US Foreign Policy: Nixon

Question 1

What was the policy of détante?

Answer 1

• -Greater co-operation between China, Russia and the USA
• -Greater co-operation on nuclear weapons
• -Easing of tensions: Nixon could cut military spending
• -Thawing of Cold War

Question 2

What was Vietnamisation?

Answer 2

• -Nixon policy in Vietnam
• -“Peace with honour”
• -Gradual withdrawal of US troops
• -Strengthening of ARVN
• -More than half of US troops withdrawn from Vietnam by 1971
• -Nixon Doctrine: US would give help to countries fighting internal attack, but would not send in US troops

Question 3

What was the Madman strategy?

Answer 3

• -Increased aerial bombing of North Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail
• -Wanted to give the impression that he was prepared to use even atomic bombs to end the war

Question 4

Invasion of Cambodia:

Answer 4

• -Secretly ordered

- -Destroy Vietcong dumps and their supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh trail

Question 5

What were the effects of the invasion of Cambodia?

Answer 5

• -Increased anti-war demonstrations ==> Kent State University
• -Widened the credibility gap
• -Rebellion in Congress: repealed Tonkin resolution
• -War Powers Act 1973, controlling President’s use of troops
• -Cambodia became Communist: Domino theory proved

Question 6

How did the Vietnam war end?

Answer 6

• -Combination of pressure from China and USSR, bombing and continued fighting
• -Paris Peace Accords Jan 1973:
  
  • -US would withdraw from S.V
  • -All POWs to be released
  • -Further negotiations to decide future of N.V and S.V

Question 7

What was Nixon’s foreign policy?

Answer 7

• -Approached policy of containment in a different way
• -Reputation as Cold War Warrior
• -Détante, Nixon Doctrine
• -“To make a friend out of the enemy” - Kissinger
• -Shuttle diplomacy: Kissinger and Nixon negotiated in secrecy, set up secret channels of communication bypassing State Department
• -Imperial presidency reached its peak
• -“Balance of power” policy
• -US Foreign Policy multipolar, no longer bipolar
• -Uses CIA + FBI to curb left-wing organisations
• -Props up Latin American military juntas

Question 8

What was Nixon’s first visit to China like?

Answer 8

• -April 1971: lifts 21-year trade embargo on China
• -Beijing, Feb 1972
• -Hoped to:
  
  • -Improve relations with China
  • -Increase US-China trade
  • -Put pressure on N.V in peace negotiations
  • -Play off China and USSR
• -Helped Nixon in 1972 election because people saw pictures of his visit to the Great Wall
• -“This was the week that changed the world”
• -Mainly symbolic
• -Forces Russia into détante

Question 9

What was Nixon’s first visit to Moscow like?

Answer 9

• -Two months after China visit
• -USSR feared they would be isolated
• -Summit meeting in Moscow with Brezhnev
• -First visit by a serving US President to Moscow
• -SALT 1: Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
  
  • -Limited number of ICBMS (inter-continental ballistic missiles) and submarine-based missiles for 5 years
  • -Showed both sides realised dangers of arms race
• -Signed agreement to work together for “peaceful coexistence”
• -Significant victory for détante
• -Brezhnev’s visit to US in 1973

Question 10

What was the economic situation of Nixon’s presidency?

Answer 10

• -Growing trade gap, rising unemployment
• -Competition with Japan and germany
• -1968: $20 billion deficit
• -Rising inflation

Question 11

What economic actions did Nixon take?

Answer 11

• -Wage freeze, price freeze, devalues dollar

- -Spends on social programmes

Question 12

What was Nixon’s foreign policy?

Answer 12

• -Approached policy of containment in a different way
• -Reputation as Cold War Warrior
• -Détante, Nixon Doctrine
• -Shuttle diplomacy: Kissinger and Nixon negotiated in secrecy, set up secret channels of communication bypassing State Department
• -Imperial presidency reached its peak
• -“Balance of power” policy
• -US Foreign Policy multipolar, no longer bipolar

Question 13

What was Nixon’s first visit to China like?

Answer 13

• -China, 1972
• -Hoped to:
  
  • -Improve relations with China
  • -Increase US-China trade
  • -Put pressure on N.V in peace negotiations
  • -Play off China and USSR
• -Helped Nixon in 1972 election because people saw pictures of his visit to the Great Wall
• -“This was the week that changed the world”
• -Mainly symbolic

Question 14

What was Nixon’s first visit to Moscow like?

Answer 14

• -Two months after China visit
• -USSR feared they would be isolated
• -Summit meeting in Moscow with Brezhnev
• -First visit by a serving US President to Moscow
• -SALT 1: Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
  
  • -Limited number of ICBMS (inter-continental ballistic missiles) and submarine-based missiles for 5 years
  • -Showed both sides realised dangers of arms race
• -Signed agreement to work together for “peaceful coexistence”
• -Significant victory for détante
• -Brezhnev’s visit to US in 1973

Question 15

What was the economic situation of Nixon’s presidency?

Answer 15

• -Growing trade gap, rising unemployment
• -Competition with Japan and germany
• -1968: $20 billion deficit
• -Rising inflation

Question 16

What economic actions did Nixon take?

Answer 16

• -Wage freeze, price freeze, devalues dollar

- -Spends on social programmes