B1. Ike's presidency Flashcards
Eisenhower’s personality and the policies of ‘dynamic conservatism’; Nixon as Vice-President; the Republican Party; the end of McCarthyism (157 cards)
1
Q
What was Ike’s full name?
A
Dwight D. Eisenhower
2
Q
What state was ike
born in?
A
Texas
3
Q
What state did ike
grow up in?
A
Kansas
4
Q
What was ike’s wife’s name?
A
Mamie
5
Q
What was his presidential number?
A
34
6
Q
What party was he?
A
Republican
7
Q
What years was he elected?
A
1952 and 1956
8
Q
Who did he beat in each election?
A
Adlai Stevenson both times
9
Q
Who was his Vice President?
A
Richard Nixon
10
Q
What was his key approach to Republicanism?
A
Dynamic conservatism (Modern Republicanism)
11
Q
What style of leadership and government did he have?
A
Laissez-faire and gradualistic
12
Q
What was his slogan for election?
A
I Like Ike
13
Q
What formula did Ike use in his bid for election?
A
K1 C2 (Korea, Communism, Corruption)
14
Q
What key anti-Communist did Eisenhower use to aid him in election?
A
Senator Joseph McCarthy
15
Q
What year did Eisenhower lose Congress to the Democrats?
A
1954
16
Q
Why did losing Congress not impact Ike much?
A
He was a moderate
17
Q
What was his title in the army during World War II?
A
Commander in Chief of Allied Forces in Europe
18
Q
What was his position before becoming president?
A
Head of NATO
19
Q
Who previously asked Eisenhower to run for president?
A
Harry S. Truman
20
Q
How did his military and NATO background help him?
A
It made him popular and trusted to handle Cold War tensions
21
Q
How did his age help in the campaign?
A
Made him seem grandfatherly
22
Q
What was Eisenhower preoccupied with?
A
His image and popularity
23
Q
What did Eisenhower make good use of in his campaign?
A
Advertising and public popularity
24
Q
Who did Eisenhower focus his attacks on in the campaign?
A
Harry Truman
25
What Truman strategy did Eisenhower criticize in terms of foreign policy?
Containment
26
What personal qualities defined Eisenhower’s leadership style?
Calm, pragmatic, grandfatherly, image-conscious, and consensus-driven.
27
How did Eisenhower’s military background influence his presidency?
Gave him a disciplined, orderly approach and public trust in his leadership during the Cold War.
28
What aspect of his image was Eisenhower preoccupied with?
His public popularity and reputation.
29
How did Eisenhower come across to the American public?
As a reassuring, grandfather-like figure with strong leadership credentials.
30
How did Eisenhower’s age help him politically?
It made him appear wise and stable to voters.
31
How did Eisenhower view public relations?
He made strategic use of advertising and controlled his media image carefully.
32
What protected Eisenhower from the usual political criticism?
His high status as a war hero and unifying national figure.
33
What were Eisenhower’s approval ratings during his presidency?
Consistently over 70%
34
35
What was McCarthy's first name?
Joseph
36
What was McCarthy’s family background?
He came from a poor Irish farming family.
37
What state did McCarthy grow up in?
Wisconsin
38
How did McCarthy’s childhood impact his worldview?
It gave him a strong hatred for privileged men.
39
Did McCarthy serve in WWII?
Yes, in the Marines.
40
What was the real cause of McCarthy's limp that he claimed was a war wound?
He fell down stairs drunk at a party.
41
What satirical award did McCarthy win in 1949?
Worst U.S. Senator
42
When and where did McCarthy give his famous speech about communists in the State Department?
1950 in Wheeling, West Virginia
43
How many names of communists did McCarthy initially claim to have?
205
44
What did McCarthy claim the Secretary of State did about his list?
Ignored it
45
What number did McCarthy later revise his list to?
57
46
Was McCarthy's list of communists ever revealed?
No
47
What author’s books were attacked by McCarthyites in libraries?
Mark Twain
48
What nickname did McCarthy give the Democrats?
Commiecrats
49
What nickname did McCarthy give Adlai Stevenson?
Adlai the Appeaser
50
What term did McCarthy use for the Truman administration?
“Cowardly College of Communist Containment”
51
What % of Americans admired McCarthy in an August 1954 poll?
50
52
Fill in the quote: “I will not get into a _____ contest with that _____.”
