U.S.-Latin American Relations in the 1950s: The Impact and Inconsistencies of Former President of Penn State Milton S. Eisenhower
Open Access
Author:
Savio, Allison
Area of Honors:
Global and International Studies
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Christopher Hardy Heaney, Thesis Supervisor Sarah J Townsend, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Milton S. Eisenhower Eisenhower Administration Cold War Latin America 1950s propoganda global relationships
Abstract:
This thesis analyzes the work, speeches, and writings of Milton S. Eisenhower regarding Latin America in the 1950s, starting at the preparations for his trip to South America which occurred in 1953 and ending with the reflections on the decade in his book called The Wine is Bitter: The United States and Latin America which was published in 1963. The results found that Dr. Eisenhower’s words and the ideas that he presents to the American public are not always an accurate representation of the reality of the relationship of the two regions that existed during that time. The essay gives context on some significant interactions between the US. and Latin America during that time period and how the words of Dr. Eisenhower contradicted many events and efforts that were actually occurring. Military intervention in various nations, particularly in Guatemala, and the existence of strong tensions throughout the United States regarding the Cold War and spread of Communism influenced the relationship between the two hemispheres and the decisions that were made. The contrast between history and Dr. Eisenhower’s obscured viewpoints is evident throughout the following analysis.