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Foreign Policy - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Kennedy carried out a plan formulated under Eisenhower, the Bay of Pigs invasion.
        
        This was a stunning failure and succeeded only in driving Fidel to make stronger ties with the USSR, who he actually disliked.
        
        As a result of this, nuclear missles were placed in Cuba.
        
        This was revealed via spy planes and America quickly demanded they be removed.
        
        A tense interaction ensued, where the US placed a quarantine on Cuba and ordered ships approaching to be turned away
        
        Eventually the soviets backed off, and a secret agreement was made.
        
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  - - - In response Kennedy did nothing, and essentially called his bluff
        
        After 6 months over the course of one night the Berlin wall was constructed in 1961, dividing Berlin in half.
        
        Following this Kennedy restarted American nuclear testing and had soldiers tear did simulated walls near the Berlin wall.
  - - - Spending on Vietnam and the number of American advisors sent to Vietnam increased notably. Advisors in Vietnam increased from 1000 in 1961 to 16000 in 1963
      - Kennedy also authorised a plan by the CIA to assassinate the incompetent Diem and have him replaced by a group of generals.
        
        This made him think that America was now tied to Vietnam on moral grounds. Due to creating the terrible situation South Vietnam was in.
  - - - Dean Rusk secretary of state and person involved in foreign policy though always second Fidel to Robert McNamara.
      - Robert McNamara, secretary of defence and fond of foreign intervention. He was far more persuasive than Rusk.
        
        Robert McNamara tried to use statistical analysis to solve Vietnam, failing to acknowledge that there are some parts of war that cannot be quantified. He also had a stunning lack of knowledge on the region of Vietnam.
        
        He suggested using high altitude bombers in the region but was shot down on the basis that these do not work well in jungle enviroment.
  - - - The US struggled to make ties in Africa due to their poor civil rights issues at home.
- - - - This was over concerns of Iran nationalising its oil
        
        Working with both British and American oil companies in the region, the CIA organised the overthrowing of Iran's Prime Minister in 1953, under suspicions that Iran would turn communist
        
        Following this American and British oil companies were given 40% of the oil in Iran.
    - - Following Egypt nationalising the Suez, the US intervened against a plan organised by the UK, France and Israel
        
        The UK and France planned to let Israel invade Egypt, then intervene under the guise of "peacekeeping". When peace talks broke down Israel would bomb Cairo.
        
        The US intervened and said that if the UK and France went through with the plan, they would stop recieving aid from the US.
    - - Eisenhower deployed troops in Lebanon, who were able to leave without having to fire a single shot.
  - - - In 1956 following the death of Stalin and Khrushchev's "Secret speech" many nations in the Warsaw pact believed they were going to get more freedoms.
        
        The leader of Hungary was replaced by a man called Imre Nagy who started passing through a series of liberal reforms.
        
        However when he attempted to leave the Warsaw pact this was seen as going too far.
        
        The Hungarians were crushed brutally by the Soviets with Nagy being removed. Frequently they requested support from the Americans and recieved none.
        
        Eisenhower stated that the policy of containment did not require eradicating communism, but instead simply stopping its spread.
        
        15 divisions and 5000 tanks were used to crush the rebellion.
        
        200,000 Hungarians fled Hungary to Austria and the West as part of the incident.
    - - spying had occurred between the US and USSR even before the cold war started.
        
        However the U-2 Crisis laid this clear in the open.
        
        A U-2 spy plane was shot down over the USSR and its pilot recovered in 1960
        
        Eisenhower lied and said this was a weather plane, it was not.
        
        Kruschev was deeply offended by this lie, thinking he had a special relationship with Eisenhower.
        
        This was to such a degree he refused to even be in the same room as the man.
        
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    - - Khrushchev believed he had won in Hungary so doubled down in Berlin
        
        He issued an ultimatum demanding the West Leave Berlin within 6 months, this was due to the Western occupation zone creating a window to the west and a brain drain. With 20% of the East Berlin population leaving to the West by 1961
        
        Eisenhower organised a series of talks, the first in Geneva in 1959 and then one in Camp David the same year followed by an 11 day tour. As a result the ultimatum was removed.
  - - - Instead doubled down in trying to create the state of South Vietnam. Supporting the leader Diem who was elected after rigged elections, an anti-communist and Catholic in a majority Buddhist nation.
      - Increased America's commitment to Vietnam
        
        By 1961 sent 7 billion in aid and over 1000 US advisors.
        
