Reality and illusion, 1945–1980 – Eisenhower: tranquility and crisis,…

The idea

Eisenhower’s ‘hidden-hand’ leadership and grandfatherly personality projected calm during the Cold War. His domestic agenda, ‘dynamic conservatism’, balanced fiscal restraint with social provision, exemplified by expanding Social Security and creating the Interstate Highway System. Richard Nixon was a highly active Vice-President, acting as the partisan attack dog and undertaking major foreign tours. The Republican Party remained divided between Eisenhower's moderates and the conservative Old Guard. The end of McCarthyism occurred when Senator McCarthy’s anti-communist crusade collapsed following his erratic performance during the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings, aided by Eisenhower’s quiet refusal to engage directly.

What earns the marks

• Evaluate Eisenhower's 'hidden-hand' leadership and how his public grandfatherly persona masked a shrewd political operator.
• Analyse the principles of 'dynamic conservatism', noting the balance between fiscal conservatism and social liberalism.
• Assess Nixon's role as Vice-President, particularly his partisan campaigning which allowed Eisenhower to remain above the political fray.
• Examine the internal divisions within the Republican Party between the moderate Eastern establishment and the conservative Old Guard.
• Explain the factors leading to the end of McCarthyism, including the televised Army-McCarthy hearings and the Senate's censure of McCarthy.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming Eisenhower was a passive or inactive president.

  Put it right: Recognise his 'hidden-hand' leadership style, where he actively managed policy behind the scenes while maintaining a serene public image.

• Stating that 'dynamic conservatism' aimed to dismantle the New Deal.

  Put it right: Explain that Eisenhower accepted and even expanded core New Deal programmes like Social Security, while seeking to limit federal spending.

• Assuming McCarthyism ended solely because of Eisenhower's public condemnation.

  Put it right: Note that Eisenhower deliberately avoided publicly criticising McCarthy, relying instead on the Army-McCarthy hearings to expose McCarthy's erratic behaviour.

Exam tips

• Use the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 as a prime example of 'dynamic conservatism' in action, highlighting its economic and defence benefits.
• Contrast Nixon's aggressive political campaigning with Eisenhower's 'above politics' stance to demonstrate how they functioned as a complementary team.
• When discussing the Republican Party, explicitly differentiate between the moderate wing and the conservative Old Guard led by figures like Robert Taft.