The Fate of Freedom Elsewhere : Human Rights and U.S. Cold War Policy Toward Argentina

During the first quarter-century of the Cold War, upholding human rights was rarely a priority in U.S. policy toward Latin America. Seeking to protect U.S. national security, American policymakers quietly cultivated relations with politically ambitious Latin American militaries—a strategy clearly evident in the Ford administration's tacit support of state-sanctioned terror in Argentina following the 1976 military coup d’état. By the mid-1970s, however, the blossoming human rights movement in the United States posed a serious threat to the maintenance of close U.S. ties to anticommunist, right-wing military regimes. The competition between cold warriors and human rights advocates culminated in a fierce struggle to define U.S. policy during the Jimmy Carter presidency. In __The Fate of Freedom Elsewhere__, William Michael Schmidli argues that Argentina emerged as the defining test case of Carter’s promise to bring human rights to the center of his administration’s foreign policy. Entering the Oval Office at the height of the kidnapping, torture, and murder of tens of thousands of Argentines by the military government, Carter set out to dramatically shift U.S. policy from subtle support to public condemnation of human rights violation. But could the administration elicit human rights improvements in the face of a zealous military dictatorship, rising Cold War tension, and domestic political opposition? By grappling with the disparate actors engaged in the struggle over human rights, including civil rights activists, second-wave feminists, chicano/a activists, religious progressives, members of the New Right, conservative cold warriors, and business leaders, Schmidli utilizes unique interviews with U.S. and Argentine actors as well as newly declassified archives to offer a telling analysis of the rise, efficacy, and limits of human rights in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Cold War. During The First Quarter Century Of The Cold War, Upholding Human Rights Was Rarely A Priority In U.s. Policy Toward Latin America. Seeking To Protect U.s. National Security, American Policymakers Quietly Cultivated Relations With Politically Ambitious Latin American Militaries - A Strategy Clearly Evident In The Ford Administration{u2019}s Tacit Support Of State-sanctioned Terror In Argentina Following The 1976 Military Coup D{u2019}état. By The Mid-1970s, However, The Blossoming Human Rights Movement In The United States Posed A Serious Threat To The Maintenance Of Close U.s. Ties To Anticommunist, Right-wing Military Regimes. The Competition Between Cold Warriors And Human Rights Advocates Culminated In A Fierce Struggle To Define U.s. Policy During The Jimmy Carter Presidency. In The Fate Of Freedom Elsewhere, William Michael Schmidli Argues That Argentina Emerged As The Defining Test Case Of Carter{u2019}s Promise To Bring Human Rights To The Center Of His Administration{u2019}s Foreign Policy. Entering The Oval Office At The Height Of The Kidnapping, Torture, And Murder Of Tens Of Thousands Of Argentines By The Military Government, Carter Set Out To Dramatically Shift U.s. Policy From Subtle Support To Public Condemnation Of Human Rights Violation. But Could The Administration Elicit Human Rights Improvements In The Face Of A Zealous Military Dictatorship, Rising Cold War Tension, And Domestic Political Opposition? Schmidli Grapples With The Disparate Actors Engaged In The Struggle Over Human Rights, Including Civil Rights Activists, Second-wave Feminists, Chicano/a Activists, Religious Progressives, Members Of The New Right, Conservative Cold Warriors, And Business Leaders And Utilizes Unique Interviews With U.s. And Argentine Actors As Well As Newly Declassified Archives To Offer A Telling Analysis Of The Rise, Efficacy, And Limits Of Human Rights In Shaping U.s. Foreign Policy In The Cold War--unedited Summary From Book Jacket. Introduction : Human Rights And The Cold War -- From Counterinsurgency To State-sanctioned Terror : Waging The Cold War In Latin America -- The Third World War : U.s.-argentine Relations, 1960-1976 -- Human Rights Is Suddenly Chic : The Rise Of The Movement, 1970-1976 -- Total Immersion In All The Horrors Of The World : The Carter Administration And Human Rights, 1977-1978 -- On The Offensive : Human Rights In U.s.-argentine Relations, 1978-1979 -- Tilting Against Gray-flannel Windmills : U.s.-argentine Relations, 1979-1980 -- Conclusion : Carter, Reagan, And The Human Rights Revolution. William Michael Schmidli. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 245-246) And Index. "During the first quarter-century of the Cold War, upholding human rights was rarely a priority in U.S. policy toward Latin America. Seeking to protect U.S. national security, American policymakers quietly cultivated relations with politically ambitious Latin American militaries, a strategy clearly evident in the Ford administration's tacit support of state-sanctioned terror in Argentina following the 1976 military coup d'état. By the mid-1970s, however, the blossoming human rights movement in the United States posed a serious threat to the maintenance of close U.S. ties to anticommunist, right-wing military regimes. The competition between cold warriors and human rights advocates culminated in a fierce struggle to define U.S. policy during the Jimmy Carter presidency ... William Michael Schmidli argues that Argentina emerged as the defining test case of Carter's promise to bring human rights to the center of his administration's foreign policy. Entering the Oval Office at the height of the kidnapping, torture, and murder of tens of thousands of Argentines by the military government, Carter set out to dramatically shift U.S. policy from subtle support to public condemnation of human rights violation. But could the administration elicit human rights improvements in the face of a zealous military dictatorship, rising Cold War tension, and domestic political opposition? By grappling with the disparate actors engaged in the struggle over human rights, including civil rights activists, second-wave feminists, chicano/a activists, religious progressives, members of the New Right, conservative cold warriors, and business leaders, Schmidli utilizes unique interviews with U.S. and Argentine actors as well as newly declassified archives to offer a telling analysis of the rise, efficacy, and limits of human rights in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Cold War."--Solapa The Fate of Freedom Elsewhere 1 Contents 10 Acknowledgments 12 Abbreviations 14 Introduction: Human Rights and the Cold War 18 1. From Counterinsurgency to State-Sanctioned Terror: Waging the Cold War in Latin America 25 2. The “Third World War”: U.S.-Argentine Relations, 1960–1976 46 3. “Human Rights Is Suddenly Chic”: The Rise of The Movement,1970–1976 73 4. “Total Immersion in All the Horrors of the World”: The Carter Administration and Human Rights, 1977–1978 100 5. On the Offensive: Human Rights in U.S.-Argentine Relations, 1978–1979 137 6. “Tilting against Gray-Flannel Windmills”: U.S.-Argentine Relations, 1979–1980 173 Conclusion: Carter, Reagan, and the Human Rights Revolution 199 Abbreviations Used in the Notes 212 Notes 214 Primary Sources 262 Index 264