Session 2 (Tuesday, September 20, 2011) Session #2 Outline End of the Cold War I.

Cold War, 1945-1991 Definition Three dimensions of hostility Phases: high Cold War (1947-1963) and little or rhetorical, Cold War of the 1980's "Domino theory" Dtente in the 1970s under President Nixon. Realist, amoral, balance of power approach Three views on who "caused" the Cold War (traditionalist, revisionist, post-revisionist) Watergate scandal, 1972 II. Jimmy Carter's Presidency, 1976-1980 I. Personal background II. In the aftermath of Watergate, Americans wondered if realist balance-of-power approach to foreign affairs was incompatible with American democratic values. Central theme of Carter's successful 1976 presidential campaign. Emphasized moral values and human rights. U.S. should be beacon for nations searching for peace, freedom, individual liberty. A. But: "schizophrenic" foreign policies due to lack of experience in foreign affairs and reliance on warring advisers. 1. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance emphasized dtente, relations with the third world, and world leadership without hegemony. 2. But National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, was old "Cold Warrior" who insisted that Soviet Union remained the key threat to the U.S. B. Carter vacillated between the two approaches. His foreign policy appeared to be a failure. II. Contrary to campaign rhetoric and popular mythology, however, Carter had several foreign policy successes during his one term in office. A. In Latin America, his emphasis on human rights and concessions to nationalism resulted in a dramatic improvement in relations and several agreements. B. In Africa, his focus on human rights and a North-South dialogue led to a major shift in U.S. policy in the region and eventual successes. C. In the Middle East, Carter succeeded in mediating the Camp David Accords and the ensuing path-breaking peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.

III. However, Carters foreign policy failures outweighed his successes and dominated the headlines. A. Dtente collapsed as the Soviets angrily rejected the Jackson-Vanik linkage of trade to greater human rights in the U.S.S.R. A treaty was completed in 1979, but the Senate didn't want to ratify it. B. While Senate debated, Iran exploded; the Shah (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi) was overthrown, and the Iranian oil industry collapsed. Islamic fundamentalists took over the Iranian government, seized the U.S. embassy, and took hostages in late 1979. C. A month later, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to prevent a communist government from falling to Islamic fundamentalists. D. Carter punished Soviets for invasion of Afghanistan: withdrew SALT II treaty from Senate consideration; announced major U.S. military buildup. Declared "Carter Doctrine," warning that any attempt to gain control of the Persian Gulf region would be considered an assault on vital U.S. interests and would justify a military response. E. But Carter appeared helpless and unable to stop the Soviets or the Islamic fundamentalists in Iran. When economic and diplomatic pressure failed to release the hostages, he ordered a military rescue mission that failed miserably and led to the resignation of Secretary of State Vance. F. Americans perceived these failures and economic problems as result of Carter's incompetence. Voted for Ronald Reagan to replace Carter as President in 1980. IV. Reagans election ushered in 12-year period of conservative Republican rule. Culminated in unexpected end of the Cold War and the collapse of USSR. A. Reagan: shared Carter's dislike of Nixon-Kissinger balance-of-power approach, but he called for emphasis on the Soviet-American conflict, an end to dtente, and return to moralistic view of Cold War. B. Called for expansion of Carter military buildup, shift away from the Nixon-Ford-Carter policy of seeking military parity (equality) with the Soviets, favoring superiority instead. C. Critics argued: this approach based on outdated and incorrect worldview. Reagan extremely ignorant about world issues, history, and geography. But the American public loved it. Reagan's impact on USSR remains unclear. D. In Latin America: Reagan's policies drastically differed from Carter's. Reagan took actions against leftist regimes in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Grenada. E. In Middle East: Reagans record was more mixed and confusing. Presided over a failed military intervention in Lebanon and domestic controversy in the Iran-Contra Affair. V. But the main emphasis of Reagans foreign policies was the Soviet Union. Here: dramatic results. A. During Reagans first term, Soviet-American relations reached all-time low, with a massive nuclear buildup on both sides, constant conflicts, and talk of World War III.

B. But: major shift began in 1985, partly due to domestic and allied dissent and partly due to changes in Soviet leadership (Mikhail Gorbachev). C. Overruling some hard-line advisers, Reagan responded positively to new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, meeting with him in Geneva in 1985 and Iceland in 1986. 1. By 1987, the two had agreed in the INF Treaty to the destruction of all intermediaterange missiles in Europe. 2. In 1988, Gorbachev agreed to withdraw Soviet forces from Afghanistan, Reagan visited Moscow, and Gorbachev announced both unilateral cuts in Red Army and end to 1968 "Brezhnev Doctrine." D. In 1989, with Reagans successor, George Bush, in office, the Soviet Empire in Eastern Europe collapsed. By 1991, major Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) was signed. E. Within the Soviet Union, economic problems continued and nationalist demands for autonomy gained momentum. Attempted Communist Party coup failed in August of 1991 and led to the breakup of the Soviet Union into 15 separate states. The Cold War had not only ended but had done so peacefully. VI. Debate: Who "won" the Cold War? A. Reagans role in end of Cold War remains unclear. Supporters claim that Reagan's hard-line policies in his first term forced changes in Soviet behavior while restoring U.S. self-confidence. His positive response to those changes during his second term reinforced them and led to the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Union. B. Reagans critics argue Reagan had nothing to do with dramatic changes in Soviet policies, since they resulted from purely internal causes. On the contrary: Reagans early policies actually delayed Soviet reform. C. Others argue that Reagans flexibility and positive response to Gorbachev during his second term was the key factor and that credit also belongs to his Cold War predecessors (Truman, Eisenhower, etc.) for pursuing containment of USSR for more than four decades. D. Still others argue: no one "won" the Cold War. It ended because both superpowers realized they had declined and could no longer afford the conflict economically. In this view, there were no winners. E. By 1991, the United States remained the only superpower, but the limits of that power remained to be seen.