AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY 1917 TO 2003 RESULTING IN CONFLICT
(International Involvement)
WORLD WAR I 1914-8 WORLD WAR II 1939-45
Causes: Causes:
Colonies and their control Dissatisfaction over Versailles Treaty
Trade Ideological: communism
Naval Arms Race, Dreadnaughts national socialism (Nazis)
Military Alliances: corporate statism (Fascism)
Allies vs. Central free-market capitalism(Democracy)
Combatants: . Combatants:
Allies: Britain, British and French Empire, Allies: British, French Empires, Commonwealths,
Belgium, Italy, Japan, Serbia, Russia, USA China, Soviet Russia, and the USA
Central: Germany, Austria, Turkey Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan, Roumania, Hungary
Strategy: Strategy:
Allies: Repel German advance to Paris Allies: Contain Axis Advancement:
Keep sea lanes open to supply Britain and Supply Britain, engage in strategic
France. Blockade Germanys High Seas Fleet. bombing, counterattack Axis in
Central Powers: Conquer France, support secondary theatres: N. Africa, Sicily,
Turkish hegemony over the Middle East southeastern Pacific. Supply USSR,
Use unrestricted submarine warfare to Bleed Axis on Russian eastern front.
strangle Britain. Defeat Russia to Island hop in the southwestern Pacific,
concentrate on a one front war. Re-conquer the Philippines, strategic
bombing of Japan and Germany. Create
second front in Europe.
Axis: Germany, bomb Britain into
submission, defeat USSR creating single
front. Create and sustain fascist alliances.
Use submarine warfare to starve Britain.
Japan: use naval superiority to acquire
vast territories, preventing US recovery.
Tactical Innovation: Tactical innovation:
U-Boats, trench warfare, the convoy system Blitzkrieg, monoplanes, strategic bombing,
chemical warfare, mechanized armor (the tank) Aircraft carriers, radar, sonar, U-Boat snorkel
air combat, dirigible bombing, railroad artillery, unguided missiles, rocketry (V1-2), Jet propulsion,
napalm, flame-flowers, atomic weapons
Results: Rise of USA as the major victor. Results: Decline of Europe, shift of power
Decline of European royalty, break-up of the to the superpowers, the rise of China in
weaker European empires. Creation of new in the wake of the defeat of Japan. The be-
countries in Europe and Mid-East out of ginning of the end to the long period of
Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires European colonialism. Ideological realignment,
Decline in alliances, rise of Pacifism. Arms between East and West, start of the Cold War.
limitation conferences; the outlawing of war. Small but hot brushfire wars. Indian partition,
The rise of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. Birth of Israel and the cycle of Mid-East wars.
Economic boom in the United States, the seeds Creation of the UN. Discovery of the full extent
of world-wide depression. The decline of western of the Holocaust affects world opinion on racial
democracy and the rise of dictatorships. genocide.
Similarities:
Both wars reflect a continuation of hundreds of years of European civil wars. The escalation of both sea and airpower are major changes from WWI to WWII..
Cost 2002 Dollars: $577 Billion Cost 2002 dollars $4.7 Trillion
Battle Casualties: 53,402 Battle Casualties: 291,557
American Foreign Policy 1949-75 (Containment)
Korea 1950-3 Vietnam 1964-1975
Causes: Causes:
Korean (Chosen) Peninsular divided after Containment of Communism as opposed to
World War II, at the 38th Parallel. The defeat the recognition of Nationalist anti-colonial
of the nationalists in China, and Chiang Kai- indigenous peoples. The aftermath of the
shek’s retreat to Formosa. The Acheson Policy liberation of French Indo- China from the
of trying to divide the Russians from the Japanese. Promises were made by FDR to
Chinese, by adopting a more conciliatory Ho Chi Minh, about ending French colonial rule
attitude towards Peking. Deterioration of as a consequence of their help against the Japanese
the US Armed Forces under Truman 1948-50. military occupation. The renewed struggle
In 1947 the Joint Chief’s Report declared, between the Viet Minh and the French,
that the US “has little strategic culminating in the French defeat at Dien Bien
interest in maintaining the present (US) troops Phu in 1954, led to the creation of two
and bases in Korea.” 400 border incidents last Vietnams, one backed by the French under Bao
6 months of 1949. Acheson stated in a press Dai, and the other backed by China led by Ho,
conference a clear implication that Korea was divided at the 17th Parallel. The North called for
outside our defense perimeter. No. Korean re-unification in 1959 and started a series of
Invasion June 24th, 1950 probing actions, that led to American involvement.
