「政治経済戦争」としての米国対外経済政策 -アイゼンハワー期-
冷戦期アメリカ外交の再検討
1982 年 1982 巻 70 号 p. 100-119,L7
詳細
1982 年 1982 巻 70 号 p. 100-119,L7
As pointed out by some scholars, the inauguration of Eisenhower in 1953 coincided with the death of Stalin, and occasioned a change in the nature of the “Cold War.” About the same time the completion of the hydrogen bomb by the United States and then by the Soviet Union made the leaders of both countries acutely aware of a terrible consequence of nuclear confrontation, and compelled them to change their Cold-War strategies. This nuclear deadlock, in turn, contributed to the intensification of the non-military aspect of the Cold War—often described as “political-economic warfare.”
This article examines the foreign economic policies of the United States in the areas of foreign trade, natural resources and foreign aid—primarily from the viewpoint of this “political-economic warfare.” During the 1950's high government officials in Washington, determined to wage “political-economic warfare” on a global scale, strove to do two things: to solidify the allies based on close economic interdependence; and to draw into America's orbit the Third World countries—the sources of raw materials essential for the industries of the West.
With these objectives in mind did Washington formulate foreign economic policies. For example, it took extreme care to keep oil flowing not only to the United States itself but also to its allies. Japan received special attention from Washington, especially after the worsening of the Indochina situation, and was aided to expand its export trade, which helped lay the foundation for Japan's future economic growth.
As for foreign aid, Washington's attitude was ambiguous, reflecting the conservative tradition of the Republican Party. However, a combination of the rising tide of nationalism in the Third World and Moscow's “economic offensive” forced reluctant Washington officials to make further commitment' to the economic development in the underdeveloped regions.
In the final analysis, it is highly doubtful whether America's engagement in the “political-economic warfare” with the Soviet Union strengthened in any way its leadership position in the world.
