1. Latin America and the Cold War

2. What do you think was the most significant event of the Cold War?
Warmup
What do you think was the most significant event of the Cold War?

3. Agenda
Warmup
Latin America and the Cold War PPT & Notes
Video?

4. Latin America

5. Social Situation in Latin America
"Most Latin Americans have seen their neighbor to the north (the United States) growing richer; they have seen the elite elements in their own societies growing richer – but the man in the street or on the land in Latin America today still lives the hand-to-mouth existence of his great, great grandfather... They are less and less happy with situations in which, to cite one example, 40 percent of the land is owned by 1 percent of the people, and in which, typically, a very thin upper crust lives in grandeur while most others live in squalor.“
—  U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, in a speech to Congress on United States policy in Latin America

6. American Goals
The United States had two main goals when dealing with Latin America: containment and furthering US economic interests

7. Truman Doctrine
Under the Truman Doctrine, the Western Hemisphere was a part of “the free world”
Contrasted with the Eastern bloc countries (communist)
The Doctrine allowed for military deployment and economic aid to any country at risk of falling to communism

8. Rio Treaty of 1947 The US took the Monroe Doctrine and updated it
The US defense treaty with Latin America was called the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance
Also known as the “Rio Treaty” or the “Hemispheric Defense Treaty”
An attack against one member was an attack against all members
Member states – dark blue
Withdrawn states – light blue

9. Organization of American States
The Organization of American States (OAS) was created in 1948
Led by U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall
Member states pledged to fight communism in the Americas
21 nations signed the agreement
Still exists today
Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
35 nations total

10. Relationship with Cuba
After the Cuban Revolution, the Cuban government began to nationalize all US properties and businesses within Cuba
The US set up trade restrictions and economic sanctions against Cuba
The US broke off all diplomatic relations with Cuba when Cuba allied itself with the Soviet Union

11. Relationship with Cuba
The US government tried to implement many political, psychological, and military programs to overthrow the Cuban communist government
Tried to assassinate Fidel Castro 8 times!

12. Cuban Missile Crisis
In October 1962, JFK learned that the Soviets had established nuclear-tipped missile bases in Cuba
JFK established a blockade around Cuba to prevent anything/anyone from entering/leaving Cuba
After 13 tense days, eventually the Soviet Union backed off
Closest the world has ever come to nuclear war

13. Relationships with Dictators
Under JFK, the US broke off several diplomatic and economic relationships with Latin American dictators
Argentina, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Peru

14. Post-Cuban Revolution
After the Cuban Revolution, the US’s policy was “no more Cubas”
The US did not want any more communist revolutions taking over nations
Since Latin America is the US’s “backdoor” our entire policy dealt with keeping communists out of and restoring economic/trade benefits with Latin America

15. President Johnson
Under President Johnson, the US sent troops and supported military coups throughout Latin America
The policy changed from “no contact” to training Latin American military forces in counter-insurgency tactics
Meaning?
The United States began supporting (“propping up”) OR overthrowing dictatorships/governments when it suits us

16. 1970s
The United States’ involvement in Latin America throughout the 1970s was to wage war against South American “Communist subversives”
The US supported Augusto Pinochet’s coup against the Chilean democratically-elected president Salvador Allende in 1973
By 1976, all of South America was controlled by military dictatorships called juntas
Augusto Pinochet

17. Dirty War
During the Argentinian “Dirty War” (1974 – 1983), the military and right-wing (conservative) death squads hunted down and killed left-wing (socialist) guerillas, political dissidents, journalists, and students
Supported by the US

18. Los Desaparecidos
During the “Dirty War”, the military kidnapped anyone suspected of being a threat to the junta
Tens of thousands of people were put into concentration camps
Tortured
Killed
Called “the disappeared” (los desaparecidos)
Day of Remembrance

19. 1980s – 1990s (pendulum effect)
President Carter backed off of supporting authoritarian regimes
President Reagan renewed support for the right-wing regimes
When Mikhail Gorbachev took power in the Soviet Union, he implemented perestroika and glasnost policies, so Latin America followed suit
Latin American countries started to become more democratic

20. Iran-Contra Scandal
The Iran-Contra Scandal took place during President Reagan’s second term in office
Senior administration officials secretly sold weapons to Iran (which was under a weapons embargo)
They used the money to fund the Contras (counter-revolutionaries) in Nicaragua
Congress had explicitly prohibited this action beforehand
They also wanted to negotiate for American hostages being held in Lebanon
Oliver North, a member of the National Security Council, destroyed important documents to protect certain individuals (illegal cover up)

21. War on Drugs
The United States started a “war on drugs” under President Nixon in the early 1970s
Nancy Reagan started the “Just Say No” campaign in the 1980s
Panama had become a center for drug trafficking and money laundering
In 1989, President George H.W. Bush sent troops to invade Panama to overthrow the dictator Manuel Noriega (a long-time ally of the US)
Since then, it is the policy of the US to try to dismantle drug cartels throughout Latin America

22. End of the Cold War
The end of the Cold War (or did it?) diminished Latin America’s significance in US foreign policy (except for Fidel Castro and the Cuban embargo)

23. NAFTA
To try to increase trade, the Clinton administration created NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) which eliminates tariffs (taxes) between Canada, the United States, and Mexico in 1994
It has not seen much economic impact on Canada, but it has provided a small net profit growth for the US and a large net profit growth for Mexico