        Created SEATO as an alliance block to try and defend South Vietnam.
      - Eisenhower stopped supporting France in their war against Vietnam, seeing it as a lost cause.
      - Following France's devastating loss at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. During which they frequently requested US support and recieved none. The French were forced to pull out of Vietnam and seek peace terms.
      - The Peace terms stated the country would be divided then remade following fair elections in 1956
    - - China shelled 2 Taiwanese island in 1954 and Eisenhower retaliated in kind in 1955, John Foster Dulles threatened brinkmanship and all shelling stopped the same year.
  - - - Secretary of State who advocated for massive retaliation and Brinkmanship.
    - - Former director of the CIA who was instrumental in Coup d'etats in Iran and Guatemala.
      - Also commisioned the U-2 spy Plane.
    - - as part of his policy of being conservative with money he followed a "New Look" or "more bang for your buck policy" of stockpiling nuclear weapons over conventional forces.
        
        He also reduced spending on the armed forces in general.
        
        By 1957 the US,as a result of the new look policy, had 5543 nuclear bombs compared to the USSR's 650
    - - The USSR managed to get the first Satellite in orbit in 1957, Sputnik.
      - They also got the first mammal in space in 1958, Laika the dog.
      - In contrast the US Vanguard rocket blew up a mere 4 feet off the landing pad, an incident broadcasted internationally causing it to be dubbed, "flopnik"
- - - - In 1978 Carter invited the leaders of Egypt and Israel to Camp David in order to sign a more permanent peace.
        
        The Camp David Accords were a high note of Carter's foreign policy, it was the first time the USA had mediated a foreign dispute since 1905 and helped re-establish this image of a global peacemaker.
        
        This wasn't all good though, the USA's clear support of Israel drove most other Arab nations to siding with the USSR.
    - - In 1979 Iran underwent an Islamic revolution and the USA backing Shah was forced to flee, replaced with the Ayatollah.
        
        The Shah was allowed to receive end of life cancer treatment in the USA, which outraged Iran who wanted him returned to the nation to stand trial.
        
        In 1979 in response to this Iranian students stormed the American embassy, taking 66 hostages and demanding the Shah's return to Iran
        
        Initially Carter tried peaceful methods, freezing billions of dollars of Iranian assets stored in America and starting secret negotiations, however by day 88 he approved a full scale military incursion to rescue the hostages.
        
        This was to be done by the use of 8 helicopters, however none of them made it, with three suffering mechanical failures and one crashing into a transport aircraft, killing 8 soldiers
        
        Towards the end of his term Carter agreed to unblock all Iranian funds and promised not to interfere in the international affairs of Iran in return for the release of the hostages.
        
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    - - In 1978 the Communist party of Afghanistan seized power but were met with opposition from a Guerilla force, the Mujahadeen.
        
        In response Brezhnev invaded Afghanistan in 1979 on Christmas day
        
        Brzezinski encouraged Carter to retaliate with embargoes on grain sales to the USSR and with a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics Games by American athletes.
        
        He also began to channel funds to the Mujahedeen, though the USSR was already doing this even before the Soviet invasion.
        
        This would eventually lead to the USSR's defeat in 1989, with 15,000 dead and 500,000 injured in what is often known as the Soviet Vietnam
        
        Carter's actions were seen as more punitive to the USA and American athletes then the USSR, and the lack of open violent action reinforced the opinion of Carter being weak.
  - - - Deng pushed heavily for financial reform so Carter continued the work of Nixon and recognised the nation in 1979, in part to put pressure on the USSR.
        
        This created a strange situation with Taiwan, as in recognising the PRC as China they could no longer recognise Taiwan. Therefore Carter repealed the 1955 Mutual Defense Treaty with Taiwan, an action he was challenged for by Congress to the point of a Supreme court case, Goldwater V. Carter 1979, however Carter managed to get this thrown out on a technicality.
        
        However Carter did not completely abandon Taiwan. Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act and created an American Institute in Taiwan staffed by retired US diplomats.
        
