Cold War in the 60s & Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cold War in the 60s

Eisenhower's "New Look" Policy

• Aimed to deter aggression by being ready to respond vigorously, emphasizing massive retaliatory power.

• Relied heavily on nuclear weapons as a deterrent, threatening a full-scale nuclear response to any significant Soviet aggression.

• Allowed the Department of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff to shape the military establishment according to policy, promoting efficiency and centralized control.

• Focused on selecting military means instead of multiplying them, achieving more security at a lower cost, according to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.

US Foreign Policy

• Foreign policy is how a country thinks about and interacts with other countries; it typically changes with each new president.

• Review of past policies:

  • Harding, Coolidge, Hoover (1920-1932): Isolationism, avoiding international political alliances.

  • FDR (1932-1944): Good Neighbour policy, focusing on non-intervention