It is common knowledge that by the twentieth century, the United States had become the dominant force in international relations. Some have argued that the United States’ military functions as the world’s police. This assignment covers the manner in which this shift occurred and the consequences that the United States faces as a result of its elevated status.
Use the Internet to research two (2) real-life international incidents from the past five (5) years in which:
- The U.S. used military action abroad
- Controversy existed within the American public regarding U.S. involvement
- Controversy existed within the country or countries affected by U.S. involvement
Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:
- Outline the two (2) real-life international incidents that you have researched.
- Identify two (2) factors that propelled America into a dominant military and diplomatic force after World War II.
- Compare and contrast the key differences in American foreign policy before and after World War II. Explain the main reasons why the differences in pre- and post-war policy occurred. Provide a rationale for your response.
- Describe the manner in which the justifications used for America’s overseas involvement during World War II still play a role in U.S. military action abroad. Provide an example of such justifications in action to support your response.
- Discuss the fundamental ways in which the rise of the United States to a world superpower has shaped the country’s responses to the following issues on the home front:
-Domestic spending
-Fourth Amendment protections
-Americans’ choice of leaders in Congress and the White House
6. Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment besides the textbook. Note: Wikipedia and other similar websites do not qualify as academic resources.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
- Analyze the rise of the United States to a world “superpower” and how that status has shaped its internal developments in recent decades.
- Recognize the major turning points in American history since the Civil War.
- Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary U.S. history.
- Write clearly and concisely about contemporary U.S. history using proper writing mechanics.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills.
Click here
to access the rubric for this course.
The US Military involvement in an armed conflict in
Iraq
known as the Iraq War started when the
United States
invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003, which was followed by long period of fighting to combat
the occupying forces
and the newly formed Iraqi government. The justifications given by the government of the United States and the
United Kingdom
for their invasion on Iraq was that Iraq allegedly possessed
weapons of mass destruction
(WMD) and presented a threat to their security and that of their allies.
Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein
was also accused of sheltering and aiding
al-Qaeda
but no evidence was ever found to prove that. Other stated
reasons for the invasion
of Iraq was Iraq’s financial support for the families of
Palestinian
suicide bombers, Iraqi government
human rights
abuses and an effort to spread
democracy
to the country.
Later after investigating it was concluded that Iraq had already ended its nuclear, chemical and biological programs in 1991 and had no active programs at the time of the invasion, but that they envisioned resuming activities if the
Iraq sanctions
were lifted. However, when public favored increasingly for the withdrawals of the troops from Iraq and as Iraqi forces started to take responsibility for security, member nations of the Coalition withdrew their forces. Later, the U.S. decided to completely withdraw military personnel from Iraq in December 2011.
After the
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001
in the US, the US military has been continuously intervening the internal affairs
Afghanistan
from 2001 until today to disassemble the al-Qaeda
terrorist organization
and to confiscate the
Taliban government
from power, which at the time was controlling Afghanistan and accommodated al-Qaeda leadership. When U.S. President
George W. Bush
demanded that the Taliban hand over
Osama bin Laden
, the mastermind behind 9/11 attack and expel the al-Qaeda network that was supporting the Taliban in its war with the
Afghan Northern Alliance
, the Taliban declined to extradite bin Laden without evidence of his involvement in the 9/11 attacks but recommended that he leave the country. As a result, America refused negotiation and launched
Operation Enduring Freedom
on 7 October 2001 with the United Kingdom. Later
Germany
and other western allies later joined the Operation to attack the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in conjunction with the Northern Alliance. With the killing of Osama bin Laden in
Abbotabad
, Pakistan on 2 May 2011,
U.S. Navy SEALs
,
NATO
leaders permitted for removing their soldiers from Afghanistan. The Afghanistan war resulted in the killings of tens of thousands of people as of 2013; the victims were mostly civilians and militants. On 22 June 2011, President Obama announced that the end of 2011 would withdraw 10,000 troops with an additional 23,000 troops leaving the country by the summer of 2012.
During the twentieth century the United States largely dominated in political, economic and cultural terms. Although the United States’ influence grew throughout the twentieth century, it became especially dominant after the end of
World War II
, when only two
superpowers
, the United States and the
Soviet Union
remained. After the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
in 1991, the United States remained the world’s only superpower.
After the
Cold War
the United States became one of the world’s two superpowers as a result of the criteria fulfilled by the United States to be considered a superpower. With the geographic area of approximately 9.37 million km² America became the fourth largest country in the world and with the population of 248.7 million in 1990, America became the fourth largest in the world at that time.
