1. Chapter 25 Section 4 Notes US Foreign Policy under Reagan & Bush

2. The Collapse of the Soviet Union
Why did it happen?
The Economy sucked
High Oil Prices
Needed to Spend $ on Defense to compete with the US
Wealthy Western Countries wouldn’t continue to loan the Communists $ (didn’t trust them)

3. Leadership sees the need for change
Mikhail Gorbachev = New Leader (1985)
Believed in glastnost (openness)
More freedoms for people (speech, press, etc…)
Believed in perestroika (economic and gov reforms)
more democratic, more trade with non communist countries

5. How did it happen?
Drastic reductions in active nuclear arsenals of U.S and Soviet Union
Begins with INF Treaty (1987)
Intermediate Nuclear Forces
Reduced active nukes by two thirds in less than 10 yrs
Drastic reduction of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe by late 1980s
formerly called satellite nations
far less troops
more freedom to govern themselves
Most choose democracy over communism
Most have peaceful transitions

6. Best Example = East Germany
The Berlin Wall comes down in 1989
Germany unites into 1 country in 1990

7. Bad Example = Yugoslavia
The Country splits into sections
Major warring over control
Split along ethnic and religious lines

8. The Soviet Union itself splits up (late 1991 – early 1992)
14 areas declare their own independence
11 of the areas agree to join Russia & collectively work together for some purposes
Called the Commonwealth of Independent States
Most areas are slowly transitioning towards democracy

9. China in the 1980s Still Communist – but more open
More trade with U.S.
starts with Nixon, improves with Reagan
More freedom for businesses
Could decide 3 basic economic ?’s themselves
What to produce? How to produce it? Who to produce it for?
Could decide on prices themselves
Still restricted freedom for people
Tiananmen Square incident

10. Latin American Policy in the 1980s

11. Nicaragua U.S. helps a dictatorship stay in power for 40 yrs
Anastasio Somoza
Friendly with U.S.
Treated citizens poorly
Civil War in late 1970s with a rebel group known as the Sandinistas
Carter helps Sandinistas gain power
Concerned about human rights (remember!)
U.S. provides them millions of $ in aid
They also get aid from Communist countries

12. Another War in early 1980s Known as IRAN CONTRA SCANDAL
Sandinistas vs. Contras (different Rebel group)
Reagan’s administration helps Contras gain power with $ and weapons
Concerned that Sandinistas were too influenced by Communists
Congress didn’t approve of it (Boland Amendment) and wanted the funding to stop
Reagan administration secretly sells weapons to Iran
Partly to get some US Hostages released
Uses the $$$ to privately fund the Contras
Known as IRAN CONTRA SCANDAL
Discovered by Congress towards end of Reagan’s Presidency
Investigation resulted in Court Cases
11 Reagan officials convicted in court (Reagan never indicted)
None of them served jail time (all pardoned before sentencing)

13. Grenada (1983)
U.S. prevents tiny Caribbean island from becoming Communist
Army installs new govt.
Took 4 days

14. Panama (1989)
U.S. sends soldiers to capture their dictator (Manuel Noriega)
Took about a month. Brought back to US for trial
Gets 40 yrs in prison for drug trafficking

15. US – Middle East Relations (1980s and early 1990s)
Bottom line: Not so good
Problem #1 = Our good relationship with Israel
Problem #2 = Our support for Shah of Iran

16. Iran Led by Ayatollah Khomeini (remember!)
Deeply religious, Anti US because of previous support of the Shah
Took a lot of US hostages throughout 1980s
US encourages other countries to not trade with them
White House secretly does to get some hostages back
Part of Iran Contra Scandal on earlier slide

17. Iraq Led by Saddam Hussein
Dictator… didn’t treat most of his people well
US still had a better relationship with him than Khomeini in early 1980s

18. Iran – Iraq War (1980 – 1988)
About 1 million deaths total (half military, half civilians)
Cost over 1 trillion $’s (in damages, to fight, etc…)
the U.S. sold weapons to both sides
Sold more military equipment to Iraq than Iran
Both countries borrowed a lot of $$$ to pay for the stuff
End result – No territory changes hands

19. Iraq in major debt afterwards
Invades and Occupies Kuwait (1990)
Small oil –rich country along Persian Gulf
Threatens to invade Saudi Arabia by end of 1990
Has around half of all known oil in the world
U.S. economy is threatened

20. Operation Desert Storm (Jan – Feb 1991).
Operation Desert Storm (Jan – Feb 1991)
U.S. and U.N. offensive to get Iraq out of Kuwait
100,000 Iraqi deaths
175,000 more Iraqis taken prisoner
400 deaths total for U.S. and U.N forces
Hussein Surrenders in 6 weeks
Big victory for U.S. and U.N
Hussein allowed to stay in power

21. Desert Storm Aftermath
Iraqi people suffer afterwards
Trade embargo limited supplies getting into the country
Many civilians (including kids) die of disease and malnutrition
Anti – American sentiment is common
Iraq eventually invaded in 2003 following 9/11
Ordered by George HW Bush’s son