U.S. Policy Toward The Horn Of Africa (1974-1977)

In 1953, the Dwight Eisenhower government and Ethiopian formally established Allies relationship that in the 1960s has further consolidated and developed. However, in 1960s, because of the Soviet Union'interference and the U. S.'strength has been dropped, Nixon government was forced to take the "escape" strategy in the Horn of Africa at the end of the 1960s. Compared with the United States, the Soviet Union strengthened their existence in the Horn of Africa. In 1974, the Soviet Union and Somalia determined to establish friendly alliance. The same year, America's traditional Ally, Ethiopia has happened the rival of military coups, which resulted the pro-American Haile Selassie dynasty overthrown. These two events dramatically changed the geopolitical pattern of the Horn of Africa, and made great impact on the United States' Horn of Africa policy. In Ethiopia "9·12 coup", the U.S. government on the one hand contacted continuously with its trend, on the other hand, they provided aid to the junta in Ethiopia in order to safeguard the great reality interests. But, the military's anti-American radical behavior, particularly contacted with Soviet forced Ford government appear extremely cautious in next year' assistance. However, based on the United States in Ethiopia's great military interests, Ford government "tolerated" Ethiopia's behavior, and continued to provide Evans military aid judiciously. The United States government' slow attitude in providing aid has angered generals, and was deemed hostility to Ethiopia's military. In 1976, Ethiopia government reached the first military assistance agreement with Soviet, and slided the Soviet bloc gradually. Facing the junta'serious violations on human rights and anti-Soviet attitude, Carter was elected the new United Stated President in 1977. But, the military government abolished the two countries'common defense assistance agreement and ended the traditional friendly relationship with United States in reprisal. Accordingly, the military reached a mutual treaty with the Soviet Union. However, the Soviet Union and Ethiopia' alliance ended Soviet'friendly relationship with Somalia, and American quickly filled the vacuum by allied with Somali. From 1974 to 1977, in a few short years, the United Stated and Soviet Union finished the exchange of their friends, and to some extent, which changed American'"appeasement" strategic. As the Soviet Union in Africa'"aggressively expanding" in the late 1970s, the United Stated gradually abandoned to mention "appeasement" to the Soviet Union. Therefore, the United Stated and Soviet Union' race in the Horn of Africa is one of important factors in the United States'strategy transition.