We're Going to Nicaragua: The United States, Nicaragua, and Counterterrorism in Central America during the 1980s

Authors

  • Philip Travis State College of Florida

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15664/jtr.1217

Keywords:

George H. W. Bush, Nicaragua, Terrorism, Ronald Reagan, Outlaw States, Sandinista

Abstract

During the first two years of Ronald Reagan’s second term the United States developed an offensive strategy for dealing with conflict in the developing world. States like Nicaragua were the prime target of this policy. Scholars refer to this as the Reagan offensive: the first time that the United States eschewed the norms of containment and sought to “roll-back” the gains of communism. However, the Reagan offensive was also significantly driven by a response to the emergent threat of international terrorism. U.S. policy with Nicaragua demonstrates the importance of terrorism in the development of a more aggressive United States.

Author Biography

Philip Travis, State College of Florida

Dr. Travis completed his Ph.D. from Washington State University in May, 2014. His research is focused on United States international relations during the Cold War until present. Travis is currently an Assistant Professor of History with the State College of Florida.

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Published

2016-05-17

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Section

Articles