Besides, political influence, the United States also influenced the world economically. During 20th century the economic policies of the
Washington Consensus
was adopted around the world. As a result, America became the
largest economy in the world
. America was very rich in minerals resources, energy resources, timber, and metals, and America had a very large modernized farming industry and large industrial base.
U.S. Dollar
became dominant world
reserve currency
then. Due to its economic rise, America was associated with
G7
major economies.
America’s military force also played major role in its super power position. America had
the world’s largest navy
with largest number of
aircraft carriers
, bases all over the world. America also had the largest nuclear arsenal in the world during the first half of the Cold War. America had one of the largest armies in the world and also had one of the two largest air forces in the world. America’s powerful military allies in Western Europe (NATO) had their own nuclear capabilities. America possessed a global Intelligence network (
CIA
).
Behind every policy success, it was the America’s extravagant economy. Economic preconditions facilitated US to develop all aspects of power. From increased US’s diplomatic leverage to providing resources for navy-army build-up, building the Panama Canal, expanding trade and enhancing US’s soft power, it was the contribution of America’s economic growth. President’s action on the basis of their visions, ideas and strategies also played major role for economic growth. The effective implementation of Mahan’s naval strategy and deterrence was originally realized under McKinley and Roosevelt. US’s strong navy and its capability to withdraw to newly acquired coaling stations was an adding factor to America’s rise to power. The solidification of the alliance with Britain and the closer cooperation with China proved strong. Remarkably US’s involvement in WWI reinstated peace and stability in Europe and protected the Allies. US surfaced as an eminent world power; an economic superpower that commanded substantial leverage in global decision-making.
Being the most powerful in the world, later America became known as the country that was acting as the resolver, the country that was intervening, and the country that was stepping in, in order to prevent the world conflict. Throughout the early 1920’s to the 19
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0’s, America’s ideas on foreign policy differed immensely.
Since, America was intervening with most issues before World War I, America was described as the nation who “polices the world”. However, after World War I, America had suffered a lot from economic desolation. As a result America did not want to hurt themselves into another war. Therefore America tried to prevent another war by becoming isolationist after World War I and remained isolationist for almost fifteen years. They sought to keep themselves out of other problems from other countries around the globe. There are many examples that show that America remained isolationist after World War I. Legislation that supported American isolationism after World War I were Immigration Acts, which sets quotas on each race that could immigrate to America. This Act was established to keep American jobs mostly to Americans, and also to have only “higher” class immigrants immigrate to America. Other examples include the Neutrality Acts, America’s carelessness to the sinking of the Lusitania, the British ship, Germany’s violation of the Sussex pledge, as Germany continued to sink American ships until America finally came into action.
However, after World War II, America’s foreign policy changed significantly. After World War II, America started to intervene. America agreed to lend money to “war-torn” Europe to restore its economy. The passage of the Truman Doctrine, which would prevent Turkey and Greece from falling to communism, was another policy of intervention, which was emphasized even more when the Eisenhower Doctrine extended the coverage of the Truman Doctrine into the Middle East. Similarly, events like the Berlin Air Lift demonstrated America’s support for foreign affairs as well, which illustrates America’s intervention after World War II.
In this way, the foreign policy of America differed significantly after World War I and World War II. While after World War I, America was isolationist, after World War II America became an intervenor.
The 9/11 attacks of 2001 steered in a new era of US preventive military action intended at acquiring the safety of US interest at home and abroad. This new action of the US government insured America’s right to self-defense, and the World’s commitment to the defense of freedom. The Global War on Terror is one main element of this new policy. However, as the War has progressed it has become increasingly obvious that this new policy does not represents a shift in US foreign policy with regard to the Middle East. In fact, the US government has sustained static normative policy in the region since the end of World War II.
Reference:
Armstrong, Blake. (2010, June 18). Differences in American Foreign Policy After World War I and World War II. Retrieved November 24, 2013 from
http://voices.yahoo.com/differences-american-foreign-policy-after-world-6233710.html?cat=37
Population, Housing Units, Area Measurements, and Density: 1790 to 1990. Retrieved Noveber 24, 2013 from (http://www.census.gov/population/censusdata/table-2 )
Landler, Mark; Cooper, Helene (22 June 2011).
“Obama Will Speed Pullout From War in Afghanistan”
. The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2013 from
Efthymiou, Pavlos. (2013, February 12). The Emergence Of The United States As A Global Power. Retrieved November 24, 2013 from
http://theriskyshift.com/2013/02/the-emergence-of-the-united-states-as-a-global-power/#ixzz2ld9tkIPM
Carnes, Alex. (2013) The Global War on Terror: Unfolding The Static Approach of US Foreign Policy in the Middle East. Retrieved November 24, 2013 from http://www.stateofnature.org/?p=5658
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