Eisenhower, Suez Crisis, and Lessons for Today

Guest speaker Dr. Mark Bucknam will join us virtually from the National War College located in Washington, DC. Professor Bucknam will talk about President Eisenhower and the Suez crisis of 1956 in context of the Cold War. Coming in the final days of Eisenhower’s reelection campaign, the Suez crisis also coincided with a Soviet crackdown in Hungary and turmoil across North Africa and the Levant. Eisenhower strove to restrain Israel, Britain, and France as they mobilized for war. He took a principled stand against military aggression by Israel and America’s allies despite warnings it could cost him at the polls. President Eisenhower’s handling of the Suez crisis powerfully illustrates his use of moral persuasion and holds valuable lessons for political leaders and statesmen of today.
The 2024 Waging Peace program series is made possible courtesy of the Eisenhower Foundation with generous support from the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.