Marissa Meyer

American Foreign Policy Exam 1 Review Questions

1) What was America's foreign policy following its independence (1776)?

• 1. *Promotion of Trade*: military protected American trade route (navy)

2. *Political Independence*: the US avoided long term political ties with other countries
because they perceived that ties could drag them into conflicts; were concerned that a big
government (that would be necessary in order to fight in such conflicts) threatened individual
liberties

-The US did have temporary alliances (France)

***2) What factors led to the War of 1812? Who was the war fought against? What was the
result of the war for America?

• 1. *Territory*: Native American tribes who the US was battling for land were in
alliance with the British
2. *Impressments*: British policy that they could force people into service - they would force
US sailors to do this; the French were nationalists (willing to fight for their country)
3. *Blockade of France*: the British tried to cut off trade to France to starve them out of
fighting, this prevents the US from trading with France
-US vs. British

Result = *Treaty of Ghent* (everything went back to how it was before 1812)

***3) What was the Monroe Doctrine?

• (1823 - Pres. James Monroe) key to US foreign policy - statement made by the US that
any attempt by other powers to colonize the US would be refused - wanted the Europeans and
the Western Hemisphere to stay out of each other's business; was somewhat supported by the
British - interest in protecting their establishment in Canada; began the special relationship
between the US and the Americas

***4) What is Manifest Destiny?

• Concept that the US has a mission to spread American ideals (and religion) to the rest
of the continental US; "enlightening" the Americas

→ *American Exceptionalism*: we are "different" and "unique" from everyone else because of
our democratic ideals
***5) What are broad factors that led to the Spanish American War? What are two specific
factors? What was the result of the war for the US? How did this war change American foreign
policy?

• 1. *Manifest Destiny*: Americans believe that it is their duty to help Cuba liberate
themselves from Spain (broad)
2. *Domestic Pressure*: some wanted to separate Cuba and Spain because of Cuba's proximity
to the US - we could gain from access to Cuba (broad)
1. *USS Maine*: specific cause - the USS Maine was observing Cuba and was sunk, American's
killed; several arguments for what sank it - Spanish mines OR a steam engine explosion
2. *Yellow Press*: specific cause - lack of journalist ethics; the press would promote the selling
of the news as opposed to the truth, specifically regarding the USS Maine (said that the Spanish
sunk the USS Maine and pushed the US into war)

*Result* = US wins quickly - US emerges as a world power because we defeated a world power
and gain Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines

***6) Why did the US colonize the Philippines?

• The Philippines provided the US with access into Asia

***7) What was the Open Door Policy?

• (1900) the US feared that other powers would take China and lock the US out, so we
instituted this policy and stated that China should not be divided and that all countries have
access to it

***8) What was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine? Why was it declared?

• (1904) calls for disputes between countries in the Americas and outside powers to be
addressed by the US

→ The US is the police of the Americas

***9) What was dollar diplomacy? How and why was force used during this period?

• (1909 - 1920) the use of a America's financial power to extend its international
influence; focus on the promotion of the American economy - trade negotiation, use of force,
etc.

→ Wilson continued the idea, adding the idea of promoting other ideas of American ideal
(democratic governments, international organizations)

-How & why was force used?

***1) What was the US policy at the outset of World War I? Prior to US entry into World War I,
what was the main dispute between the US and Germany? What was the Zimmerman
telegram? How did these two events lead to US entry into WWI? What was the US policy
towards the Russian Revolution?

• -US wanted to remain neutral as they saw this as a European dispute over territory.
-The main conflict was the German's use of sub warfare. German's wanted to blockade Britain
of military goods by using submarines, but Germany sank British ships with US passengers on
board, primarily the Lusitania.
-The Zimmerman telegram was a telegram to Mexico asking them to declare war on US if US
declares war on Germany, that way Germany will help Mexico regain territory in America, and
America won't be able to fight Germany b/c they will be too busy with Mexico.
-US intercepted this telegram, and Germany ended the Sussex Pledge which said they would
stop using sub warfare. This sparked US entry into the war.

-The US policy towards the Russian Revolution was to help the Whites overthrow the Reds. The
Reds were communists, and Britain and US deeply dislike communists. Britain and US help the
Whites

***2) What was the League of Nations? What was it supposed to do?

• -International organization that every nation is a member of; agrees to defend every
member against attack

-Will hopefully prevent conflict - address problems and scare people away from aggression

***3) Why did the US not ratify the League of Nations? What is conservative internationalism?
What were the Washington-London Naval Conferences and Kellogg-Briand Pacts? What did
they seek to accomplish?

• -US did not ratify the League of Nations because Congress was concerned it would
remove their power to decide when to enter wars.
-*Conservative Internationalism* is when the US is much more constrained on when it uses
force abroad. It defends US economic system but doesn't support economic free trade
-*Washington London Conference*: (1922) everyone agreed to limit the size of navies - no
enforcement
-*Kellogg-Briand Pact*: (1928) everyone agreed never to go to war - no enforcement

-Tried to prevent war

***4) What was the Smoot-Hawley tariff?

• Tariff bills raised tariffs across the board; huge taxes for imported goods (less desire to
trade); trying to protect US corporations
***5) What was the Lend Lease Act? Why did the US enter World War 2?

• -Allows the US to lend or lease American military equipment to the British and
eventually to the Soviets once the Soviets switch sides (we are against Germany)

-*Pearl Harbor*: (Dec. 7 1941) sparks the US's entrance into the war; Japan believes that they
will eventually face conflict with the US - they decide now or never and choose a surprise attack
hoping that a settlement will be reached (didn't happen - US enters the war)

***6) Why did Roosevelt believe that the Soviets would cooperate after the end of WW2? How
is the post war settlement of WW2 different than the post war settlement of WW1?

• -Roosevelt believes that the Soviets will behave like other states, want aid, and that
we will get along; Roosevelt is buddies with Stalin and tries to personalize him to the American
people

-Post WWII called for having a concrete approach towards Germany (Germany will be
temporarily divided and occupied by major European allies - denazify)

***7) What did the allies decide to do about Germany? What is the United Nations? What is
the UN Security Council? Who are the 5 permanent members and what special privileges do
they have in the UN?

• -Germany was divided into 5 zones, given to each of the powers to control. Also had to
pay reparations
-UN is an international organization to resolve disputes, all states would be members. 5
permanent members of security council: US, British, French, China, Russia

-Have security function, use of force, and veto power

***8) What did the allies decide to do about Eastern Europe? Why was this compromise made?

• EE would be liberated, they had the rights to self determination and government

-The US decided to be friendly to the Soviets, if they chose to be communist it would be okay

***9) How did the Stalin speech in 1946 and the Churchill speech in 1946 deepen the Cold
War? What did they say that was so inflammatory?

• -Feb. 1946 - Stalin is elected leader of the Soviet Union and gives a speech talking
about the incompatibility and impending conflict between communism and capitalism
(encouragement to rebuild the economy quickly but comes off as a threat)

-Churchill - March 1946 - talks about the rise of communism and brings up the Iron Curtain
(communism) - says that we need an American-British alliance backed by nuclear weapons
***10) What was the Truman Doctrine?

• Countries can be like the US and be free and happy or like the Soviet Union and
become oppressed - it is our obligation to help other countries if they want and need it; focuses
on containing communist influence - wanted to send aid to Greece and Turkey as they fought
the Soviets

***11) What was containment? Who was George Kennan?

• -Containment = containing communism to the SU and letting them fall

-Kennan was an American diplomat who sent the famous "Long Telegram"; advocate of
containment of the SU - they would collapse on their own

***12) What were the ways containment was implemented?

• -*Military*: used military power to stop spread of communist ideals

-Economics and diplomacy: *Marshall Plan* - By aiding the countries of Western Europe, the US
was helping them economically as well as putting some diplomatic pressure on them to side
with the US against the Soviet Union.

