The post-Stalin thaw and the bid for peaceful coexistence: Eisenhower's "New Look"

Eisenhower's "New Look"

Eisenhower as a president

Eisenhower replaced Truman in January 1953.
He had been Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in western Europe from 1943 and later the first commander of NATO.
He came in to office promising to stand up to communism.

Eisenhower's foreign policy

He was determined to introduce a "New Look" foreign policy.
He quickly initiated Operation Solarium - a full review of US policy options.
He appointed an experience foreign policy team led by Secretary of State - John Dulles.
Operation Solarium established the following basic principles to guide US foreign policy:
- National security was to include the defence of democratic and capitalist values as well as geographical territory.
- Eisenhower felt it was vital to achieve the appropriate balance bewtween defence needs and other spending priorities - he decided to cut conventional forces and focus on the nuclear arsenal.

Eisenhower and nuclear weapons

He was very clear about the significance of nuclear weapons, had no illusions about the consequenses of nuclear conflict and believed that Soviet leaders would not…

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