“Pissing contest with that skunk.”
53
What did Eisenhower do about McCarthy at first?
Nothing
54
Why didn’t Eisenhower act against McCarthy early on?
Thought McCarthy would self-destruct; preferred to ignore him; found him politically useful
55
What was the Voice of America?
A U.S. government radio broadcaster like the BBC
56
Why did McCarthyites target the Voice of America?
It had subversive books in overseas libraries
57
What happened to VOA employees and materials?
Books were burned and 830 employees were fired
58
What did Eisenhower do in response to the VOA purges?
Nothing
59
What finally pushed Eisenhower to act against McCarthy?
McCarthy began investigating Army bases and harassed the Secretary of the Army
60
How did Eisenhower react to McCarthy's army investigations?
Denied him access to administration personnel and records for national security
61
What effect did this have on the Army hearings?
Made McCarthy appear as a drunken bully without evidence
62
What did Democrats do with the Army-McCarthy hearings?
Televised them
63
When did McCarthy die and what was the cause?
1957, from hepatitis worsened by alcoholism
64
What was the name of the Senate committee that investigated McCarthy's claims?
The Tydings Committee
65
What did the Tydings Committee conclude?
McCarthy's claims had no substance
66
How did McCarthy impact free speech in America?
Many were too afraid to speak out for fear of being labeled communist
67
What year was McCarthy formally censured by the Senate?
1955
68
69
What was Eisenhower's relationship with the Republican Party?
He was a moderate and sought to steer the party toward the center.
70
How did Eisenhower's approach differ from conservative Republicans?
He accepted much of the New Deal and promoted "middle way" policies.
71
What name was given to Eisenhower’s approach to Republicanism?
Modern Republicanism or Dynamic Conservatism
72
What tensions existed within the Republican Party during his presidency?
Conservatives wanted to roll back New Deal policies, while Eisenhower resisted radical change.
73
How did Eisenhower try to unify the party?
By emphasizing stability, economic responsibility, and consensus over ideology.
74
How did Republicans react to civil rights under Eisenhower?
Mixed—some supported moderate action, others resisted federal involvement.
75
How did losing control of Congress in 1954 affect the Republican Party?
It weakened their legislative power, but Eisenhower’s popularity helped maintain policy goals.
76
What challenge did the Republican Party face post-Eisenhower?
Finding a balance between moderate and conservative factions.
77
78
What was Eisenhower's philosophy of ‘Dynamic Conservatism’?
“Conservative with money, liberal with people”—a moderate policy approach.
79
What major social program did Eisenhower expand?
Social Security—extended to 10 million more Americans.
80
Was expanding Social Security an example of dynamic conservatism?
Yes
81
What did Eisenhower do to the minimum wage?
Increased it by 25%, from 75 cents to $1 per hour.
82
Was raising the minimum wage an example of dynamic conservatism?
Yes
83
What massive infrastructure project did Eisenhower authorize?
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956.
84
Why did Eisenhower support the highway system?
For defense and economic reasons—modeled on German autobahns.
85
How many miles of highway were built under the act?
41,000 miles
86
Did Eisenhower increase domestic spending?
Yes, from 31% of the budget in 1953 to 49% in 1961.
87
Did Eisenhower aim to balance the budget?
Yes, and he achieved it in 1956, 1957, and 1960.
88
What new department did Eisenhower create?
Department of Health, Education and Welfare
89
Who led the Department of Health, Education and Welfare?
Oveta Culp Hobby—the second woman in U.S. history to hold a cabinet post.
90
What was Eisenhower’s approach to federal vs. local government?
Preferred shifting responsibilities to state and local levels.
91
What farming policy did Eisenhower continue from the New Deal?
Soil banks—paying farmers not to produce to stabilize prices.
92
How much did Eisenhower spend on housing?
$500 million
93
Was this level of housing investment considered sufficient?
No
94
What civil rights legislation did Eisenhower pass?
Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960.
95
What did Eisenhower add to the Pledge of Allegiance and currency?
The phrase “Under God”
96
What was Eisenhower’s quote summarizing his approach?
“Conservative when it comes to money and liberal when it comes to human beings.”
97
Was Eisenhower always dynamically conservative?
No—some actions were not consistent, such as budget expansion and civil rights interventions.
98
What speech did Eisenhower deliver in 1953 about reducing military spending?
“A Chance for Peace”
99
What did the “Chance for Peace” speech follow?
