The revolt of the generals:army opposition to the new look.

Abstract

Why did Generals Matthew Ridgway, Maxwell Taylor, and James Gavin oppose New Look? Why did these professional officers end their careers over a disagreement with the Eisenhower administration concerning defense policy? Did a connection exist between those distinguished officers and their views of defense policy in the 1950s? Why did Eisenhower support New Look? Whom had a better understanding of American defense needs at the time, the president or his former lieutenants? Likewise, why did Admiral Arthur Radford and General Nathan Twining support President Eisenhower? It is the purpose of my thesis to answer those questions in an examination of Dwight Eisenhower's defense policy in the 1950s from available archival material and secondary sources.