CHANGES IN US FOREIGN POLICY

Changes in Us Foreign Policy

Changes in Us Foreign Policy

Introduction

American, foreign policy has fluctuated throughout the existence of the United States, stemming from the influence of exogenous dynamics and significant watersheds felt throughout the international system as well as endogenous changes and influences within the American government. Noteworthy declarations such as the Monroe Doctrine, international conflicts such as the Spanish-American War, World War II, and the cold war as well as regional conflicts such as the Vietnam War and the Korean War significantly influenced American foreign policy. Currently, the events of September 11, 2001, represent the major exogenous watershed that influenced the foreign policy decision-making of the U.S. government. In addition to the exogenous dynamics that have been decisive in American, foreign policy, the endogenous aspects of the U.S. government such as the president, Congress, the bureaucracy, and American public opinion have significant influence in foreign policy decision making.

Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy

A discussion of American, foreign policy cannot be entirely fulfilled without concentrating on the effect of public opinion on American, foreign policy. Holsti identifies three watersheds that ultimately shaped the relationship between public opinion and American, foreign policy: World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. The focus on the effect of public opinion openly commenced after World War I, when public opinion played a role in the decision making of how to create international order in the post-World War I period. The significance of World War II came as scientific polling of public opinion began, allowing for a much more advanced empirical investigation into the opinions of the American public. Finally, the Vietnam War as well as the outcomes after the Vietnam War initiated another focus on the public opinion and its effect on American, foreign policy (Garrison, ...