Foreign Policy After The Cold War

RUSSIA

Gorbachev Initiates Reform

• In 1985, Gorbachev became head of the communist party and president of the Soviet Union from 1990-91.
• Gorbachev's foreign policy ended the Communist rule in Russia.
• His foreign policy was called "New Thinking" and it was created to give the Soviet Union political and economic acceptance world wide.
• The forgein policy allowed the global problems between the communism and capitalism to be resolved.
• Gorbachev supported "the sovereign right of each people to choose their own social system."

The Soviet Union Declines Reform

• Although Gorbachev acomplished many issues in order to end the Cold war such as help dismantel the Berlin Wall, many Russian Reformers believed he was "working too slow towards democracy."
• He later then resigned as President, which dissolved the Soviet Union after 74 years.
• The CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) took the place of the Soviet Union.
• Boris Yelstin and President George Bush signed the START II that ended the tension of nuclear aresenals and finally ended the Cold War.

Collapse of Communist Regimes

• In 1987 Ronald Reagan reclaimed Gorbachev to follow through with his ideas of peace and liberalization by tearing down the Berlin Wall, as he did in the following years to come.
• Before Gorbachev resigned as President his policy of "New Thinking" encouraged Eastern European countries to decide what type of government they wanted.
• He encouraged his satillite nations to become Democratic.
• Gorbachev allowed other government styles to organize in Eastern Europe other than the comunist party when the Soviet union was still intact in 1988.

IRAN

CONTRA SCANDAL VIDEO

• In 1983, terrorist groups loyal to Iran took numerous American hostages in Lebanon.
• President Reagan and his allies in response decided to not sell weapons to Iran for the war against Iraq. (tariff)
• However, Reagan sold weapons in return for the release of 7 of those hostages in Lebanon.
• The profit of the illegal weapons was given to contras in Nicaragua.

Persian Gulf War

• Iraq was in a prolonged war with Iran and found it's self in debt with war fare in the 1980's and 90's.
• With this war debt, the leader of Iraq repeatedly claimed Kuwait as a part of Iraq ,for it is known to be an oil rich nation.
• If Iraq conquered Saudi Arabia & Kuwait they would control half of the worlds oil reserves.
• Operation Desert Storm : operation by Bush that liberated Kuwait from Iraqi control.

Persian Gulf War

• On Jan. 16,1991 the U.S. and its alli9es staged a massive air assault against Iraq.
• On Feb. 23 , Bush launched successful ground offensive from Saudi Arabia.
• On Feb. 28, 1991 Bush announced ceased fire , operations Dessert storm was over & Kuwait was liberated.
• There were 100,000 millitary and civilian deaths during this war.

Video

NICARAGUA

• The U.S. had relations with Nicaragua from 1913 until 1933 when their marines evacuated after helping Anastasio Somoza become communist ruler.
• The Somoza family ruled for 52 years with violent and biased based system.
• People began to organize a revolution to hault this injustice.
• President Reagan and Cuba sent $83 billion in economic aid when rebels called Sandinistas overthrew Somoza's son in 1979.
• Reagan cut off all aid to the government when they came into power and instead gave support to guerilla forces named Contras.

Nicaragua

• Somoza ruled Nicaragua with a strong arm, deriving his power from three main sources: the ownership or control of large portions of the Nicaraguan economy, the military support of the National Guard, and his acceptance and support from the United States.
• Somoza opportunistic support of the Allies during World War II benefited Nicaragua by injecting desperately needed United States funds into the economy and increasing military capabilities.
• the U.S has aimed to support the consolidation of the democratic process in Nicaragua with the 1990 election of President Chamorro. The United States has promoted national reconciliation, encouraging Nicaraguans to resolve their problems through dialogue and compromise

Foreign Policy After The Cold War

By: Alavardo, Frias, Gonzalez, Guerrero, Nguyen Tran