AMERICAN FOREIGN

POLICY
• Every nation has a foreign policy---a systematic &
general plan that guides the nation’s attitudes &
actions toward the rest of the world.

• Deals w/many different topics; diplomatic,

military, commercial, & others.

• Involves such matters as treaties & alliances,

international trade, the defense budget, foreign
economic & military aid, the United Nations, &
nuclear weapons testing.
• Basic purpose of American Foreign Policy has
always been to protect the national security of the
U.S.

• National Security—Refers to the nation’s

independence & freedom from unwanted
interference, threat, or takeover by other nations.

• Defense Policy---Protecting the nation through

military preparedness.
• Nation’s founders believed in isolationism---
avoiding political involvement with other nations.
• The U.S. tried to stay out of other nations’
conflicts, particularly European Wars.
• Washington urged Americans “to steer clear of
permanent alliances w/any portion of the foreign
world.”
• Jefferson later echoed this: “Peace, commerce, &
honest friendship with all nations, entangling
alliances w/none.”
• Americans changed their minds in the 1820’s.
• 1823, President Monroe proclaimed what has
become known as the Monroe Doctrine.
• Stated that the U.S. would not accept foreign
intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
• Declared that the U.S. would look on “any attempt
on the part of other nations to extend their system
to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to
our peace & security.”
• In return, the U.S. would not interfere in European
affairs.
• Interventionism—Direct involvement in foreign
affairs.
 State & Defense Department
• State Department is headed by the Secretary of
State.

• President looks for advice in both the formulation

& conduct of the nation’s foreign policy.

• Secretary of State is the highest ranking official in

the cabinet.
 Foreign Service
• Under international law every nation has the right
to legation---the right to send & receive
diplomatic representatives.
• Ben Franklin was the 1st American (France, 1778.)
• Ambassadors---A personal representative
appointed by the head of a nation to represent that
nation in matters of diplomacy.
• Ambassadors are stationed at the capital of each
nation the U.S. recognizes.
• Personal representative of the President, & he/she
reports to the President through the Secretary of
State.
• Embassy---The office of an ambassador to a
foreign nation.
• An embassy staff usually includes political,
military, & economic aides.
• An American consulate is an official who is
assigned to promote American business interests
in foreign cities.
• The consul & his/her staff handle questions &
problems about business requirements,
transportation, & interpretation of foreign laws.
• Must keep the President fully informed of events
in the host country, negotiate diplomatic
agreements, & do whatever else in the best
interests of the U.S.
• Must know the language, history, customs &
culture.
• Ambassadors are regularly granted diplomatic
immunity.
• Diplomatic Immunity—Are not subject to the
laws of the state to which they are accredited.
Cannot be arrested, sued or taxed.
• The mistreatment of diplomats is a major breach
to international law.
• Secretary of Defense
4. Acts as the President’s chief aide & advisor in
making & carrying out defense policy.
5. Acts as operating head of the Defense
Department.
• There are three military departments within the
Department of Defense: Army, Navy, & Air
Force.

• Marine Corps, which is under the jurisdiction of

the Navy, maintains its own leadership & identity.
 Selective Service System
• Two methods are used to recruit citizens into the
armed services.
• Volunteer enlistment. Any person who has a
high school diploma may choose to enlist after
fulfilling the requirements.
• Draft—Signing up for the selective service. The
selection of persons for compulsory military
duty.
Draft was used from 1940-1973.
 CIA
• The Central Intelligence Agency
• Created in 1947.
• Works under the National Security Council.
• Three major tasks:
• 1. To coordinate the information gathering
activities of all State, Defense, & other federal
agencies involved in the areas of foreign affairs &
national defense.
• 2. To analyze & evaluate all data collected by
those agencies.
• 3. To brief the President & NSC.
• CIA conducts worldwide intelligence operations.
• Espionage—Spying
• Much of work in secret---budget is disguised.
• THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 1947
EXPRESSLY DENIES THE CIA THE
AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT
INVESTIGATIONS, SURVEILLANCE , OR
OTHER CLANDESTINE ACTIVITES WITHIN
THE U.S.
Department of Homeland Security
 Department of Homeland Security
• Charged w/ the task of protecting the U.S. from
terrorism.
• Terrorism—The use of violence to intimidate a
government or society, usually for political or
ideological reasons.
• Created in 2002, operational in 2003.
• Responsible for the coordination & the direction
of all antiterrorist activities of all public agencies
operating in the field of domestic security.
 Prior terror attacks
• 1983, Beirut, Lebanon—car bomb, 63 dead,
Islamic Jihad
• 1983, Beirut, Lebanon—truck bomb, 241 marines
killed, Shiite
• 1985, Mediterranean Sea—Achille Lauro, 1 killed,
linked to Libya
• 1988 Lockerbie, Scotland---Pan Am 747
exploded, killing 270, linked to Libya
• 1993, WTC—six killed, linked to Al-Qaeda
• 1995, Oklahoma City---car bomb, 168 dead, U.S.
terrorism
 Homeland Security Act of 2002
• Gives the Homeland Security Department major
operating responsibilities in five specific areas:
• 1. Border & transportation security
• 2. Infrastructure protection
• 3. Emergency preparedness & response
• 4. Chemical, biological, radiological, & nuclear
defense
• 5. Information analysis
 Best Case Scenario

• 1. Most terrorists attacks will be thwarted or their

impacts will at least be minimized.

