Holding the Line: The Eisenhower Era, 1952-1961

by Charles C. Alexander

Alexander sees the characteristic feature of the Eisenhower era as an effort to "hold the line"―against Communism, against big government, against intellectual challenge, against disruptive social change. The period 1952-1961 is examined in trenchant detail by the author, who focuses on domestic politics and foreign policy but also examines economic, social, intellectual, and cultural aspects of the period. He scrutinizes such features of the fifties as McCarthyism, the Korean conflict, Dulles's system of global alliances, the early involvement in Vietnam, the economic boom, the appearance of giant conglomerates, the emergence of Black protest, the gathering crisis of the cities, and the impact of the mass media on popular culture. This book is lively enough for general readers and students of American history since the Second World War, yet probing and scholarly enough to interest specialists.

326 pages, Paperback

Published September 22, 1976

Reviews

[Phyllis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book among my old college books. We read it in a course titled "America since 1945." I obviously read this book for the course because I have underlining in many places and it was my habit to read the books when I took a course. But as I started to read it again, I couldn't recall the sensation of knowing any of the history. This book filled in gaps of history that I knew very little about since I was born in the late fifties. The first president I remember is JFK. I knew very little of Ike. Being a hard core Democrat, I didn't think he had much to offer me although I do remember that he identifed the dangers of the military-industrial complex earlier than anyone else. I liked that about him. I also liked reading a book that was published back in 1976, before 911, before Reagan, before the Bushes, before our first black president, before we've become even more jaded. I noticed that all the seeds for the sixties' problems and issues were there in Eisenhower's two terms. But Eisenhower knew not to get involved in a land war in east asia; he knew not to have the country go into debt to fund an arms race and a race to the moon. At the end of the book Eisenhower's farewell address to the nation is noted for its prophetic warnings. The last chapter also covers a bit of the 1960 election, stating that there was little difference between Nixon and Kennedy in "assumptions and outlook"; both were cold warriors and had the same views on foreign policy. The election was left mainly to "personal images and the voter's 'feel' for the candidates." It was the closest election until the Bush / Gore race (but the book was written before that time). None of Eisenhower's successors paid heed to his warnings, unfortunately for America. I noted that Eisenhower had a very high approval rating for most of his terms. I learned that Eisenhower was the originator of the "domino theory." I always thought Lyndon Johnson was.