        This annoyed the Chinese but the vast improvement of trade in the region was enough to make all sides moderately happy.
  - - - As part of this Ford signed the Helsinki accords, which conceded to the borders of Europe as established after WW2, in exchange for the USSR making some concessions on human rights. This also helped lead to the signing of SALT II under Carter
        
        However Detente began to lose popularity, Conservatives saw it as appeasement and other Americans believed that the USSR had used this as a chance to build up their nuclear arsenal and influence in Vietnam and Africa.
    - - Brzezinski was a staunch anti-communist and advocated abandoning Detente, and calling for more arms reduction talks and allowing CENTO and SEATO to dissolve. He also argued that economic stagnation had made the USSR weak, which the US should take advantage of
        
        In 1972 Carter and the USSR signed SALT II, but failed to ratify it through congress due to events in Afghanistan
      - Vance was a heavy advocate for human rights, and pressed heavily on the Soviets for not following the human rights outlined in the Helsinki accords
        
        This also led to Carter suspending military and financial aid to Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Uganda
        
        He was not wholly successful in this regard, Brezhnev threatened to end arms talks, China refused to even discuss the concept of human rights and he failed to stop aid being sent to the Shah of Iran who had been condemned by amnesty international
        
        Brezhnev also criticised the USA for not following human rights stipulations, citing their poor civil rights, unemployment, poverty and crime records.
- - - - Korean War starts in 1950 ends in 1953
        
        North Korea, independent of the USSR and China though the two do supply weapons, invaded South Korea
        
        Using the UN to Bypass congress and thanks to the USSR boycotting the UN due to the US refusing to recognise the PRC as China, the USA intervenes alongside several other nations.
        
        In doing so they save South Korea that was on the verge of being pushed into the sea.
        
        However General Douglas McArthur, who was placed in charge of the American forces, goes to far and attempts to reunite Korea under South Korea.
        
        He pushes to the Chinese border, resulting in the Chinese intervening over concern of having such a large army on their border, in control of a man known for disobeying orders and hating communism.
        
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        Douglas McArthur was fired during the war due to disobeying orders and effectively acting as the President. Such as by holding his own press conferences and dictating what would be done at them, without consulting the president.
    - - The Chinese civil war ends with a communist victory, something that Truman is blamed for.
      - The communist Chinese are not allowed onto the UN security council, with Taiwan holding their place and the US recognising Taiwan as the legitimate China.
    - - Following WW2 Japan is occupied and rebuilt in a western style economy over the course of 7 years 1945 -1952. This effort is led by General Douglas McArthur who is placed in charge of the occupation.
        
        Following the end of the occupation Japan is still used to host several US military bases.
    - - Under Truman, the USA started sending assistance to France to help them fight the Viet-Minh and Ho-Chi-Minh under the guise of the Marshall plan
        
        By 1951 this aid was already up to 450 million.
  - - - The Berlin Blockade and Berlin airlift, 1948-1949
        
        The West side of Berlin was blockaded by the USSR, justified as being the result of technical difficulties. This caused coal and food shortages
        
        To solve this 1.5 million tonnes of supplies over 275,000 flights were flown into Berlin over 324 days
        
        The blockade was lifted finally in 1949, it made the USA and the West heroes and the USSR the clear villians.
        
        It also allowed the USA to justify the creation of NATO and the placing of B-29 bombers in Europe
    - - Truman took a more hostile stance towards the USSR at the Potsdam conference, expanding the rift between the two nations.
        
        At Potsdam he failed to tell Stalin of the Atomic bombs, though the USSR did likely know about this anyway thanks to spying, it still hurt relations to not tell them.
      - Kerman's long telegram, Ambassador to the USSR.
        
        Stated that the USSR used the excuse of capitalist encirclement to justify totalitarianism,.
      - The USSR created a series of satellite states in Eastern Europe, which severely hurt relations between the USA and the USSR.
    - - This was the sending of aid to Greece and Turkey, both military and monetary, to allow them to win their civil wars against the communists.
    - - A policy stating that communism was to be contained from spreading, not eradicated but contained and allowed to die off on its own. This was stated by Truman as his policy in 1947
        
        Stated by Truman and became the basis of US foreign policy for some 40 years.
    - - George Marshall believed that radical doctrines like communism and fascism appeared from poverty, desperation and want.
        
        Europe was completely destroyed following WW2, so there were concerns of these doctrines arising there as a result.
      - Then a larger monetary aid package was endorsed by congress to be sent to Europe as a whole.
        
        Over 17 billion dollars in aid was sent to Europe, most going to Britain, France and West Germany.
      - Stalin referred to this as dollar imperialism, and refused to let anyone in the USSR sphere accept this aid,
        
        Instead Comicon and Cominform were created for these nations by the USSR
  - - - A policy of military build up in the USA to contest with the USSR
- - - - Therefore he tried to end the Vietnam war via escalation.
        
        He tried MadMan theory, were he tried to convince the North Vietnamese that he was a madman who would do anything to win, such as by flying nuclear capable aircraft with payload next to the USSR.
        
