Notes
Richard Nixon
Detente
- Elected 37th President in 1968
- Promised to end the Vietnam war
- Pulled troops but increased bombing campaign, implements Vietnamization
- Began a policy of Detente to lessen Cold War tensions
- Resigned after bing implemented in Watergate scandal, 1972
Detente
- Reasons why U.S. sought detente:
- Nuclear and Strategic Parity - The Russians had caught the U.S. in most military areas (caused them to want to think of other options)
- Early Success:
- Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (limit the spread of Nuclear weapons) Signed by Johnson in 1968 (France and China do not sign it)
- Many, like Henry Kissinger, felt detente was just a new form of containment
Summary
Richard Nixon was elected as the 37th president of the US in 1968. One of his platform promises was a promise to end the Vietnam War. He pulled troops out of the conflict, but increased the bombing campaign. Here, he would implement Vietnamization. This began his policy of of Détente, which was a plan to lessen the tensions in countries involved in the Cold War. Richard Nixon would resign after the Watergate scandal in 1972.
Détente was the lessening of tension in the Cold War. The US sought détente because of the Nuclear and Strategic Party - The russians had caught the US in most military areas, and the US sought more options for their military. The early successes of Détente were: the Nuclear Non-Profliferation Treaty, a banning of testing and spreading of Nuclear weapons. However, France and China did not sign this treaty. Many people, including Henry Kissinger, felt détente was just a new form of containment.
Ostpolitik is German for East Politics. The Western German leader, Willy Brandt, wished to unite the two Germanys, and thus sough to improve the relations between the two. IN 1972, a basic treaty was signed with East Germany. Some saw the signing of this treaty as the selling out of the communist East Germany, however, others saw it as another détente move.
Détente was the lessening of tension in the Cold War. The US sought détente because of the Nuclear and Strategic Party - The russians had caught the US in most military areas, and the US sought more options for their military. The early successes of Détente were: the Nuclear Non-Profliferation Treaty, a banning of testing and spreading of Nuclear weapons. However, France and China did not sign this treaty. Many people, including Henry Kissinger, felt détente was just a new form of containment.
Ostpolitik is German for East Politics. The Western German leader, Willy Brandt, wished to unite the two Germanys, and thus sough to improve the relations between the two. IN 1972, a basic treaty was signed with East Germany. Some saw the signing of this treaty as the selling out of the communist East Germany, however, others saw it as another détente move.
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Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines. - Richard Nixon
Subjunctive Question
What would have happened if Nixon had followed through with the peace he had promised?