Conflict in the Middle East

Remember the Truman Doctrine. I hope so Remember the Truman Doctrine? I hope so. In 1947, President Truman delivered a speech that became known as the Truman Doctrine – a policy meant to block Communist expansion (also known as containment). The goal of containment was to contain, or limit, Soviet expansion. The Cold War was not simply a struggle (ideological battle) between the United States and the Soviet Union. Each country did what they could to protect its economic and political interests abroad. Sometimes that meant doing not so good things as you shall soon see.

To what lengths was America willing to go to protect its economic and strategic interests abroad? And the CIA helped stage another military coup to overthrow Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammed Mossadegh who leaned towards communism. The shah of Iran who replaced Mossadegh agreed to give Britain and American oil companies 40% of his nation’s oil revenues – he remained in office until 1979 as one of the world’s most tyrannical rulers. After Fidel Castro of Cuba led a revolution that ousted dictator Fulgencio Batista, fearful that Castro would allow the Soviet Union to place missile site in Cuba (too close to home) and afraid of Castro’s move to nationalize American landholdings, Kennedy authorized the CIA to train anti-Castro exiles for an invasion of Cuba (Bay of Pigs). Guatemala Cuba X Iran Jacobo Arbenz Even before Kennedy, under the Eisenhower administration, in the name of containment, the CIA organized a military coup to overthrow President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman because the U.S. feared that spread of communism and Soviet domination. X Mohammad Mosaddegh Bay of Pigs John F. Kennedy Dwight D. Eisenhower

Nixon and Détente Nixon hoped to ease or relax tensions between the U.S. and its two major Communist rivals the Soviet Union and China. Richard Nixon won the Presidential election in 1968. Nixon would later resign as President after a political scandal (known as the Watergate scandal – let me know if you want to know more about this affair). Nixon’s did do some good things. His greatest success was in foreign affairs. Through his policy of détente – or an easing of tensions with Communist power – he helped to take the edge off the Cold War. Elected 1968

Too much work for so little food! Nixon traveled to Beijing, China sparking an increase in trade between China and the U.S. Too much work for so little food! Nixon’s most surprising foreign policy move was to open contacts between the United States and Communist China.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) Nixon met with the leader of the Soviet Union to “talk” about armament control. Nixon also pursued détente with the other great Communist power, the Soviet Union. Several months after visiting China, Nixon went to Moscow. He and Soviet leaders signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). SALT restricted the number and type of nuclear warheads and missiles that each nation could build. While it did not end the arms race, SALT showed that the Soviets and Americans were willing to work together to relax tensions.

To what lengths was America willing to go to protect its economic and strategic interests abroad? S. Africa Nixon also provided money and weapons to dictatorial regimes in Iran, the Philippines, and South Africa. Chile - 1970 X P. W. Botha Salvador Allende 1973 In 1970, Chile elected socialist Salvador Allende. On September 11, 1973, the CIA (an American agency) worked with the group responsible for staging a military coup – installing a bloody dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet. However, Nixon, like his predecessors policy of attempting to undermine governments deemed dangerous to American strategic or economic interests. Augusto Pinochet Richard Nixon

Carter and Human Rights Commitment to helping non-governmental agencies like Amnesty International expose human rights violations. President Jimmy Carter entered office in 1976 with high hopes. Elected 1976

Carter brought the leaders of Egypt and Israel to presidential retreat at Camp David (Camp David Accords) In 1979, Carter brought the leaders of Egypt and Israel to presidential retreat at Camp David.

Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavī To what lengths was America willing to go to protect its economic and strategic interests abroad? IRAN 1979 However, the American connection with the shah of Iran, whose secret police regularly jailed and tortured political opponents proved to be Carter’s undoing.   The U.S. long supported Iran’s monarch, the shah because Iran was a major oil supplier and a buffer against Soviet expansion. The shah had grown increasing unpopular in Iran due to his repressive rule and westernizing reforms – the Islamic clergy opposed the shah’s reforms. In January 1979, protestors forced him to flee. An Islamic republic was then declared. 1979 EXILED In 1978, Carter cut off aid to the brutal military dictatorship governing Argentina (America previously had turned a blind-eye to). Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavī Argentina Ruhollah Khomeini X 1978 Jorge Rafael Videla Shah is given refuge in U.S. Jimmy Carter

Revolutionaries stormed the American embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage (444 days in captivity) Remember, the shah, who was overthrown by the Iranian public, was a brutal dictator. And yet, in 1979, Carter allowed the deposed shah to seek medical treatment in the United States. In November 1979, revolutionaries/Khomeini’s follower’s who were upset by Carter’s decision stormed the American embassy in Tehran, Iran and took 52 Americans hostages –the hostages spent 444 days in captivity (You will see a reenactment of the Iran Hostage Crisis from the film Argo soon).