Not exactly. Both parties had subscribed to liberal internationalism since the days of Wilkie and Vandenberg, which means the early 40s. Robert Taft is often tagged as an isolationist, but in the 1952 primary he claimed Douglas McArthur for his running mate.
Eisenhower was picked to put an end to the liberal Truman administration's highly unpopular Korean War, and that's what Ike did. He wasn't as interventionist as the Democrats.
“Eisenhower was picked to put an end to the liberal Truman administration’s highly unpopular Korean War, and that’s what Ike did. He wasn’t as interventionist as the Democrats.”
History in rewrite ...
Ike had interventions in iran, lebanon, gautemala, dominican republic, sent a few folks to Vietnam even. Using CIA enabled us to do most of these interventions on the cheap.
But we also had the massive American military stationed in Europe and the constant Cold War developments of weapons etc.
Alas, early success led to hubris and also led to the Bay of Pigs in 1960.
It’s a pity the CIA got so incompetent in the Clinton era and since that we cant pull that kind of stuff off anymore.
Ike did make *one* mistake of *non*-intervention and that was Hungary. had we helped hungary in 1956 when they attempted to throw off the USSR’s yoke, the cold war would have been about 40 years shorter.
Comparing Presidents in different times is a bit unfair.
I would suggest that Ike wouldnt have responded to 9/11 attacks the way Obama or Al Gore would have. When Ike decided to topple govts, he toppled govts.
Truman only got into the korea mess because he ‘lost’ China and his state dept didnt appreciate the real threat there from north Korea.
Ike got us out because the oppty for victory had been squandered in late 1950 anyway.