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User:Dhartung/SOTA

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School of the Americas

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Notes and observations from The U.S. Army School of the Americas and U.S. National Interests in the 20th Century, a Master's Thesis in History by Carlton T. Fox, Jr.

History

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  • Began as counter to German/Italian and other European military missions and training efforts in LatAm
  • Monroe Doctrine as primary initial motivator
  • Hemispheric Defense as primary doctrinal motivator post-WWII
Primary training missions related to creating appropriate doctrine for use of provided equipment
  • Rio Treaty enjoined OAS members from threatening others, US from helping
Result left domestic operations by default
  • late 50s - Fulbright hearings downgraded risks of direct Soviet interference
Army doctrine shifted to anti-Communism
  • 1961 - Counter-insurgency training
Special Warfare School prepared new courseware
coincided with Vietnam era, 1961-late 70s
Subsided as counter-insurgency waned as US doctrine

Key Insight

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  • Professionalized military may be _more_ likely to have contempt for civilian rule
  • Professionalization of political class began with IRI/NDI funding under Reagan
Marked decline in political instability

Primary Sources

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