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Cold War Brinkmanship Explained

John Foster Dulles was a staunch anti-communist who advocated for a policy of brinkmanship as Secretary of State under Eisenhower. Brinkmanship involved threatening massive retaliation, including nuclear weapons, to keep peace by convincing the Soviet Union not to push the limits. This policy increased tensions and sparked an arms race. Under the Eisenhower Doctrine, the US promised to defend the Middle East against communist aggression, leading to interventions but also anti-American sentiment. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war when the US imposed a blockade on Cuba to force the removal of Soviet nuclear missiles stationed there.

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177 views15 pages

Cold War Brinkmanship Explained

John Foster Dulles was a staunch anti-communist who advocated for a policy of brinkmanship as Secretary of State under Eisenhower. Brinkmanship involved threatening massive retaliation, including nuclear weapons, to keep peace by convincing the Soviet Union not to push the limits. This policy increased tensions and sparked an arms race. Under the Eisenhower Doctrine, the US promised to defend the Middle East against communist aggression, leading to interventions but also anti-American sentiment. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war when the US imposed a blockade on Cuba to force the removal of Soviet nuclear missiles stationed there.

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The Policy of

BRINKMANSHIP
You have to take chances for peace, just as
you must take chances in war. If you are
scared to go to the brink, you are lost.

John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State


Definition
The practice, especially in international
politics, of seeking advantage by creating
the impression that one is willing and able
to push a highly dangerous situation to the
limit rather than concede
Behind BRINKMANSHIP
Dulles hated to compromise
Dulles was VERY anti-communist
Brinkmanship as a Policy
Based on a threat of massive retaliation

Kept peace by promising to use all its


force, including Nukes.

Going to the brink, or edge of war


Effects of Brinkmanship
US increased air force
Massive production of
Nuclear Weapons

Began the arms race


when the USSR answered

Caused large fear of


Communist attack for the
next 30 years
STOP
Eisenhower Doctrine - 1957
US would defend the Middle
East against attack by any
communist country.

Congress approved it

Gave president authority at


his discretion to use
American forces to protect
Middle East.
Effects of Eisenhower Doctrine
April 1957 - help was given to King Hussein who
was under threat from left-wing groups in Jordan.

1958 - 10,000 marines went to the Lebanon to


protect President Camille Chamoun from Muslim
extremists.

Created a great deal of anti-Americanism in the


Middle East

1959 decided that Eisenhower Doctrine should


be brought to an end.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962, Fidel Castro of
Cuba gave permission to
the Soviet Union to build
missile bases in Cuba.

Fidel Castro and Nikita Khruschev


U-2 Reconnaissance Flights
The United States U-2
reconnaissance flights
photographed the sites
under construction.
Soviet tanks in Havana meant a Communist presence in the western hemisphere
The Response: A Blockade of Cuba
President Kennedy's advisers
were divided on the best course
of action. Many wanted an air
strike to take out the missiles;
others wanted a blockade.
Kennedy decided on the
blockade and US ships
surrounded the island, refusing
to allow Soviet ships bringing
supplies to get through.
Brinkmanship: The World on the Brink of War
The world held its breath
as the Soviet ships
approached the blockade.
Many feared that this was
"it," the long awaited and
much feared nuclear war.
Missiles Were Removed from Cuba
After a series of telegrams
between Khruschev and
Kennedy and a secret
promise to remove
American missiles in
Turkey offered by Robert
Kennedy, war was avoided,
and the missiles were
removed from Cuba.

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