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American Government - Foreign Policy

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    Study Guide American Government – Foreign Policy 1. Background of American Foreign Policy Foreign policy refers to the actions the United States takes to protect its national interests, security, and well - being internationally. These actions may involve maintaining a competitive economy, defending borders, and promoting peace, freedom, and democracy at home and abroad. Foreign policy is never static — it evolves in response to global and domestic circumstances. 1.1 Early American Foreign Policy: Isola Ɵ onism • George Washington warned against foreign entanglements in his Farewell Address. • From the War of 1812 to the Spanish - American War (1898) , the U.S. generally followed an isolationist approach , avoiding involvement in European conflicts. • Monroe Doctrine (1823) : The U.S. would oppose European colonization in the Americas and not interfere in European affairs. 1.2 The Spanish - American War and Expansion • Marked the emergence of the U.S. as a world power . • Territories gained: Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines ; Hawaii annexed separately. • Theodore Roosevelt intervened in Central and South America, supporting Panama's independence and overseeing construction of the Panama Canal . • Open Door Policy : Promoted equal trading rights for all nations in China. 1.3 World Wars World War I • U.S. entered in 1917 after three years of neutrality. • President Woodrow Wilson proposed the Fourteen Points , but the U.S. never joined the League of Nations due to Senate opposition.

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    Study Guide World War II • Initially neutral; Pearl Harbor (1941) forced U.S. entry. • Allied powers included Great Britain, free France, Soviet Union, and China . • Key conferences shaping postwar world: Casablanca (1943), Teheran (1943), Yalta (1945), Potsdam (1945) . • Soviet control over Eastern Europe led to the Iron Curtain . 1.4 The Cold War • Containment Policy : Proposed by George Kennan to resist Soviet expansion. • Implemented through alliances: NATO, SEATO, CENTO . • Key policies and events: o Truman Doctrine (1947) : Aid to "free peoples" threatened by communism. o Marshall Plan : Economic aid to rebuild Western Europe. o Korean War (1950 – 1953) : Military action under containment. • Domino theory justified U.S. involvement in Vietnam , resulting in 58,000 U.S. deaths and deep domestic divisions. • Summit diplomacy and treaties (e.g., 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ) occasionally eased tensions. 1.5 Détente and the End of the Cold War • 1970s Détente : Reduced U.S. - Soviet tensions, increased trade, and led to SALT I (1972). • U.S. - China Relations : Nixon normalized ties with the People’s Republic of China. • Reagan Era : Strong anti - communist stance; military buildup pressured the Soviet economy. • Gorbachev’s reforms : Glasnost and Perestroika eased tensions. • By the early 1990s , the Soviet Union collapsed , creating new independent nations.

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    Study Guide 1.6 The New World Order • Conflicts continued despite the Cold War's end: o Persian Gulf War (1991) : Coalition under the UN expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait. o Balkans Conflict : U.S. and NATO intervened, culminating in the Dayton Accords (1995) ; later actions in Kosovo involved NATO bombing of Serbia. Key Takeaways 1. U.S. foreign policy balances national interests, security, and global ideals . 2. Policy has evolved from isolationism to active global engagement . 3. Alliances, military interventions, economic aid, and diplomacy have been central tools. 4. The post - Cold War era continues to present challenges in conflict resolution, peacekeeping, and international cooperation. 2. Making Foreign Policy 2.1 Cons Ɵ tu Ɵ onal Roles Foreign policy in the United States is shaped by both the president and Congress , each with distinct powers: 2.2 The President and Foreign Policy Powers: • Negotiates treaties (Senate must approve treaties, but the president can also use executive agreements without Senate approval). • Appoints ambassadors . • Serves as commander in chief of the armed forces. Presidential Flexibility: • Presidents can engage U.S. forces in conflicts without a formal declaration of war .

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