28.3 - The American Dream

Identify the reasons that Dwight Eisenhower was a popular presidential candidate in the 1952 election.

There are three (3) correct options to select.

• Steered a middle path between conservatism and liberalism.

• Promised to end the war in Korea.

• Had no prior political experience.

• Promised to reduce the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

• Would create the NASA space agency to compete with the USSR's Sputnik I.

President Eisenhower maintained high levels of defense spending but, in his farewell speech in 1961, warned about the growth of the ​ (a)   : the matrix of relationships between officials in the Department of Defense and executives in the defense industry who all benefited from increases in defense spending.

• military-industrial complex
• economic defense alliance
• national security partnership
• communist expansion network

President Eisenhower did not condone, but also did not directly challenge, this powerful U.S. Senator who helped kick off the Second Red Scare, Joseph _____.

Answer explanation

Eisenhower disliked the tactics of Joseph McCarthy but did not oppose him directly, preferring to remain above the fray. He saw himself as a leader called upon to do his best for his country, not as a politician engaged in a contest for advantage over rivals.

In keeping with his goal of a balanced budget, Eisenhower switched the emphasis in defense from more nuclear weapons to an expansion of conventional forces such as tanks, naval vessels, and aircraft.

His New Look strategy embraced “massive retaliation,” a plan to strike first at the Soviet Union strike so strongly that they would not be able to respond. Some labeled this approach “Mutually Assured Destruction” or MAD.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Eisenhower actually supported the expansion of nuclear weaponry in order to cut costs on conventional warfighting technologies.

This is ironic, given his Atoms for Peace speech given at the United Nations in 1953, that was part of a carefully orchestrated media campaign, called "Operation Candor", to enlighten the American public on the risks and hopes of a nuclear future. It was designed to shift public focus away from the military, a strategy that Eisenhower referred to as "psychological warfare."

Part of preparing for a possible war with the Soviet Union was informing the American public what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. The government provided instructions for building and equipping bomb shelters in the basement or backyard, and some cities constructed municipal shelters. Educational pamphlets and videos were widely distributed to schools.

Do you think such publications could actually help people survive an atomic bomb blast? If not, why publish such materials in the first place?

What was the primary reason for the growth of suburbs in the 1950s?

• Rise in agricultural jobs thanks to increased post-World War II demand.

• Decline in automobile ownership among the wealthy.

• Low-interest mortgages from the GI Bill.

• Increased urbanization as immigration rebounded after World War II.

In 1957, the USSR created small telecommunications tools called Red Eyes, which they claimed were for scientific research, but American officials quickly suspected could be used to tap phones.

Rumors spread that the tiny sensors had secretly been deployed into key U.S. government buildings. Panic erupted in Washington, and this would help kickoff McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare.

• No, this is Sputnik I. This USSR satellite did cause concern about USSR advancement of space technology ahead of the USA.

• No, this is Crimson Beacon. This USSR satellite was believed to be a weather balloon at first, but later rumors claimed it was designed to control American radio frequencies.

• No, this is Iron Comet. The USSR claimed it was a peaceful space observatory, but U.S. officials feared it was secretly mapping nuclear launch sites across the country.

Answer explanation

The United States often feared that the Soviets were making greater strides in developing technology with potential military applications. This was especially true following the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik I, the first manmade satellite, in October 1957.

In September 1958, Congress passed the National Defense Education Act, which pumped over $775 million into educational programs over four years, especially those programs that focused on math and science. Congressional appropriations to the National Science Foundation also increased by $100 million in a single year, from $34 million in 1958 to $134 million in 1959.

Keenly sensing that the stalemate in Korea had cost Truman his popularity, Eisenhower worked to avoid being drawn into foreign wars.

Please identify the conflicts that Eisenhower did participate in, even financially, and those he kept the United States out of completely.

Groups:

(a) U.S. Participated

,

(b) U.S. Did Not Participate

• Hungarian Revolution against the USSR

• Fighting on the Korean peninsula

• Invasion of the Suez Canal by European powers

• Money to the French to fight in Indochina/Vietnam

Consider suburbanization in the United States after World War II.

Then, match each cause with its corresponding effect, below.

• Large cities had smaller tax revenues.

• In the decade between 1950 and 1960, the suburbs grew by 46 percent.

• Building acres of cheap, tract housing.

• Prefabricated construction techniques pioneered during World War II.

• Limited number of Black residents.

• Restrictive language in suburban homeowners agreements.

• Real estate agents rush to sell land.

• Housing scarcity during World War II.

• Dissected urban neighborhoods.

• Interstate highway system increased convenience for suburban drivers.

In 1950, the median income for ​ (a)   families was $20,656, whereas for ​ (b)   families it was $11,203. By 1960, these values increased to $28,485 a year and $15,786 a year, representing the greater pattern of prosperity in the United States at the time.

• White
• Black