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1. Levels of Analysis
Definition: Foreign policy analysis involves the study of how a state makes foreign policy, it is
the study of the process, effects, causes, or outputs of foreign policy decision-making in either
a comparative or case-specific manner. T
Relevance: it is divided in 3 models, rational actornations are self-interested and seek
maximum profit. Organizational processdecision making routines and the bureaucratic model
values and beliefs.
Example; we can see through an individual domestic or systemic level. Depending on what are
we studying?
2. NSC-68
Definition: the NSC-68 provides the goals of this effort for containment and served as a guide
to the subsequent domestic and international changes that occurred. It can be classified in two
different categories Defensewitch was the result of a review of American foreign policy and
domestic defense. This can be organize in 4 categories: 1) continuing current policies 2)
returning to isolationism 3) resorting the war against URSS 4) rapid built of political, economic
and military and internal security necessary to ensure the Int Sec against danger of sabotage
and espionage.
Relevance: the NSC-68 solidified Americas commitment to the containment policy making
emphasis to the URSS threat. This help the US to a rapid buildup of the American military
Example: NSC-68 create a new policy on military budgeting, taking money from other issues
and put it on defense but also increasing taxes.
3. Warsaw Pact
Definition: Warsaw pact, was a military alliance between the URSS and its eastern European
neighbors seeking mutual defense organization that put the Soviets in command of the armed
forces of the member states.
Relevance: this suggest to the US that there was necessary some changes on their view and
approach to the Communism in response. The Warsaw pact was a response to America NATO
which included part of Germany.
Example: Dominated by the Soviet Union, they made tanks, aircraft and guns that were used
throughout the Warsaw Pact (provide military resources) and the military command was
dominated by decisions made in Moscow.
4. Containment:
Definition: American foreign policy applied during the Cold War to prevent the spread of
communism abroad. This policy was a response to a series of moves made by the Soviet
Union in order to get satellite countries in their side
Relevance: The containment helped the US establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO), a mutual defense pact. In opposite to the URSS block Warsaw
Example: eventually the containment policy lead to the Korean War in which North Korea
supported by the URSS invaded South Korea and President Truman at his time send US troops
to support South Korea against North Korea
5. George Kennan Long Telegram
Definition: Telegram sent by George Kennan, American diplomat serving in Moscow to
Washington. He outlined his view of the basic premises of the soviet world outlook and U.S.
policy toward the communist state
Relevance: Kennan's analysis provided one of the most influential reinforcements for America's
Cold War policy of containment. By saying that soviet could not have permanent peaceful with
the west. This lead to President Truman to rely on the military and economics more than
diplomacy.
Example: Kennan was convinced that the Soviets would try to expand their sphere of influence,
and he pointed to Iran and Turkey as the most likely immediate trouble areas in his telegram.
6. Non-Aligned Movement
Definition: is a group of states which are not formally aligned with or against any major power
bloc
Relevance: Because the Non-Aligned Movement was formed as an attempt to thwart the Cold
War it has struggled to find relevance since the Cold War ended
Example: the US invasion of Iraq and the War on Terrorism, its attempts to stifle Iran and North
Korea's nuclear plans, and its other actions have been denounced by some members of the
Non-Aligned Movement as attempts to run roughshod over the sovereignty of smaller nations
7. Monroe Doctrine
Definition; was a doctrine issue by James Monroe, when America was growing in Washington
isolation, basically said that US will be stay away from Europe but Europe, has to stay away
from Latin America.
Relevance: Monroe doctrine was the way to say that American continents are no longer
subjects of any new European colonial establishments. Also it was a way to make sure that
European mercantilism will not interfere on an area of increasing importance economically and
ideologically to the United State
Example: we can see an example of the Monroe doctrine when the United States had gone to
war against Spain in 1898, ostensibly to free Cuba from colonial rule.
8. Marshall Plan
Definition: speech given by secretary marshal in June 1947 after the WWII was one of the best
assistance effort made by the USA. He offered American support for economic recovery to
revitalize Europe after the war to prevent the spread of Soviet Communism.
Relevance: rebuilding European economy was fundamental for USA economy because Europe
was a key trading partner with the US. This was a win-win situation because if Europe economy
was doing well American economy will do the same. Also help the isolation policy by helping
people oppose to communism.
Example: US provided loans to countries but, everything that was necessary to rebuild has to
be made in USA and sold it by the USA.
9. Iron Curtain Speech
Definition: Speech given by British Prime Minister Churchill after Stalin attacks to capitalism. He
called a special relationship between English speakers. He also gave his opinion of the world
divided in two, the URSS and the US.
Relevance: Represents the opening of the cold war after the frontal of Stalins suggestion of
impossibility for continued soviet-American cooperation. This speech gave us an idea of
division of the continent in two alliances by an iron curtain
Example: in the US they started making a propaganda against Soviets, same happened with
soviets against Americans. After this they demonize each other.
10. League of Nations
Definition: international organization that was created after the end of WW I. The League of
Nation's task was simple - to ensure that war never broke out again included preventing wars
through collective security and disarmament, and settling international disputes through
negotiation and arbitration.
Relevance: serviced a model for later organization especially United Nations, who saw the
failures that the league of nation suffered and established guidelines for organizations to
succeed.
Example: league of nation was almost exclusively one member one vote that is the reason why
USA did not join, for instance Ethiopia have the same power that the United States United
Nations recognize this weakness so they create two different categories there is one part where
you have one country one vote and the security members where there are just 5 countries in
charge with veto power.
11. American Exceptionalism
Definition: is the theory that the United States is "qualitatively different" from other states.
