Policy of Containment: Augusto Pinochet

During the Cold War, Chile was one of the countries most affected by the US Policy of Containment. With the support of the United States, Augusto Pinochet –the Chilean commander in chief– planned and led a coup to overthrow socialist president Salvador Allende in 1973, and assumed the presidency of his country in 1974.

Pinochet intended to eliminate the leftist or socialist party, and to introduce a free-market economy in Chile. During the period from 1976 to 1979, his policies seemed to work, since they lowered inflation and created an economic boom; however, the country went through a severe recession some years later. During Pinochet’s regime, oppression towards his opponents was brutal: just during his first three years in power, he arrested over 130 000 people and several more were reported “missing”. After leaving office in 1990, he was repeatedly accused of violating human rights and tried for torture and human rights abuses.

Here's a link to a video about Pinochet's regime:

YouTube - The Crimes of Pinochet

References:

"Pinochet, Augusto." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 03 Sept 2009 .

Read More......

THINGS TO KNOW FOR EXAM :)

IMPORTANT TO KNOW FOR THE EXAM!!

* WORLD WAR 1 : 1914 - 1918
* WORLD WAR 2: 1939 - 1945

* MAIN CAUSES OF WW1: NATIONALISM, ECONOMIC COMPETITION, ASSESINATION OF FERDINAND.

* NATIONALISM IS TO LOVE, RESPECT AND BE PROURD OF YOUR COUNTRY; EXTREME PATRIOTISM.

* NATO: NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION.

* POLICY OF CONTAINMENT: WANTED TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM. (NATO´S IDEA)

* ARGENTINA, GERMANY AND CHILE HAVE WOMAN LEADERS

* MOST IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONS STATE AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION

Read More......

The Beginning of the American Policy of Containment

The rise of the Soviet Union and the dominance that it acquired after the Second World War were reasons enough to create certain “paranoia” in the United States, a fear of communism spreading worldwide. Though we could also say it was not an unfounded alarm, but a reality likely to happen. To defend democracy from the threat awaken by growing communism, the United States adopted its famous policy of containment (as we saw in class).
In 1947, president Truman said that it was the United States’ duty to help any country vulnerable to fall to communism. Out from this idea, the United States began to take various actions. One of them was the Truman Doctrine, the “beginning” of American war against communism.
After World War II, the United Kingdom supplied some countries, such as Greece and Turkey, with financial aid. However, the UK reached a point where it was unable to carry on with the help, so they asked America for a plan B. The reason why it was important to continue contributing with these two countries was that Greece was going through a civil war and Turkey was still on a process of recovering and modernization, which made them susceptible to adopt communism one day or another.
American support resulted in the defeat of the Greek Communist Party. But this was not the only consequence. The importance of Truman Doctrine and the policy of containment, established within American minds, led later to “bigger” things, such as the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam and Korean war.

Was it all worth it?
Was it really America's responsibility to maintain communism aside?
Was it the right way to stop communism?

For more information:
http://www.conservapedia.com/Truman_Doctrine
http://www.johndclare.net/cold_war8_TrumanDoctrine.htm
http://books.google.com.mx/books?id=qXeRALIwozgC&pg=PA268&lpg=PA268&dq=greece+communism+us+truman+doctrine&source=bl&ots=hymjFEMYBa&sig=Suh2WYEmasrAIEJXGF12y2xdsqU&hl=es&ei=oHqbSoeMEY_-tQOsm_iUDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6#v=onepage&q=&f=false
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1780.html

Read More......