American history continues:

The Turbulence Begins
by Michael Doyle

As the post-war alliance fell apart, the United Nations started
The start of Cold War began and sustained as peace departed
Confrontations began and nuclear weapons were on both sides' hands
These were the days that Harry Truman took America's command

A common man suddenly elevated into the office of the presidency
Uncommonly up through the ranks he gained his ascendency
He immediately went to work on policy with other nations
Including fostering the UN and wishing to keep peaceful relations

Yet, with the victory over Hitler, Stalin occupied more territory
In the clear intention of building an empire for Russian security
From Stettin to Trieste, and Iron Curtain extended the continent
To thwart this expansionism, Kennan's Containment held US sentiment

The Truman Doctrine supported free people against subjugation
In these economically hard times, many vulnerable nations
Had faced down radical challenges due to their devastation
By supporting these nations, we backed up freedom's salvation

China, had since the 1920s, being in an extremely uncivil war
The Communists under Mao won the prize and closed the door
Deciding instead of America to ally with the Soviets in cooperation
Facing hostility, foreign and military policy changed in our nation

On the Korean Peninsula, the Cold War turned red hot
As the North swept into the South, self-determination was forgot
For though both sides desperately wanted reunification
Truman called it a police action and called on the United Nations

MacArthur's landing at Inchon turned the war around
Until as reaching the Sino border, MacArthur lost all ground
Politics trapped military as McArthur argued with Truman
And just as suddenly, legend turned out to be a mortal man

While true enough there is no substitution for victory
Statesmanship won that confrontation; containment would be history
The Korean War remains to this day a stalemate
The rectification of which will come at some later date

With "I Like Ike", Eisenhower became our president
A veteran as champion for the People had its precedent
And Eisenhower, who is thought of as very a non-partisan
Garnered the vote of the People in a way most bi-partisan

He governed to settle through accommodation and consolidation
Bringing fiscal conservatism with the New Deal as normalization
Facing global challenges from Vietnam to the Middle East
Eisenhower had to respond to stabilize while harming the least

From the Arab Conflict with Israel to the Suez Canal
Then unto Castro's takeover in Cuba, none of this was banal
Castro quickly sided with the Soviets miles from our shore
These were the issues Eisenhower had to face and then more

With stoic crystal ball gazing, Ike's farewell address to the nation
Was looking ever forward at what might become our destination
He warned against impulsiveness in favor of a better tomorrow
And that we should not mortgage our heritage or we would sorrow

He warned of the dangers from the rapidly growing government
Stating that an over allowance for defense counter our sentiment
That the military-industrial complex could as a deep government
And was and is misplaced power and as such an endangering ailment

An ill-informed citizenry could prove a bane to society
Without our vigilance, liberty lose in favor of security
Further warning that we should not let the technocratic class
Override our moral conscience as it has indeed come to pass

All of these things stated prescient to the abuses of power
We have come to learn that there is danger in every hour
That there must be a careful balance of liberty and security
The tension between imperatives must be guarded to be free

(c) April 8, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved