Analyse Reagan's Public Diplomacy Strattegy On Central America

After World War II, as a key element of the United States foreign policy, the public diplomacy is permanent tool of the national security strategy, and is taken seriously by Previous Administrations. Ronald Reagan, known as a firm conservative, especially emphasized the policy role of what it calls "public diplomacy". Central America is always regarded as the sphere of influence of the United States. In order to contend the hegemony of the third world with previous Soviet Union, Reagan Administration paid close attention to Central America, and could not tolerate the Sandinista regime of Nicaragua and Salvadoran guerrillas, which were backed by Soviet Union and Cuba. Reagan Administration aimed at annihilating the Sandinista regime, supporting Salvadoran government's attacking to guerrillas, and restraining the permeation of Soviet Union and Cuba in Central America. Therefore, excepting the traditional political, economical, and military ways, it became the significant strategic tool of the United States Central American policy to initiate public diplomacy strategy actively. The dissertation includes three sections as follow: Preface: Mainly narrates the research object, direction, present situation of academic research on this topic and practical significance. Body: Explores the regulation and evolution of Central American public diplomacy strategy under Reagan Administration. Section one discusses the background why Reagan Administration initiatives the public diplomacy strategy. It includes three aspects: (1) the changes of foreign policy under Reagan Administration; (2) Central American strategic position on Reagan's foreign policy; (3) Reagan's favor on public diplomacy. Section two expounds the formation, establishment and implementation of Central American public diplomacy strategy. Including three parts: (1) the initiative of public diplomacy on Central America; (2) the public diplomacy plans and actions implemented by Office of Public Diplomacy for Latin America and Caribbean; (3) the public diplomacy plan for explaining U.S. Central American Policy to European. Section three analyses the character and essence of Reagan Administration's public diplomacy strategy. The Reagan Administration defines its national interest as having complete political, economic, and military domination over Central America. Therefore, the essence of the public diplomacy strategy is strategic tool for U.S. Central American policy to obtain maximum national interest. The epilogue summarizes the objects and significance of Central American public diplomacy strategy under Reagan Administration, and narrates simply the situation since Clinton Administration. It especially points out that the essence of present public diplomacy strategy under Bush Administration is only served for United States global interest.