***13) What crises occurred over Berlin? How were they resolved?

• -Berlin was in a Soviet Zone, but was also further divided into US, British, and French
sections
The SU wants the US military out, and say that they will do the same - we don't do this because
of fear of Soviet takeover
Soviets blockade Berlin
1961 - tense relations in Germany, military divisions are mobilized; Soviets build a physical wall
dividing Berlin in just one night, cutting E and W Berlin in half, preventing migration of people

-US response = massive airlift - fly goods in and out constantly (demonstration that we can
resupply); JFK goes to Berlin after the building of the wall; the wall falls in 1990 after the SU
lacks basic goods and is forced to become more conciliatory

***14) What events in 1949 made America more fearful of communism?

• The first detonation of a nuclear device by the USSR- US no longer has monopoly of
atomic weapons

***15) What was NSC68? What did it call for?

• - The US's response to the SU's detonation of an atomic weapon; policy document that
recommends the US should...
1. Stop negotiations with the SU (can't trust them)
2. Increase in military spending to be able to counter the Soviets and defend our allies globally
3. More powerful nuclear weapons (H bombs)
4. Increased taxes to find 2 and 3
5. Mobilization of America for a long-term conflict - high levels of military spending for a long
time
6. Establishment of more military alliances to limit the SU's willingness to expand (SE Asia,
Middle East, Australia, etc.)

7. Undermining the Soviets from within - fund groups and people within the SU to help make
them collapse

***16) What was the post WW2 division of Korea? Where is it divided? Why did the North
Koreans attack? How was the US able to get the UN to authorize the use of force against North
Korea?

• -Soviets (above 38th parallel) and the US (below) occupied Korea

-38th Parallel

-The US was able to get involved b/c Chinese UN was still represented by the Nationalists, USSR
boycotts security council and gives US ability to attack Korea. NK wanted to overtake nationalist
SK

***17) How did the Korean War end? What was the settlement?

• -Armistice was signed, though all stops would stop fighting. It was not a peace treaty
and did not agree on who would control Korea. Eventually NK took over SK. Boundary at 38th
parallel, 3 mile DMZ

***1) What was Eisenhower's policy towards China and Taiwan?

• Eisenhower has growing concern for Chinese communist expansion. Signed the
Defense Treaty with Taiwan agreeing to defend them against Nationalists.

***2) What was the New Look Strategy? Why did Eisenhower implement it?

• If the SU or the Chinese engage in aggression against American allies (those we have
defense treaties with), our response will be the use of nuclear weapons

-Cheaper than investing in a huge military (Eisenhower was a fiscally conservative Republican)

***3) How was covert force used by America? Why was it used in Guatemala and Iran?

• -CIA sent in to help groups trying to resist communism -Guatemala: overthrow

government, denationalize fruit industry
-Iran: overthrow shah, denationalize oil industry

***4) What was the CIA's plan for the Bay of Pigs invasion? Why did it fail?

• -Planned to train cuban exiles, deploy into B of P and instigate a counterrevolution

-It failed because they had a core assumption that exiles would be able to spur rev. but not
most people wanted to overthrow Castro

***5) Why were Soviet missiles put in Cuba?

• -Cubans want protection

-Soviets believe the US will not be able to respond and get the missiles out

-The Soviets believe that they are behind, and that they need to get missiles in Cuba (Missile
Gap)

***6) What is an ICBM? IRBM? What is MAD and how does it prevent war?

• ICBM: Intercontinental ballistic missiles

IRBM: Intermediate range ballistic missiles

- MAD: mutually assured destruction: both sides had recognition that if the other side used nuc.
weapons, the other will attack. brinkmanship: each side pushes to war, how willing are they to
push conflict to use nuclear weapons? Both sides are paranoid

***7) What was ExComm? What solutions were offered by ExComm? Why was a naval
blockade used instead of the other solutions?

• -*ExComm* = executive committee of the national security council - US officials that

advised JFK
-Solutions:
1. Invade Cuba
2. Airstrikes - destroying missile sites
Favored (not chosen because it is more aggressive - use of force first, we want to avoid being
perceived as the aggressor)
3. Naval Blockade - preventing completion of missile projects
Favored - eventually chosen (we can always escalate from here, but we should test them first)

4. Diplomacy

***8) How was the Cuban Missile Crisis resolved?

• Kennedy offers not to invade Cuba if the SU takes the missiles out - Khrushchev says
they will if we take our missiles out of Turkey
Kennedy can't publicly commit to take our missiles out because of concerns about America's
reputation and our willingness to defend our allies

The missiles are taken out eventually when the "go bad"

***9) How did the Cuban Missile crisis affect US and Soviet foreign policies?

• -Continuing buildup of nuclear forces - ensure the existence of mutually assured

destruction

-Hotline - dedicated phone between US president and the head of the SU to allow them to
communicate directly; military interaction; banning unfair war techniques

***10) Who was Vietnam a colony of? What were Ho Chih Minh's goals for Vietnam? Why did
he mistrust the West?

• -Vietnam was a colony of the French. Ho Chi Minh wanted to have a classless,
communist Vietnam. Did not trust West because he did not want them to colonize again.

***11) What changed American public opinion towards the French war in Vietnam? What
policy change did this lead to? Why did the US not intervene in 1954?

• - There was a communist victory in China, they were concerned about the spread to
other parts of Asia.
-Domino Theory: communist block, if SE asia goes, more bases of operation and would flow into
ME. US was more advanced than in Korea.

-US public opinion: Korean War, did not want that again. Anti communism. US did not intervene
because did not want to get involved.

***12) What was the settlement of the French Vietnam War? Who led South Vietnam? Why
were elections called off?

• -Geneva Agreement: 17th parallel division.

-South Vietnam is lead by Ngo Dinh Diem

-He called off elections because he believes that the Geneva Agreement is between the North
and France.

***13) Why did the US intervene in Vietnam?

• -US troops deployed to help South Vietnam fight North Vietnam and to STOP SPREAD
OF COMMUNISM (Domino Theory and Communist Bloc - many communists in one place)

***14) What did Operation Sunrise do? Why was it implemented?

 • -It tried to make secure villages for the South Vietnamese. -VC and NLF had begun
intimidating villagers into joining the north.

***15) What happened at the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964? What was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution,
what did it do?

• -NV attacked US navy at G of T. Represented the first time an attack was strictly
between the US and NV.

-The G of T resolution authorized the use of military force in Vietnam, brought a dramatic
escalation of US into the war.

***16) What was the North Vietnamese goal for the Tet Offensive? What happened at the Tet
Offensive? What was the result of the Tet Offensive?

• -(Jan. 29 1968) coordinated attack by the N Vietnam on their New Year's holiday; goal
was to conquer and capture S Vietnamese urban areas
-Result = failure for N Vietnamese; lost the battle, but killed a lot of people

-American public opinion = less support for the war (more casualties, etc.)

***17) What happened at the Democratic Convention of 1968? What happened at the My Lai
Massacre?

• -Democratic Convention of 1968: the democratic party split in two, of who supports
the war. Protests and riots broke out.

-My Lai Massacre: they found women and children of a town and killed them b/c they thought
they were hiding the VC. Negative press and anti public sentiment

***18) What was Nixon's stance towards Vietnam when he campaigned in 1968?

• -NO more Vietnam. Leave Vietnam honorably.

-He wanted to get out honorably and keeping allies. Didn't want to look weak and damage
reputation.

***19) How did Nixon plan on getting the US out of Vietnam? How did events in Cambodia
complicate his plans? What was Nixon's proposal to the North Vietnamese? What happened in
Vietnam after US forces left?

• -Gradual withdrawal of troops

Turn over control of the war to S Vietnam (Vietnamization)
Stated our troop support of core American allies, and aid to everyone else
-Lead by Prince Sihanouk for most of the war - he was sympathetic to N Vietnam and let them
retreat into Cambodia; anticommunist forces overthrow him - N Vietnam invades, then S
Vietnam and the US invade as well, looks like a war is now starting in Cambodia to the US public
-Suggests that we stop fighting and the US will get out - in return, N Vietnam will agree to a
ceasefire and to return all POW's
N Vietnam refuse initially
Christmas Bombings: response to N Vietnam's refusal to agree, warning them and giving them
incentive to negotiate

-N wins on April 21, 1975

***20) Why did the US fail to defeat the North Vietnamese? What were the consequences of
the Vietnam War on America?

• Failed b/c of:

1) Guerilla warfare: the people
-the US was never able to win sufficient support from SV in order to defeat NV. Instability made
it impossible
2) US domestic politics: public opinion turned against the war
3) US conduct of war: when/how to use force. US war efforts were too incremental, there were
limitations put on the military by the president
4) NV were more resolved and determined.

