User:Dhartung/SOTA

School of the Americas
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

 * 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

 * 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