The Evolution of U.S. Policy

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The Evolution of U.S. Policy
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Foreign Policy

• a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an
  enigma
  
• - Winston Churchill (describing Soviet foreign
  policy)

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Overview

• Definitions
• Foreign Policy 1776 - 1950
• Isolationism thru Containment
• Deterrent Strategies 1950-89
• Massive Retaliation thru Contemporary
  Containment
  
• Foreign Policy (1989 - ?)
• Post Containment Era
• Preemptive Strike

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US Foreign Policy

• The goals and guidelines that shape the
• conduct of American relations with
• other countries.

How countries interact
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US National Security Policy

• Guidelines for the protection of the nations
  people and territories against physical assault,
  and protection of vital economic and political
  interests, the loss of which could threaten
  fundamental values and the vitality of the
  nation.

How countries interact militarily
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• NATIONAL SECURITY
• FOREIGN POLICY

NATIONAL POLICY

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FOREIGN POLICIES

• Isolationism
• Imperialism
• Pacifism
• UN Cooperation
• Containment
• Deterrent Strategies
• Post-Containment Era

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ISOLATIONISM (1796)

• New nation
• Still in turmoil internally
• Physical separation
• No phones, no lights, no motorcars...
• Neutrality Non-Entanglement
• Europe in violent times
• Very dependable on European trade

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IMPERIALISM (1893)

• Social Darwinism (by Europe)
• Colonialism
• US expanded overseas
• Guam, Philippines, Puerto Rico
• Panama Canal
• Monroe Doctrine Roosevelt Corollary
• Moral right obligation to intervene in Latin
  America to protect/restore American interests
  
• i.e. Haiti (1916/1994), Bay of Pigs (1961),
  Grenada (1983), Panama (1989)

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1914-1918

• World War I
• 10 million people lost their lives!
• War to end all wars

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PACIFISM (Post WWI)

• US emerged as worlds most respected country
• Treaty of Versailles
• Sought to punish Germany
• League of Nations
• Neutrality acts / Peace societies
• US cut many ties to Europe

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Setting the stage for WWII.....

• Harsh reparations on Germany
• Great Depression
• Lack of treaty enforcement
• Lack of political will

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UN COOPERATION (Post WWII)

• Had full political backing of US and USSR
• Stressed open communication among nations
• But, during this same period...

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Communist Expansion

• Soviet Union
• Poland, Baltics, Eastern European bloc
• Instigated communist rebellions elsewhere
• China falls to Communism
• Serious blow to US relations

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Communist Expansion

• Reasons for expansion
• Communist doctrine
• Capitalist pigs
• World War II
• Chinas government had poor admin control

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• Let every nation know that we shall pay any
  price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
  support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the
  survival and success of liberty
• - President J. F. Kennedy inaugural address 1961

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CONTAINMENT

• US had to stop Soviet expansion
• Marshall Plan (1947)
• Berlin Airlift (1948)
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949)
• Significantly rebuilt Europe
• Countries able to resist commie expansion
• Korea
• Third World nation stalemated us!
• Altered US foreign policy.

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Massive Retaliation

• Focus on technological and strategic superiority
• Use nuclear weapons at a time place of our
  choosing
  
• Launch of Sputnik in 1957
• America shocked
• Americas age of innocence was over
• America changed its deterrent policy once
  again...

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Graduated Response

• Soviet military capabilities (vs population)
• Expanded alliances in Pacific region
• ANZUS Pact (1951)
• Japan (1954)
• Tactical nuclear weapons
• Countered being outnumbered conventionally
• Main reason USSR kept in check?
• Support SE Asia from communism

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Flexible Response

• Restructure conventional forces
• Green Berets and Dual Basing
• Reconstruct airlift and sealift
• Mutual Assured Destruction
• No one wins...

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• the United States will participate in the
  defense and development of allies and friends,
  butAmerica cannot -and will not- conceive all
  plans, design all programs, execute all the
  decisions and undertake all the defense of the
  free nations of the world
• - President Richard Nixon
• Feb 18, 1970

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Realistic Deterrence /Nixon Doctrine

• Essential Equivalence basic nuclear strategy
• Soviet nukes bigger and outnumbered ours, but
  ours more accurate
  
• Total Force concept to policy
• Active duty, National Guard, Reserves
• Security Assistance Program
• Trained nations to fight, loans, foreign aid

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Contemporary Containment/ Reagan Doctrine (1981)

• More outspoken about dislike of commies and USSR
• Evil Empire
• Military rebuilt
• Increased pay raises
• New weapon systems
• Security Assistance Programs increased
• Allies shouldered more responsibility for own
  defense

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World started to change in 1989

• Warsaw Pact crumbling
• Berlin Wall coming down
• Countries asserting independence from USSR.

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Post Containment Era / A Strategy of Engagement

• To enhance Americas security
• To bolster Americas economic prosperity
• To promote democracy and human rights abroad

National Security Strategy for a New Century
Dec 1999
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At this moment in history, the U.S. is called
upon to lead-to marshal the forces of freedom and
progressto reinforce our democratic ideas and
valuesto enhance American security and global
peace. We owe it to our children and
grandchildren tobuild a better and safer
world. President William J. Clinton December
1999

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Where are we headed in the 21st century?

• President Bushs Pre-emptive Strike Doctrine
• Signals a new focus by the US on security
• Our Nations cause has always been larger than
  our Nations defense. We fight, as we always
  fight, for a just peacea peace that favors
  liberty. We will defend the peace against the
  threats from terrorists and tyrants. We will
  preserve the peace by building good relations
  among the great powers. And we will extend the
  peace by encouraging free and open societies on
  every continent.
• President Bush
• West Point, New York
• June 1, 2002

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Summary

• Definitions
• - Foreign Policy
• - National Security
• Foreign Policies
• Deterrent Strategies

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Summary (Foreign Policies)

• Isolationism
• Neutrality Non-Entanglement
• Imperialism
• Expansion overseas (west CONUS, Pacific,
  Caribbean)
  
• Pacifism
• Disarmament by example avoid conflict
• UN Cooperation
• Countries working together, better comm avoid
  future wars
  
• Containment
• Marshall plan foreign aid for defeated foes
• Post-Containment
• Security economy democracy human rights

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Summary (Deterrent Strategies)

• Massive Retaliation
• attention on nuclear arsenal total destruction
• Graduated Response
• massive attack not credible concentrate on
  tactical nukes
  
• Flexible Response
• concentrate on conventional forces
  airlift/sealift capabilities
  
• Realistic Deterrence
• started Security Assistance Programs weapons
  more accurate drawdowns
  
• Contemporary Containment
• increased defense spending emphasized Security
  Assistance Program to assist countries in
  resisting communism
  
• Preemptive Strike

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The Evolution of U.S. Policy