AMERİKAN DIŞ POLİTİKASI - Deneme Sınavı - 2

The US joined the League in condemning Japan for violating the Nine-Power Treaty and the Paris Peace Pact. The Japanese response was, in December 1937, the bombing and sinking of a US gunboat, the Panay, and three tankers it was escorting up the Chinese river of Yangtze to take aviation fuel to the Chinese.

From the perspective of the United States, the involvement in World War II meant:
a. the display, for the first time, of its military might across the Atlantic, the Pacific, North Africa and the Middle East simultaneously, thus propelling it into becoming a 20th century global power;
b. the combination of conflict and diplomacy, since all throughout the war, it collaborated with the allies to construct the post-war world order that would come to be known as the American Century.

Bretton Woods Conference in July envisaged the new international economic order in multilateral terms and led to the creation of the IMF and the World Bank.

Monroe Doctrine of 1823 could be classified as the first official foreign policy doctrine of the United States. It was articulated by President James Monroe during the 7th State of the Union address to the Senate and the House. In his long speech, the president carefully makes the case that the U.S. does pay attention to the conflicts in Europe, because they share the same origins, but does not pick sides

The effects of Manifest Destiny were probably most dramatically observed across Latin America. After its independence from Spain, Mexico was embroiled in civil wars and infighting among numerous generals who wanted to be the President. The weakness of central authority and divisions within the military created a power vacuum in Mexico. Territories in the north, particularly Texas, took advantage of this, and decided to secede and go their own way. In 1836, Texas separated from Mexico and declared itself as an independent Republic. However, the ultimate goal was to join the United States as a new state, which they did in 1845.

Towards the end of 1800s (in 1890s), the expansionism of the U.S. became even more visible. The new generation of political leaders were more eager to exercise power not just at home, but also abroad. During this period, the U.S. took control of several Spanish colonies: Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In the case of Cuba, the U.S. allegedly helped the Cubans to declare their independence from Spain. However, the Americans placed a clause in the constitution of the newly independent island nation that essentially granted guardianship of the US over Cuba. The Platt Amendment had the following provisions: “That the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the government of Cuba.”

President Theodore Roosevelt, who served for two terms from 1901 to 1909, was a strong advocate of US expansionism. He was a naval commander before his presidency. When he got elected to the White House, he made sure the U.S. military presence was felt across the world.

While President Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) envisioned a more assertive U.S. role in the world by serving as the global police, President Wilson (Democrat) had expressed U.S. assertiveness with very different methods. Wilson also advocated for greater U.S. engagement in the world. However, his preferred foreign policy tool was diplomacy. Many presidential historians refer to his childhood as the son of a Presbyterian minister. His upbringing could have played some role on how morality became a driving force for President Wilson’s foreign policy agenda.

Summary of Wilson’s Fourteen Points 1. Open diplomacy among nations, no secret treaties. 2. Freedom of the seas, except territorial waters 3. Free trade; removal of all trade barriers 4. Disarmament: reducing military build up 5. Anti-colonialism 6. End the invasion of Russia. 7. End the invasion of Belgium. 8. End the Prussian invasion of France. 9. Italy’s national borders must be respected. 10. People of Austria-Hungarian Empire should have “the freest opportunity of autonomous development.” 11. End the invasion of Balkans, respect territorial integrity of Balkan nations. 12. Restore the sovereignty of Turkish portions of the Ottoman Empire, autonomy to others, free passage from Dardanelles. 13. A free and independent Poland with access to the sea. 14. Establish an association of all nations, big and small, respecting the sovereignty of each.

In his Long Telegram, Kennan made a disease analogy. He argued that “world communism is like a malignant parasite which feeds only on diseased tissue.” He was making the case that it was not sufficient for the U.S. to have a strong capitalist regime at home. Other nations that do not have similarly strong processes could easily be influenced by the Soviet model. Soon after the Long Telegram came the historic speech of President Truman at the Congress on March 12, 1947. In this speech, the U.S. President made the case that the British influence was weakening in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the U.S. foreign policy should be reoriented to fill that vacuum. He requested funds from the Congress to provide military aid to Greece and Turkey and send U.S. military staff and equipment to the region. In his speech, he insisted on supporting “free peoples” against the pressures of the “totalitarian regimes.”

Containment doctrine also fueled decisions to go to war in Korea and Vietnam. As seen in the chart above, the bi-polar distribution of power made every nation, big or small, critical to maintain the systemic equilibrium. Consequently, anytime countries in the U.S. alliance camp, such as Turkey or Chile, elected left leaning governments, it was perceived as an existential threat for the U.S. that could potentially tilt the balance in favor of the Soviets.

Compared to the previous presidents of the Containment era, President Reagan expressed a more vocal anti-Soviet, and anti-communist stance. As a successful public speaker, he frequently expressed harsher criticisms of the Soviet model. The 1980s was also the decade of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Reagan Doctrine allowed the U.S. to provide military assistance to irregular armed forces that were allegedly combating communism

President Clinton and his national security advisor Anthony Lake were the architects of the foreign policy doctrine that came to be known as “democratic enlargement.” Antony Lake had a long and accomplished career, by the time he became the right hand of President Clinton in foreign policy matters

The CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action whenever the President asks. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

The Heritage Foundation advocates a hawkish foreign policy orientation that is based on Conservative views. Therefore, the correct choice is E.

The Eisenhower Doctrine in 1957 includes the idea that any country could request economic and military assistance from the United States in the case of a threat from the Soviet Union. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

Kennan advised an anti-expansionist resistance hence to be known as “containment” rather than undertake a policy of confrontation.

Scholars such as Cecil Crabb often criticize the US foreign policy doctrines for being too vague and ambiguous. The correct answer is B

neoliberal institutionalism might play an important role, as seen immediately after the World War II, when the US was eager to build multiple global institutions to facilitate
collaboration and collective security arrangements. The correct answer is D

The independence of the United States from Great Britain, and subsequent political regime created in the north appealed to the nationalists in Latin America. Between 1810 and 1820. The correct answer is B