Consequences:
1) rethinking of US role in the world- decline
2) Use of force: only when US core interests are at stake, and when use force use it in
overwhelming fashion

3) loss of anti-communism sentiment

***1) What problems faced America during Nixon's presidency? Describe each problem briefly.

• 1) America had weakened economy: Bretton Woods policy- weakened ability to export
and downturn of US econ.
2) social problems: counterculture, protest behavior. women's rights, civil rights. skepticism of
US leadership internationally- lack of appeal to capitalist/ free country

3) relative military decline

***2) What was Nixon and Kissinger's foreign policy based on? How did they plan on dealing
with the Soviets? What were the two main aspects of their strategy? What was détente?

• -Detente: relaxation of tensions. Contain USSR by other means

1) Balance powers: If US and USSR are equal in power, they would not see an advantage and
then attack upon that
2) Satisfaction: ensure USSR is satisfied w/ international system

Detente was foreign policy that was devised by Kissinger and Nixon. The goal was to relax
tensions with the Soviet Union and hoped to end the Cold War. Peace was the driving force
behind Detente. There were to be increased contact between East and West Berlin and
Germany more often. The adoption of the Helsinki Accords of 1975. To reduce the risk of
nuclear war through MAD and SALT1.

***3) How did the US implement this new policy in regards to China? Why was China willing to
ally with the US? What replaced formal US diplomatic recognition with Taiwan in 1979?

• -US has peaceful relations with China to ease tension w/ USSR .

-China dislikes the USSR (border disputes, nuclear war) Allied together to signal that if they try
to attack the USSR has dual enemies.

-Taiwan Relations Act of 1979: amended US relations with Taiwan, allows US to sell arms to
Taiwan and treats them as a state

***4) How did the US implement its new policy in regards to trade with the Soviets? What arms
control policies had taken place prior to SALT? What were the goals of SALT? Briefly describe
each goal. What two big agreements came out of SALT? What did SALT II call for and why did
SALT II fail?

• -USSR is having economic troubles, falling behind in technology and producing enough
food. US has surplus of food, gives to USSR so they are less likely to challenge us. Signals to US
allies that trade with USSR is not bad.
-Arms control: USSR and US would not test nuclear weapons in the
ocean/atmosphere/outerspace. Nuclear weapon free zones: continents where there are no NW
-SALT: Anti ballistic missile- limited development and research of IBM. Each side has a limited
amount.
Freeze on number of nuclear weapons at current moment

-SALT II: USSR invasion of Afghanistan canceled salt. SALT did not work b/c people were afraid
that the other side would cheat and they did not want to reduce.

***5) Why was Carter particularly interested in the Middle East in 1976? Why did the US
pressure Israel to accept a UN ceasefire in the 1973 war?

• USSR had gone to Egypt to defend, so it was the US duty to defend Israel. Did not want
to further aggression of USSR.
***6) Why did Israel and Egypt pursue bilateral negotiations instead of return to Geneva? Why
did these bilateral talks falter? Who were the heads of state of Israel and Egypt at the time?

• Leaders: Sadat and Begin. Basis of the talks: Peace for Land- recognize Peace for land.
Israel would not leave unconquered territory-land may hold greater security and they trusted
land as a barrier

***7) What were Carter's goals for the Israel Egypt talks? What prevented Carter from
achieving all 3 goals? What was the eventual agreement that came out of the Camp David
Accords? What did Egypt, Israel, and the US pledge to do? What effect did this peace have on
the other Arab nations?

• 1) Asks that Israel return conquered territory

2) Determine the status of the people of Palestine
3) Peace treaty: establishing stable peace in ME, as well as stable oil prices.
Camp David Accords: Egypt signs peace treaty with Israel and recognizes Israel's right to exist.
Israel will get out of Sinai and have a temporary halt of settlement. Include Palestinians in the
future, they based this on the belief that after Egypt signed other states would follow.

US provides aid-economic and military and the multinational force to make sure no one is
invading the other side. Gave other nations idea of what would happen if they did the same.

***8) Why was the shah unpopular in Iran? Who led the overthrow of the shah's regime? What
prompted the takeover of the US embassy in Iran?

• -Shah was nationalist leader who Eisenhower had put in place during his presidency.
There was domestic unrest, many disliked the shah and his non democratic rule.
-Many organizations, including religious based, overthrew the Shah's regime.

-The US had brought the Shah to the US to receive cancer treatment and they wanted him back
to serve a trial

***9) What did Iran initially demand in return for the hostages? What did Carter do initially?
Why did his military operation fail? What was the effect of the Iran Hostage Crisis on Carter's
presidency? Why did Iran eventually negotiate and release the hostages?

• -They wanted the Shah back.

-Carter initially imposed economic sanctions and froze their assets so that the oil companies
could not access their funds and military could no longer be supplied.
-His military operation failed because two planes crashed and did not have enough fuel or
supplies to even sustain the mission.
-The IHC basically ended the presidency because Americans lost faith in their president.

-Shah eventually dies of cancer and releases the hostages.

***10) What platform did Reagan run on in terms of foreign policy in 1980? How did Reagan
change American foreign policy? Briefly describe each policy. What effect did these policies
have on the Soviets? What happened in 1989-1990? Why did the Cold War end?

• -"making america strong"

-based afp on two things: USSR invasion of Afghanistan, Iranian crisis.
-he increased defense spending drastically.
-brought back the rhetoric of the cold war: more traditional. soviets = evil empire
3) strategic defense initiative
4) no arms control: couldn't trust ussr
5. rollback reagan doctrine: in addition to containing we will roll back communism by
supporting non communist rebels.
-soviets become more conciliatory because they are not in good shape economically.

1989: Eastern European states began to open up and liberalize their economies. Open
emigration with western Europe commenced and in 1990 there was the unification of
Germany. USSR accepted peacefully- collapse of USSR system- gorbachev had different values
(on diplomatic relationship) . Containment worked

***11) How did US and Soviet relations change in the developing world after the fall of
communism?

• -Soviets pull out of Afghanistan, end of insurgencies in communist and noncommunist

countries. There are negotiations of democracies. Much more conciliatory terms

***12) What is START? What does it do? What is the CFE? What did it do?

• -START- strategic arms reduction treaty. reduces number of weapons of ussr and us
and has verification procedures to ensure reduction.

-CFE: conventional armed forces in Europe: limits size of US and USSR military personnel that
are near each other in Europe

***13) What major changes occurred in the Soviet Union between 1990-1? What is the CIS?

• -the collapse of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

-opposition parties allowed in election
2) yeltsin: strong leader- reforming russian system-becomes president of russian federation.
openly broke communist party policies
-new republics broke off- georgia, kazakhstan. want autonomy from USSR

-CIS: commonwealth of independent states- no longer the soviet union

***14) What did Fukuyama mean by the "end of history?" What was the "new world order"?
 • -Capitalism had become the leading competitor in competing ideals- eventually there
is no competition. New World order: Bush new vision of how the world would operate. 1) un
would be able to resolve conflict and deter aggression. 2) promotion of democracy and human
rights

***15) Why did Saddam invade Kuwait? How did the US respond? Why did the US respond?
What did the UN do? Why was military force contentious at home?

• -Saddam saw a Iranian revolution as a way to sneak in and gain control of crucial
waterway between Iran and Iraq.
-The US responded by putting an international embargo on Iraq. US was main leader and this
was the first test to assure that.
-the UN backed the embargo and imposed economic sanctions- brought together the UN and
international cooperation.

-Military use was contentious at home because: "ghosts of Vietnam" still had long lasting
conflict and difficulty in their mind.

***16) Why did the US not overthrow Saddam at the end of the Gulf War in 1991?

• -Coalition: never really a serious policy considered. may fracture global coalition (
killing Arab leader is different than repelling)
2) fears of civil war: plans did not include US occupation
3) regional balance of power: Iran/Syria potential of entering civil war, which was a danger to
the US

4) limited objectives: initial war plan did not plan on getting rid of Saddam.

