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The Cold War: What We Saw · March 20, 2020 · 70m

Part 6: We Like Ike

The Eisenhower era: nuclear brinksmanship, the hydrogen bomb, and the doctrine of massive retaliation. Whittle examines how Ike's military experience shaped his surprisingly restrained approach to Cold War confrontation.

Canon

Eisenhower explicitly studied the failures of leaders who escalated conflicts unnecessarily. His restraint was informed by historical examples of how wars spiral beyond their intended scope.

Highlights

Military experience can produce restraint, not aggression
Eisenhower, the most credentialed military leader to become president, was also the most cautious about using force. His experience with war's reality made him the strongest advocate for avoiding it.