Foreign Policy Under Reagan & Bush

Reagan's Foreign Policy

• Reagan Doctrine - definition: Rather than just contain Communism, he wanted to roll Communism back.

• Iran - Contra Affair 

• Glasnost 

• Perestroika

• Apartheid 

The End of the Cold War

• In 1987, anti -government demonstrations spread through East Germany, Poland, and other Eastern European countries

• Gorbachev refused to use military power to prop up these unpopular regimes. The Berlin Wall was torn down in November 1989, allowing East and West Germans to pass back and forth freely.

• In October 1990, East and West Germany were reunited.

• At the very and of 1991, the Soviet Union finally disintegrated.

Bush Sr. Foreign Policy

• Panama 

• Persian Gulf War

Somalia

• Bush sent US troops into Somalia, to help distribute food and save millions of people from starvation

Reagan Doctrine 

• Who’s involved? Afghanistan, Grenada, Nicaragua, United States, Reagan 

• What happened? Reagan was a staunch anti-Communist and considered the Soviet Union to be an "evil empire." Rather than just contain Communism, he wanted to roll Communism back. He believed that other peoples around the world yearned to be free.

• How did it affect the US? 

• Afghanistan - Reagan sent assistance to Muslim fighters opposing the Soviet Army in Afghanistan, Grenada - When Communists took over the small island of Grenada in the Caribbean Reagan sent in U.S. troops.

• Nicaragua - Reagan gave support to anti-Communist rebels there known as "Contras”. When Congress prohibited further aid to the Contras, some members of Reagan's administration violated the law by continuing to give them secret aid. 

Panama 

• Who’s involved? President Bush, Panama, Manuel Noriega, and the US. 

• What happened? With the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US became the world’s only remaining superpower. President Bush proved willing to use military power during these years to further American national interest. 

• How did it affect the US? Shortly after Bush became the president, he sent US forces into Panama to arrest Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega to face drug charges in the US. 

Iran - Contra Affair 

• Who’s involved? United States, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nicaragua.

• What happened? American officials secretly sold arms to Iran, which was then engaged in the Iran-Iraq War, for help in freeing American hostages in Lebanon. Money secretly received from Iran for these arms was then handed over to the anti-Communist Contras in Nicaragua, despite a Congressional ban on U.S. aid to the Contras.

• How did it affect the US?  When the plan was discovered, several high-ranking officials resigned, although Reagan himself claimed no knowledge of the deal.

Persian Gulf War

• Who’s involved? Saddam Hussein, president Bush, Kuwait, and the US

• What happened? In August 1990, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, a small neighboring country with vast oil reserves. Bush organized an international coalition against the occupation and sent US troops into Kuwait, where they defeated Iraqi forces in the Persian Gulf War.

• How did it affect the US? Bush refused to use US military power to depose Hussein in Irag, in the final months of his Presidency, Bush sent US troops into Somalia, to help distribute food and save millions of people from starvation. 

Glasnost 

• Who’s involved? Gorbachev 

• What happened? ("openness") Gorbachev introduced transparency, or openness, into the Soviet government. For the first time, people were able to criticize the government and make suggestions without fear.

• How did it affect the US? Created a greater contact between Soviet Union and United States.

Perestroika

• Who’s involved? Gorbachev and the Soviet Union 

• What happened?  ("restructuring"): Gorbachev introduced limited free enterprise into the Soviet economy. For example, he allowed peasants to sell some of their crops in markets, allowed factory managers to set their own production levels, and permitted some private businesses.

• How did it affect the US? The U.S. can begin to influence the Soviet Union economically, Capitalism.

Apartheid

• Who’s involved? Reagan Doctrine, black South Africans, the US, and South African.

• What happened? In South Africa, laws strictly segregated white citizens from the vast majority of black South Africans. 

• How did it affect the US? South Africa became increasingly isolated because opponents of apartheid in the US and other foreign countries boycotted goods from South Africa and called for companies to withdraw their investments.