Colossus America in the Age of Eisenhower

Instructor: Professor Michael J. Birkner
               Department of History

In this time of anxiety about America's relative decline, we will revisit a world in which the USA was unrivaled in its economic clout and military power. It was the Age of Eisenhower. The masterful head of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II and a leading adviser to President Harry Truman in shaping policies designed to contain communism, Eisenhower was again called to leadership in 1952 in a hard fought presidential campaign. For eight years Ike governed as a popular and prudent steward of American interests. This course will examine Eisenhower as general and statesman in the context of American life from 1940-1960. Topics will include World War II at home and abroad, the onset and heightening of the Cold War, suburban prosperity and popular culture, McCarthyism, Civil Rights, and urban decline. We will evaluate Eisenhower's presidency and consider the state of the nation as John F. Kennedy took office, poised to launch his "New Frontier."