***17) What is UNSCOM? What is its mission?

• -UN special committies: the terms of the cease fire. Sanctions will stay in place in Iraq
until it can demonstrate that it does not have nuclear weapons-UNSCOM verifies it and Iraq
blocked their investigations.

***18) What are the three main elements of Clinton's early foreign policy?

• 1. Focused on the economy

2.

3.

***19) What is NAFTA? WTO? GATT? What do they do?

• -North American Free Trade Agreement

-World Trade Organization
-General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

-They all regard / regulate international trade?

***1) What was Washington's view of what US foreign policy ought to be? Why did he argue
that nations should avoid antipathies and passionate attachments toward other nations? What
should guide US foreign policy? Why?

• -Washington encouraged the US to stay out of conflicts with Europe. He viewed

commerce and trade with other countries as important, but did not want long-term, binding
alliances with other nations. Instead, Washington encouraged short bonds to maintain the
United States' security, but overall independence as a nation.
-No entangling alliances- only short bonds to maintain security.
-Maintain independence

-Why: did not want to be drug into other country's issues, we should work on developing US

***2) What is the central theme of the Monroe Doctrine? How did Monroe justify this policy?

• -No European nation should be able to interfere in the Americas. Allows for us to have
individual relationship with them without interference of Europe.

-Justifies it that America will stay out of their conflicts as well

***3) According to Adams, what is America's contribution to the world? What should America
not do according to Adams?

• -We are wishers of freedom but not watchmen-a model for free-based economy and
democratic values. We need to watch out for ourselves and not for others.

-We should not go abroad to fight wars

***4) How does the foreign policy advice of Washington, Monroe, and Adams apply to today's
foreign policy questions (i.e. Iraq, terrorism, missile defense, etc.)?

• We should not go to fight ISIS unless it is a direct threat to us, only help ourselves, stay
in our own area and stay out of war

***1) According to X , what explains the perception of foreign antagonism by the Soviet
leadership? What motivates their actions?

• -The Soviets believed that they must suppress at home because of security threats
abroad. They want to keep capitalism out (evil) and spread their ideology. -According to X,
there are a few different things that motivated the Soviet leaders. 1. First is the idea of power
and dominance. The Soviet leaders are out for total and complete power. In fact, the leaders
maintain order of power by outlawing the idea of more than one political party. 2. Second, is
the battle fought between capitalism and socialism. X often returns to the Marxian ideology
when discussing the ideas of the Soviet leaders. Again, this can be related back to power. 3.
Lastly, Soviet leaders are motivated by the idea of one and only one voice within the Soviet
Union. The leaders had the ability to install any rule, regulation, or practice, and all would
unquestionably accept that new order. Overall, I believe these three things can all be
summarized by stating that the Soviet leaders were power hungry, and were motivated by it.

***2) What are the concepts which underlie the Soviet worldview? How do they affect Soviet
foreign policy?

• -Ideology: clash between communism and capitalism

-Circumstances:

-The soviets view of communism was superior to capitalism, thus leading the soviet imperialism

***3) Based on these concepts, what should US foreign policy be generally and towards the
Soviet Union according to X? Why?

• -Containment: USSR is already heading to demise, so need to contain them and let
them collapse. Central factor between the two: how goods are produced and exchanged.
Comm. believed that capitalism is evil and leads to the exploitation of the working class,
imperialism is the final stage of capitalism, and capitalism contains the seeds of its own
destruction.

***1) What does Lippman find problematic with X's analysis of the Soviet Union?

• -X's policy was based on assumption that USSR was already on their way to downfall-
which was not necessarily true. Also, long term containment is not realistic - would require too
much time and resources?

***2) Why according to Lippman is containment unsuited for the United States?

• -Unsuited because of our economy: capitalism is uncontrolled/unregimented and

could not sustain containment. It also requires the constant forces/money being put to work 1.
Insuficient Funding
2. Controlling imports / exports
3. Controlling aid (rationing)
4. Location of the SU gives them the upper hand

5. The SU would be better at a long term issue, we're better a quick strikes

***3) What does a policy of containment threaten relations with European states? Why is this a
danger for the US?
 • - According to Lippman a policy of containment could threaten relations with
European states in two ways, depending on the outcome of the containment. 1. The first way it
threatens relations with Europe is that the soviet collapse can not be predicted or aided, so its
just a stressful game of hoping and waiting- not proactive enough for the european states that
are much closer, geographically, to the Soviet Union 2. The second outcome would be in the
event that Europe turns into a battlefield because the diplomatic war could turn into a full
blown shooting war. These two possible outcomes are less than desirable for the allies of the
United States so the goal of each allied European nation would be to extricate themselves from
the Russian-American conflict. -Because it is damaging economically, it hurts trade with other
nations.

***4) According to Lippman, what is the difference between the Truman Doctrine and the
Marshall approach? Why does Lippman favor the latter?

• -*Truman Doctrine*: states are instruments of American policy; creates areas that will
be dependent on the US for support and containment
-*Marshall Approach*: independent actors that can help themselves

-Lippman favors the Marshall approach because it would treat other governments as
independent powers that we can help but not presume to govern. He believes that such an
approach would lead to a more unified Europe and save the United States from entanglements
caused by the Truman Doctrine method of intervention. It was a plan that wasn't just for
containment, but for support as well.

***5) What is Lippman's policy advice for how the US should deal with the Soviets? Why does
he think this will work?

• -Was against containment (did not think that it was realistic, our military is quick and
powerful but we are not capable of containing an area as large as the SU) -Wanted a
*diplomatic settlement* focused on rebalancing the distribution of power to that of before the
war (wanted a withdrawal of Soviet forces from the center of Europe) -Why does he think this
will work?

***1) What is the falling domino principle in regards to the Cold War and Vietnam?

• The "falling domino" principle proposes that any political event that happens in one
country will cause similar events in neighboring countries. The falling domino theory was
introduced as an analogy by President Eisenhower in a 1954 press conference to explain his
theory of how communism would spread if it was not contained. When this theory was applied
to Vietnam and the Cold War in general, it was thought that if Vietnam became a communist
regime under Ho Chi Minh, then it would be inevitable that many other countries in Asia would
also follow suit and become communist states. This falling domino principle was used as a way
to justify the foreign policy of containment and eventually the Vietnam War. The falling domino
principle not only thought that other countries would become communist but that it would
happen quickly, just like when dominos are set up in a row, they quickly fall one after the other.
***2) According to Johnson, why should the US fight in Vietnam? What are the reasons he
outlines for why the US is in Vietnam?

• -The first reason was that the United States made a promise to the people of South
Vietnam, that they would offer their support, and help them try to receive their independence.
The US was not looking to benefit themselves from the situation.
-U.S. was in Vietnam to strengthen world order
-there were stakes in withdrawing from Vietnam that would not assure the US that they were
done with the whole issue.

-President Johnson made it seem that the main reason was to help South Vietnam become an
independent country.

***3) What were Ball's objections to escalation of the Vietnam War by Johnson? Why did he
argue it is more favorable to let Vietnam fall under communist control?

• -Ball didn't think it was realistic to set up a government in Vietnam. He also thought
that there were too many ways that the US could lose. He references the Vietcong and says
believes that they are more powerful than the US credits them.

-Why is it more favorable to let them fall?

***4) According to Nixon, why could the US not simply withdraw its troops from Vietnam?

• There were three reasons why Nixon didn't want to withdraw all troops from Vietnam.
First, he believed that a nation could not be great if it would betray its allies and let down
friends.
Second, the U.S. defeat and humiliation in South Vietnam without question would promote
recklessness in the councils of those great powers who had not yet abandoned their goals of
world conquest.

Third, withdrawal from Vietnam would spark violence wherever US commitments help maintain
the peace, specifically in the Middle East, Berlin and eventually in the Western hemisphere.
Nixon ultimately believed if the US precipitated in full withdrawal there would be more war, not
more peace.

