American Foreign Policy Since 1972

Unit 11 chapters 23, 24, 25, and 26Gateway Chapter 16

Part 1

I. The Cold War in the 70sA. Nixon made approaches to the Soviet Union

and China to pressure North Vietnam.B. Nixon sought détente – an easing of tensions

– with the Soviet Union and signed SALT to limit the arms race.

C. Nixon visited the People’s Republic of China to establish diplomatic relations.

1. Many see Nixon’s opening of relations with Communist China as his greatest accomplishment.

2. This opened trade and eased China’s entry to the U.N.

D. The CIA helped General Pinochet overthrew socialist Salvador Allende in Chile.

1. Pinochet then established a brutal dictatorship.

E. Watergate Scandal1. former CIA agents broke into Democratic

headquarters.2. Nixon tried to cover up the burglary3. He was forced by the Supreme Court to hand

over his tapes of White House conversations.4. These showed that Nixon had lied about the

cover-up.5. Nixon resigned from office rather than be

impeached and removed from office.

II. The Ford Presidency (1974 – 1977)A. Gerald Ford came to power when Vice

President Spiro Agnew and the President Nixon resigned.

B. Ford pardoned Nixon, kept Dr. Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State, and continued détente.

C. Problems arose in the Middle East during the Arab-Israeli War

1. Arab OPEC members boycotted the U.S. and oil prices soared.

2. Fuel shortages and gas lines worried Americans about the limits of world oil reserves.

3. More Americans bought smaller Japanese and European cars.

D. Inflation and unemployment were high.E. In 1975, South Vietnam fell to Communist

North Vietnam.F. Ford’s greatest success was with the Helsinki

Accords which recognized European boundaries and pledged respect for human rights.

III. The Carter Presidency (1977 – 1981)A. Jimmy Carter was elected as a Washington

outsider, who pledged honest and moral policies.

B. Carter refused to back dictators just to stop Communism.

1. He wanted to bring morality back into foreign affairs.

2. Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty promising to return the canal to Panama.

C. Carter helped negotiate the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel.

1. Egypt recognized Israel.2. Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

D. Relations with the Soviet Union deteriorated when it invaded Afghanistan.

1. Carter stopped grain sales to the USSR2. Carter refused U.S. participation in the

Moscow Olympics.

E. In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the Shah of Iran.

1. Established the Islamic Republic of Iran2. When the Shah fled to the U.S., Iranian rebels

took U.S. Embassy workers hostages.3. The hostages were held for over a year.4. Carter was unable to free them.