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Cold War Strategies. Intervention, Engagement, Confrontation. What Never Changed. Goals: 1. Containment of USSR 2. Avoiding Nuclear War The Dilemma: How do you contain the USSR without risking a nuclear war?. What Did Change. Strategies Intervention (Korea and Vietnam)
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Cold War Strategies Intervention, Engagement, Confrontation
What Never Changed Goals: 1. Containment of USSR 2. Avoiding Nuclear War The Dilemma: How do you contain the USSR without risking a nuclear war?
What Did Change Strategies • Intervention (Korea and Vietnam) • Containment by direct political-military involvement • Engagement (Détente) • Containment by management of Soviet behavior • Confrontation (Reagan Doctrine) • Containment by challenging the Soviets
The Dynamic • Intervention was the logic of containment in action • Was engagement the result of the failures of intervention? • Was confrontation the result of the failures of engagement?
1. Intervention How do you fight communism and avoid nuclear war?
Korean War 1950-53 • Limited War • Goals • Weapons • Geography • Talk and Fight
Strategic Logic Domino Theory
N. Vietnamese Strategy • Classic Guerrilla Warfare • Mao Zedong • “a guerrilla wins by not losing” • Insurgency • Backed by USSR • “Wars of National Liberation”
The Dilemma of Viet Nam Can’t lose South Viet Nam Can’t do what we need to win Korea WW III? Solution Limited War Coercive Diplomacy (Bombing)
From LBJ to Nixon LBJ says Goodbye Nixon’s War
Shadow of Viet Nam Limits of US Power and Force Wisdom of Intervention Difficulties of Nation Building Nationalism
Biggest Changes • Congressional Power • Foreign Policy Consensus • Vietnam Syndrome
1. Congress Challenges President in Foreign Policy • War Powers Resolution 1973 (PL 93-148) (from Federation of American Scientists , see Appendix 3) • The Use of Force
Congress finds its real power: $$$$$$$$$$ • Clark Amendment to Arms Export Control Act 1976
2. End of US Foreign Policy Consensus? Truman Doctrine: Consensus L R Post-Viet Nam: Polarization
3. Viet Nam Syndrome http://www.mbc.edu/faculty/gbowen/PublicOpinionVietWar.htm
2. Engagement The Post-Vietnam Dilemma How do you • contain and compete with the USSR while • avoiding nuclear war and • avoiding another Korea or Vietnam?
Why Détente? Viet Nam Syndrome Strategic parity Sino-Soviet Split
Viet Nam Syndrome Nixon recognizes this: Nixon Doctrine Remarks July 25, 1969 (see Q and A) Address to the nation, Nov. 3, 1969
Detente Still containment New Goal: Change USSR behavior Old-school Balance of Power
Arms Control Policy Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, May 1972 • Interim Agreement on Offensive Arms • Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
2. Triangular Diplomacy US USSRPRC
Nixon-Mao Summit in China, February 1972 Shanghai Communique
Carter Human Rights Focus But… • Iran • South Korea • China
1979-1981 Crises Détente Collapse • Iran • Afghanistan
Iranian Revolution Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlevi Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Détente Ends • Carter Gets Tough • SALT II Dies • Defense Buildup • Carter Doctrine • Rescue Mission • Vance resigns
Détente collapses Debate Begins • Had détente been over sold? • Was the world changing? • Did the US overreact in 1979? • Did the US under react before 1979, poor anticipation of problems? • Were we too soft on the USSR? (Reagan Answer)
3. Confrontation The dilemma of • containing the USSR, • avoiding nuclear war, • avoiding direct US intervention, • but pressuring the USSR
“Evil Empire” Speech to the National Association of Evangelicals March 10, 1983 Reagan’s View of the USSR
Alexander Haig 1981-1982 George Shultz 1982-1989 Realist Secretaries of State
The Problems • Third Wave of Marxism • Viet Nam Syndrome • Decade of Neglect
1. Third Wave of Marxism Ethiopia 1974 Cambodia 1975 Vietnam 1975 Angola 1975 Mozambique 1975 Afghanistan 1979 Nicaragua 1979 Grenada 1979
Solution to Third Wave: Reagan Doctrine Nicaragua Contras