***5) What is the Nixon Doctrine (three principles)? How was the Nixon Doctrine supposed to
end the Vietnam War (i.e. What was the Vietnamization of the Vietnam conflict)?

• 1. First, the United States will keep all of its treaty commitments.
2. Second, we shall provide a shield if a nuclear power threatens the freedom of a nation allied
with us or of a nation whose survival we consider vital to our security.
3. Third, in cases involving other types of aggression, we shall furnish military and economic
assistance when requested in accordance with our treaty commitments. But we shall look to
the nation directly threatened to assume the primary responsibility of providing the manpower
for its defense.

-*Vietnamization* = making the Vietnam War Vietnam's problem, not ours

***6) What was Nixon's strategy for ending the Vietnam War?

• -Vietnamization (giving aid without force)

Under the plan, he ordered first a substantial increase in the training and equipment of South
Vietnamese forces.

***1) According to Lake, what are America's core concepts? What are the four defining aspects
of the post Cold War period?

• -Democracy and market economics - see individuals as equally created with a God-
given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So we trust in the equal wisdom of free
individuals to protect those rights: through democracy, as the process for best meeting shared
needs in the face of competing desires; and through markets as the process for best meeting
private needs in a way that expands opportunity.
-4 aspects of the post-Cold War period =
1. Time of immense democratic and entrepreneurial opportunity
2. We are the dominant power
3. Many ethnic conflicts

4. The pulse of the planet has accelerated dramatically and with it the pace of change in human
events (technology)

***2) According to Lake, what is a policy of enlargement? Why should that policy replace
containment? What are the four components of enlargement? Why is each component
important to enlargement?

• -To the extend democracy and market economics hold sway in other nations, our own
nation will be more secure, prosperous and influential, while the broader world will be more
humane and peaceful.
The expansion of market-based economics abroad helps expand our exports and create
American jobs, while it also improves living conditions and fuels demands for political
liberalization abroad. The addition of new democracies makes us more secure because
democracies tend not to wage war on each other or sponsor terrorism. They are more
trustworthy in diplomacy and do a better job of respecting the human rights of their people.
1. First, we should strengthen the community of major market democracies - including our own
- - which constitutes the core from which enlargement is proceeding.
2. Second, we should help foster and consolidate new democracies and market economies,
where possible, especially in states of special significance and opportunity.
3. Third, we must counter the aggression - - and support the liberalization - - of states hostile to
democracy and markets.

4. Fourth, we need to pursue our humanitarian agenda not only by providing aid, but also by
working to help democracy and market economics take root in regions of greatest
humanitarian concern.

***3) According to Lake, how should the US deal with "backlash states" like Iraq?

Why is it important to define a strategy of enlargement?

• -Backlash states: seek isolation diplomatically, economically, technologically, and

militarily to stay away from these states.
-Enlargement: must define because we do not want the world to think the US is purely pursuing
our own interests

*What is enlargement?

***1) According to Bush, what are the proliferation challenges facing the US?

• -Iran has violated its Non-Proliferation Treaty safeguards obligations and refuses to
provide objective guarantees that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. The DPRK
continues to destabilize its region and defy the international community, now boasting a small
nuclear arsenal and an illicit nuclear program in violation of its international obligations.
Terrorists, including those associated with the al-Qaida network, continue to pursue WMD.
Some of the world's supply of weapons-grade fissile material - the necessary ingredient for
making nuclear weapons - is not properly protected. Advances in biotechnology provide greater
opportunities for state and non-state actors to obtain dangerous pathogens and equipment.

***2) According to Bush, what is the first objective in regards to nuclear proliferation? What
policies are proposed and why?

• -The first objective requires closing a loophole in the Non-Proliferation Treaty that
permits regimes to produce fissile material that can be used to make nuclear weapons under
cover of a civilian nuclear power program.

-To close this loophole, we have proposed that the world's leading nuclear exporters create a
safe, orderly system that spreads nuclear energy without spreading nuclear weapons. Under
this system, all states would have reliable access at reasonable cost to fuel for civilian nuclear
power reactors. In return, those states would remain transparent and renounce the enrichment
and reprocessing capabilities that can produce fissile material for nuclear weapons. In this way,
enrichment and reprocessing will not be necessary for nations seeking to harness nuclear
energy for strictly peaceful purposes.

***3) According to Bush, what is the threat posed by Iran and North Korea?
 • -*Iran*: has been hiding nuclear efforts from the international community. The Iranian
regime sponsors terrorism; threatens Israel; seeks to thwart Middle East peace; disrupts
democracy in Iraq; and denies the aspirations of its people for freedom.
-*North Korea*: DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) agreed to abandon its nuclear
weapons and all existing nuclear programs. The joint statement also declared that the relevant
parties would negotiate a permanent peace for the Korean peninsula and explore ways to
promote security cooperation in Asia

-did not fulfill. The United States has broader concerns regarding the DPRK as well. The DPRK
counterfeits our currency; traffics in narcotics and engages in other illicit activities; threatens
the ROK with its army and its neighbors with its missiles; and brutalizes and starves its people

***4) According to Bush, what is the second objective in regards to nuclear proliferation? What
policies are proposed and why?

• The second nuclear proliferation objective is to keep fissile material out of the hands
of rogue states and terrorists. To do this we must address the danger posed by inadequately
safeguarded nuclear and radiological materials worldwide. The Administration is leading a
global effort to reduce and secure such materials as quickly as possible through several
initiatives including the

-*Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI)*: The GTRI locates, tracks, and reduces existing
stockpiles of nuclear material. This new initiative also discourages trafficking in nuclear material
by emplacing detection equipment at key transport nodes.

***5) According to Bush, what are US deterrence and defense policies in regards to nuclear
proliferation?

• -Taking action need not involve military force. Our strong preference and common
practice is to address proliferation concerns through international diplomacy, in concert with
key allies and regional partners. If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self
defense, we do not rule out the use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains
as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. Both offenses and defenses are necessary to
deter state and non-state actors, through denial of the objectives of their attacks and, if
necessary, responding with overwhelming force. Safe, credible, and reliable nuclear forces
continue to play a critical role.

-We are strengthening deterrence by developing a New Triad composed of offensive strike
systems (both nuclear and improved conventional capabilities); active and passive defenses,
including missile defenses; and a responsive infrastructure, all bound together by enhanced
command and control, planning, and intelligence systems

***6) According to Bush, what are the lessons to be learned from the Iraq War in regards to
proliferation?
 • -First, our intelligence must improve.
-Second, there will always be some uncertainty about the status of hidden programs since
proliferators are often brutal regimes that go to great lengths to conceal their activities

-Third, Saddam's strategy of bluff, denial, and deception is a dangerous game that dictators play
at their peril

***1) What is isolationism? What is internationalism?

• -Isolationism: focused on domestic problems

-Internationalism: looking abroad to expand and colonize

***2) What was Washington's advice for America's foreign policy? Prior to the Cold War, when
was the US isolationist? Internationalist? Why?

• -Advice: no entangling alliances.

Isolationism at beginning of WWI, did not want to be involved in foreign affairs. internationalist
in Vietnam and cold war

The US was isolationist from the country's beginnings until the Spanish American War, then was
isolationist until WW1. After WW1, the US became increasingly more internationalist because
the US became more economically prosperous and was put in a powerful position in the world.

***3) What is the mobilization-demobilization pattern of the US military prior to the Cold War?
Why did this pattern occur?

• -The military would be relatively small until there was conflict . Once conflict arose,
the military would increase in size. After the conflict, the size of the military would decrease
again.

The mobilizations-demobilizations occurred because the US would need more military

assistance during times of conflict.

***4)What is American exceptionalism? Manifest destiny? How did these two concepts affect
America's foreign policy?

• -American Exceptionalism: "city on the hill" the idea that the US's foreign policy was
more grounded in principles than other countries.
-Manifest Destiny: the idea that the US has the right to overspread culture and government
through the Americas.
-The US has a tendency to use these to guide policy. The US tends to spread the idea of
democracy, which is founded on principles.

***5) Has the US always pursued a "principled" foreign policy? What are examples of when the
US has and has not?

• -Pursued principled foreign policy: during the Cold War- ABC democrats- evil empire
ideological warfare as an example. Human rights (Vietnam, detente, economic shocks).

