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Section 3

__The Election of 1988 __
For the Republicans, Vice President George H.W. Bush was an choice to succeed Ronald Reagan. Bush and Dukakis competed for the best coverage on the short "sound-bites" of evening news programs. On one election day, the voters responded to the Republican pledge to continue the peace and prosperity of the Reagan era. Bust received 53% of the popular vote to Dukakis's 46%. He took 426 electoral votes to Dukakis's 111.

__The New President __
President Bush brought a wide range of experience to the White House. Bust was honored a medal for bravery as being a pilot in World War II. After the war, he served as a member of Congress, as an ambassador, and as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Bush didn't want to follow the old ideas and attitudes of the Reagan era. Critics said that Reagan had placed too much emphasis on material wealth, Bush promised a "kinder, gentler nation."

__Drugs, education and the Environment __
In 1988 George Bush campaign had spoken out strongly on the need to control the spread of illegal drugs. He created with William Bennett to be "drug czar" to oversee the nations war on drugs. In 1990 Bennett signed, claiming that drug use had begun to drop, at least among some populations. In the Environment and Education, Bush had goals for education to make states and local school districts would have raise the money to put these standards into effects. In 1990, William Reilly signed into law a bill stting tougher standards to reduce air pollution. And nuclear waste was posed a special threat to the environment.

__The Savings and Loan Crisis __
Saving bank failures put even more pressure on the nations finances. These savings and loan institutions, known as S&L's had long financed mortgages or loans, for American buying homes. The S&L's encourage people to save money. But then the S&L's went bankrupt because the loans they made were not repaid. By 1990, a recession in New England led to more savings bank failures.

__Reducing the Deficit __
When savings and loans crisis added to the growing deficit in the federal budget. To reduce it, Congress and the President need to either to cut spending or raise more money. Bush then didn't want to raise taxes but the president and Congress could not agree on how to cut spending. By October 1, the automatic budget cuts called for the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act would go into effect. Congress and the President finally agreed that would would cut the deficit by nearly $500 billion over 5 years.

__The Elections of 1990 __
During the election of 1990 members of Congress found voters in an angry mood. In 14 stakes, voters elected governors from a different party from those who had been in office. Voters reelected most memebers of Congress, but with little enthusiam. But then it seem to face angry public for political leaders.

__Flags and the Supreme Court __
In 1989 the Court struck down a Texas law that had made burning the American flag a crime. Justices ruled that burning the flag in protest was a form of free speech. It was protected by the first amendment to the Constituion. Supporters of the amendment argued that burning a beloved national symbol was not free speech but was an insult to the nation. And they were right about having the flag being a crime.

Section 4

__The End of the Cold War?__
The end of the WWII the Soviets dominated governments had controlled the nations of Eastern Europe. In 1989 and 1990 however the Eastern bloc change radically. Communist government collapsed and Disscenters once teated as enemies of the state began to come into power. In 1981 the Polish government had outlawed Solidarity and independent labor union. The start of the flood of changes in Eastern Europe capped by the election of Walesa as the President of Poland in 1990. **A Wall comes down** Communist East Germany had built the wall in 1961 to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West. Using cinder blocks, barbed wire had symbolized cold war hostility. East German guards prevented anyone from crossing into West Berlin shooting many one who tried to escape. Nov. 9 1989 hundreds of East Berliners streamed through the gates to visit the West. The Berlin Wall has falling. **Moving toward democracy** Demonstrations against communism spread rapidly across Eastern Europe. The 1990 the Soviet government announced that it woul dallow private ownership of land and businesses. The end of communism in the Soviet Union seemed possibility.

__New Directions in Latin America__
In Feb. 1990, Nicaragua held elections. Most observers thought that Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista Party would win. The upset of Violeta Chamorro won handily. President Bush saw the election as a victory as a victory for democracy. Ortega's brother retained control of the military and by the end Chamorros hold on power was slipping and future relations between Nicaragua and the United States remained uncertain. **Invasion of Panama** When a federal court indicted Manuel Noriega on drug smuggling charges Noriega became defiant. He declared a state of emergency and openly corrupted Panamas elections. drugs continued to flow through the country. Dec. 20 1989 President Bush sent American military forces into Panama. The United States installed a new government in Panama and offerend to help rebuild the nations shattered economy.

__Unrest in China__
In the spring of 1989, dissident Chinese students began to campaign for democratic reforms. About hundreds and thousands gathered at Tiananmen Square in the capital city of Beijing. Americans wated the demonstrations, hoping that one of the worlds most rigid communist regimes would begin its own reforms. In June many army tanks rumbled into Tiananmen Square killing or arrested protesters. Bust didn't like what was going down but he refused to take strong action against the Chinese government.

__A Policy Toward South Africa__
The worldwide move toward democracy also seem to spread to South Africa. In the 1980's South Africa government had continued to pursue the policy of apartheid, or separation of the races. When President Reagan opposed apartheid, he argued that economic actions taken against South Africa would hurt the black majority by destroying jobs. But in Bush term the events in South Africa took an encouraging turn. In Sept. 1989 South Africa elected a new president, F.W. de Klerk. F.W. de Klerk soon announced a series of reforms to ease racial tensions in this country. He hoped that the apartheid was coming to an end and in 1990 both Mandela and de Klerk visited the United States and met with President Bush.

__War Clouds in the Middle East__
The Middle East remained a threat to world peace because after the Iran-Iraq war ended in the 1988, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein rebuilt his military. August 2, 1990 his troops invaded neighboring Kuwait, one of the richest oil-producing nations in the Middle East. The move reminded some observers of Hitler's assault on Czechoslovakia n 1939. In the 1980's industrial nations had become more dependent than ever before on oil from the Persian Gulf. If Saddam conquered Saudi Arabia as well as Kuwait, he would control more than 80% of the oil in the region. With that power, it might be possible to cripple the economies of the western world. If Saddam were not stopped, he might be able to expand his already strong military forces and attack other Arab nations such as Egypt and Syria, President Bush immediately dispatched American forces to Saudia Arabia. He urged the Arab nations to join with other nations around the world to force Saddam to leave Kuwait. In response, Saddam held many Americans and other foreigners as hostages in Kuwait and Iraq. If the United States or any other country bombed Iraq, he warned, these people would die in the attacks.
 * A complex threat **
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 8, 255);">The world responds **

<span style="color: rgb(0, 8, 255);">__Fugitives in a Desert Drama__
Hundreds of Americans living far from home faced an upredictable and dangerous situation. Iraqi tanks rumbled through the streets of Kuwait city. Saddam Hussein allowed some foreigners to leave Kuwait, but only American citizens decided to go into hiding they avoid the Iraqi troops who were rounding up hostages. Jeff Rickert, a chemical worker from North Carolina saw his wife off at the Kuwaiti airport on August 14. Standing in the waiting area after she had departed, he was struck by the confused mob of people and the armed Iraqi soldiers who seemed to be everywhere. A Kuwaiti suddenly approached. Rickert was very grateful he knew that this stranger was risking his life.

<span style="color: rgb(0, 8, 255);">__War in the Persian Gulf__
American soldiers waiting to see if they would be allowed to leave Kuwait and Iraq, the threat of war increased. Bust convinced the United Nations Security Council to declare January 15 1991 as a deadline for Iraqs removal from Kuwait.