The document discusses American foreign and defense policy. It outlines how the President guides foreign policy with the help of the State and Defense Departments. The State Department advises the President on diplomacy and includes the Foreign Service of ambassadors. The Defense Department is led by the Secretary of Defense and includes the military branches that advise on defense issues. The document then reviews the history of American foreign policy and involvement in international organizations like the UN.

1. Foreign and Defense Policy
How the President deals with others
and our defense

2. From Isolationism to Internationalism
• For most of our history, we have had minimal
involvement with other nations.
• In the past 50 years, the US has found it
necessary to involve itself in foreign affairs
because the nations well-being is so closely
related to international well-being.

3. Foreign Policy: What It Is
• The Federal Government’s statements and
actions with regard to foreign countries, i.e.
treaties and alliances, international trade,
defense and foreign aid.
• American Foreign Policy- Aggressive-
launching new policies or Defensive- during
the cold war.

4. The President’s Responsibilities
• The President dominates the field of foreign
policy because of the position as commander
in chief and chief diplomat
• The State and Defense departments help the
President carry out the responsibilities of
guiding American foreign policy.

5. The State Department
• Who advises the President on Foreign Policy
• State Department is headed by the Secretary
of State, President’s right arm in foreign
affairs.
• Secretary of State- Appointed by the President
and confirmed by the Senate, first among
cabinet members.

6. Organization and Key Components
How Foreign countries work with the US
• The Foreign Service-Under international law,
every nation has the right to send and receive
diplomatic representatives.
• Ambassadors-
– Appointed by the President and approved by the
Senate
– Inform on latest events in host country
– Negotiate diplomatic agreements
– Protect the interests of Americans aboard

7. • Special Diplomats- Some ambassadors
represent the United States at the United
Nations, at other international organizations,
and at international conferences.
• Passports-
– State Department issues
– Entitle holders to certain privileges in other
countries.

8. Diplomatic Immunity
• Under international law, ambassadors are not
subject to the laws of the state to which are
accredited.
• Diplomatic immunity is essential to the
conduct of international relations, and
breaches of the privileged status of
ambassadors are rare.

9. The Defense Department
• Protecting the US citizens
• Civil Control of the Military- Potential threat
to liberty, civilian authority is given to the
President and Congress.
• The Secretary of Defense-
– Appointed by the President and approved by the
Senate
– Advise President on military mattes
– Run the Defense Department

10. • Chief Civilian Aides- Aides that are appointed
by the President and approved by the Senate.
• Chief Military Aides-
– Five Joint Chiefs of Staff
– Highest ranking officers
– Advisers to the President
– Secretary of defense
– National Security Council

11. The Military Departments
• Army- Largest and oldest armed service,
responsible for land operations
• Air Force- Youngest military service, first line
of defense, responsible for air and aerospace
operations.
• Navy- Sea warfare and defense
– Marine Corps is a combat-ready land force that
supports the Navy and operates within the Naval
Department.

12. Defense Agencies
• The Central Intelligence Agency
– Head of the CIA is appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate.
– Charged with gathering and analyzing intelligence
related to foreign and defense policy, report to
the President and NSC
– Forbidden to operate within the US

13. • USIA- Propaganda- positive image
• NASA- nation’s space program
• USACDA- Arms limitations and disarmament
• Selective Service- young men must register at
age 18. The draft is suspend but can be
enacted at anytime.

14. American Foreign Policy:
Past & Present
• Foreign Policy From Independence through
World War I
– Monroe Doctrine- Europe stay out of North and
South America
– Continental Expansion- Nation expanded, through
war and through purchase
– A World Power- Colonial power as a result of the
Spanish American War
– Good Neighbor Policy- improve relations with
South and Latin America

15. • Open Door in China
– Open Door Policy- open trade with all nations
– Ties between U.S. and China were cut in 1949
when the Communists took over.

16. The Two World Wars
• World War I
– German submarine attacks led to American
involvement in World War I, but isolationism was
strong after the war
• World War II
– Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor forced America
into World War II and ended this country’s
isolationist tendencies

17. Foreign Policy from 1945 to Today
• Peace Through Collective Security- UN was
established to forge a world in which future
wars would be prevented.
• Deterrence- Or peace through strength, was a
central tenet of American foreign policy after
WW II

18. Resisting Soviet Aggression
• The Truman Doctrine and Containment- the
nation would check further Soviet expansion
and wait for it to collapse
• Berlin Blockade- 1948, Soviet Union tried to
overtake West Berlin, but US mounted an
airlift that saved the city

19. • Cuban Missile Crisis- 1962, war was narrowly
averted when the US demanded that Soviet
missiles in Cuba be withdrawn
• Korean War- 1950, Communist North Korean
forces invaded South Korea. UN entered the
war and turned the invasion back
• Vietnam War- 1954-68, US became more
involved and it ended in 1973 after taking
58,000 American lives.

20. Détente and the Return to Containment
• After the Vietnam War America started a
policy of détente- a relaxation of cold war
tensions.
• Détente ended with the Soviet Union when
they invaded Afghanistan

21. The End of the Cold War
• Mikhail Gorbachev worked to forge
disarmament agreements and made radical
changes in foreign policy.
• The end of the cold war was the realization of
the goal of containment.

22. Foreign Aid & Security Through
Alliances
• Aid goes to countries considered most critical
to the achievement of America’s foreign
policy.
• American defense strategy is based on a
network of regional security alliances
– NATO- Western Europe, Canada, & US
– Mutual defense pacts with the Western
Hemisphere, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, &
South Korea

23. • The US and the Middle East
– Does not have defense pacts in the Middle East
– 1991- Persian Gulf War- US supporting Kuwait
against the Iraqi invasion of that country
– Arab-Israeli peace negotiations were sponsored
by the United States in 1991

24. UN
• UN
– Formed 1945, shift towards internationalism in
American Foreign policy
– UN formed by the victorious allies of WW II
– Membership- 179 members

25. • Six Organizations-
– General Assembly
– Security Council
– Economic and Social Council
– Trusteeship Council
– International Court of Justice
– Secretariat

26. The General Assembly
• All members have a seat in the General
Assembly
• Elected members makes recommendations to
the Security Council
• Security Council
– Five permanent members
– Major peacekeeping body- US, France, UK, Russia,
and China
– Each country has veto power over the actions of
the Security Council

27. • Economic and Social Council- 54 members-
carry out economic, cultural, educational, and
health-related activities
• Trusteeship Council- it’s the government for
all “non-self-government territories.”
• International Court of Justice- 15 judges- hold
cases on members and nonmembers alike.
• Secretariat- Civil branch, headed by secretary-
general