Overview: Focus on U.S. foreign policy from the end of the Cold War to the ongoing fight against terrorism.
TESTED BENCHMARKS
SS.912.A.7.10: Analyze the significance of Vietnam and Watergate.
SS.912.A.7.11: Analyze U.S. foreign policy in regions including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
SS.912.A.7.12: Examine political, economic, and social concerns at the end of the 20th century.
SS.912.A.7.14: Review U.S. role in the global economy.
SS.912.A.7.15: Analyze effects of terrorism on the American populace.
KEY TERMS
Détente, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Watergate, Reagan Doctrine, Bosnia, Kosovo, Terrorism, Apartheid, Glasnost, NAFTA, September 11, 2001, OPEC, Perestroika, Election of 2000, Al-Qaeda, Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jihad, Taliban, Panama Canal Treaty, Iran-Contra Affair, Osama bin Laden, Camp David Accords, George H.W. Bush, Iraq War, Iranian Revolution, Persian Gulf War, Barack Obama, Iran-Contra Crisis, Saddam Hussein, Globalization, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), World Trade Organization (WTO).
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PRESIDENCY
Foreign policy is a key part of presidential agendas.
Varied approaches include cooperation with the U.N. and individualistic strategies.
Some presidents aimed to exemplify democracy in foreign nations.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – RICHARD NIXON
Initiated détente with China and the Soviet Union.
Signed Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT).
Played a role in the Chilean coup of Salvador Allende, prioritized U.S. interests abroad.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – GERALD FORD
Successor after Nixon's resignation; faced Middle East oil crisis.
Helsinki Accords: Key agreements recognizing European borders and promoting human rights.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – JIMMY CARTER
Emphasized morality in foreign policy; notable for Camp David Accords.
Cut grain sales to the Soviet Union in response to the invasion of Afghanistan.
Experienced the Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis.
THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION AND HOSTAGE CRISIS
Overthrew the Shah, leading to Iran becoming an Islamic Republic.
Hostage crisis ensued following the U.S. assistance to the Shah.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – RONALD REAGAN
Promoted a robust anti-communist policy known as the Reagan Doctrine.
Engaged in the Iran-Contra Affair, which created domestic backlash.
END OF THE COLD WAR
Gorbachev's reforms of glasnost and perestroika initiated a thaw in U.S.-Soviet relations.
Official collapse of the Soviet Union marked a significant turning point.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 symbolized the end of the Cold War.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – GEORGE H. W. BUSH
Addressed Apartheid in South Africa and led the Persian Gulf War to liberate Kuwait.
Emphasized a humanitarian approach to foreign policy post-Cold War.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – BILL CLINTON
Focused on interventions in conflicts with humanitarian reasons (Bosnia, Kosovo).
Initiated NAFTA and further integrated the global economy.
IMPEACHMENT OF BILL CLINTON
Faced impeachment due to perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from personal scandals.
ELECTION OF 2000 - GEORGE W. BUSH VS. AL GORE
Highly contested with Supreme Court intervention in recount process.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – GEORGE W. BUSH
Shifted focus to terrorism after 9/11 attacks, leading to the War on Terror against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Launched the Iraq War based on mistaken beliefs about weapons of mass destruction.
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY – BARACK OBAMA
Promised to end the Iraq War while overseeing the mission to eliminate Osama bin Laden.
Faced challenges from the Arab Spring and rising ISIS threats.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE AHEAD - GLOBALIZATION
U.S. policies continue to impact global events with concerns over labor outsourcing and international trade.
The global economy presents challenges for American jobs.