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Eddie Rickenbacker—an American flying ace from World War I and a celebrated figure in U.S. military history—authored this 1963 pamphlet for the “Committee for the Monroe Doctrine.” Published in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs invasion, it depicts a nation at a crossroads, grappling with how to respond to the spread of communism in the Western Hemisphere. Rickenbacker and his supporters believed President John F. Kennedy’s handling of Cuba signaled a departure from the historic Monroe Doctrine, which had long framed U.S. foreign policy in the Americas.
The mailer also includes a letter from Young Americans for Freedom and a petition to collect signatures in support of the Committee.
Historical Context
Dating back to 1823, the Monroe Doctrine posited that European interference in the Western Hemisphere would be seen as an act of aggression toward the United States. By the early 1960s, however, the U.S. faced a radically different diplomatic landscape: the Soviet Union had forged ties with Fidel Castro’s Cuba, placing nuclear missiles near America’s shores. The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 nearly brought the world to nuclear conflict, and the uneasy agreement that defused the standoff left many on the American right—Rickenbacker among them—fearful that the U.S. had capitulated to Communist pressure.
This pamphlet, issued by the Committee for the Monroe Doctrine, attempts to revitalize the Doctrine as a bulwark against Soviet influence in Latin America. By referencing everything from the Hungarian Uprising of 1956 to perceived failures at the Yalta Conference (1945), Rickenbacker weaves a larger narrative of continuous American “appeasement” of Communist expansion.
Strategy and Purpose
- Leveraging a Hero’s Reputation
Rickenbacker was widely regarded as a national hero, lending immediate authority to the text. His status as a war veteran added moral weight to his insistence on confronting global communism rather than negotiating with it. - Invoking Past Betrayals
The pamphlet relentlessly catalogues instances where the U.S. (in the author’s view) allowed communist forces to gain ground—whether in Eastern Europe after World War II or closer to home in Cuba. This repeated emphasis on “broken promises” and “betrayals” intensifies the call for action. - Urging Grassroots Political Pressure
The document calls for readers to demand answers from Congress and to insist on a tougher approach in the Caribbean. It frames the debate over Cuba not just as a singular foreign-policy challenge, but as a moral test of the nation’s will.
Language, Imagery, and Symbolism
- Fearful Rhetoric and Calls to Honor:
Phrases like “the serpent slithered its way in” and “we whimper like a sick child” blend alarmist imagery with the language of betrayal. The “serpent” symbol for communism resonates with older, almost biblical tropes of evil and temptation. - Historical “Betrayal” Narrative:
References to Munich, Yalta, and East Germany evoke the idea that the U.S. has consistently conceded too much to dictators, setting a dire precedent. - Tapping into U.S. Patriotism:
By reminding readers of past wars and American soldiers’ sacrifices, Rickenbacker implies that to compromise on Cuba is to negate those sacrifices. This moral argument underpins the call to uphold the Monroe Doctrine as a foundational piece of American identity.
Although visually plain—mostly text with a stylized flag on the cover—the pamphlet’s immediate reference to “Cuba” in large letters signals its central concern: Castro’s government as a Soviet beachhead in the Americas. The inclusion of James Monroe’s original statement about “any attempt…to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere” underscores how the pamphlet’s writers see themselves as guardians of a nearly sacred tradition.
Impact
While the immediate crisis with Cuba was contained by 1963, the pamphlet reveals the mindset that would shape American interventionist policies throughout the Cold War. The Committee for the Monroe Doctrine, like many conservative organizations of the era, saw any diplomatic negotiation as perilous appeasement.
- Influence on Cold War Attitudes
Such materials fueled the grassroots pressure for a more aggressive stance abroad, from Latin America to Southeast Asia. - Continued Debates Over Interventionism
The tension between isolationist and interventionist interpretations of the Monroe Doctrine resonates in U.S. foreign-policy debates well beyond the Cold War era, informing how America responds to crises in its “sphere of influence.” - Reflection of Broader Anti-Communist Sentiment
Rickenbacker’s alarm about infiltration and betrayal ties into a larger cultural theme of the 1950s and 1960s. The pamphlet stands as a primary source illustrating how public figures leveraged history, patriotism, and fear to influence American policy.
Viewed today, Cuba and the Monroe Doctrine is more than a relic of a bygone era. It highlights the complex interplay between personal heroism, public fear, and the shaping of national ideologies during a tense chapter in world history.
Special thanks to the USC Digital Imaging Lab for their support in digitizing this item.
