Kennedy to Carter: US Foreign Policy in Latin America 1961-1981 (copy for austin)
Chapter 7: From Kennedy to Carter: US Foreign Policy in Latin America (1961-1981)
Detailed notes focusing on US relations and foreign policy in Latin America during the Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Carter administrations.
Overview of U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America
Key Questions:
How successful were Kennedy's Latin American policies?
What implications did Johnson's policies have?
Was the USA losing control of the Western hemisphere in the mid-1970s?
What were the implications of Carter's policies for Latin America?
President Kennedy and Latin America
Success of Kennedy's Policies
1960 Election: Kennedy versus Nixon; Kennedy criticized Eisenhower's Cold War strategies.
Inaugural Address: Promised vigorous Cold War efforts to support liberty worldwide.
Focus on the Third World: Initiatives aimed at modernizing and democratizing Latin America's developing economies.
Alliance for Progress
November 1961 Announcement: $20 billion promise for social change in Latin America.
Goals: Increased housing, jobs, healthcare, schools, land reform, tax reform, and strong democratic governments.
Latin American Participation: All countries except Cuba participated.
Achievements of the Alliance
Concrete Successes:
Housing programs in Peru and Brazil.
In Chile, President Alessandri embraced the Alliance, improving education and housing.
Mixed Results
Colombia: New schools were built, but economic troubles persisted, leading to increased dependence on the USA.
Criticism: Projects were viewed as arrogant; resentment grew towards perceived US imperialism.
Failures of the Alliance
Shortcomings:
By 1963, economic outcomes were modest; economic inequality persisted.
Many Latin American nations lacked political stability, resulting in military coups.
Bureaucratic Challenges: Conflicts within U.S. administration hindered the effectiveness of the Alliance.
Corruption: Elites mismanaged or diverted aid; land redistributions faced opposition from wealthy landowners.
Impact of Kennedy's Policies
Key Events
Cuban Affair:
Initial support for Castro turned to opposition.
Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961): Failed CIA plan to oust Castro increased tensions with Cuba and enhanced Castro's position.
Cuban Missiles Crisis (1962): Heightened Cold War pressures prompted direct confrontation with the USSR but ultimately forced negotiation and established hotline communication.
President Johnson's Policies
Implications Following Kennedy
Focus on Stability: Under Johnson, emphasis shifted away from the Alliance for Progress towards maintaining political stability and supporting military regimes.
Dominican Republic Invasion (1965): Justified under the Johnson Doctrine to prevent another Cuba.
Critics viewed intervention as an infringement on national sovereignty and a failure of the OAS.
Nixon and Loss of Control in the Western Hemisphere
Change in Strategy
Rockefeller Report: suggested the USA needed more tolerance for authoritarian regimes in Latin America.
Opposition to Allende in Chile: Nixon aimed to undermine Salvador Allende's elected government to prevent a Marxist regime.
Supported economic disruption through CIA operations, leading to Allende's overthrow in 1973.
President Carter's Policies
New Directions in Foreign Policy
Human Rights Focus: Championing of human rights during Carter’s presidency led to criticism of authoritarian regimes being supported for strategic reasons.
Panama Canal Treaties: Sought to return control to Panama, overcoming initial resistance in Congress.
Support for the Sandinistas: Reluctant support after Somoza’s overthrow; conflicted by fears they would align too closely with Cuba.
Mixed Outcomes
Carter’s engagement: Sought to position the US as a partner in human rights but faced contradictions in supporting authoritarian regimes for stability.
Resistance to Policy: Encountered backlash at home and complex geopolitical realities that complicated his idealistic approach.