The expansion of the alliance systems
Eisenhower placed much greater importance on developing allies than
Truman
Historians argue that this shift was to make up for the lack of
development in the conventional US forces
Eisenhower wanted to surround the USSR and China with Pro US allies
this meant that in the long term US forces were replaced with US allied
forces
This reduced the US military presence In West Europe but retained
containment
SETO Sep 1954
The Sino-soviet alliance was formed in 1950 and was strengthened in
may 1953 as the USSR agreed to provided defense related tech to
China
During Sep-Oct Khrushchev visited China to reinforce sino-soviet links
The USSR also provided economic aid and tech expertise to China
In response Dulles brokered a defensive alliance based on Southeast
Asia in Sep 1954
SETO members had few common borders and were spread over a wide
area, some areas were excluded perhaps unwisely such as Burma,
south Vietnam, Loas and Cambodia
FRG and NATO
Adenauer recognized that the best way to strengthen his country was
to align west Germany to the western powers
The USA wanted a regenerated Germany as a barrier against
communism and Germany were unlikely to become militant while
needing support from the USSR