Eisenhower’s Cold War strategy is tested by crises around the world
Few people today can recall the major events or accomplishments of Eisenhower’s presidency. To many, he is a mere transitional figure, the president who served during the stale and cookie cutter 1950s, between years of war under FDR and Truman and social upheaval under Kennedy and Johnson. But Eisenhower was no mere interlude. Like Truman, his presidency was one of crises—when American credibility and nuclear war were constantly at stake. Every decision he made involved the delicate balance of terror that could mean either peace or annihilation. How Eisenhower maintained that peace and avoided Armageddon is the subject of this episode of This American President.
Richard Lim and Joey Brown talk about the coronavirus pandemic, the 1918 flu, and life under lockdown.
World War II was over and America and the world now looked to an era of peace. But new problems were on the horizon. The victorious allies were now forging a new world order, but couldn’t agree on what that order should look like. The world had suffered through two world wars and desperately feared a third one, especially now that the atomic genie was out of the bottle. How President Truman handled these challenges is the subject of this episode of This American President.
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Richard and Michael answer questions from listeners including the origin story of the podcast and what goes into making an episode. They also announce a Kickstarter Project to fund a podcast studio. To become a backer of our Kickstarter visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thisamerpres/podcast-studio-0
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How did a haberdasher from Missouri end up changing the world? Upon FDR’s death, Harry Truman was thrust into the presidency in the middle of WWII. Soon he would face the hard decision of how to use the atomic bombs.
Interview with Nigel Hamilton regarding his new FDR book, War and Peace: FDR’s Final Odyssey: D-Day to Yalta, 1943–1945.
When John Wolfram joined the US Navy in 1967, he didn’t imagine he would become the first frogman in the water to rescue the Apollo 11 astronauts after the moon landing.
John tells us about the Apollo 11 rescue, serving in Vietnam, and his incredible life.
Read more about John Wolfram’s life and ministry at www.johnwolfram.com
For over 200 years, the US military has subordinated itself to civilian authority. But in 1783, that authority was challenged. This is the story of how George Washington restored that civilian rule and saved the young republic.
Scott Rank visits to discuss his podcast Presidential Fight Club, which seeks to answer the question “If all of the presidents fought each other one-on-one, who would win?”
Scott Michael Rank, Ph.D., is the editor of History on the Net and host of the History Unplugged podcast. A historian of the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey, he is a publisher of popular history, a podcaster, and online course creator.