Carter (Foreign Policy)

Question 1

Human Rights

Answer 1

Military and economic aid were suspended to Chile El Salvador Nicaragua as part of the policy
-Carter was accused of hypocrisy and not pushing for harder human rights and soviet union and China

Question 2

China

Answer 2

Carter continued the work of Nixon by formally recognising the communist regime in China
Recognising China required severing ties with Taiwan
-Carter revoke the 1955 Mutual defence treaty with Taiwan but was challenged in court by Conservative Republicans.
-Carter was recognition of China reduce tension in Asia allowing trade relations to flourish
-Congress passed the Taiwan relations act which Created an American Institute in Taiwan staffed by retired US diplomats.
The pretense annoyed the Chinese but Increasing trade with China was enough to modify both sides

Question 3

USSR

Answer 3

Ford and Kissinger continued Nixon’s goals of Detente with the USSR.
Helsinki accords :
The west recognised legitimacy of East Germany
-There would be more trade and more cooperation in scientific and technological endeavours. Free exchange of people and ideas between the Soviet block and the worst.

Question 4

Crises in the Middle East

Answer 4

-Truman’s recognition of the state of Israel in 1948 committed the US to the defence of Israel and antagonising its Arab Neighbours.

Arab-Israeli war

Camp David accords:
Yom Kippur war 1973 Israel was still occupying Egyptian territory Sinai peninsula. Carter invited Israel’s Prime Minister and Egypt president to camp David with Carter and reached a historic agreement:
-Israel withdraw from the Sinai peninsula
-Israel and Egypt would recognise each other government and sign a peace treaty
-Israel to negotiate with Palestinians for peace

Question 5

Iran

Answer 5

Carter allowed the shah of Iran to be treated for cancer in the US which outraged of the super extreme religious leader
-islamic student militance took control of the American embassy and took 66 American hostages demanding the shah’s return.
Carter was faced with a foreign policy. Disaster negotiating would make him look weak attacking Iran would potentially provoke further resentment in the Middle East and risk the death of the hostages.
News station ran continuous footage of Iranian chanting death to America.
-Carter tried freezing billions of dollars of Iranian assets in the US and tried secret negotiations but by day 88 of the siege, his chances in the upcoming election was sweeping away.
Carter approved of secret military in action to free the hostages using helicopters however the helicopters crashed.
-hostages were split up around the country to prevent a second attempt
-Carter was doomed and Reagan’s campaign situated around the president weakness

Question 6

Afghanistan

Answer 6

Soviet invaded Afghanistan in favour of a more moderate faction.
Invasion took many by surprise and it was the first time Soviet troops had been outside Eastern Europe since 1945
-Carter was encouraged to issue embargo on grain sales to the USSR and boycotted the 1980s summer Olympic Games by American athletes
-Much of the public considered Carter policy to punitive on athletes rather than on Soviet leaders reinforcing his weak image