Combatants: Combatants:
Allies: United States, N. Korea, United Nations, Allies: United States, Republic of S. Vietnam,
Australian, Turkey, others Australia, and others.
Communists: North Korea, Communist China, Communists: People’s Republic of No.Vietnam,
Russian (Air Force) volunteers. Viet Cong (S. Vietnamese irregulars)
Stategy Strategy:
Allies: Repel the invasion, buy time for Allies: Hold on to the major urban population
Counterattack, (Inchon) drive into the North centers, reduce the Viet Cong influence in the
and reach the Yalu River and unify Korea by Mekong Delta (Iron Triangle), Protect the DMZ.
eliminating the Communist regime. Bomb the North into negotiation for a truce.
Cummunists: Overwhelm the S.Korean and Communists: Infiltrate the south through any
US military, unify the country under Communist means, Laos, Cambodia, tunnels, Ho Chi Minh
Rule. Trail. Disrupt the political and social life of the
Tactical Innovation: south. War of Attrition and re-unification.
Fought with World War II equipment, mostly Tactical Innovation:
out-dated. Wave suicide attacks by N. Korean and Viet Cong and No. Vietnamese excellent light
Chinese volunteers, use of extensive off shore Infantry. Hit and run tactics, suicide members,
Carrier based airpower. Strategic bombing by women combatants, terrorist campaigns in the
land-based (B-29 Superforts). cities. Search and destroy used by the US Forces.
Results: Stalemate for two years. Negotiated Pacification of villages, integration of ARVAN
Truce, with 38th Parallel still the dividing line and US troops. High tech vs. low tech. Armor and
between North and South. Increased tensions airpower (helicopter gunships) vs.guerilla warfare.
between East and West, delayed normalization Static defenses vs. mobile offense.
between US and PRC. Gave impetus to massive Results: Major US loss. Abandonment of Indo-
nuclear and conventional arms race that China to Nationists/Communists. Domestic trauma
transformed ill-armed democracy into a military resulting in loss of faith in the Armed Forces and
superpower. Gave root to the notion that the major American Institutions. Re-evaluation of the
“spread of communism” in the Far East could be need of a draft Army. Re-focusing on strategic
contained by limited American military power, nuclear deterrents.
which led to American military intervention in
Vietnam. Similarities and Differences: North and South division of former colonies, containment of Communistic expansion. Stalemate saves S. Korea, dooms S. Vietnam. Peninsular vs.continental war.
Cost: 2002 dollars $400 Billion/Casualties:33,7341 Cost:2002 dollars $572 Billion/Casualties 47,414
American Foreign Policy 1990-2003
(Post Cold War Interventionism)
Gulf War I 1990-1 Gulf War II 2003
Causes: Causes:
Kuwait, a small independent wealthy emirate, Iraq, an oil rich Middle-Eastern country has been
was invaded by its much larger bellicose dominated by a fascist style Ba’athist Party leader
neighbor Iraq. Iraq claimed Kuwait was a Saddam Hussein since the 1970’s. Iraq invaded
former territory that had been taken illegally. Iran in the 1980’s and was ousted from Kuwait in
Iraq also claimed Kuwait was siphoning its 1991. After the World Trade Center terrorist
Oil through the use of diagonal piping. attack of September 11, 2001 and the defeat of
After Iraq refused to withdraw the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan, a UN
from Kuwait in the face of UN sanctions, a Security Council voted 15-0, in 2003 for Iraq’s
broad military coalition forced Iraq out of disarmament of weapons of mass destruction.
Kuwait, after 38 days of air war (Desert The US determined that Iraq was in non-
Shield) and 4 days of land combat (Desert compliance with this demand and connected
Storm). to the terrorist group Al Quieda, that was
Combatants: responsible for the WTC 9/11 bombing.
Allied Coalition: US, Britain, France, and 30+ Combatants:
Other countries including Saudi Arabia and Allied Coalition: US, Britain and 45 minor
Syria. vs. Iraq Baathist Regime. mostly non-combatant non-Arab countries vs
Strategy: Iraq Baathist Regime.
