Chapter 30 – New Directions Section 2 – The Post-Cold War World
Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union Review: What year did the Soviet Union end? Former Soviet republics started turning to capitalism by selling off businesses they owned to private individuals and companies. Problems: Inflation and unemployment rose (why?) In Russia, bad economy and ethnic unrest led to people voting for the Communist Party in But in 1996, they voted to continue moving to a free-market economy. Civil War in Bosnia –Inside former Soviet republic of Yugoslavia –Civil War lasted 4 years. More than 2,000,000 had to flee. More than 250,000 were killed. Part of it involved “ethnic cleansing” (?). After a massacre, President Clinton ordered the army to start bombing those involved until it stopped. It did. US then sent in a peace-keeping force. See 11 year old Serbian’s war diary.See 11 year old Serbian’s war diary. Changes for NATO (?) –Invite former Soviet republics or not? Why did Russia oppose it? Why did some in US oppose it?
Limiting Nuclear Arms Now that the Cold War was over, the question was, what should we do with all the nuclear weapons we built? Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) was signed by US and Russia in Both sides agreed to start destroying missiles. START II Treaty of 1993 – US and Russia agree to cut their number of missiles by 1/3. How to make sure they are doing it? One interesting problem – some of the nuclear weapons were in the former Soviet republics which were now independent. Many were in the Ukraine. In 1994, Ukraine agreed to return them to Russia so they could be destroyed. Britain, France and China all had developed nuclear weapons during the Cold War. US also suspected that Israel, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea had atomic or nuclear weapons programs. In 1996, President Clinton’s administration wrote the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Goal: prevent any new testing of nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan refused to sign it. (?) 1998 – India announces it conducted 5 nuclear tests. A few weeks later, Pakistan exploded 5 nuclear devices. Clinton called for economic sanctions against both India and Pakistan. Sanctions = actions taken against a country in an effort to force a change in ? US cut off loans promised to India and Pakistan
The Spread of Freedom During the Cold War, the US and our allies called ourselves the “free world”, which referred to both political and economic freedom (?). US encouraged countries to head toward more freedom. South Africa – Apartheid – a policy in South Africa which strictly separated races and did not allow the nonwhite majority (!) any say in the government. In 1986, Congress set up economic sanctions against S. Africa and made it illegal for American companies to invest in S. Africa or import goods from there. –By the 1990s, S. Africa started ending apartheid. Elections were held in 1994 in which all races were allowed to vote. Nelson Mandela, a black who had spent 28 years in prison because he opposed apartheid, became the new president. Asian nations – 1986, Philippines revolted against a dictator (Ferdinand Marcos), with US support. 1987, after strong protests S. Korea began to allow more democratic elections. N. Korea – no freedom. Famine during 1990s. Cuba – 1994, US signed agreement allowing Cubans to emigrate to US China’s struggle – China seems to be trying to go to a free market economy without political freedom. Tiananmen Square protest.
The Last Superpower Since the Soviet Union dissolved, the US became the world’s remaining superpower. Question: Should the US still involve itself around the world? All presidents since the end of the Cold War (Bush 1, Clinton, Bush 2, and Obama) have continued to involve the US around the world. Ending the massacre/civil war in Bosnia Distributed food during a civil war in Somalia (eastern Africa) 1992 Helped force out military dictators who seized power in Haiti in 1994 After 9/11 – Attacked Afghanistan because they were sheltering al queda 2003 – Attacked Iraq Also, US has shown leadership in diplomacy – Northern Ireland – many Catholics wanted to be part of Ireland, many Protestants wanted to stay as part of England. From , more than 3,000 people did from the fighting over this. Clinton sent former Senator George Mitchell to Ireland. Mitchell helped negotiate a peace agreement in What has President Obama appointed George Mitchell to do?