-Anticommunism. When the US has not?

***6) Why might one characterize the late 19th and early 20th century foreign policy of the US
as imperialist? What does evidence from US foreign policy to Latin America indicate?

• -Imperialist: Extending a country's power through diplomacy / military force

-The US wanted to have control over the Western Hemisphere, for example the roosevelt
corollary had little altruism - ?.

? The Platt Amendment, which allowed the US to intervene and protect the interest of US
property in Cuba.

***7) What is the Monroe Doctrine? What is the Roosevelt Corollary?

• -*Monroe Doctrine*: a principle of US policy, originated by President James Monroe in

1823, that any intervention by external powers in the politics of the Americas is a potentially
hostile act against the US.

-*Roosevelt Corollary*: addition to the Monroe Doctrine states that the United States will
intervene in conflicts between European countries and Latin American countries to enforce
legitimate claims of the European powers, rather than having the Europeans press their claims
directly.

***8) According to Jentleson, why did the US expand into Asia? What is the history of US
foreign policy to Japan and China prior to World War 2?

• -US expanded to Asia to open trade/expand relations. The US wanted to trade and
commerce with Asia and thought that it would contribute to economic prosperity. Japan
refused to recognize Hawaii as a state. US-Japanese relations were very tense. China was
relatively unstable after about 50 years of revolution. The US was helpful toward China. -History
of AFP to Japan: Prior to WWII, the US conducted trade of large percentages of Japan's steel
and oil supplies and discourse between the two countries was generally amiable. However,
after Japan's annexation of Manchuria, which lead to the second Sino-Japanese War, Roosevelt
chose to invoke an embargo of US goods to Japan and instead sent aid to the Chinese. -History
of AFP to China: Open Door Trade Policy, Lend Lease Act
***9) Prior to the Cold War, what has the relationship been between the Executive branch and
Congress in regards to going to war?

• -Before the Cold War: the US would console congress before going to War.
-After and during the Cold War: the US would use resolutions from the UN or other excuses to
skip the consultation with congress. This precedent was set by Truman in the Korean War.

-There has always been a competitive relation between Congress and the Executive branch
regarding war. The Constitution states that Congress has the power to declare war, but the
President is the commander-in-chief. This lack of explicit determination has proved to be a
source of conflict. In WWII, Congress urged to stay neutral and adopted an isolationist view, but
FDR pushed for involvement to help the Allies, thus passing the Lend-Lease Act. This received
fierce opposition from isolationists in Congress, and it wasn't until the U.S. was attacked at
Pearl Harbor that Congress overwhelmingly voted to go to war.

***10) What is the tension between national security and individual rights? What are historical
examples when the US has limited rights for national security purposes?

• On many occasions during throughout American history, citizens rights have been
altered or taken away to an extent when it is deemed that the U.S national security is at stake.
This is true in the case of the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, where Japanese Americans were
placed in internment camps based on the fear that these Americans were loyal to Japan. Many
citizen's constitutional rights were suspended in order to "secure" the nation. There is definite
tension when these events occur because constitutional rights are being taken away, and is not
viewed as an unconstitutional move in order to fit the narrative. Although these moves are
unconstitutional, they are done so in order to make the country feel more safe and secure,
which some view as more important than individual rights of citizens.

***11) Historically, which industries, regions, and parties have been in favor of tariffs? Which
have been against? Why?

• While no longer a major political issue, tariffs play a large part in American history.
Tariffs, or a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports, have historically
been favored by Republicans as a large source of Federal Income. Democrats, however, say
tariffs should stay as low as possible. Prior to the 1940s, tariffs were the major source of federal
income. In fact, protective tariffs were a major cause of the Civil War. When Alexander
Hamilton first proposed the idea of protective tariffs to both boost industrialization and
produce revenue, the Northern and Western producer regions agreed, believing this would
stop the flood of cheaper, British goods in the market undercutting their market share.
However, the South was outraged. Imposing protective tariffs meant the south was solely
reliant on the North for wealth, after cutting most of their cotton foreign trade. However,
finished goods industries like alcoholic spirits, flax, and iron flourished.

***12) What are reciprocal trade agreements?

 • -When two parties trade with each other, have same conditions/tariffs

***1) What is the orthodox explanation for the Cold War? The revisionist explanation?

• -*Orthodox*: puts principle responsibility squarely on the shoulders of Joseph Stalin

and the Soviet Union. Soviets used the Red Army to make Eastern Europe their own sphere of
influence, sought to subvert governments in Western Europe, Blockaded West Berlin,
supported communist China, and help start the Korean war

-*Revisionist*: Sees the US as trying to build its own empire for the purpose of power and
prosperity. Believes that the soviets were just trying to protect their own security by preserving
Poland and Eastern Europe. Believes that if the US was more focused on reassurance and
cooperation rather than deterrence and containment, there may have never been a Cold War

***2) What is international instituionalism?

• -A school of international relations theory that emphasizes both the possibility and the
value of international institutions and other forms of cooperation for reducing the chance of
war and other conflict.

***3) How did post WW2 policy makers draw from the lessons of the League of Nations when
crafting the UN? What is the Security Council? General Assembly? Which has more influence?
Who are permanent members of the UN Security Council? What is Article 43?

• 1. The first lesson drawn from the League of Nations was the US nonmembership. US
membership was key to the UN.
2. The second lesson implemented was that the UN would be a stronger institution. The UN
gave more authority to the UN Security Council than its General Assembly.
-*Security Council*: a part of the UN and is in charge of maintaining international security and
peace.
-The fiver permanent members are the US, UK, Russia, France, and China. Also has 10
temporary ones that are voted in from the general assembly for 2 year terms.
-*General Assembly*: is the only part of the UN where every country that is part of the UN has
equal representation. Their main focus is on budget and voting on non permanent members of
the security council. -The Security Council has more power because these countries have
nuclear arms. The general assembly can vote but the overall outcome is dependent on the
security council.

-*Article 43*: a statement in the charter that calls for all member states to contribute agreed
upon numbers to military/Peacekeeping forces of the UN.

***4) Why did the UN end up being scaled back as compared to FDR's vision of it? What are
examples of how the UN has been prevented from acquiring more influence?
 • -Although Congress supported the UN, they feared "world government." The US
wanted to have a strong international institution to keep the peace, however, he did not want
to risk nation state supremacy or sovereignty. Another reason why the UN was scaled back was
because of the onset of the Cold War. The UN became a heated forum between the US and the
Soviet Union.

-The UN was not able to end the global game of "spheres of influence... alliances... balance of
power" and to make break with the unhappy past.

***5) What is nuclear deterrence? What is containment?

• -*Nuclear Deterrence* is the prevention of attack through the fear of retaliation.

-*Containment* was a doctrine in which the US would counter any attempts by the Soviets to
expand their sphere of influence or to spread communism beyond their own borders.

***6) What was the Truman Doctrine? Marshall Plan? What was their historical significance?

• -*Truman Doctrine*: countries can be like the US and be free and happy or like the
Soviet Union and become oppressed - it is our obligation to help other countries if they want
and need it; focuses on containing communist influence; specifically references Greece and
Turkey

-*Marshall Plan*: $17 billion economic aid package from the US to Europe - goal is to help
speed up reconstruction (less lure of communism) and then these countries will be back on
their feet and assist the US

***7) What is NATO? Why was it formed? What year was it formed?

• -NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) formed in 1949 was the first peacetime
military alliance in American history. NATO added the military commitment to keep US troops
in Europe and the collective defense pledge that the US would help defend European allies if
they were attacked. NATO was formed to "promote stability and well being in the North
Atlantic area..." They hoped that their collective capacity would resist armed attack.

***8) What two events in 1949 made the US escalate the Cold War?

• -China falls to communism, USSR obtains nuclear weapons

***9) What was NSC-68? How did it change America's foreign policy strategy?

• Report by the US national security council; recommended policies of military action

agains the SU; sparked the Cold War; recommends the US should...
-Stop negotiations with the SU (can't trust them)
Increase in military spending to be able to counter the Soviets and defend our allies globally
-More powerful nuclear weapons (H bombs)
-Increased taxes to find 2 and 3
-Mobilization of America for a long-term conflict - high levels of military spending for a long
time
-Establishment of more military alliances to limit the SU's willingness to expand (SE Asia, Middle
East, Australia, etc.)

