NIXON: Foreign Policy

1969-1974

• Nixon’s most valuable asset as he began his presidency in 1969 was his expertise in foreign affairs

• Henry Kissinger- Nixon’s chief foreign-policy adviser

• policy of détente- ushered in an era of relaxed tensions between the Untied States and the two leading communist powers, China and the Soviet Union

The Nixon Doctrine• proclaimed that the United States

would honor its existing defense commitment , but that in the future its allies would have to fight their own wars without large numbers of American troops

• The Nixon-Kissinger policy toward the Third World, as expressed in the Nixon Doctrine, signified that U.S. interests in the Third World had declined

CHINA

CHINA • Nixon’s efforts to establish a new

relationship with China were a result of his belief that Communist China must be strengthened in order to counteract the power of the Soviet Union

• During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Nixon administration took all of the following actions toward the Communist government of China • sending a secret mission to Beijing to carry on

discussions• having the president personally visit China• establishing formal diplomatic relations with

China

SOVIET UNION

SOVIET UNION • 1972 SALT I talks - result in United

States and the Soviet Union agree to limit the total number of ICBMs , but not number of nuclear warheads

• Signs that he Cold War was thawing a bit in the early 1970s included • the SALT agreement • the ABM treaty • Nixon’s visits to Moscow and Beijing

MIDDLE EAST

MIDDLE EAST• In 1973, for the first time since

World War II, the United States faced an insufficient fuel supply

• In an effort to counter OPEC, the United States took the lead in forming the International Energy Agency

MIDDLE EAST• The Jewish state of Israel is surrounded by

Egypt, Jordan , Syria • The Yom Kippur War of 1973 altered

America’s relationship with the countries of the Middle East

• result of U.S. support for Israel in 1973 when it was attacked by Egypt and Syria = Arab nations placed an embargo on oil to America

• Yom Kippur War of 1973 resulted in • an oil embargo against the U.S. by the Arab

nations • One lesson the U.S. learned was that in the

future , the U.S. would have to consider the interests of the Arab nations as well as those of Israel

chronological order• 1973 - Arab oil embargo • 1975 - fall of Saigon • 1979 - Iranian hostage crisis • 1979 - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Who was Nixon’s advisor for national security affairs and later his secretary of state?

Henry Kissinger

What was the name of the foreign policy philosophy that believed that foreign policy should be based solely on consideration of power, not ideals or moral principles?

Realpolitick

How was this political philosophy less confrontational than the former policy of containment?

Containment refused to recognize the major Communist countries. Confrontation largely meant negotiation with the major Communist countries.

What was the other name of this foreign policy adopted by President Nixon – a policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions?

détente

What was one of the most startling application of this new foreign policy by Nixon in 1972 ?

when Nixon who had risen in politics as a strong anti communist visited Communist China

How did Nixon’s trip to Communist China change the US relationship with China?

opened friendly diplomatic and economic relations with China

What was the name of the 5 year agreement signed by the US and USSR in 1972 that limited the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM’s) and submarine-launched

missiles to 1972 levels?

SALT I Treaty

Who was the first US President to visit the Soviet Union?

NIXON