Carter Presidency

Foreign Policy Changes

Containment &

Brinkmanship

Detente

Crusader & Conciliator

Truman, Eisenhower &

Kennedy

Nixon & Carter

Reagan

Contain, Coercion, M.A.D., Arm and Space race

manage rivalry

Arms control treaties

Exploit weaknesses of Soviet union

Cold War

Foreign Policy under Carter

President Carter (1977-1981) Camp David accords between Egypt and Israel Panama Canal treaties

1904 Panama granted US rights to build & control the canal 1977 agreement to relinquish control by year 2000 Dec. 31, 1999 Carter’s ceremony

Cold War- dormant through most of 70’s Soviet influence threatened in Afghanistan when a Muslim revolt

prepared to topple the Communist regime Rebels armed by the US US boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow

Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and US refused to ratify a SALT II treaty (limit strategic offensive missiles)

Foreign Policy- Middle East

Growing Arab nationalism & OPEC drove oil prices up

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Formed in 1960’s by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela

1970’s 2 oil pricing crisis Arab oil embargo- 1973

Iranian Revolution- 1979

Carter’s Crisis of Confidence After the 1979 Islamic Revolution,

Iran stopped oil shipments to the US.

Gas lines, shortages He delivered a televised address

that became known as the "Malaise Speech."

Carter asks Americans to share the responsibility of energy conservation.

Carter's approval rating plummeted.

The president was criticized for "blaming" the American people and offering few solutions.

Foreign Policy under Carter

OPEC raised prices (over $1 a gallon)

Energy Crisis: reliance on foreign oil

Ration: Even/odd days by license plates

Late 1970’s

Foreign Policy: Middle East

Iranian Revolution

1953 CIA helped to overthrow Iran’s elected leader and supported the Shah.

Conflict between Shah and conservative Muslim leaders known as ayatollahs

Shah fled Iran in 1979 to US for medical

treatment Ayatollah Khomeini returned

from exile

1979 US Embassy in Tehran seized by Islamic revolutionaries (students) More than 53 hostages held

for 444 days

Demand Shah be put on trial

Released on Jan. 20, 1981- Reagan now President

1980’s

Public confidence in leaders shaken, 60’s and 70’s resulted ingrowing cynicism with government

Economy: recession and inflation

Disturbing overseas events

Paved path for popularity of President Ronald Reagan

Conservative ideology

Opposed the “Tax and spend” Great Society & War on

Poverty policies of Democratic Administrations

Creationism, “family values,” cut government, stop

communists, end abortion, restrictions on immigration

Strong military / national defense

American global power

Individualism

Lead to “Culture Wars” & Reagan “Revolution…”

The Christian Right

The growth of evangelical Christianity in the 1970's reflects the concern for what many perceived as a decline in traditional moral values.

By 1978, 40% of Americans described themselves as "born again," including President Carter.

The divisive issues pervading American politics, including abortion and women's rights, contributed to the proliferation of evangelical political organizations.

Political Influence of the Christian

Right

Groups like the National Conservative Political Action Committee and Reverend Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority pioneered the use of sophisticated campaigning and fundraising techniques such as direct mail. The influence and campaign tactics of Christian Right delivered a critical proportion of votes to Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Rev. Jerry Falwall

Reaganomics

Trickle-Down or Supply Side Economics

Congress members received him with applause and quickly passed the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (with cut taxes by $747 billion over five years) and the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981 (which in one piece of legislation, cut over 200 social and cultural spending by $136 billion over two years).

The tax cut was the largest in history.

Reagan & Foreign Policy

SDI strategy to exploit economic weakness of the Soviet Union

1985 Gorbachev initiates reforms in USSR but unable to keep up with US military spending Glasnost- “openness”

Perestroika-“economic restructuring”

1989 Fall of Berlin Wall (Reagan’s Famous “Tear down this wall” speech)

1990 Germany reunified

1991 Soviet Union collapsed

15 Republics

Foreign Policy in Latin America

Policy of engagement: Long standing US policy to promote stability & order through military and economic aid to protect US interests: support of repressive regimes

Cold War Context: nationalist & revolutionary movements calling for land reforms

Policy of Confrontation: willingness to support violent overthrow of leftist governments

Ex. Sandinistas in Nicaragua once courted by US. Ties to Soviets led to reversal and covert CIA sponsored funding of Contras (counterrevolutionaries)

Iran-Contra Affair, 1980s

1979 election in Nicaragua, US now

opposed the Sandinistas

Sold military land & weapons to Iran

(Khomeini), in return for release of 6

hostages held in Lebanon

Used weapons against Iraq

Used $ to fund the “Contras” who fought

Sandinistas, thus backing rebels in

Nicaragua

Col. Oliver North took the blame,

imprisoned

Illegal sale of US property w/o

Congressional approval

Aid to Contras violated the Boland

Amendments

Election of 1988

Vice President George Bush elected

Republican Party lost ground in both houses of Congress

EXTRA SLIDES

Foreign Policy

(Middle East)

1948 Israel made a state Challenge: deep seated

hostilities between Arabs and Israelis (War 1956, ‘67 and ’73)

Wars led to Israeli victory and took Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza Strip & Sinai Peninsula

1973 Yom Kippur War Joint Arab surprise attack

led by Anwar Sadat (Egypt)

US supplies Israel with weapons for counter attack

Saudi Arabia oil boycott

1979 Camp David Accords under President Carter- peace talks led to concessions

Israel recognized as a state

Egypt receives Sinai Peninsula

Palestinian autonomy in Gaza Strip and West Bank not settled

Reagan & Foreign Policy

Middle East

West Bank dispute as raids from Lebanon attack the region and Israel seeks buffer zone

1982 Israel attacked Lebanon

US entered conflict to restore order

1984 US forces withdrew