(1890 – 1969) President between 1953 and 1961, following his success as commander of the Allied Armed forces during the Second World War. Eisenhower labeled himself a “dynamic conservative,” fiscally conservative, but socially liberal. He generally accepted the New Deal as fact, and even went so far as to expand Social Security coverage, raise the minimum wage and extend unemployment insurance. With the creation of a new Department of Health, Education and Welfare to coordinate government social programs, the size and scope of the federal government continued to expand during the Eisenhower years. He also dispatched the 101 st Airborne Division to Little Rock, AR in 1957 to protect the African American children integrating Central High School.

Eisenhower is often remembered for his commitment to expanding American highways, which radically altered the nation’s social landscape through suburbanization and contributed to the increasing reliance on automobiles and the declining influence of railroad networks.

In his foreign policy Eisenhower remained tied to containment of the Soviet Union, even while he proclaimed a “new look” designed to push back communist regimes around the world. His Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, argued that the United States should make it official policy to want and expect liberation for these Communistdominated nations. But, partly owing to his economic conservatism, Eisenhower also wanted to cut military expenditures. Liberation cost more than containment in both money and lives, and could not be carried out by someone who wanted to cut the budget.

The “new look,” then, came to mean greater reliance on the threat of nuclear weapons, which, though expensive, were cheaper than conventional forces. The policy developed into “massive retaliation,” suggesting that any Soviet hostility might escalate into a nuclear war. Secretary of Defense, Charles E. Wilson, the former CEO of General Motors, observed that this new look provided “more bang for the buck.” The old-look foreign policy remained in place, however, in the US’ actions in the East and Southeast Asia. Only a few years after terminating the conflict in Korea, Eisenhower began to commit large development and military resources to the Republic of South Vietnam, setting the stage for a long, costly military commitment for his successors.

In his farewell address, Eisenhower warned of a number of emerging problems: the communist “menace” and too much spending on both warfare and welfare. The speech is remembered for his final warning of the growing influence of what he termed “the military-industrial complex.” As one of the architects of this complex, he knew whereof he spoke.