Stalin's death
100
Give a quote from the Chance for Peace speech.
TBD
101
Was the speech typically Republican?
No
102
Eisenhower said there could be no security without what?
“A sound economy”
103
What quote summarized his political values?
“Conservative when it comes to money and liberal when it comes to human beings”
104
What years did Eisenhower balance the budget?
1956, 1957, 1960
105
Who did Eisenhower want to give responsibility to?
State and local governments
106
What new department did Eisenhower create?
Department of Health, Education and Welfare
107
Who headed the new department?
Oveta Culp Hobby – second woman in U.S. history to hold a cabinet post
108
Was Eisenhower dynamically conservative in his approach to government?
Half and half
109
What did Eisenhower do to Social Security?
Expanded to cover 10 million more Americans
110
Was expanding Social Security dynamically conservative?
Yes
111
What did Eisenhower do to the minimum wage?
Raised it by 25%, from 75 cents to $1 per hour
112
Was this dynamically conservative?
Yes
113
What road act did Eisenhower introduce?
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956
114
Why was the highway act linked to his military background?
Inspired by German autobahns for rapid military mobilization
115
How many miles of highway were built?
41,000 miles
116
Was this dynamically conservative?
Yes
117
What were Eisenhower’s soil banks?
Paid farmers not to grow crops to stabilize food prices and conserve resources
118
What other president had soil banks?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
119
What two states were admitted during Eisenhower's presidency?
Alaska and Hawaii
120
What years did Eisenhower pass Civil Rights Acts?
1957 and 1960
121
What did Eisenhower add to the pledge and currency?
“Under God”
122
Which TV evangelist was he close to?
Billy Graham
123
In what areas was Ike not dynamically conservative?
Budget size, government role, new states, civil rights, religion
124
In what areas was Ike dynamically conservative?
Social programs, infrastructure, housing, farming, civil rights
125
How much money did Eisenhower spend on housing?
$500 million
126
Was this sufficient?
No
127
How many recessions occurred during Eisenhower’s presidency?
Three
128
What protected Eisenhower from usual political criticism?
His status
129
How was the U.S. doing in the space race during his presidency?
Poorly – Eisenhower was blamed
130
What % of the budget was domestic spending in 1953?
0.31
131
What % of the budget was domestic spending in 1961?
0.49
132
What act aimed to assimilate Native Americans?
Indian Relocation Act of 1956
133
What did the act do?
Encouraged Native Americans to move from reservations to cities
134
What approval ratings did Eisenhower tend to receive?
Over 70%
135
What was the overall economic growth during Eisenhower’s presidency?
0.37
136
137
Where was Nixon born?
Yorba Linda, California, 1913
138
What Uni couldn't Nixon attend due to cost and having to look after the gas station?
Yale.
139
What scholarship did he get?
Law scholarship to Duke
140
Where did he work as a lawyer?
Whittier, California.
141
What was his wife's name?
Pat
142
What committee was Nixon a member of (showed anti-communist)
House of Unamerican Affairs Committee.
143
What Red Scare case spy case did he take a leading role in
Alger Hiss
144
To become a senator in 1950, what did he compare his opponent’s voting record to?
A prominent leftist one’s, calling her a pink lady.
145
What nickname did this gain him?
Tricky dick.
146
What newspaper accused Nixon of having a secret slush fund while he was VP?
New York Post
147
What TV speech did Nixon do to respond?
The checkers speech
148
Gives some quotes from the Checkers' speech
‘respectable Republican cloth coat’, ‘regardless of what they say we are going to keep it’
149
How involved did Ike think Nixon was as VP?
‘If you give me a week, I might think of one’ [thing Nixon does}
150
What things does Nixon do as VP?
Civil rights advocacy, foreign visits, the old guard, increasing the constitutional power of the vice president
151
Was Nixon in the inner circle?
No
152
What did Nixon want Ike to be stronger on?
Domestic communism
153
What war did Nixon want Ike to fight?
The Korean War
154
What happens to Eisenhower 1955-1967?
Suffers ileitis, a heart attack and a stroke
155
During this time what does Nixon do?
Chairing multiple NSC meetings in cabinet sessions
156
Who holds the true power in this time?
Ike’s advisers
157
When Ike returns, what does he create with Nixon?
Official agreement on VP responsibility when the POTUS is too sick to work.
