Lesson Report:
### Lesson Report – US Foreign Policy: Continuity, Change, and Historical Trajectories
#### Title:
**”US Foreign Policy Eras: Continuity, Change, and Ideological Contexts”**
**Synopsis:**
This session continued the exploration of U.S. foreign policy history, centering on the categorization of U.S. foreign policy into three distinct eras: the Continental Era, the Regional Era, and the Global Era, as conceptualized by Scott and Rosati. The lesson aimed to build historical context, discuss key events in U.S. policy, and introduce debates surrounding continuity and change in America’s global actions of the past decade. The class also engaged in thematic discussions on ideological shifts, military strategy, and economic policies shaping U.S. foreign policy through time.
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#### Attendance:
– One mention of “all students present,” no absences noted.
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#### Topics Covered:
1. ### **Introduction & Recap of US Foreign Policy Eras (10 minutes)**
– **Recap from Last Class:**
– The three foreign policy eras from Scott and Rosati:
1. **Continental Era** (1776-1865)
2. **Regional Era** (1865-1940)
3. **Global Era** (1940-Present).
– Framing of U.S. foreign policy as expansionist rather than isolationist.
2. ### **Discussion: Continuity vs. Change in Modern US Foreign Policy (20 minutes)**
– **Prompt:** What events since 2014 highlight continuity or change in U.S. foreign policy?
– **Key Events Discussed:**
– **Pivot to Asia:** Shift toward China as the focal point of U.S. policy, first under Obama, emphasizing economic influence and trade.
– **War in Ukraine (2022):**
– U.S. involvement includes military funding, intelligence sharing, sanctions, and embargoes on Russia.
– Perception that Russia’s aggressiveness provides a renewed geopolitical threat.
– **Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021):**
– U.S. exit after two decades of war marks a perceived shift away from direct military intervention tactics.
– The rapid collapse of the Afghan government after withdrawal cited as a major U.S. foreign policy failure.
– **Israel-Palestine Conflict:**
– Long-term, consistent U.S. support of Israel through funding, weapons, and diplomatic backing.
– Embassy relocation to Jerusalem under Trump seen as a symbolic political stance.
– **Debate Question:** Has U.S. foreign policy fundamentally changed in the past decade?
– **Pro-Change Examples:** Shift from direct military interventions (e.g., Vietnam, Iraq) to indirect measures like economic sanctions and funding.
– **Pro-Continuity Examples:** Consistent ideological positioning (e.g., promotion of democratic “values”), economic influence tactics, and global military involvement.
3. ### **Lecture: Continental Era (1776-1865) (15 minutes)**
– **Overview:**
– Period of territorial growth and early foreign policy development, marked by the Monroe Doctrine and debates over “isolationism” versus “non-alignment.”
– U.S.-European relations were strained, but alliances emerged, especially with France.
– **Key Event – Monroe Doctrine (1823):**
– Asserted U.S. opposition to European colonial involvement in the Western Hemisphere.
– A major step toward U.S. projection of power beyond its borders.
– Defined U.S. hemispheric leadership while fostering realist policies.
4. ### **Lecture: Regional Era (1865-1940) (20 minutes)**
– U.S. expansion beyond continental borders, marked by interventionism:
– **Key Events:**
– **Post-Civil War Expansion:** Manifest Destiny was fulfilled, and the U.S. began influencing neighboring regions.
– **Spanish-American War (1898):** Resulted in acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines—marking U.S. imperial ambitions.
– **Open Door Policy with China:** Economic engagement in Asia to ensure a level trading field, a precursor to modern trade diplomacy.
– **Debated Continuity of Isolationism:** Despite increased regional interventions, Scott and Rosati argue the U.S. remained focused on its own security interests, not outright imperial expansion.
– **League of Nations (Post WWI):**
– Proposed by Wilson but ultimately rejected by Congress, reflecting internal pressures for “non-alignment.”
5. ### **Lecture: Global Era (1940-Present) (25 minutes)**
– **Post-World War II Context:**
– The U.S. emerged as a superpower, taking a leadership role internationally.
– **Marshall Plan (1948):** Funded Western Europe’s recovery, preventing the spread of communism.
– **Containment Strategy of the Cold War:**
– **Domino Theory:** justification for interventions in Korea and Vietnam.
– **Vietnam War:**
– Resulted in domestic and international distrust of U.S. foreign policy.
– Marked the U.S.’s first major loss in ideological warfare.
– **Post-Cold War & Contemporary Contexts:**
– The U.S.’s ideological battle shifted after the Cold War—from containment of communism to the global War on Terror, and more recently, strategic competition with China.
6. ### **Closing Themes: Overview of Foreign Policy Tools (10 minutes)**
– Introduction to the three themes driving U.S. foreign policy:
1. **Balance of Power:** How the U.S. ensures dominance within the existing global order.
– Examples: Monroe Doctrine, Cold War containment strategies, current pivot to Asia.
2. **Economic Policy:** Expansion of influence via trade agreements, sanctions, and institutions.
– Examples: Bretton Woods institutions (IMF, World Bank), Open Door Policy, NAFTA.
3. **Ideological Contests:** The U.S. as a promoter of democracy and opponent of alternative ideologies.
– From anti-colonial foundations to capitalism vs. communism, and, now, authoritarianism vs. democracy.
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#### Actionable Items:
1. ### **Before Next Session (Urgent):**
– Complete assigned reading on key debates surrounding continuity and change in U.S. foreign policy.
– Focus on Scott and Rosati’s framing of ideological, economic, and power-centric tools in shaping U.S. policy.
– Prepare to discuss whether U.S. foreign policymaking is in a new ideological era.
2. ### **Topics for Further Discussion (Important):**
– Highlight unresolved points from today’s lesson: e.g., limits of “non-alignment,” incongruences in interventionism, modern impacts of Vietnam-era public mistrust.
– Clarify any questions about lecture material on regional/global power transitions.
3. ### **Ongoing Course Tasks:**
– Plan for dedicated lessons on the Regional Era (interventionism in Latin America) and Global Era (Cold War ideological contests and post-Cold War global hierarchy).
– Begin brainstorming potential essay questions comparing U.S. internationalism post-WWI with post-WWII.
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End of Report.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
The professor did not assign any explicit homework during this lesson. The conclusion of the transcript indicates that students were only reminded to complete the reading by Wednesday: *”If you have not finished the reading, then please do have it finished by Wednesday.”*