FOREIGN POLICY AFTER THE COLD WAR MR WHITES

FOREIGN POLICY AFTER THE COLD WAR MR. WHITE’S US HISTORY 2

MAIN IDEA AND OBJECTIVES • Main Idea: The end of the Cold War, marked by the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, led to a redirection of many U. S. goals and policies. • After this section, we should be able to: – Identify changes in the communist world that ended the Cold War – Summarize U. S. actions taken to influence Central American and Caribbean affairs – Describe the events leading up to the Iran-Contra scandal – Analyze U. S. involvement in the Persian Gulf War

PART I: THE COLD WAR ENDS THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED, AND MANY OTHER COMMUNIST REGIMES DECLINED.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV • In March of 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the general secretary of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union • Gorbachev inherited a Soviet economy that was struggling to keep up with the United States • Reagan had increased defense spending to put a further strain that the Soviet’s couldn’t keep up with • Economy was close to collapse

GLASNOST • Gorbachev adopted a policy of glasnost (Russian for openness) • Allowed open criticisms of the Soviet government, worked to give freedom of the press • Gorbachev also introduced perestroika, his plan for restructuring Soviet society • Less government control of the economy, more private enterprise, steps toward democracy • Gorbachev also realized that better relations with the U. S. would allow Soviet Union to reduce military expenses • INF Treaty (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty) signed on December 8, 1987 – eliminated two classes of nuclear weapons and allowed both sides to make on-site inspections of each other’s nuclear facilities

THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSES • The reforms that Gorbachev had introduced encouraged nationalism and independence movements in the non. Russian Soviet states • In December, 1991, 14 non-Russian republics declared independence from the Soviet Union • Criticized by reformers who thought he was working too slowly, Gorbachev resigned as Soviet president • The Soviet Union dissolved, almost overnight

THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES • Many of the nations that had been a part of the Soviet Union formed the Commonwealth of Independent States • This was a loose collection of nations that would share certain interests like economics, politics, and security • Russia’s new president, Boris Yeltsin, soon signed the START II Treaty with President George H. W. Bush • This treaty was designed to cut both nation’s nuclear arsenals by two-thirds

THE BERLIN WALL • Before he resigned, Gorbachev had encouraged the people of East Germany and Eastern Europe to go their own ways • He reduced the number of Soviet troops in Eastern Europe, and allowed non-communist parties to organize in Soviet satellite nations, such as Poland East Germany • At the Berlin Wall in 1987, President Reagan had encouraged Gorbachev to, “tear down this wall. ”

GERMANY RE-UNIFIED • In October, 1989, East Germany gave up its communist government • November 9, 1989 – East Germany opened the Berlin Wall, re-uniting the eastern and western parts of the city • In early 1990, East Germany held its first free elections • October 3, 1990 – East and West Germany reunited into the nation of Germany

NEW REFORMS, NEW ISSUES • Other European nations also adopted new reforms • Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania declared their independence from the Soviet Union • Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania gave up communism • Yugoslavia collapsed – four of its republics seceded • Ethnic rivalries took over in a war between Muslims, Orthodox Serbs, and Roman Catholic Croats – each claimed part of Yugoslavia

CHINESE REFORM • Economic reform had also begun in in China, which was still communist • China loosened its grip on business and eliminated some price controls • Free-market reforms – when command economies introduce measures to bring freedom to the market • Chinese students began to demand more freedoms with this growing economic freedom

STUDENT PROTESTS • April, 1989 – Chinese university students led marches that quickly grew into large demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and other cities • In Tiananmen Square, students constructed a replica of the Statue of Liberty to symbolize their struggle for democracy • China’s premier, Li Peng, had the military crush the protesters

TIANANMEN SQUARE • China’s army stormed into the square and fired into the crowds, killing many unarmed students • Some civilians had earlier had attacked soldiers in armored-personnel carriers and tanks • While the protest was ended, some Chinese officials and civilians believed that this event made many people lose faith in the government

PART II: CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN POLICY THE UNITED STATES USED ITS ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND MILITARY POWER TO INTERVENE AND INFLUENCE NATIONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN.

