SOURCE: "Eisenhower and Dulles: Who Made the Decisions?," in Political Psychology, Vol. 1, No. 2, Autumn, 1979, pp. 21-37.

In the following essay, Immerman puts forth evidence which questions the conventional view that Dulles dominated the president in his foreign policy decision-making during the Eisenhower administration.

Studies of American foreign policy during the Eisenhower administration have produced several continuing controversies. Probably the most heated debate revolves around the influence of Eisenhower's secretary of state, John Foster Dulles. As the title of Ole R. Holsti's article, "Will the Real Dulles Please Stand Up," succinctly reminds us, assessments of Dulles' character and performance differ radically.

Many analysts have concentrated on Dulles' theological inclinations. They depict him as a relentless crusader, whose fervent belief in his own moral rectitude and "strong, self-reliant personality" gave him the necessary confidence "to shoulder alone the momentous responsibilities of his office and to face alone the dreadful uncertainties...