33.4 Changes in American Foreign Policy

Lesson Objective: To understand the end of the Cold War and the emergence of a global economy

Essential Questions: What role did America play in the new world order?

Key Terms

• Mikhail Gorbachev• INF Treaty• Glasnot• Perestroika • Commonwealth of Independent Nations• Tiananmen Square• Sandinista• Contras• Operation Desert Storm

Key Dates• 1979- Sandinistas come to power in Nicaragua• 1983- U.S. invasion of Grenada • 1985- Mikhail Gorbachev becomes leader of Soviet

Communist Party• 1987- Iran-Contra scandal hearings• 1988- INF Treaty is ratified• 1989- U.S. invasion of Panama • August 1991- Coup against Gorbachev fails- Communist

Party outlawed• December 1991- Soviet Union dissolves• April-June 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests • January 16, 1991- Operation Desert Storm begins

The End of the Cold War

• Mikhail Gorbachev became secretary general of Communist Party in 1985– Instituted two reforms in Soviet Union• Glasnot- define• Perestroika- define

• Negotiated INF Treaty (Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty) signed 1987- ratified 1988– Eliminated two kinds of weapons systems and allowed

inspections of nuclear sites• Ended censorship and held free elections

Mikhail Gorbachev

Soviet Disunion

• Elections caused considerable political strife in Soviet Union– Soviet republics began to break away from Russia

• Communist coup against Gorbachev- fails after 3 days – Communist party is banned from participation of government – Non-Russian soviet states declared independence– Satellite nations left to fend for themselves

• Former Soviet states form Commonwealth of Independent Nations- CIS – Was not a strong alliance

Country Unique Actions Taken

Russia & The Soviet Union

Germany and Poland• Gorbachev advises Eastern European nations to

move towards democracy and remove soviet troops from these nations

• Poland quickly moves to democracy and free-market economy– Formerly outlawed solidarity party wins first free

elections• East Germany – Opens Berlin Wall in November 1989 – Holds first free elections– October 3rd 1990 Germany reunifies

Country Unique Actions Taken

Poland

Germany

Eastern Europe • Czechoslovakia, Baltic States, Hungry, Romania, and

Bulgaria all left Soviet Bloc• Made democratic and free market reforms– Yugoslavia collapsed • Resulted in ethnic strife and warfare • Catholics vs. Orthodox vs. Muslims• Continued into 1990s required US/ NATO involvement

• Democracy and Capitalism spread through these nations and benefited US interests

• Where is one place in the world today that this is being challenged?

Country Unique Actions Taken

Eastern Europe

China • Began to reform economy, but not politics, during

1980s• In April 1989 Protest movement led by students

quickly grows into large demonstrations in Tiananmen Square

• Chinese Premier orders military to stop demonstrations- 100s are killed

• Effect: China continues economic reforms- still no political liberalization

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeFzeNAHEhU

Country Unique Actions Taken

China

Country Unique Actions Taken

What were the similarities? The differences

Nicaragua

• Sandinistas took power in 1979– Carter recognized government and gave Billions in aid to

them- as well as U.S.S.R. and Cuba • Reagan decides Sandinistas are Communist and backs

there opposition the Contras• Reagan sends financial and military aid to the Contras-

by 1983 Contra army is 10,000 strong– All done without congressional approval

• Congress passes Boland Amendment which banned all military aid to the Contras– Reagan administration finds way around it

• Will lead to the Iran-Contra Scandal

Iran-Contra Scandal• Hezbollah took American hostages in Lebanon– Hezbollah funded by Iran

• Reagan condemns Iran publicly – calls for Western Nations to stop selling Iran weapons for

their war against Iraq• Secretly sells Iran weapons in exchange for release

of the hostages– Uses the profits from these illegal arms sales to fund the

Contras in Nicaragua • So?– Violates Regan's public policy and a Congressional Act!

Iran-Contra Cont.• November 1986 this operation is made public• “I am deeply troubled that the implementation of a policy aimed at resolving a

truly tragic situation in the middle East has resulted in such controversy. As I’ve stated previously, I believe that our policy goals towards Iran were well founded.” – Ronal Reagan

• Summer of 1987 Congress begins investigations– Hearings are to be televised

• Reagan staffer Lt. Col. Oliver North testifies to congress –North had played a key role in planning the operation– Wears military uniform, has many awards- appears as a war hero-

Talks a lot about patriotism and love of country• Reagan does take full responsibility- many documents are

shredded• Those staffers that were indicted were pardoned by Bush in

1992

Grenada & Panama • Grenada- 1983– Tiny island nation in the Caribbean– Reagan sent in US Marines to overthrow a pro-Cuban

government – 18 US soldiers killed

• Panama- 1989– President Bush sends in over 20,000 troops to arrest

General Manuel Noriega for drug trafficking – Noriega was given 40 years in prison by Miami court

Grenada Panama Nicaragua

• Discuss:• Were Reagan and Bush’s actions

“Yankee Imperialism” or smart foreign policy?

Operation Desert Storm• August 2, 1990- Iraq invades Kuwait– Iraqi troops moved towards Saudi Arabia• If they conquered the Saudis- Iraq would control 50% of

Oil surprise

• Started with an air assault in January 16, 1991- land forces invade February 23. – February 28- President Bush announces cease-fire

• Only 400 U.N. Casualties – 100,000 Iraqis– Most Iraqi casualties were civilians

America’s New Foreign Policy

Pro-intervention• As world’s only super power

we have responsibility to rest of the world

• Must step into regional conflicts to protect civilians and American interests

• What are some places we have intervened in recently?

Anti- intervention• Intervention in regional

conflicts is a waste of resources

• Puts Americans in harms way and dangerous situations

• Generally do not work and do not address the underlying issues of the conflict

Where do you stand?

Quiz 33.4• Who became general secretary of the Communist

Party in 1986?• System of economic reforms instituted in the Soviet

Union.• Rebel group supported by Reagan in Nicaragua.• Which Lt. Col. famously testified to Congress on the

Iran-Contra Scandal?• Launched to liberate Kuwait from Iraq.