PLS 341: American Foreign PolicyPLS 341: American Foreign Policy

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

From Hot War to Cold War(1944-1950)

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Thus Far…

• Chittick created a framework with which we can analyze and better understand foreign policies.

• M/M: – Multilateral/Unilateral

• C/C:– Coercive/Non-Coercive

• A/A:– Active/Reactive

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Today…

• Today we will examine the history of the United States immediately after the Second World War– How did events and reigning

theories of government shape our foreign policy?

– How did the president influence the foreign policy followed?

– What factors are important in determining foreign policy?

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The Setting

• Europe lay in ruin– Including European Russia

• The Japanese Empire, likewise• China was experiencing a civil

war

• The United States was the only major power – It was to be the new American

century– No one could challenge us– What should we do?

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The Soviet Union

• Millions of Soviets died defending their homeland from German incursion– Luckily, even with its military and

population devastated, it was still the only power on the European landmass

• The Red Army liberated eastern Europe from German control– The newly-freed eastern European

states owed a debt of thanks to the Soviets

– The Soviets felt that this debt could be repaid by being buffer states for protection

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Eastern Europe

• Direct Control (annexation)– Estonia– Latvia– Lithuania

• Indirect Control (satellite)– Czechoslovakia– Hungary– Romania– Poland– Bulgaria– Yugoslavia– Albania

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Eastern Europe

• Indirect Control (political)– Finland

• Hoped-for Control (failed)– Greece– Turkey

• Quadripartite Control – Germany

• DDR formed in 1949– response to economic changes

in western zones– Austria

• Seen as invaded by Germany• Declared itself neutral 1955

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The Iron Curtain Speech

• “From Stettin on the Baltic to Trieste on the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the continent”– Westminster College (Missouri)

Commencement

• Why would the Soviet Union want these states to be steady allies?

• Were we in their place, would we have attempted something similar?

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Personalities

• Stalin did not trust Roosevelt – Felt he was a tool of Wall Street– As such, Stalin felt Roosevelt would

implement foreign policy designed to help US businesses

– Accurate?• Roosevelt was typical American

idealist– Truman less so– Churchill decidedly not

• But, tossed from power shortly after the war (27 July 1945)

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The Soviet Underbelly

• Soviet Union also hemmed in along the south

• Russia had sought a free warm-water port for centuries– The ports along the north were

useless in winter– The eastern ports held little value

because of ice and distance from Europe

– The Black Sea was insecure– The Baltic Sea was a help, but was

still insecure (Britain, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, West Germany, Denmark controlled it)

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The Underbelly in Greece

• During WWII, most of the fighting in Greece was between the communists and anti-communists

• The Soviets were unable to make significant inroads in Greece– Marshall Plan helped– Truman Doctrine helped– Direct CIA support helped

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The Underbelly in Turkey

• The Black Sea– The ports on the Black Sea are warm

water ports• Odessa• Sevastopol• Stalingrad (Volgograd)

• But, these Black Sea ports could be eliminated if Turkey allowed the Bosporus and/or Dardanelles to be closed– Russia and Turkey never allies because

of these waterways• Soviet Union tried to gain control in

Turkey and failed

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The Underbelly in Iran

• Warm Water Ports on the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean!– Very warm water

• During the war– Soviets annexed parts of northern

Iran • After the war

– They attempted to turn the democratically-elected government of Mossadegh into a Soviet client government

– CIA-backed coup strengthened the Shah, who removed Mossadegh

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Foreign Policy Strategy

• None• Well, none until US minds sat

down and looked at Soviet actions as a whole, and in relation to its history

• Once that was done, it became obvious to the geopolitical strategists what they were doing and why

• Containment became our response

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Containment

• Containment was the primary strategy throughout the Cold War– It did have its ups and downs,

however• If we keep the Soviets where

they are, then they will die out– A policy of firmness and patience

• Kennan’s Long Telegram– Laid out the Soviet Union’s two

policy foundations

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Soviet Foreign Policy Prongs

• Realist– Geopolitics– Immediate wins in the world– Increase allies = increase strength– Act to speed along the coming

communist revolution by showing the failures of capitalism

• Idealist– Marxism taught that capitalism will

eventually because of the many contradictions within capitalism

– Thus, success (eventual) was guaranteed

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Assignment

• Read: – Chapter 3 (Hook) – Pages 133 – 143 (Chittick)

• Monday’s Topic: – The Hopes and Failures of

Containment