Presidents from Eisenhower through Johnson, 1953-1969: Debating the Issues in Pro and Con Primary Documents

(Hardback)

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Throughout the 1950s and 1960s Communism and the Cold War pervaded almost every aspect of American policy and concern. Eisenhower's Highway Act sought to strengthen America with the sort of roads system and military advantage Germany's Autobahn provided in World War II; Kennedy looked to space, the Peace Corps, and the schools to improve America's actual and perceived status in the eyes of the world; LBJ continually found concerns about Southeast Asia pressing in upon him notwithstanding his desire to found a new Great Society in the United States. However, despite the Cold War and demands of international politics, these three presidents were continually involved in critical debates about the domestic future of America, and their roles and victories in these debates have left deep impressions upon American society. This volume provides readers with access to the primary documentsboth foreign and domesticthat reflect the debates that have had such a strong influence in shaping the United States. This resource covers thirty-two key issues and initiatives of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson presidencies. An introductory overview of each president's administration provides a useful window through which to assess the specific debates and documents addressed, and each of these individual issues is also supplemented by a brief introductory discussion. Among the issues covered are: Eisenhower's attempt to establish a new look for national defense, the Eisenhower doctrine, and the National Defense Education Act; Kennedy's Alliance for Progress and Peace Corps programs, his role in Cuba, his plans for America in space, and his work on arms control and the Limited Test Ban Treaty; and Johnson's Civil Rights Act, Model Cities Program, war on poverty, and role in the ground and air wars in Vietnam. A timeline provides a chronological backdrop for the subject, and recommended readings following each section offer helpful direction for further study.

Reviews

In 1958 a senator worries aloud that America is lagging in developing a satellite program. In 1961 undersecretaries try to persuade their boss that invading Cuba may be a bad idea. In 1965 senators from the South weigh in against the federal government's taking over local elections. This collection, which is part of a series intended for high school students and general readers, includes presidents describing the relationship between the US economy and war, various sides analyzing rebel uprisings overseas, legislators calling upon each other to support states' rights, and a representative of the AMA denouncing Medicare. Each entry includes a brief introduction and a very representative sampling of speeches, declarations and memos. However, the format makes it difficult for readers to sort out which are the primary documents and which are the introductions. * Reference & Research Book News *
This volume examines 32 major issues or presidential initiative from those times. With the Cold War, the atom bomb and deepening entanglements in Southeast Asia and Latin American, much of the discussion centers on foreign policy. However, the civil rights movement and presidential initiatives on highways, space, poverty and conservation provide ample range for domestic debates. The combination of high school teacher John King and college professor John Vile has produced a text that is accessible to students at both levels. Their historical analysis highlights not only the contemporary differences of opinions but also the frequently unexpected consequences of many policy decisions. The resulting guide encourages critical thinking on the part of the student, and will serve high school and college audiences well. * Lawrence Looks at Books *

Author Bio

John King, Jr. teaches Social Studies at Ransom Everglades School, Coconut Grove, FL John R. Vile is Chair of the Political Science Department at Middle Tennessee University. He is author of Companion to the U.S. Constitution and Its Amendments (Greenwood, second edition, 1997), Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues (1996), and numerous other books on the United States Constitution.