Ch. 23.4 – Bush 41

George H.W. Bush

Youngest WWII pilot (illegally)

Ambassador to the UN under Nixon

Director of the CIA VP under Reagan

Background perfect for international problems he would face…

1988 Election

Creating a “New World Order” Bush felt that this was

a singular moment to help shape the next century Ending the Cold War S. America and the

Drug War China South Africa Yugoslavia War in the Persian Gulf

1989

George HW Bush (Daddy) – continued Reagan’s plan

Meanwhile in Poland: Solidarity and Lech Walesa In wake of Gorbachev

renouncing Brezhnev Backed by Pope John Paul

II (assassination attempt because of threat)

Berlin Wall falls 9 November 1989

Other States Begin to Fall…

Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia (Velvet Revolution and Vaclav Havel), Romania (Ceausescu)

Freedom

Christmas 1991 August 1991 –

hardliners seize power and Gorbachev

Boris Yeltsin (President of Russian Republic) leads people to freedom

USSR bans communism 25 December 1991

The Cold War is Over

Part II of Reagan’s Foreign Policy Led US and world into

post-Cold War times Importantly, didn’t

flaunt victory over Soviets

Pushes US towards internationalism

Signs major arms reduction treaty with Boris Yeltsin

US as the Soul World Power

Capitalist Democracy seen as the only way Monarchy, fascism,

and communism dead Theocracy and New

Nationalism are sleeping giants

Starts and Stops South Africa –

system of Apartheid comes down Tutu, Mandela, and

Bush push for rights China – 4 June 1989

Tiananmen Square Massacre

Other Post-Cold War Hot Spots

Yugoslavia – Post – 1991 country disintegrates into factionalism (Balkan War) Didn’t react strongly

(fears of Vietnam) Somalia – Operation

Restore Hope gets food to civilians trapped between warlords

Operation Desert Storm

President H.W. Bush leads a UN coalition to expel Saddam from Kuwait

The war lasts about five days and is a complete US victory

Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia

Saudi’s let US keep troops in the “Holy Land” during wars and asks US to stay for stability afterwards

Wahhabis and Bin Laden angry over infidel troops in land of Mohammed

Difficult Domestic Front

Foreign Policy focus – seems indifferent to US problems 1,000 Points of Light Strategy

(charity, not federal) AIDs was on the rise

(250,000 by 1994) Bush greatly increases

research funding “No New Taxes” pledge

Short recession kills Bush after S & L Bailout pushes up deficits