VTAGE 301 A Test #1
Emily Brown
February 15, 2015
1. Describe the Truman Doctrine and Ike’s application/ interpretation/ escalation of it.
After the Second World War relations with Soviet Union and the United States started to deteriorate. The US was not so much concerned about a nuclear attack from the Soviets, but rather the fear was of the Soviets influencing communistic ideals to weaker countries. From Stalin declaring, in 1946, that capitalism and communism was incompatible, there was potential for the Soviets to create a huge communist machine, making the United States vulnerable and alone. Truman wanted to push back against communism, but needed some way in.
Around this time the American consul in Moscow sent…show more content… In what ways did American foreign policy from 1945 – 1975 represent the attempted imposition of an American ‘order’ upon the world? After World War II there was two main powers the Soviets and the US, as the previous empires and power centers (Japan, England, France, & Germany) were destroyed. There was a struggle against two different ‘thoughts’, and the US believed their ‘thought’ was the best. America wanted to influence other countries before the communists got to them, in fear of the communist power growing. President Truman knew that beginning a hot war against the communists would only end in nuclear disaster, so a cold war broke about with many proxy wars and the goal of securing allies.
The Truman Doctrine pushed the idea of containing the communist powers, by helping the weaker countries fight them off. This way America could bring their ideals of democracy to other countries before communism reached them. Truman began looking at third world countries that before were of little strategic interest. These countries were becoming of interested, because Truman believed America could help bring order and democracy to these countries, so they can stay clear of communism. The ‘American Way’ was being brought to third world countries. Such as in, 1949, the Rio Pact was enacted allowing the US to provide training, weapons, and advisors for Latin American…show more content… In what ways did events from 1975 – 2002 represent an ‘unordering’, from our perspective, at least?
As explained in the question above, the ‘American Order’ seemed like the best order for all other countries to go by in 1945 – 1975. However many events occurred from 1975 – 2002 that parallel an ‘unordering.’
• Carter- sent a message of focusing less on USSR and more on domestic affairs, however events occurred… o Iranian revolution and hostage crisis
• 1979 Islamic revolutionaries overran US embassy in Tehran, taking hostages
• Dominated major headlines and made US and Carter’s management of foreign policy look weak. o Soviet invasion of Afghanistan & succeeding boycott of the 1980 Olympics
• Sent US oil prices to historic highs, people became upset, and Carter looked even weaker o Cuban intervention in Angola o On top of everything Carter displayed an inability to reverse economic and domestic troubles
• This all troubled American’s and other countries began to look at US as fragile
Things came back together for a bit under Reagan.
• Reagan – 1980 came into office and reversed goals and objects Carter created o Underlined to defeat Soviets, liberate people in weaker countries, and increase American power and