NICARAGUA • The U. S. had been in Nicaragua since 1912 – helped the dictator Anastasio Somoza come to power • The Somozas ruled Nicaragua for 42 years • Rigged elections • Assassinated political rivals • Between 1977 and 1979, Nicaragua underwent a civil war between the Somoza government and Sandinista rebels who opposed the government

REAGAN SUPPORTS THE CONTRAS • The Sandinistas toppled the government • Jimmy Carter recognized the new government and sent economic aid • The Soviet Union and Cuba sent aid, as well • When Reagan took power, he charged that Nicaragua was a Soviet satellite, and that it was “exporting revolution” to other Central American countries • Threw his support behind guerilla forces opposing the Sandinistas known as Contras • Military aid and CIA advisers were sent to the Contras, without Congressional approval • Congress responded by banning any military aid to the Contras, but Reagan’s administration found ways around this • Free elections in 1990 elected Violeta de Chamorro, a Contra supporter, but his coalition wasn’t able to solve the problems of Nicaragua

GRENADA • In Grenada, an island near Cuba, the government was developing ties to communist Cuba • Ronald Reagan sent around 2, 000 U. S. troops to the island in 1983 • The troops overthrew the pro-Cuban government and replaced it with one friendlier to the U. S. • Eighteen U. S. soldiers died, but Reagan defended this as important to the interests of the United States

PANAMA • In 1989, President Bush sent around 20, 000 U. S. troops into Panama to apprehend General Manuel Noriega • Noriega had been receiving money from the CIA, as he opposed communist governments, but was also involved in the international drug trade • Noriega was brought to the United States to stand trial, and was sentence to 40 years in prison • Some Latin American governments criticized this “Yankee imperialism, ” but many were happy that Noriega had been removed from power

PART III: MIDDLE EAST TROUBLE SPOTS AS THE COLD WAR ENDED, THE UNITED STATES BEGAN TO SHIFT ITS POLITICAL ATTENTION TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

HOSTAGES • In 1983, terrorist groups loyal to Iran took Americans hostage in Lebanon • Reagan denounced Iran and urged U. S. allies not to sell arms to Iran (which was at war with Iraq) • 1985 – “America will never make concessions to terrorists. ”

IRAN-CONTRA AFFAIR • Later, however, Americans learned: • Reagan had approved the sale of weapons to Iran; in return, Iran promised to get seven American hostages released in Lebanon • Members of Reagan’s staff had sent profits from the weapons sales to the Contras in Nicaragua, which was in violation of the Boland Amendment, which made this against the law • Reagan defended his actions as necessary, and was shocked at the negative reaction • Reagan administration staff members went on trial, and many, such as Lieutenant General Oliver North, received penalties for their roles

IRAN AND IRAQ • During the 1980 s, Iran and Iraq had fought a long war • Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had huge war debts • Hussein had often claimed that Kuwait was actually part of Iraq • August 2, 1990 – Iraqi troops invaded a disputed area claimed by Kuwait, then turned toward Saudi Arabia and its oil fields • If Iraq took Saudi Arabia, it would control one-half of the world’s known oil reserves

OPERATION DESERT STORM • For several months, President Bush and Secretary of State James Baker organized an international coalition against Iraqi aggression • With the support of the United Nations and Congress, Bush launched Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation • January 16, 1991 – U. S. launched a massive air assault against Iraq • February 23, 1991 – Coalition forces launched a ground offensive from Saudi Arabia into Kuwait • February 28, 1991 – Cease-fire was announced • Kuwait had been liberated from Iraqi occupation

VICTORY • Americans turned out in large numbers for the victory parades that followed this successful war • This war had a different outcome from the U. S. ’s last major war, Vietnam • Only 400 coalition force casualties • Iraq suffered an estimated 100, 000 military and civilian deaths • A trade embargo following the war resulted in the deaths of many Iraqis from preventable diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and others

ELECTION OF 1992 • Although Bush was very successful on the international stage, he was not as successful at home • Rising government deficits and a recession starting in 1990 made re-election difficult • Bush raised taxes, and broke his original campaign pledge of “no new taxes. ” • The weak economy, plus the tax hike, made Bush’s reelection very difficult

MAIN IDEA AND OBJECTIVES • Main Idea: The end of the Cold War, marked by the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, led to a redirection of many U. S. goals and policies. • After this section, we should be able to: – Identify changes in the communist world that ended the Cold War – Summarize U. S. actions taken to influence Central American and Caribbean affairs – Describe the events leading up to the Iran-Contra scandal – Analyze U. S. involvement in the Persian Gulf War

WRAP-UP • So… • One of the changes that occurred with the end of the Cold War was… • One of the ways that the United States tried to influence Central America and the Caribbean was that…