Eisenhower's World Events | American Experience | PBS (2024)

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Eisenhower's World Events

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Browse a chronology of major international events that occurred during Eisenhower's presidency.

1953

  • U.S. and North Korea sign armistice ending the Korean War
  • Marshal Tito is elected president of Yugoslavia
  • Josef Stalin dies
  • Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain crowned
  • USSR explodes a hydrogen bomb
  • Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay are the first to climb Mt. Everest

1954

  • Abdul Nasser seizes power in Egypt and becomes premier
  • Southeast Asia Treaty Organization is established (SEATO)
  • U.S. tests hydrogen bomb at Bikini Atoll
  • Vietnamese Communists occupy Dien Bien Phu and Hanoi
  • U.S. signs a pact with Nationalist China (Taiwan)

1955

  • Italy, West Germany, and France establish the European Union
  • West Germany joins NATO
  • Juan Perón resigns from the presidency of Argentina
  • Warsaw Pact signed, establishing military alliances between Communist members
  • Elections take place in South Vietnam -- Bao Dai is replaced by Ngo Dinh Diem

1956

  • Sudan becomes an independent nation
  • Pakistan becomes a Muslim republic
  • Israeli troops invade the Sinai Peninsula
  • Suez Crisis occurs
  • Japan joins the UN
  • Soviet troops enter Hungary -- martial law declared
  • Transatlantic cable telephone service begins

1957

  • Israel hands over the Gaza Strip to UN forces
  • USSR launchesSputnik
  • International Atomic Energy Agency established
  • Great Britain explodes a thermonuclear bomb

1958

  • The European Common Market is established
  • Egypt and the Sudan join to become the United Arab Republic under Nasser
  • Khruschev becomes head of the USSR
  • Charles de Gaulle becomes president of France
  • Fidel Castro begins "total war" against the Batista government in Cuba
  • U.S. Marines go into Lebanon at the request of President Camille Chamoun

1959

  • Fidel Castro becomes premier of Cuba
  • De Valera becomes president of Ireland
  • Bandaranaika, president of Ceylon, is assassinated
  • USSR Lunik program reaches the moon

1960

  • Belgian Congo is granted independence (Congo)
  • Cyprus becomes an independent republic
  • Khruschev, Harold Macmillan, Eisenhower, de Gaulle meet for summit talks in Paris

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Related Features

As an avid historian and enthusiast in the field of international relations and political history, my extensive knowledge and passion for the subject matter allow me to delve into the intricate details of major world events, especially those that occurred during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Let's explore the concepts and events mentioned in the provided article:

1. Eisenhower's Presidency (1953-1961):

  • Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961, bringing with him a wealth of military experience and a strategic approach to governance.

2. Korean War Armistice (1953):

  • The armistice signed in 1953 marked the end of the Korean War, a conflict between North Korea (backed by China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (supported by the United States and other Western nations).

3. International Events (1953-1960):

  • 1953: Marshal Tito elected president of Yugoslavia, Josef Stalin dies, Queen Elizabeth II crowned, USSR explodes a hydrogen bomb, Hillary and Norgay climb Mt. Everest.
  • 1954: Abdul Nasser seizes power in Egypt, SEATO established, U.S. tests hydrogen bomb, Vietnamese Communists occupy Dien Bien Phu, U.S. signs pact with Nationalist China (Taiwan).
  • 1955: European Union established, West Germany joins NATO, Warsaw Pact signed, elections in South Vietnam, Gaza Strip handed over to UN forces.
  • 1956: Sudan becomes independent, Suez Crisis, Japan joins the UN, Soviet troops enter Hungary, transatlantic cable telephone service begins.
  • 1957: USSR launches Sputnik, International Atomic Energy Agency established, Great Britain explodes a thermonuclear bomb.
  • 1958: European Common Market established, United Arab Republic formed, Khruschev becomes head of the USSR, Charles de Gaulle becomes president of France, U.S. Marines go into Lebanon.
  • 1959: Fidel Castro becomes premier of Cuba, De Valera becomes president of Ireland, Bandaranaike assassinated, USSR Lunik program reaches the moon.
  • 1960: Belgian Congo granted independence, Cyprus becomes an independent republic, summit talks in Paris with Khruschev, Macmillan, Eisenhower, and de Gaulle.

4. Key International Organizations:

  • SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization): Formed in 1954 to counter the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.
  • European Union: Established in 1955 by Italy, West Germany, and France to promote economic cooperation and integration.
  • Warsaw Pact: Signed in 1955, it established military alliances between Communist members as a response to NATO.
  • International Atomic Energy Agency: Established in 1957 to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and prevent its use for any military purpose.

5. Middle East and Suez Crisis (1956):

  • Israeli troops invaded the Sinai Peninsula in response to the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, leading to the Suez Crisis.

6. Cold War Dynamics:

  • The provided events reflect the intense geopolitical rivalry and ideological struggle between the United States (and its allies) and the Soviet Union (and its allies) during the Cold War.

