Identification Terms American Foreign Policy

Isolationism

Fear of war, interest of nation to develop a policy of self sufficiency

Manifest Destiny

A belief that the US was destined for greatness, blessed by God, and drive to expand until domination of the continent

Andrew Carnegie

Steel tycoon, protectionis, run hard sell cheap, manipulated market for gain, his steel built the Navy

John D Rockefeller

Oil tycoon, protectionist, expansion into new markets, his oil fueled the Navy, benefits from colonies without paying for them

Protectionism

Protection of domestic economy via tariffs in order to allow nascent industries to grow (Standard Oil, US Steel)

Triumphant Democracy

Written by Carnegie, capitalism creates democracy, avoid colonial empire

Captain Mahan

Argued that we needed to build a strong Navy, derived from history, ocean is the great common area of the world, protect our economic interests

Big Stick Diplomacy

Use force to open world markets and compete with economic rivals

Open Door Policy

All states should have access to Chinese markets, connected military intervention with economic openness

Three Factors Leading to WWII

-Severe punishment for Germany creating nationalist fervor (used by fascists)

-International instability due to depression

-American isolationism leaving room for hyper nationalists

Bretton Woods

IMF stabilizing currencies through loans, World Bank providing developmental loans, GATT lowering tariffs to open trade, reinforced the US as economic hegemon

UN Security Council

World policemen creating a monopoly of force through burden sharing, US, USSR, UK, France, and China

War is a Business, Not an Art

Over production of military equipment and technology creating optimal conditions for winning war, not strategy

Churchill/Iron Curtain

Quote in which Churchill argues for the Cold War in order to scare Americans into action

Marshall Plan

Fix world economies through aid in order to create markets for US economic expansion and also prevent Soviet influence

Containment

Based off of “Long Telegram” by George Kennan, argued that we need to understand Soviet motivations, passive containment of Soviets, they will fall by themselves, avoided WWIII, relatively cheap, America as leader of free world, escalated threats of nuclear annihilation, set up Vietnam 

Three Sources of Soviet Conduct

According to Kennan, conflict between socialism and capitalism inherent, infallibility of Soviet leadership, Soviet foreign policy was restrained 

5 Recommendations of NSC-68

Nitze argued that Kennan was too cautious, US needs to actively go after Soviets

-Diplomacy was not effective as it fed Soviet propaganda

-Expand conventional and nuclear capabilities

-Mobilize public opinion to pay costs

-Strengthen alliance commitments

-Make Russian public our allies/promote revolution

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Increased presidential power to authorize war, reaffirmed commitment to SEATO (Asian NATO), calmed fears of the PRC and USSR

Kissinger’s Realpolitik

Suggest you are able to do things the other side isn't willing to risk, recognize USSR to make them see a value in a relationship with the USSR

Four Elements of Detente

Acknowledge the USSR as a great power, legitimate USSR’s sphere of influence, create a web of incentives to connect the US and USSR, elevate through a code of conduct to give the USSR something they don’t want to lose

Khrushchev’s Secret Speech

Solidify control by undercutting Stalinism, bringing up purges, rejecting fear of capitalism, supporting peaceful coexistence, went against NSC-68

Lessons of Gulf War

Proved efficacy of air power due to new technologies and when combined with ground forces, Weinberger-Powell proved correct, Shultz and Neo-Conservatives proved correct, media and public diplomacy going hand in hand (benefit of CNN as tool to decrease resistance)

Restraint

Stability through easing fears of hegemonic domination, use of military in restrained ways, used in Germany, Somalia, and Balkans to try to show world the US was the good guy, failed to end Iraqi threat, left power vacuums encouraging extremists, inappropriate for new wars and civil conflicts

Vulcans

Neoconservative advisors who pushed for a proactive stance in world affairs, power is most effective before your opponent is strong enough to harm you, part of Bush Jr administration

Problems of Bush Doctrine

Unilateralism promoted threat inflation, any threat was treated as an existential threat aka 1% Doctrine, democratization cannot be imposed from the outside without significant cost aka Afghanistan

Primacy

Power is less important than legitimacy, ability to act unilaterally, allows you to write rules of game, US seen as creator of world instability, globalization driving terrorism, ultranationalism, and transnational crime, incentivizes rogue actors to attack you, creates domestic paranoia

Three Forms of Grand Strategy in Primacy

Liberal Hegemon relating to reinforcing the LIO, opening markets, and expanding democratization efforts (beacon on the hill), and Modern Restrainers who argue risk of misperception is too high so we should go back to restraint and withdraw, Primacists who want to use force to keep power

Empire Built on Sand

US power is built on wildly out of control debt which is controlled by other states who can use it to coerce the US

Command

Power coming from command of the commons, built on economic inducements and military sticks