By the end of the 1950s, the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union meant that both sides were heading towards mutually assured destruction, or MAD.

However, President Eisenhower put the steps in motion that eventually led to the legislation establishing the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) being signed into law by President Kennedy in 1961.

You can read about the first attempts to create arms control and disarmament policies for the nuclear age at the link.

King Saud, who ruled Saudi Arabia from 1953-1964, visited the United States twice during his reign. The first was an official visit in 1957, and the second was an informal visit in 1962.

Unfortunately, both visits end up being so awkward that they nearly ended bilateral relations. Read on at the link to learn more!

On July 15, 1958, the U.S. Marines landed on a beach in Beirut in Operation Blue Bat. It was the first application of the Eisenhower Doctrine, or the U.S. intervening in any country threatened by international communism. 

The goal of Operation Blue Bat was to protect the rule of pro-Western president Chamoun. To learn about the inside story from two American FSOs, follow the link!