1. The Nixon Presidency Foreign Policy Achievements

2. ACHIEVEMENTS In all fairness to Nixon, lets examine his achievements in foreign policy: –He had withdrawn U.S. troops (slowly) from Vietnam - something LBJ was unable to do –Détente

3. What is Détente? French word meaning “release from tension” –New type of diplomacy created by Nixon and Kissinger Allowed for partial thawing of the Cold War –Recognized USSR was not sole evil in the world

4. Creating a Balance of Power Détente played off the tension between the USSR and China - two communist states with history of rivalry Kissinger wanted to use “balance of power diplomacy” to maintain equilibrium

5. “The deepest international conflict in the world today is not between us and the Soviet Union but between the Soviet Union and Communist China.” Henry Kissinger, Nixon’s National Security Advisor, and later, Secretary of State (1973).

6. “Five Policemen” Concept Nixon believed five nations must cooperate militarily and industrially to maintain a global balance The five nations would police the world THE ENFORCERS: Soviet Union United States Western Europe China Japan

7. Nixon and China Since 1949 the US recognized Taiwan as the official gov’t of China Beginning in 1971, Nixon attempted to open normal relations with the Chinese gov’t

8. Ping-Pong Diplomacy? China invited an American team to compete in tennis table tournament Nixon began easing trade relations July 1971: Nixon announced plans to visit China

9. Nixon and the Soviet Union Following the China visit, Nixon made a trip to the USSR –Agreed on some missile limitation –Agree on combined space programs –Agreed to loosen trade restrictions

10. Berlin Agreement of 1972 Soviet leader Brezhnev and Nixon agreed on Berlin policy: –eased travel restrictions between East and West Berlin –US recognized East German government –US abandoned plan to reunify Germany

11. Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) of 1972 First step by US and USSR to reduce threat of nuclear war –Created ceiling on production of intercontinental ballistic missiles and sub-launched warheads –Restrict anti-ballistic missiles –Each nation limited to two defense complexes SALT I did little to limit total offensive power, but did demonstrate détente was possible

12. Why did Nixon go from Commie-hater to lover? Realism. China and Russia were not going to go away Press coverage: it was an election year Bargaining chip with Soviet Union: USSR would fear a China-US alliance Nixon could get away with it: Nobody would accuse Nixon of being soft on communism