How did Richard Nixon's foreign policy represent a change for the US?

Answer 1

Richard Nixon had multiple contexts and vectors toward his foreign policy. Nixon escalated Vietnam War through the invasion of Laos. Later his policy was endgame of the war through forcing a diplomacy solution by the strategic bombing campaign of Operation Linebacker II against North Vietnam. Nixon's Middle East policy revolved around the Arab-Israeli conflict , and most importantly the 1973 Yom Kippur War. This involved the "shuttle diplomacy" of Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State across the region mediating the conflicts. Detente with the People's Republic of China opened the country to trade and diplomatic normalization. It also served to create a wedge between the United States to Soviet relationship. Nixon also signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile and Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the Soviets as a core areas of his security policy.

Answer 2

There were three major powers during the cold war. Any one of these three Countries were nuclear capable of destroying the other. The threat of world dominance from Russia was the primary concern of most Americans basically because of their military and nuclear capabilities.

When Nixon became friendly with China, Russia had to deal with the possibilities of dealing with China should Russia attack the US. No one entity was capable of taking on the other two, somewhat of a good stalemate.

Even though everyone knew that any nuclear battle would pretty much destroy the planet, there was always that possibility. This alignment with China also made it difficult for all countries to widen their territories as many Countries had done in the past, including these same three.

Obviously it did not stop some invasions such as the USSR into Afghanistan however even these types of moves were much more difficult knowing you may now become the property of the other two!

Answer 3

Richard Nixon's predecessors would not negotiate or associate with leaders of communist countries. Richard Nixon changed this policy by going to China.

Answer 4

Pragmatic