-Undermine the Soviets from within - fund groups and people within the SU to help make them
collapse

***10) How did the US integrate Japan and W. Germany into its Cold War alliances? What was
the domino theory? What was the Eisenhower Doctrine?

• -Japan: Japan started functioning as a democracy based on a constitution that was

written largely by US officials.. -Germany: allowed them into NATO to not fall to communism
and to keep them from rising again.
-Domino Theory: if one nation fell to communism they all would eventually fall.

-Eisenhower Doctrine: US willingness to provide support to any ME state if aggressively

threatened

***11) What was the Bay of Pigs Invasion? Why was it launched?

• the CIA has been training about 1,000 of the people who fled Cuba - they will be
inserted into the Bay of Pigs and start a revolution against Fidel Castro (The US doesn't want
communism so close to the US)

***12) What was massive retaliation? Why was it potentially flawed?

• -US threatened to use nuclear weapons anywhere to counter nuclear attack. Side who
struck first would effectively destroy the other

***13) What are ABC democrats? Why did the US adopt this approach? How is Vietnam an
example of this approach?

• -Anything but communism: used this as a basis for containment. believed that
anything is better than communism so it would not rise to power. Vietnam was an example of
this because the US supported Bao Dai as opposed to Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh was much
more credible than Dai. The US also instilled another leader Diem, who was a very strict
authoritarian leader. Eventually, Diem was so detested that the Kennedy administration had to
kill him.

ABC democrats had a political stance that supported anything but communism. Their mentality
was very manipulative due to the fact that they viewed all ideals as either communist or good.
The US adopted this mentality due to the rising fear of communism.
***14) Why did the CIA help overthrow the Iranian Prime Minister in 1953?

• -They favored the shah and wished to denationalize the oil industry/ install
democracy. Too close to communist regime

***15) What was the Liberal Economic International Order? What were its three principle
components? What were the goals of the GATT? IMF? And World Bank?

• -LEIO was a system put into place after world war II to promote free trade among
nations and to discourage protectionist policies that limit economic growth.
-The three parts consist of, free trade under the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT), International Monetary Fund (IMF) Monetary system based on fixed charge rates and
the gold standard, and World Bank which acted as the international lending and aid system.

-Critiques: promoted American economic dominance, and also corporate influences drive US
policy (often stressed by revisionists as the catalyst of the Cold War). US had more voting rights
in the world bank because the US has more capital.

***16) What are critiques of the LIEO?

• LIEO = Liberal International Economic Order; global free trade establishment

-Critics point to rampant abuses of laborers and citizens in the Third World by multinational
corporations, as well as the negative effects on public health caused by privatizing public
utilities. Another criticism can be the dumping of metals and other wastes into the environment
of such nations by corporations. This often effects local environmental heatlh and peoples,
most often by industrial facilities such as factories

***17) What was the Cold War consensus? What were its "three fundamental components"?
How was the President dominant in war powers, covert action, and international
commitments? What is the NSC?

• 1) Presidential dominance over congress

2) Expansion of executive branches on foreign policy (like the CIA)
3) Anti Communist public opinion

During the Cold War period, there was a rise in the dominance of the President over the
Congress in US foreign policy- most importantly regarding the issues of war powers, covert
action, and international commitments. The President, in most circumstances, was one of few
who had the expertise necessary to make quick and calculated decisions, while holding the
power to maintain secrecy. This gave them the ability perform actions such as Truman did
during the Korean War, when he announced a declaration of war without congressional
approval. Truman's basis for this was the UN Security Council measure that read "urgent
military measures..to repel the attack", allowing him to send US troops and "police action" in
order to defend South Korea.
The CIA was crucial in the usage of covert action by the US government. Created by Congress in
the National Security Act of 1947 and the Central Intelligence Act of 1949, the CIA was
authorized to "perform such other functions and duties related to intelligence affecting the
national security" (covert operations). It received outstanding congressional approval, and
often times was given funds by the "black budget" procedure in which they did not have to
record details of its programs and accounts to the rest of the government.

In terms of international commitments, the President used executive agreements instead of

treaties to form relations with other countries. An executive agreement, in contrast to a treaty,
does not require congressional approval and can be done directly by the president. This
furthered the reduction of Congress' role in making foreign policy, and increased the amount of
international commitments overall. The President was allotted more freedom and was able to
make significant military and diplomatic decisions, such as in Guatemala (1947) and China
(1948).

***18) What led to the Bay of Pigs fiasco?

• Kennedy: becomes president in 1960 (vs. Nixon); Democrat; foreign policy issue in his
election = who will be tougher on communism - specifically Cuba and Fidel Castro

Kennedy learns of the Bay of Pigs invasion - the CIA has been training about 1,000 of the people
who fled Cuba - they will be inserted into the Bay of Pigs and start a revolution

***19) What were the dangers of Cold War consensus especially from the media, interest
group, and the public?

• -The media could send out messages to the public which created pressures. For
example, the media could display more info on the Bay of Pigs Invasion but they chose not to.
Also, interest groups would sometimes protest, which could be dangerous. Some of these
groups were very assertive and very anti-communist. Public opinion could be taken too far. For
example, McCarthyism, which spread rapidly and unnecessary fear of communism and finger-
pointing at the state department.

***1) Why did the US lose the Vietnam War? Why was America's loss in the Vietnam War a
failure of America's foreign policy strategy (Be sure to address Power, Peace, Principles, and
Prosperity)?

• -Peace: failed to contain

-Principle: my lai massacre example
-Power: interests at stake were not implemented
-Prosperity: damaged our economy
the US lost the Vietnam War because we underestimated the power of nationalism to motivate
a people, we overestimated the power of technology, and had little public support. US foreign
policy suffered due to the fact that there were many casualties, US credibility was tested, the
war violated the principles of the US because the American public largely disagreed with the
war efforts, and LBJ's guns and butter strategy later caused stagflation.

***2) How did Vietnam shatter the Cold War consensus? Specifically between the President
and Congress? What is the War Powers Resolution? What does it do? How did it attempt to
limit presidential power? What was the Vietnam trauma? How did it affect public opinion?

• -Congress became more assertive and less deferential.

-The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was passed in order to ensure that the President consults
Congress before using presidential war powers. However, this resolution didn't work well due
to its lack of enforceability and ambiguity. Congress also cracked down on the excessive use of
executive agreements.

***3) What is détente? What led to Détente? What are the major components of détente?
What is MAD? SALT? Why are they significant?

• -Nixon's policy; relaxation of tension / containment by other means of the Soviets

-Nixon valued power over principles
-1. Balance Power (create equal power between the US and the Soviets)
2. Satisfaction (making the Soviets satisfied with the international system - stop them from
wanting to challenge the US
-MAD: mutually assured destruction
-SALT: (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks):
Predictable: want to maintain a predictable arms race to avoid overcompensation
Parity: on both sides to ensure mutually assured destruction
Deterrence: lock in nuclear deterrence by preserving mutually assured destruction
Detente: balance nuclear forces
ABM Treaty limits

Freeze on nuclear warheads

***4)Why did détente fail?

• -Failed b/c didn't settle rivalry, distrust, soviet expansion and water expansion

***5) What did Carter emphasize in his foreign policy?

• -He said that any outside attempt to gain control of the Persian Gulf will be regarded
as an assault against the US interests and would be repelled, even with military force if
necessary. His doctrine was more talk than action because he mainly focused on human rights
during his presidency.
***6) What was the Nixon shock? Why was it significant?

• -The US dollar was at its lowest since WW2. There was a suspension of the gold
standard and there was a 10% tariff imposed on imports. It was aimed toward Japan and
Europe.

1) projecting responsibilities on allies to fix their own economic problems

2) LEIO had crumbled with the US abandonment of the gold standard

3) free trade vs. protectionist debate was reopened

***7) What is OPEC? What caused the OPEC shocks of 1973 and 1979? What effect did they
have on America?

• -OPEC:

-US was punished with high oil prices for supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War. 1979 was the
Iranian Revolution-oil prices hiked.

