Atoms for Peace and Nuclear Hegemony: The Rhetorical Structure of a Cold War Campaign

Abstract

Dwight Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program, far from being idealistic, propaganda for the sake of propaganda, or an inconsistent and contradictory part of arms control policy, was, instead, a carefully designed-and highly successful-component of the basic defense and foreign policy stance of the Eisenhower administration. As part of a coordinated campaign to achieve national security goals, Atoms for Peace can be seen as the rhetorical counterpart to the New Look doctrine. By diverting audience attention, paving the way for the nuclearization of NATO forces, and serving as the rationale for export of nuclear technologies, Atoms for Peace was a central component of the administration's national security strategy.