Allies: Atrit and degrade Iraqi infrastructure, Strategy:
And isolate Iraqi armies in Kuwait through the In a reversal, from 1991, the US Forces first struck
use of massive airpower. Envelope the static leadership command headquarters in an attempt
Iraqi defenses by a large swing of mechanized to remove Saddam Hussein. A large mechanized
armor into the desert and around their rear. armor attack followed by American US Army and
Iraq: Use their tanks and entrenched defenses. Marine Divisions along with British Army and
protected by large sand berms, and trenches to Marine units. This was followed by massive
hold off a frontal attack. Make the price to precise air attacks on Baghdad Command and
high for the Allied Coalition. Control Centers. The Allied Coalition Forces are
Tactical innovation: moving to surround Baghdad and remove the
Allies: Extensive use of Tomahawk cruise Baathist leadership. The Iraqis are utilizing Scud
missiles from Submarines, destroyers and missile attacks, entrenched Elite Republican
WWII Iowa class battleships. Use of smart Guard interior defenses, and irregular suicide
bombs dropped by B-52s, and new Stealth guerilla tactics.
(no radar profile) B-2 bombers. Night vision Tactical Innovation:
technology used by Allied Coalition soldiers. Allies: Precision smart bombing ordinance
Advanced heavy artillery and new troop guided by GBU laser guided bombs, Drone
Carriers Bradley and Humvee. Iraqi Scud unmanned attack and information relaying
Missiles, scorched earth, oil fire defenses. Aircraft. New upgraded F/A-18 Super Hornet
Results: laser-armed attack aircraft. New electronic
Total annihilation of Iraqi Regular Army units. neutralizing bomb ordinance.
Destruction of their armor and national airpower. Results:
Iraqi Baathist seek cease fire and agree to terms The removal of Saddam Hussein.
of disarmament. Eventual creation of “no fly zone”
over northern and southern sections of Iraq. An oil Cost: Gulf War I 2002 dollars: $80 Billion
embargo and trade sanctions were placed on Iraq, Gulf War II $20 Billion
until they removed their weapons of mass destruction. Casualties: Gulf War I: 148
US and Britain enforced this “no fly zone” until the Casualties: Gulf War II: 85
Spring of 2003.
Reading Lists:
Dreadnought– Robert Massie-Random House-1991 ( pre-WWI)
(Pre-WWI naval arms race)
The Proud Tower– Barbara Tuchman- MacMillan 1962 (pre-WWI)
(conditions leading to WWI)
The Guns of August Barbara Tuchman- MacMillan- 1962 (WW I)
(WWI acclaimed history)
August 1914 –Alexander Solzhenitsyn- Farrar, Strauss- 1971 (WWI)
(WWI history)
Donovan, America’s Master Spy-Richard Dunlop-Rand, McNally-1982 (WWI&II)
(Bill Donovan, soldier diplomat, spy, combat WWI)
When the Cheering Stopped, the last Year of Woodrow Wilson
Gene Smith, Morrow 1962 (post WWI)
A World at War– Gerhard Weinberg- Cambridge- 1994 (WWII)
Two-Ocean War– a Short History of the US Navy in WWII
Samuel Elliot Morrison-Little, Brown, 1963 (WWII)
FDR, the War President 1940-3– Kenneth W. Davis, Random House (WWII)
The 2nd World War– Martin Gilbert Henry Holt- 1989 (WWII)
Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom, James MacGregor Burns, Harcourt Brace-1964 (WWII)
Memoirs of the 2nd World War– Winston Churchill-Houghton, Mifflin 1959 (WWII)
Truman– David McCullough- Simon and Schuster, 1997 (BIO)
The Best Years, 1945-50– Joseph Groulder- Antheneum- 1976 (pre Korea)
The Forgotten War – Clay Blair- Doubleday Press- 1987 (Korea)
Soldier– Lt. Col (ret) Anthony Herbert, James Wooten- Holt, Rinehart, Winston-1973
(Korean-Vietnam, combat)
It Doesn’t Take a Hero-Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, Peter Petre, Bantom Books-1992
(bio- Gulf War I)