cold war and foreign policy id's Flashcards
Eisenhower’s New Look
Who: Dwight Eisenhower
What: A new forge in policy that was an extension to the containment policy of Truman. Focused on the use of nuclear weapons and was intended as a way for the United States to meet its Cold War military obligations without putting too much strain on the country’s economy. committed the US to a smaller army and navy and built up the air force and nuclear arsenals. Used CIA for covert operations
Where: US, 1953-1961
Sig: It lead to the idea behind mutually assured destruction, this then lead to the US-Soviet summits. US having more nuclear weapons under their possession. It caused an imbalance within the military branches as well as complaints for its effectiveness as it did not prevent the spread of communism other countries as well as not stopping the Soviet Union at all
NORAD
Who: U.S. (eisenhower) and Canada
What: NORAD is a binational defense organization that provides advance warning of missile and air attacks on the US and Canada. It also protects the sovereignty of airspace in North America and maintains an airborne force to be used in the event of an attack.
Where: Headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, 1958
Significance: NORAD remains the first line of defense against an air attack, by any nation, on North America. It continues to evolve today to meet changing threats. Result of Eisenhower’s new look policy
United Fruit Company
Who: Allen Dulles (board of directors of UFCO), John Dulles (secretary of state), Dwight Eisenhower, Jacobo Arbenz (President of Guatemala)
What: Largest landowner and employer in Guatemala. This was American owned and monopolized on the production of bananas. Company run by the Dulles brothers, made 2x the $$ as the Guatemalan government. Owned many railways, ports and utilities. A lot of collision between US and UFCO
Where: Guatemala & U.S. 1953
Sig: Undervalued their land’s worth so they had to pay very few taxes. Uncultivated land was taken and nationalized by Guatemala this lead to Arbenz to enact the aggression bill in Guatemala. US accused Arbenz of not stopping a communist and speculated that he was a communist.
Mann Doctrine
Who: Thomas Mann, Lyndon B. Johnson administration
What: Foreign policy focussing on economic growth and the opposition of communism mostly in Latin America countries. Protection of US private investments; stability before democracy
Where: U.S., Latin America, Caribbean, March 1964
SIG: It promoted stability over democracy and protected U.S. private investments in the region. Johnson’s forge in policy (including the mann doctrine) was beneficial for the US but didn’t have as much of an impact on all other countries
JFK and and Flexible Response
Who: John F. Kennedy - elected president of the US in 1960
What: Foreign policy that developed during the Kennedy administration. The flexible response allowed for more non military and military responses to the USSR attacks rather than focusing on the use of nuclear weapons. Still kept nuclear weapons as a last resort.
Where: US, 1961-1963
Sig: Replaced the “new look” policy plan from Eisenhower. Avoided massive nuclear warfare during the Cuban missile crisis and was considered to be a success.
The Alliance for Progress
Who: JFK
What: Kennedy wanted stability and prosperity, hoping
for the elimination of Marxist appeal and nurture
democracy. After act of Bogota, US assisted Latin America
with $500 million; made 10-year plan with the
goals to: Increase per capita income, diversify trade, industrialize + increase employment, bring about price stability, eliminate adult illiteracy, bring about social reform
Where: US, Latin America, March 1961
Sig: While financial assistance to Latin America increased, the alliance for progress eventually failed due to a couple of main problems. Change would take too long to achieve.
Money amounted to only $10 per person, no permanent social change: goal was overly ambitious, not specific enough, coups forced JFK to back down towards dictatorships, Marxist regimes and dictatorships became
more dominant. Minimal/ non-existent change in the lives of Latin Americans
The Peace Corps
Who: JFK and college students.
What: An organization established by JFK in which students would travel to third-world-countries to contribute towards social change. Their official mission: to provide social and economic development abroad through technical assistance, promoting mutual understanding between Americans and populations served
Where: Involved USA and other countries zoned in Asia, Africa and Latin America, Sept. 1961
Sig: continues to help 3rd-world-countries today. Also leads to a shift in U.S.A. Cold War policies as government attempted to stay clear of nuclear war. Peace corps also helped the peoples of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. promoted a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served
Panama Canal Treaties
Who: Omar Torrijos (panama leader) Jimmy Carter (US president)
What: Carter believed that the canal negotiations would help Panama’s economic struggle and improve hemispheric relations. Many Americans opposed the treaty due to the money spent on the canal – Panama then received control of the canal from the first treaty that gave Panama control of Canal on 12/31/99, with joint control in the interim period. The second treaty emphasized that the Canal was not to be closed off for countries during war.
Where: Panama and US, 1977
Sig: The treaties guaranteed that Panama would regain control over the canal by 1999, increased trade, made the US look selfless, helped move US troops by ship, improved hemispheric relations and now Panama is economically stable
The Dirty War in Argentina and Carter’s Response
Who: Military Junta, Jorge Videla, Jimmy Carter - US president in 1977-81
What: A military junta took over Argentina in 1976 and for the next six years innocent people and opponents were “disappeared”. As a result President Carter stopped the US from sending aid and troops towards Argentina.
Where: Argentina and US, 1976-83
Sig: Carter was restricted by the US government. They wanted to focus on anti communism rather than human rights. Carter cut off all aid to Argentina so that the Argentina government would collapse. The human rights policy failed in Argentina and the Dirty War ended when Raul Alfonsin’s civilian government took over the country.