        He also tried to use improved relations with China to strongarm the North Vietnamese into peace
        
        An invasion into neutral Cambodia was launched, though the US had already been doing a lot in this region this was unknown, therefore this action sparked massive public outcry
        
        Peace talks finally begun in 1972
        
        In October 1972 N Vietnam proposed peace on the basis they would keep all land they currently held. Nixon agreed on the basis that they would defend S Vietnam if this agreement was violated
        
        To emphasise this point he undertook a Christmas bombing campaign
        
        The peace accords were finally signed in 1973 in Paris, the war was finally over.
        
        In secret another clause was stated whereby the US would pay the N Vietnamese 2.25 billion in reparations.
        
        The US would withdraw all troops within 60 days of the treaty.
        
        A process known as Vietnamisation was tried and with little success. An attempt to turn the South Vietnamese army into one up to the standards of the US.
        
        Nixon hoped that in doing this he would be able to slowly pull out US soldiers from South Vietnam
        
        This cost a large amount and was ineffective
        
        At the Battle of Lam Son-719 in 1971 a Vietnamized unit with American air support took part in a battle on the Ho-Chi Minh trail and was defeated due to new Soviet Equipment, showing the failure of Vietnamisation,
        
        High intensity bombing was tried en mass and with little success. The simple geography of the region and the fact many manufacturing bases were underground prevented its usefulness.
        
        The Ho Chi Minh Trail was carpet bombed for over a year and remained in use, North Vietnam in general was bombed for around 3. More bombs were dropped on Vietnam then on Germany in ww2.
  - - - Relations were improved with the USSR following Nixon's trip to China. They were terrified of the prospect of a dual invasion of the USSR by both the USA and China.
        
        Nixon became the first president to visit Moscow
        
        SALT-1 was signed, a mutual anti-ballistic missile treaty. A joint space mission was also organised.
        
        Brezhnev visited Washington and this was planned to become a regular thing, but Watergate scuttled this.
    - - In the 60s and 70s relations between the USSR and China had decayed drastically, to the point of a short seven month war between the two. Kissinger saw his chance hear to drive a wedge between the two and exploit it.
        
        Talks were held between Chinese and American representatives until eventually an agreement was made whereby Nixon would go to China, being the first American president to ever do so.
        
        There would also be a normalisation of relations between the two nations and trade deals.
        
        This horrified the USSR who saw the chance of a war on two fronts from both the USA and China, and they quickly rushed to improve relations with the US as well.
        
        A plan was to use China to strongarm the Vietnamese into peace
        
        Nixon was uniquely qualified for this, he was well known as a staunch anti-communist so could not be accused as "going red"
        
        First messages were sent between the two, then the US
        Ping-Pong team and then a secret trip by Kissinger
        
        Following Kissinger's trip Nixon made his own and China joined the UN
  - - - Nixon gave the CIA permission to cut 70 million in aid to Chile and a military Coup resulted
        
        Though the CIA didn't directly coordinate the COUP, they created the conditions for the COUP to occur.
- - - - North Vietnam invaded the South and American troops were sent to intervene under peacekeeping.
        
        As part of this US troops were forbidden from advancing more than the border between North and South Vietnam.
        
        Alongside this US troops were committed on a draft system, with teenagers being drafted for a mandatory one year before being sent home and replaced.
        
        This meant that American forces in Vietnam never had a good number of experienced troops, and were almost always running off of fresh recruits.
        
        By 1966 there are 250,000 American troops in Vietnam, however approval ratings were still high at this point sitting at around 70%
        
        However this begins to shift in 1968 following the Tet Offensive, though the US won. It resulted in Saigon being lost for a month and a huge loss in US moral and support for the war. The nature of Guerilla warfare in that you never knew were you'd be attacked from killed morale.
        
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        This restriction above pretty much made it impossible for the US to ever win, since the North Vietnamese could very much win a war of attrition, they would keep moral longer than the US.
        
        The US failed to acknowledge that for the North Vietnamese this was a battle for independence against colonialism, and therefore one they were highly committed too.
      - America called in there allies to assist but only the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand sent any forces. Exposing the fragile nature of its alliances.
      - This is unsurprising considering America's long term commitment to the region at this point.
        
        NSAM 273 is signed promising greater American involvement in the region, with General Westmoreland being placed in control of American forces.
        
        NSAM 288 is also signed which called for airstrikes against North Vietnam in 1964
      - It officially starts in 1964 following the Gulf of Tonkin incident, where two US boats were shot at with no US casualties and Ten Vietnamese