<p>Here’s one of my essays-</p>
<p>Analyze the impact the Eisenhower administration had on the TWO of the following issues during his presidency:</p>
<p>Vietnam Conflict
Civil Rights’
US-Soviet Relations’</p>
<p>President Dwight Eisenhower came into office during the post-war era, when the United States was entering an arms race with the Soviet Union. Possession of nuclear weapons and the threat of communism created a tense and dangerous situation that called for careful action from the president. Meanwhile, back at home, the persisting problem of minority - mainly black - discrimination was becoming too large to ignore. Complete desegregation was a necessary step, but also posed a prickly situation, especially in the south. Although Eisenhower dealt with both issues to the best of his abilities, widely differing results came of his actions. President Eisenhower worsened relations with the Soviet Union in his various attempts at negotiating favorable deals with the nation, and contributed greatly to the improvement of civil rights due to his unwavering determination and bold steps toward complete equality.</p>
<pre><code> The US-Soviet relations during the Eisenhower administration took a backwards turn as Eisenhower fought for more favorable conditions for the United States. The launching of the Russian Sputnik resulted in widespread panic for the Americans as they contemplated what the next step would be for the communist country. Eisenhower refused to get caught up in the panic, however, and took calm, careful actions to end the arms race. Although overall, his actions only worsened the relationship with the Soviet Union, Eisenhower at the very least managed to keep the United States out of a full, military-engaged war for another presidential term. Back at the home front, civil rights took a big leap towards achieving it’s final goal, and steps were taken to ensure protection for the minorities in the future.
Hopes of a more flexible and less radical Soviet Union rose when Joseph Stalin, former communist leader, died in March of 1953. That same year, President Eisenhower gave a speech in which he suggested the Soviet Union should put a halt to their attempts at territorial and influential expansion, and in return they would receive American goodwill and cooperation. This speech gained a cold response from Stalin’s successor, Georgi Malenkov, and Eisenhower was unable to meet with him until 1955. During this Geneva summit meeting of 1955, Eisenhower proposed an “Open Skies” agreement, where both sides provided the other with full descriptions of all their military facilities, and even suggested aerial inspections to certify the information was correct. This proposal would actually benefit the U.S. far more than the Soviets, as only the former would really be gaining any new and useful information. Predictably, the outraged Soviets rejected the proposal, and a disappointed Eisenhower set his goals for the next meeting in 1959, in which the two nations would discuss an end to the arms race. The meetings started out well enough; Soviet Premier Krushchev agreed to meet again in Paris the following year. However, US-Soviet relations pulled to a deadly halt when a US spy plane, called the U2, was found flying over Russia. Eisenhower denied all charges and was soon found to be lying, and as a result relations with the Soviet Union were overall worsened during the Eisenhower administration.
On a more positive note, civil rights were greatly improved during the Eisenhower administration; the president determined to end all segregation in Washington, DC from his first day in office. Similarly, President Eisenhower completed what President Truman had set out to do with the issue of Executive Order 9981, and by October of 1954, all units in the army had been desegregated. When an all-white high school in Arkansas openly defied a federal court order to integrate, Eisenhower sent elements of the 101st Airborne Division to carry out the mandate. Although this act was met with nation-wide resentment, it established that segregation would no longer be tolerated. Eisenhower, aware of the reality of racial intolerance that he had experienced during his military days, strove to abolish the restrictive mentality and pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 through Congress. Although it was greatly modified into a much weaker law than he had intended, this was one of Eisenhower’s greatest contributions to the civil rights movement. Today he is admired for meeting with black civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, and Lester B. Granger. Eisenhower’s most lasting action to bring about racial equality in his country were his federal and judicial appointments. Appointed by Eisenhower, Earl Warren served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and is responsible for the Brown v. Board of Topeka decision, which ended the “Separate but Equal” concept that was a key contributor to segregation. Eisenhower appointed only federal judges solidly committed to equal rights, and in doing so ensured that the civil rights movement would carry on long after his presidency.
The Eisenhower administration marked an effort to achieve a few very important goals, some that had been an objective for centuries and some which were as new as the technology that produced them. U.S.-Soviet relations worsened during this time, but minorities achieved greater rights and the assurance that better days
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