• 2. Those responsible for the attacks will be rooted

out and brought to justice.
 Goals of American Foreign Policy
• 1. World Peace—Staying out of wars.

• 2. Economic Prosperity---Nation must be

economically strong in order to be secure. Also
depends on free & open trade w/ other countries.

• 3. Human Rights---The basic privileges to which

all people are naturally entitled.
• Human Rights (Cont.)
The U.S. supports human rights by publicly
criticizing human rights violations committed by
other nations.

4. Democracy---Encourage democratic forms of

government.
 Tools of American Foreign Policy
• 1. Diplomacy---Total process of conducting
political relations with other countries, including
settling differences & conflicts through peaceful
means.
• *Most important.

• *Usually carried out by diplomats, but can be

handled by President.
• 2. Foreign Aid---Goes primarily to nations that
support U.S. foreign policy goals.

• 3. Alliances & Pacts

Alliance—A group of nations or individuals
joined together for a common purpose, which may
be military, economic, or political.

Multilateral treaties---Signed by a group of

several nations.
Ex.) NATO, OAS, Warsaw Pact (no longer exists)
• 4. Trade measures
• *Terms under which the U.S. trades w/other
countries.
• *Economic Sanctions---Measures by which the
government withholds trade benefits, supplies, or
economic aid to pressure a foreign government to
cease certain activities.

• 5. Military Force
• U.S. has declared war on five occasions.
• When?
 American Foreign Policy: Past &
Present
• * Monroe Doctrine

• * Continental Expansion. Idea of “Manifest

Destiny” surfaced. Most Americans believed this
nation’s “destiny” was to expand its boundaries to
the Pacific Ocean.
• --*-- Annexation of Texas
• --*-- Oregon country obtained
• --*-- SW U.S.A. after the Mexican War
• --*-- Gadsden Purchase
• --*-- Purchasing of Alaska

• * Became a first class power in politics during the

Spanish-American War in 1898.
• --*-- Philippines & Guam
• --*-- Puerto Rico
• --*-- Hawaii annexed.
 Good Neighbor Policy
• FDR attempted to win friends in Latin & South
America.
• This occurred after the “Roosevelt Corollary to the
Monroe Doctrine” (Teddy Roosevelt)
• U.S. interference was resented in the region in the
early 1900’s.
• Panama Canal
• Virgin Islands
 Open Door Policy-China

• Promoted equal trade access for all nations &

demanded that China’s independence &
sovereignty over its own territory be preserved.
• 1899
• Hurt relations between U.S. & Japan
• Cuts ties with China in 1949 when the
Communists took over.
• U.S. did not reestablish ties fully until 1979.
 WWI & WWII

• WWI --- “to make the world safe for

democracy.”

• U.S. refused to join the League of Nations

• Isolationism

• WWII---Pearl Harbor
 Foreign Policy Since 1945

• Collective Security—A system in which

participating nations agree to take joint action to
meet any threat to, or attack on another member.
• *Idea helped to create the U.N. in 1945.
• Deterrence---Policy of making America & its
allies so strong that its very strength will deter
(prevent) any attack.
 Truman Doctrine & Containment
• Cold War---Period of more than 40 years during
which relations between the two superpowers
were tense & often hostile.
• Greece & Turkey were in danger of falling to the
communists.
• 1947, Truman requested a massive program of
economic & military aid.
• Containment—Communism, if held within its
existing boundaries, would collapse under the
weight of its internal weakness.
• Berlin Blockade---Split of Berlin into four sectors
(Soviet, U.S., British, French.) 1948, Soviets tried
to force the other nations out, with a land
blockade. U.S. airlift for 1 ½ years.

• Cuban Missile Crisis

• Soviet build-up by 1962
• Kennedy ordered a naval blockade.
• We would attack if missiles were not removed.
• “At the brink of war.”
• Soviets backed down.

• Korean War---Began in 1950.

• South Korea attacked by North Korea.
• War lasted three years, but peace terms never
agreed upon.
• U.S./South Korea (UN) vs. North Korea/China
• Vietnam War
• Really started in 1954, not 1965.
• Ended in 1975.
• U.S. rescued the French & the South Vietnamese,
but sunk themselves.

• After Vietnam, the Nixon administration

embarked on a policy of détente.
• Détente--- “a relaxation of tensions.”
• Wanted to improve relations w/Soviet Union &
China.
• Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
• Persian Gulf War---1991
• Campaign to drive Iraq out of Kuwait.
• International coalition, led by the U.S., launched
Operation Desert Storm.
• War ended less than six weeks later.

• Today
• Al Qaida
• “Axis of Evil”----consisting of Iraq, Iran, North
Korea.
 Five times U.S. has declared war:
• Britain 1812
• Mexico 1848
• Spain 1898
• WWI 1917
• WWII 1941