Based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, republicanism, populism and laissez-faire
Relevance: this is a controversial issue there are some people who believe that American
excepcionalism is given product of the freedom of the American people, but by others as the
product of the inheritance of the North American continents abundant resources. We can also
have a negative idea of American excepcionalism: the US has been exceptionally bad, racist,
and violent.
Example: Explanations of the growth of government in Europe are not expected to fit American
experience, and vice versa.
12. Balance of Power
Definition: this theory propose the idea that national security is enhanced when military
capabilities are distributed so that no one state is strong enough to dominate all others
Relevance: after WW1 with the isolationism policy US did not want to be the hegemon and did
not want to execute the role of balancing power, on the other hand after WW2 United States
wanted to execute the rule motivated by moral principles and domestic values towards keeping
peace in the world, but this time it was not the only one who wanted to do it.
Example: under this theory if someone gains inordinate power, the theory predicts that it will
take advantage of its strength and attack weaker neighbors thereby providing an incentive for
those threatened to unite in a defensive coalition
13. Wilsonian Idealism
Definition: America should participate in world affairs thought a global organization. He saw US
as a moral force in the world. There are some principles associate with him spread of
Democracy, spread of Capitalism, opposition to isolationism and non-interventionism and
Pro-Imperialism in favor of intervention to further national self-interest.
Relevance: there was some Critics of the concept of "Wilsonian idealism" which say that Wilson
only wanted ethnic self-determination and democracy in European countries which were under
the control of rivals of America. Elsewhere such principles were ignored.
Example: President Wilson is the perfect idealist. President Woodrow Wilson, was a supporter
of the League of Nations and his Fourteen Points on freedom. League of Nations was founded
under the basis that every country has the same rights and each one will respect the other one.
14. NATO
Definition: is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which
was signed on 4 April 1949. NATOs essential purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security
of its members through political and military means. Recognize a Democratic value and was
created to enable its members (the United States, Canada, and their European partners) to
counter the threat posed by the Soviet Union
Relevance: The Soviet Union response was create the Warsaw pact. NATO defies the historical
norm, not only surviving well beyond the Cold War's end, but also expanding its membership
and broadening its mission.
Example: NATO oversaw the mission in Libya that succeeded in stopping its civil war and
removing the Qaddafi regime
Essay Questions
McCormick introduces different perspectives commonly used to assess foreign policy. In
particular, he makes reference to (1) social psychology (values and beliefs), (2) the rational
actor model, () the organi!ational process model, and (") the bureaucratic politics
model. #$plain (a) the main features for each one of these four analytical models. In
addition, (b) provide a concrete historic e$ample to %hich each of these could apply as far as
the &merican foreign policy is concerned.
a) Social psychology: study ho% social influence, social perception and social
interaction influence individual and group behavior, they focus on human behavior
and people's interactions %ith others and %ith the social environment. #$ample(
social psychology %ill study ho% people ans%er to a president)s decision, to invade
another country
b) Rational actor model: self*interested, seek ma$imum outcomes e$ample +resident
#$ample( ,ohn -. .ennedy's 1/02 Cuban Missile Crisis decisions he decided to
impose a blockade, to see soviets ne$t movement, soviet has to take it because of the
risk of mutual destruction. need to sho% resolve to combat domestic charges of his
being
c) Organizational process model: formal organi!ations are the setting in %hich
decisions are made, organi!ation's particular structure and procedural rules under
pre*established organi!ational. #$ample( 1he Soviets simply did not have a plan to
follo% if the 2.3. took decisive action against their missiles. .hrushchev's
communications indicated a high degree of desperation. 4ithout any back*up plan,
the 3oviets had to %ithdra%.
d) Bureaucratic politics model: competition among bureaucracy, but till pay attention
to values and belief. #$ample( 5ecause of the failure of the Bay of +igs invasion,
6epublicans in the Congress made Cuban policy into a major issue for the
upcoming congressional elections later in 1/02.
1he &merican involvement in %orld affairs immediately after 4orld 4ar II may be
e$plained by three different sets of circumstances( global po%er vacuum, the 3oviet
challenge, and perceptions from &merican leaders. (a) #$plain the meaning of each, to
(b) provide specifics about each (e$amples, events, key political figures, etc.), and to (c)
indicate ho% did they contribute to the emergence of a global ideological battle.
a) Global vacuum: politic and economic conditions of the international system
immediately after 44II there %as no country %ho can help rebuild #urope other
than the 23. 1he 23 %as healthy and prosperous, %hile #urope had a deficit of 7.8
billion 23 has a surplice or 0.9 billion. 1hey had the military, they control the seas
and they have the nuclear bomb
b) Soviet challenge: rise of the soviet ideological challenge, 1ruman follo%ing the
%ilsonian idealism the %artime situation and the vie%s of his principal foreign policy
advisors. :e sa% 23 as a moral force.
c) erceptions from !merican leaders: change in %orldvie% among &merican
leaders. 6oosevelt reali!e after 44II the role that the 23 had to play as a hegemon
for him only the great po%ers should ensure to not have a %ar again (23&, ;6#&1
56I1&I<, 2633,C:I<&)
a) "solationist: 1he &merican policy of remaining neutral in all %ar*related actions for
as long as possible. =eaders %ho asserted that their nations' best interests %ere best
served by keeping the affairs of other countries at a distance
b) !merican attitude(observe good faith and >ustice to%ard all nations and cultivate
peace and harmony)# danger of forming closing ties $ith other states (an
attachment to other nation produce sympathy for the favorite nations no real
interest)# rule of conduct (e$tending commercial relationship but little political
connection as possible #urope has different interest)
c) 1he 23 made no alliance bet%een the treaty %ith -rance and the declaration of the
2nited <ations, their consular activity %as lo% as %ell as commerce and multilateral
relationship.
d) 1hey increase in alliance, consular activity and multilateral relationship also reduce
its claims and territorial concessions