Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example

Kennedy and His Doctrine of Diplomacy Kennedy and His Doctrine of Diplomacy Introduction Kennedy certainly served as President during a tumultuous time in America’s history, to say the least. In addition to numerous issues on the domestic front, he has the impending Cold War to deal with. Implementing a doctrine of diplomacy was perhaps the cornerstone of his administration, yet his ability to couple that with the threat of military force was remarkable. As tensions escalated, Kennedy’s Doctrine expressed the intention of the United States to restrict the spread of Communism and, at the same time, to protect and preserve the rights and interests of Americans.

This doctrine was necessary in order for America to not only assert its right to properly defend itself, but to also reiterate its place as an economic and political leader throughout the world. As such, Kennedy sought to develop a doctrine that was realistic, firm, and that the majority of Americans would rally behind (Barnes, 2005). As we now know, he succeeded on most accounts. Cuba, the Cold War, and the United States While many look to Russia when they describe Cold War tensions, Cuba cannot be overlooked for the role that it played in the escalating tensions that pent up between Russia and America (Schlesinger, 1967).

Cuba was already building up a hatred for the United States before the Cold War, as Fidel Castro had a strong grip on the country. As Cuba is only a short boating distance from the shores of Florida, America had a right to be concerned. With Cuba jumping in on the side of Russia in the Cold War conflict, America quickly responded by implementing strong measures to protect its shores (Lisiero, 2008). This even resulted in a military blockade instituted that made it nearly impossible for cargo to get to Cuba.

Certainly, this eroded already tenuous ties with Cuba that still exist today. The Current State of Relations Between Cuba and America Today, Cuba and the United States are struggling to resume any kind of diplomatic ties. In the decades after the Cold War, ties were basically severed between the two countries, as Fidel Castro tightened his grip on the country and expanded his belief in Communist ideals. In support of the Kennedy Doctrine, America feverishly fought on numerous fronts to ensure that Communism was resigned to Cuba, and for the most part that effort was successful.

As a result, until just recently, there was no diplomatic relationship between American and Cuba, residents of either country were not free to travel to the other, and economic embargoes persisted. Today, with Fidel Castro out of power, tensions have eased somewhat, but there is still much healing to be done. As a primary ideological difference, Cuba remains a Communist stronghold and until that changes, the relationship between the two countries will remain strained and both will look on one another with much skepticism.

Effects of the Doctrine on Regional and Global Affairs As a result of Kennedy’s Doctrine, America has certainly been seen as a major military power in the world. America did not back down during the Cold War, yet it also exercised and exhibited great restraint. This reality has not gone unnoticed. While America is still facing difficult relations with many countries it did diplomatic battle with during the Cold War, that respect largely remains today. As a result of the military resolve that was shown during that era, America is viewed as a country that will defend itself at all costs, and this has given them tremendous power on the diplomatic front, and it impacts the way that global affairs have played out since the policies of Kennedy were put into action (Rockwood, 2005).

Conclusion In reality, Kennedy’s Doctrine did little to impact the behavior of Cuba. Many would probably even say that if Cuba had that capability to bomb America themselves, they likely would have done so. In the end, Cuba has always been a thorn in the side of the United States, and this doctrine did little to alter their behavior. In the end, Russia is the one that worked with America to end the Cold War and end the threat coming from Cuba. Cuba, in the years following the War, continued to grapple with America on numerous fronts, even though military threats were never really on the table.

In response, the doctrine shifted to deal specifically with Cuba in terms of refusing to allow Community principles to spread to other areas in the region. On that front, the doctrine can certainly be taken as a success, the region to this day remains one of the most stable in the world. References Barnes, J. A. (2005). John F Kennedy on Leadership. New York: AMACOM Press. Lisiero, D. (2008). American Doctrine. Lulu.com Rockwood, L. P. (2005). Walking away from Nuremberg: Just war and the doctrine of command responsibility in the American military profession.

University of Manchester Press. Schlesinger, A. (1967). Origins of the Cold War. Foreign Affairs, 46(1), 22-52.