America

            America's involvement in Chile in the 1960's - 1970's.
             "I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures The free people of the world look to us for support in maintaining these freedoms." President Harry S. Truman's speech, 12 March 1947. In 1970, Salvador Allende's government in Chile, was the first communist-socialist party anywhere, to be voted in by a democratic election. In 1973, his government was overthrown by a military coup, and taken over by Augusto Pinochet, a military dictator. There is much speculation as to the degree in which the United States was involved in the coup. This essay will attempt to examine the extent of interference by the United States in the Allende government. It will also consider America's motives, and in doing so, will prove that; "US policy toward Chile in the 1960's and 1970's was more a consequence of US economic interests than an expression of the Truman Doctrine." is a valid statement.
             At the time of the cold war, the world consisted of two superior powers, America, and the USSR. Nearing the defeat of Nazi-Germany in WWII, The 1945 Yalta Conference (Winston, Churchill and Roosevelt) decided that the countries which were liberated from Nazi control, could have governments which were "friendly to the USSR", and it was agreed that Eastern Europe could be seen as Russia's "sphere of influence". America and Britain's idea of government's "friendly to the USSR", were democratic governments, freely elected by the people. Russia, decided however, that the only government which would ensure its future security, would be one which is communist. By 1946, Stalin had achieved almost complete domination of Eastern Europe. This created extreme tensions and suspicion between the countries. When America began to fear that the Soviet Union would extend its power through to the West, it began a large-scale anti-communism campaign.