***8) What is the North South conflict? What is the NIEO? What did it call for? How is it
different than the LIEO (Be specific)?

• -Developing/industrialized nations- disparities in wealth. -NIEO: new international

economic order: replaced LIEO, worked to help 3rd world countries and increase raw
materials/international regulation of business

***9) What is fast track authority?

• -Guaranteed all trade agreements in 90 days- no amendments on it

***10) What was Reagan's approach to America's foreign policy in terms of peace, power,
principles, and prosperity? What was the Reagan doctrine? The Weinberg criteria?

• -Peace: achieved by strength

Prosperity: economic growth
Power: rollback theory
Principles: ?

*The Reagan Doctrine* was a strategy orchestrated and implemented by the United States
under the Reagan Administration to oppose the global influence of the Soviet Union during the
final years of the Cold War. While the doctrine lasted less than a decade, it was the centerpiece
of United States foreign policy from the early 1980s until the end of the Cold War in 1991.
Under the Reagan Doctrine, the U.S. provided overt and covert aid to anti-communist guerrillas
and resistance movements in an effort to "roll back" Soviet-backed communist governments in
Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The doctrine was designed to diminish Soviet influence in these
regions as part of the administration's overall Cold War strategy.

*Weinberg Criteria*: The United States should not commit forces to combat unless the vital
national interests of the United States or its allies are involved.
U.S. troops should only be committed wholeheartedly and with the clear intention of winning.
Otherwise, troops should not be committed.
U.S. combat troops should be committed only with clearly defined political and military
objectives and with the capacity to accomplish those objectives.
The relationship between the objectives and the size and composition of the forces committed
should be continually reassessed and adjusted if necessary.
U.S. troops should not be committed to battle without a "reasonable assurance" of the support
of U.S. public opinion and Congress.

The commitment of U.S. troops should be considered only as a last resort.

***11) What was Reagan's policy towards Nicaragua?

•?

***12) What was the Iran Contra Scandal? What happened? Why was it illegal?

•?

***13) What problems prevented the War Powers Resolution from being successful? How is
the language of the War Powers Resolution ambiguous?

• -The War Powers Resolution of 1973 (50 U.S.C. 1541-1548)[1] is a federal law intended
to check the President's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the
consent of Congress. The resolution was adopted in the form of a United States Congress joint
resolution; this provides that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only
by authorization of Congress or in case of "a national emergency created by attack upon the
United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces."

Because the Constitution limits the President's authority in the use of force without a
declaration of war by Congress, there is controversy as to whether the provisions of the
resolution are consistent with the Constitution. Presidents have therefore drafted reports to
Congress required of the President to state that they are "consistent with" the War Powers
Resolution rather than "pursuant to" so as to take into account the presidential position that
the resolution is unconstitutional.

-ambiguity in power to "make war" and declare war, as well as provide and maintain

***14) What is the US triumphalism theory of why the Cold War ended peacefully? How does it
explain the peaceful end of the Cold War?
 • -The triumphalist argument held that the Cold War policies of the United States and its
allies had been necessary to contain communism and that they had proven spectacularly
successful.

Despite the violence of the era, some viewed the Cold War as a "long peace," because, in fact,
the superpowers had not gone to war. One scholar went so far as to assert that the end of the
Cold War marked the "end of history" insofar as democratic politics and capitalism soon would
be embraced by everyone

***15) What are Revisionist and Gorbachev leadership theories of why the Cold War ended
peacefully (Be sure to know all of them)? How do they explain the peaceful end of the Cold
War?

•?

***1) Who is the Secretary of Homeland Security?

• Jeh Johnson

***National Security Advisor?

• Susan Rice

***Secretary of State?

• John Kerry

***Secretary of Defense?

• Ashton Carter

***Director of National Intelligence?

• James Clapper

***2) Who is the Secretary General of the United Nations?

• Ban Ki-Moon

***3) Who is the President of Iran?

• -Hassan Rouhani

***Who is the President of Syria?

• Bashar Al-Assad
***4) Who is the Prime Minister of Israel?

• -Benjamin Netanyahu

***Who is the President of the Palestinian Authority?

• -Mahmoud Abbas

***5) Who is the President of Russia?

• -Vladimir Putin

***President of China?

• -Xi Jinping

***6) Who is ISIS? What are they currently doing in Iraq and Syria? Why are they seen as a
threat to the US?

• -Islamic State of Iraq and Syria; used to be al Qaeda in Iraq

-Wants complete failure of the govt in Iraq and Syria; expansionist Islamic ideology
-Wants to shoot a long-term holy war to get Western influence out of the middle east; nucleus
of global Islamic empire
-Kill anyone who poses a threat towards their empire
-"revolutionary movement that uses terrorism to impose their will"
-ISIS carved out a sanctuary in Syria after the beginning of the Syrian rebellion in 2011. Many of
its members belong to Sunni Arab tribes that straddle the Iraq-Syrian border. It has launched
attacks in Jordan, Lebanon and seeks to attack Israel, which it has pledged to destroy. Although
its ideology is repellent to many Muslims, it has exploited the sectarian civil wars in Iraq and
Syria to advance its own power.

-ISIS leader Baghdadi threatened to launch attacks in the "heart" of America in 2012. ISIS has
been recruiting foreign Islamist militants, including Americans and Europeans, who have
flocked to the jihad in Syria. These recruits pose a potential threat to Americans abroad and to
the U.S. homeland. Unfortunately, ISIS is on the verge of creating a huge terrorist sanctuary in
western Iraq and eastern Syria, which will be a greater threat to the U.S. and its allies than
Afghanistan was before 9/11.

***7) What is US policy towards ISIS?

• The US is in combat with ISIS - we have recently participated in airstrikes and aim to
take down ISIS strongholds

***8) What started the civil war in Syria? What did recent US-Russia agreement on Syria do /
call for?
 • -Syria's conflict has devolved from peaceful protests against the government
(specifically Assad) in 2011 to a violent insurgency that has drawn in numerous other countries.
It's partly a civil war of government against people; partly a religious war pitting Assad's
minority Alawite sect against Sunni rebel groups; and increasingly a proxy war featuring Russia
and Iran against the United States and its allies.

-The plan starts with a seven-day continuous "genuine reduction of violence," in Mr. Kerry's
words, and broad, unrestricted humanitarian access to the ravaged northern city of Aleppo and
other besieged areas. The United States and Russia are to establish a Joint Implementation
Center, where they will share targeting data, and begin to coordinate bombing of militants of
the Nusra Front and the Islamic State. The key element is that Russia must then restrain the
forces of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria from conducting any air operations over areas held
by Nusra and other opposition forces. The United States hopes this will end the indiscriminate
dropping of barrel bombs — including chlorine gas attacks — that have punctuated the conflict.
In return, the United States is to persuade the opposition groups it has been supporting to
separate themselves from the Nusra forces. Mr. Assad has attacked many of them on the
pretense of attacking Nusra fighters.

***9) What has North Korea recently done that led to condemnation by the US, Japan, and
South Korea?

• Nuclear testing

***What is international institutionalism?

• International institutionalism is an idea that emphasizes the possibility and the value
of international institutions and other forms of cooperation for reducing the chances of war
and conflict. It is a vision that cooperation between countries through international institutions,
such as the United Nations and other organizations, can serve the national interests of many
nations including the United States. The goal of international institutionalism is to create a
system of international organizations that create cooperation to settle disputes, help countries
work together for mutual benefits, and avoid war. International institutionalists argue that
cooperation is a rational way to reduce risks and make economic and political gains for all
nations. They put a strong emphasis on diplomatic action over military action and other
coercive means of power. They believe that diplomatic institutions are the key in facilitating
cooperation. In Chapter 1 (13-14), Jentleson identifies five principle types of international
institutions.
1) Global- such as The United Nations
2) Economic- such as The World Bank
3) International Legal- such as The World Court
4) Policy Area- such as the World Health Initiative and other issue specific institutions

5) Regional- Such as the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe

***