Thatcher's Foreign Policy 1979-1990
- Created by: yazmintaylorx
- Created on: 03-01-18 15:09
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- Thatcher's Foreign Policy 1979-1990
- Falklands War
- 18th Jan Thatcher's govt officially cleared of blame for B's failure to anticipate or prevent capture of Falklands Islands
- this was concluded in the Franks Report 1983
- Argentina started the invasion and were to blame
- Falklands inhabitants wanted to remain British, so war inevitable
- international support for B from the USA was key to B's succe**
- gave the UK use of US bases on Ascension Islands
- relationship between Thatcher & Reagan vital to British succe**
- diplomatic intervention prevented Argentina obtaining new Exocet mi**iles
- public support for Thatcher increased significantly & national pride rose
- Thatcher seen as succe**ful in war & a strong national leader
- she went on to win the election despite decreased public before the war
- 'Falklands Factor'
- landslide victory in 1983
- Had B lost the war, public support would have plummeted
- she would have been an unpopular and weak leader
- British people wouldn't forgive the lo** of life in the war
- payback for Suez
- 18th Jan Thatcher's govt officially cleared of blame for B's failure to anticipate or prevent capture of Falklands Islands
- USA
- New Cold War
- T & R both committed 'Cold War Warriors'
- both thought West should take tough line against USSR
- T gave R unqualified support on nuclear policy
- in return, R sold Trident to UK
- T & R both committed 'Cold War Warriors'
- how similar were their policies?
- similar
- both anti-communism
- close cooperation over military & intelligence matters
- help over Falklands Crisis
- different
- USA easily ignored UK eg invasion of Grenada without consulting UK
- T opposed to SDI & disagreed with scaling down nuclear armament
- USA more interested in Eastern Germany & Europe
- USA didn't want to sacrifice US interests whereas T very pro-USA
- similar
- Grenada
- moment of embarra**ment in relationship
- invaded Grenada unannounced
- Grenada was a sovereign c-wealth country
- Thatcher not amused
- US Mi**iles in UK
- Trident Agreement 1982
- USA agrees to see UK its latest nuclear mi**ile - Trident
- replaces ageing Polaris mi**ile of the 1960s
- to counter latest Soviet **-20 nuclear mi**ile based in E. Europe US deployed latest nuclear mi**ile Tomahawk cruise mi**ile in B, Italy & W. Germany
- T gave full support despite protests
- a women's peace camp set up around Greenham Common airbase where mi**iles based
- CND boosted its membership as a result of cruise mi**iles arriving in the UK
- Trident Agreement 1982
- US Bombing of Lybia
- T gave full support to R's decision to launch bombing campaign in Libya
- used US air bases in UK
- France, Spain & Italy refused permi**ion for US planes to fly over their airspace
- 15th April 1986
- T gave full support to R's decision to launch bombing campaign in Libya
- New Cold War
- Ru**ia
- T was first Western leader to visit new Soviet leader Gorbachev in 1984
- she declared he was 'a man with whom we can do busine**'
- she worked really hard to get good dialogue with G & to create link with US & USSR
- focused on improving relations, encouraged G to visit UK& focused on busine**
- became important bridge between US & USSR
- a channel of communication
- became important bridge between US & USSR
- T very keen to open up relations with 'new' E. Europe not just for UK/USA but for EU expansion
- good relationship between the 3 would bring money into UK
- Fall of the Berlin Wall Nov 1989
- in Nov 1989 large scale protests in Communist E. Germany
- USSR led by G refused to support the failing E. German Communist leaders any longer
- Berlin Wall was torn down & the reunification of East & West Germany seemed likely
- in Nov 1989 large scale protests in Communist E. Germany
- Reunification of Germany
- collapse of E. Germany happened suddenly
- W. Germant pushed for speedy reunification between E & W Germany
- T opposed to German reunification
- she feared a reunited Germany of 50m people would upset EEC
- T was first Western leader to visit new Soviet leader Gorbachev in 1984
- Falklands War
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