7. U.S. Foreign Policy under Eisenhower:

  • Eisenhower believed in active U.S. engagement in world affairs as a means of containing communism, as mentioned in the article's closing reference to Eisenhower's foreign affairs perspective.

In summary, these historical events not only highlight the global dynamics of the Cold War era but also showcase Eisenhower's role in navigating the complex geopolitical landscape of the time. His presidency witnessed pivotal moments that shaped the course of international relations and set the stage for subsequent developments during the Cold War.

Eisenhower's World Events | American Experience | PBS (2024)

FAQs

What impact did President Eisenhower's foreign policy have on the United States and the world? ›

Eisenhower administration, from 1953 to 1961, focused on the Cold War with the Soviet Union and its satellites. The United States built up a stockpile of nuclear weapons and nuclear delivery systems to deter military threats and save money while cutting back on expensive Army combat units.

What was Eisenhower's final warning? ›

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

What was the name of Eisenhower's new approach to US foreign policy? ›

The New Look was the name given to the national security policy of the United States during the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It reflected Eisenhower's concern for balancing the Cold War military commitments of the United States with the nation's financial resources.

What military experience did Eisenhower have? ›

After graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1915, Eisenhower was assigned to the 19th Infantry Regiment at Fort Sam Houston. He served in the continental United States throughout World War I, ending the war as the commander of a battalion that trained tank crews.

What is Eisenhower famous for? ›

Eisenhower planned and supervised two of the most consequential military campaigns of World War II: Operation Torch in the North Africa campaign in 1942–1943 and the invasion of Normandy in 1944. Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas, and raised in Abilene, Kansas.

What major domestic developments in the United States during President Eisenhower's two terms included all of the following except? ›

Expert-Verified Answer. Major domestic developments in the United States during President Eisenhower's two terms included all of the following EXCEPT c. the dismantling of New Deal welfare programs.

What was the main purpose of Eisenhower's message to the troops? ›

This order was issued by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower to encourage Allied soldiers taking part in the D-day invasion of June 6, 1944.

What was President Eisenhower's role in the Little Rock Crisis? ›

When Governor Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to surround Central High School to keep the nine students from entering the school, President Eisenhower ordered the 101st Airborne Division into Little Rock to insure the safety of the "Little Rock Nine" and that the rulings of the Supreme Court were upheld.

What was Eisenhower's role in ending the fighting in Korea and what was the result for the Korean peninsula? ›

On July 27, 1953, seven months after President Eisenhower's inauguration as the 34th President of the United States, an armistice was signed, ending organized combat operations and leaving the Korean Peninsula divided much as it had been since the close of World War II at the 38th parallel.

Why did Eisenhower intervene in Vietnam? ›

Following the partition of Vietnam into a communist North and pro-western South, Eisenhower chose to invest huge sums of money and prestige in transforming South Vietnam into a showcase of a new “free Asia.” Spending billions of dollars, sending military advisers, supporting the increasingly brutal tactics of the South ...

Was the Eisenhower Doctrine successful? ›

It largely failed on that front, with Nasser's power quickly rising by 1959 to when he could shape the leadership outcomes in neighboring Arab countries such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia; in the meantime, his relationship with the Soviet leaders deteriorated, allowing the U.S. to switch to a policy of accommodation.

What was Eisenhower's domino theory? ›

Eisenhower described the theory during a news conference on April 7, 1954, when referring to communism in Indochina as follows: Domino theory presents a metaphor of falling dominoes: that a rise or fall in communist influence in a country will have the same knock-on effect in neighboring countries, and so on.

Was Eisenhower in ww1? ›

During World War I, Eisenhower became the #3 leader of the new tank corps and rose to temporary (Bvt.) Lieutenant Colonel in the National Army. During the war he trained tank crews at "Camp Colt"—his first command—on the grounds of "Pickett's Charge" on the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Civil War battle site.

Was Eisenhower a 5 star general? ›

Five-Star Generals and Admirals

Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Henry H. "Hap" Arnold.

Who was the president who was a 5 star general? ›

This special appointment would theoretically make Washington a six-star general, or O-12. President Eisenhower reached the status of a five-star general while serving as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II (1942-1945).

What effect did President Eisenhower's development of the system shown on this map have on American society? ›

What effect did President Eisenhower's development of the system shown on this map have on American society? It contributed to the rise of suburban-to-urban commuting.

What is the significance of the US foreign policy? ›

Promoting freedom and democracy and protecting human rights around the world are central to U.S. foreign policy. The values captured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other global and regional commitments are consistent with the values upon which the United States was founded centuries ago.

How did Theodore Roosevelt foreign policy affect the role of the United States in the world? ›

In foreign policy, he focused on Central America where he began construction of the Panama Canal. He modernized the U.S. Army and expanded the Navy. He sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project American naval power.

What was the impact of the Truman administration's foreign policy? ›

The Truman Doctrine effectively reoriented U.S. foreign policy, away from its usual stance of withdrawal from regional conflicts not directly involving the United States, to one of possible intervention in far away conflicts.

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