Russia is getting ahead in the Cold War and it was unacceptable that America was talking
about boosting education when this was happening.
Employment
Social Security benefits were given to 10 million more people in 1954
Minimum wage increases from $0.70 per hour to $1.00 an hour
the Interstate highway system created more jobs
, Eisenhower spending was little and there was little inflation during his presidency there were
some recessions but they were short the word construction helped economic growth
transport the Interstate highways were a massive project for this often criticised as a do
nothing
We do of the Cold War needed better call transport system more better words we needed
you to more people have caught having cars and increased social mobility
who runs mostly due to the federal state disagreements funding the great lake opened
through the seaway.
Health and welfare
of it a cult hobby was the head of the HEW department who line 1955 the polio vaccine was
distributed AS57K people contracted the disease after the 1950s to epidemic and FDR was
paralysed because of polio.
Housing
$500 million made available for low income public housing, through the amount was
insufficient To deal with all the problems in housing it once again showed Eisenhower 's
willingness to involve the federal government in addressing the problems of the poor
farming and agriculture establishing a soil bank paid made paid farmers to withdraw lands
from production in the interest of maintaining food prices and conserving agricultural
resource is
other
two civil rights acts in in 57 and 60 word post which showed that republicans are taking this
into consideration
Vice President Richard Nixon
- Was part of a middle class family
- Had an abusive fther
- Had a religious mother
- Lost 2 of his broters over the course of 5 years
- Was offered a tuition scholarship to Harvardb but his family could not afford the travelling
costs and he had to stay at home nd look after his ill brother.
- In under 4 years (75% of US Uni) became a qualified lawyer through a scholarhip at Duke
University. Shows how hard he works
- Moved to Washington after WW2 and enlsidte in the navy, he was in the South pacififc
where the Japanese were fighting USA
- Was elected as California COngresseman in 1947, said that his oppennet was a communist
(which he knew were false) so he was eilling to lie in order to win/
- Was lelected in the senare through the same tactics with HEken Gahagan douglas
- Remained friendky with Joseph McCarthy but was wis ein kepping this alcoholic unstable
senator at a distance.
As VP
1952- Eisenhower persuaded by the Rep party to have Noxon as his running mat, DE probably did
noy want him to but knew he would be useful
Successfully defended himself against the financial iimproperirty accusations about tax evasions and
frauds
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